Have you ever said, “They won’t pay that for my art”? I know I’ve thought it about a million times. And most artists I know circle back to that thought a lot. It feels really true, right? Like it’s for sure. But, here’s the thing.
We don’t know.
We have now way of truly knowing if someone can or can’t pay the prices we set for our art. This is because we have absolutely NO IDEA of a buyer’s personal finances. Or how important art is to them. It can feel really certain that we do, but in reality, we don’t know.
Usually when this thought is passing through our minds, filling it with doubt about our prices, it’s self-generated. There may not even be a person standing there in front of you saying they can’t afford a painting of yours. It’s like this statement springs to life and starts hopping around in our brains when we start thinking about selling our work.
It’s our job as artists and creatives to stay out of our collector’s wallet. We can’t manage their money. Only they can decide if they can afford and want your art.
Something that can be done to help quiet this nagging thought is to do your homework and make sure that you feel 100% confident in your prices. When you do, you can stand tall in the prices you ask for because you understand why your art is priced the way it is. This is a great tool to hush your brain when it starts to think about your buyer’s financial abilities and budget—which is something you have zero control over.
If you haven't validated your prices in a while, grab a copy of The Number One Way to Price Your Art here and work through the worksheet. It’s a free guide to know the number one way to confidently price your art to ensure you're making money.
Let me know your questions and thoughts about this in the comments. I’m curious if you’ve caught yourself thinking “they can’t afford it.”
Cheering you on to make selling your work easier,
Kate