Comments on: How to have a sale of your art and feel good about it (167)

By: Alyson Stanfield

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 13:33:41 +0000

Sounds like a great plan Elsa. Your concern in your first para is addressed in my Mistakes section. It’s got to be offered to VIP collectors first. LMK how it goes.

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By: Elsa Bluethner

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 21:02:17 +0000

An Idea… My biggest challenge is that my work evolves and changes so much from year to year, series to series, I’m left with leftovers from these collections. I didn’t want to discount because previous buyers have paid full price, but I’m thinking, I can do a VIP sale of previous works at offering them my 50% my gallery cut. That way the work is not devalued. Of course I will let my gallery know. She only has two works that I will pull out and tell her I’ve a new series for her. I would do this through personalized emails and an invitation to my studio as a one day event.

I also don’t sell anything smaller than 9×12 in a gallery, so I have full carte blanche as to how much I want to sell these. They’re often plein air sketches and I could offer a 30% off. I don’t know why, but people who generally don’t believe they can afford art or have difficulty putting money on art, even when they love it, will spend if they know they are getting a ‘deal’, Collectors (who have money for art) don’t bat an eyelash at the price, and would rather see the value of my work go up than be discounted. This I would offer on social media as a 5 day only event at the end of November.

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:29:05 +0000

In reply to Linda Snouffer.

Linda: Since you’re a member of our community, you should post this in the Art Biz Connection so that we can discuss. That’s what we’re here for!

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:26:43 +0000

In reply to Linda Snouffer.

Linda: I can’t really give you a lot of feedback without knowing more, but my top level advice is that the sale is too long. Keep it to 7-10 days max.

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By: Linda Snouffer

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 17:42:28 +0000

I’d love some feed back on this idea that was inspired by the article above.

Now, I am thinking outside the box as I try to move my inventory into someone else’s possession and am
considering having a 2024 Sales Event: 24% off on 20 select pieces of art.
My tentative plan is to send FOUR mailchimp campaigns to ALL my followers in January – each with five images at the 24% off.
(A single campaign with 20 images would overload viewer, I think).
It will last only during a determined amount of time (Jan 15-Feb 15?), and once it is done, the sale deal is done.

I don’t mind “losing” 24% when making a direct sale – I already pay 25-40% commission fees, depending on the venues.
And, I will not put pieces in the deal that have been in a gallery for at least six months, so I will not step on gallery owner toes.

BTW,
During the Covid lockdown, I hosted a “Little Porch Gallery,” inspired by NPR radio’s Little Studio recordings. I invited a hand-selected group of collectors and wanna-be’s to come view my work on the open windowed three-season porch. People were so hungry to get out that it was one of my best selling events – and I got a couple commissions from the gig. win. Win. WIN.

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By: Meg

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:08:35 +0000

Lot’s of good advice here-thank you Alyson. I am planning my annual small business Saturday event and will implement some of these ideas. One idea I have used in the past: I unveil a new work of art of a local imagery at the small business event that I have been posting on SM as it progresses. The unveiling of the finished piece tends to get people excited about seeing the finished piece and encourages them to attend the event. Once there I reward them with a sale of available works, typically small works that are good for gift giving.

I’ll reread Alyson’s advice and determine if I should add some of them this year.

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By: Rene Lynch

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 13:12:05 +0000

My art critique group holds a ‘Big Art Sale’ every other year. We offer work on sale as well as full priced art. We rent a lovely old house in the middle of a garden (a city park), have a cocktail party on Friday evening, then sale extends through Saturday. Some years I’ve done very well, other years were terrible.

I have toyed with the idea of coupons, a private sale for my clients, but don’t want to give too many opportunities to get my work at a discount. It’s a real balancing act.

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 14:41:24 +0000

In reply to Dani Montoya.

I understand, Dani. And I acknowledge that this is the right thing for you. Some artists, however, need to unload inventory. I know that sounds crass, but I’d rather it find a home than be left in an estate for survivors to deal with.

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By: Dani Montoya

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 11:34:40 +0000

Many years ago I had my pieces in a shop who never had a sale or offered a discount. When i asked why, she said it was because people would wait for the sale to purchase. I think of my own experiences with that mentality…i will NEVER SHOP at Kohls without a coupon! They send them out so often that if I ever needed to shop there without a coupon i would think I was being cheated. And I always wait for the 30% off coupon.

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 19:57:37 +0000

In reply to Betsy Glassie.

Thank you for sharing your experience, Betsy.

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