OK, so I'm at a successful show, small pieces are selling well, but I have about five large, 36x48 or about size pieces. Many people are very interested, talk to me about the work more than the smaller pieces, and seem really engaged. Some people even come back to look again, but I can never close the sale. There must be a method but heck, I don't know it and I think I might be sabotaging myself somehow. Because as an artist I am in my booth while others are having luck selling their high end work, I never know the techniques they use. When I got my art degree it never came with marketing classes, although it should have. Sometimes I see very successful marketing majors without any formal training making a killing and yes, some of them have what I think is less than stellar work ( this is not a blanket statement- just some I have met.) Bottom line is either it's my product and I just need to trash everything and rethink my life or I'm definitely missing a skill everyone one else knows or has learned over the years. Does anyone have any feedback or suggestions? I would be very grateful.Frustratedly yours,Marge
Lynda, what a thought provoking story and it's the key to selling: make the customer feel special from the moment they enter your booth( a cheery hello or personal complement); through their journey(I have a boutique-like corner of mirrors and fluff where the customer can try things on in private); to special wrapping of their "gift" , which they just bought themselves(thanks, Annette;) to that final warm wish for them to " Enjoy!"
There, of course, are people who will not respond to warmth. Ce' la vie! Most humans, though, look for attention. I guess in my life I use the power of my personality to sell. OOOOOOOhhhhh! That was an honest slip.
Well, here it is then. Tell me what you do, okay?
I hardly sit at an Art Fair and when I do I am knitting one of the items I sell which many people are fascinated to see how it's done(I draw them in.)
I dress to kill. No heels, mind you, but designer wear. Clients will often come up just to ask where I got my outfit(I draw them in.)
I am always scanning the crowd trying to make eye contact. When I do I walk up and ask the person if I can try on my soon-to-be patented invention:Angel Hair. 75% say yes because I am usually wearing one and they are very unique. 50% of the time I sell one. I sell out of A.H. almost every show. Why? Because I think I must be so enthusiastic about it people catch the emotion.
I always find a little girl to GIVE AWAY an A.H> to. It makes me feel great! They are thrilled. It draws a crowd. The people around pick up sales immediately. And there is nothing like a crowded booth to draw more people, yes?
In short, I try to engage the crowd. My booth smells nice(incense.) I have an oriental rug on the ground.
We play natural music(the sounds of nature.)
And I do think it doesn't hurt to leave the spaces open after someone purchases an item. Success breeds success, they say.
I guess there are hundreds of other things that I do that urge the customer to complete the sale. I just never thought it through. It';s reflex.
I really like people.
Selling is exhausting, though, IF you take it personal.
Wow, what great tips! I promise to use every one-AND have fun while doing it!
Years ago I bought my very first pair of black high heels-we won't even go into how VERY long ago that was! The prim, proper, sweet little man salesman looked at me from above his bow tie, eyes twinkling, while handing me the sales receipt and said, "May they bring you many years of happiness." This conversation thread has reminded me of how I felt when he said that to me...so the take away, I'll try and impart that same type of feeling each time someone buys one of my paintings. It is a big deal when someone likes my/your work enough to trade their very hard earned $ for your art.
Annette, I slipped the gentleman my card and told the booth, at large, the hours of the Fair....as if someone else had asked me. He did slip back later!
As for discounts, if you run a website, during special seasons(ie. Christmas, Mother's day), you may run a discount to pull in your favorite customers. I have run short time discounts on certain items I may want to clear out for my new creations. IF they know the CODE on the website, I will also honor it at the Fair on the same items. I feel that's fair to that great customer who treks all the way out to a foreign location to see me. As with Annette, if someone is spending over say $300-500, I have been intimately involved in the sale and I make sure that they have something extra or a discount to make the sale memorable for them. In todays market in the US, going over the top once may bring you a life-time follower not a one-time customer, But you need to use your instincts here.
Really that's what many of these posts have been about: instinct backed by experience. While I haven't had my company and website all my life, I have had to sell myself to others. So have you (if you are of a certain age,LOL.) I worked my way up to VP of a huge corporation, making six figures. In all phases of that climb, I met the same range of human beings I meet in my booth on weekends. It's true: set your standards before the day starts but don't crucify yourself if after a miserable day you being human, are felled by those grasping people....always looking for the deal. Don't be offended. It's their personal problem, not yours. You are just generous.
Hey, Paul and Michael.....everyone should assume the best in others.
Thanks everybody! When I did practically give my art away at the show it really ruined my whole day. Even after I made full price great sales, I still kept thinking about the one that got away. I do have to work on my confidence. That is really great advice. No body is getting my trays el cheapo again!!!
When a man goes to a show with the intention of picking out a gift with his wife, he figures it'll take about 30 minutes - an hour at most - for them to find it, pay for it, and leave. When he comes into my booth and says, "Wow, look at this, honey. Let me buy it for you," he is really thinking, "I have no idea what you women want but this looks as good as anything. Please hurry because I left the car running." The woman, who is a tactful person, says out loud, "Oh, no, darling, it's too expensive." She's really thinking, "Are you kidding? Not THAT." Trust me,there's nothing you can do to turn that into a sale.
LOL Lorie - my helper on one show when this happened suggested the very same thing! Thanks Wendy, glad to know it happens to other people - after a couple of times I started to wonder if it was me!
In my experience, the husband is looking for a gift for his wife but doesn't know what to get her. The wife wants the gift, but she doesn't want MY jewelry. So she says it's too expensive and rushes him out of my booth. There's nothing you can do about that. Don't sweat it.
With regards to holds - I make sure we are real clear on the terms. I ask 'what if someone else wants it'.
With regards to discounts - I never do if the person asks, especially if they ask in front of other potential customers. What Lorie said - have your answer ready ahead of time and be prepared to lose a sale if it comes down to it. Early on, I had someone bully me into a reduced price since I wasn't prepared and was very disappointed afterwars. Never again. Keep in mind, that if you discount for someone and they are a repeat customer, they'll expect a discount always.
With regards to Pauls last response. You used the word appalling after I said appalled. How clever of you. But you still are suggesting a lie. So to the original poster, I guess you have to decide for yourself if making the sale is important that you'd lie. Why stop at that lie? You could tell every customer who asks about a piece that someone else asked about it earlier that day and they may be back. That may push them to buy. No harm in that little tip, right Paul?
Hey Lauren, The same thing happened to me in Florida in January- I too was in shock to know what to do and wound up giving her a steal which I really regretted. I just did the ACC Show in Atlanta and the same thing happened( I must look like an easy target I'm afraid) but it made me so mad that I actually did have a comeback. I said " Oh, I didn't think people did that at a show like this." I was nice but it got the point across-
Comments
Lynda, what a thought provoking story and it's the key to selling: make the customer feel special from the moment they enter your booth( a cheery hello or personal complement); through their journey(I have a boutique-like corner of mirrors and fluff where the customer can try things on in private); to special wrapping of their "gift" , which they just bought themselves(thanks, Annette;) to that final warm wish for them to " Enjoy!"
There, of course, are people who will not respond to warmth. Ce' la vie! Most humans, though, look for attention. I guess in my life I use the power of my personality to sell. OOOOOOOhhhhh! That was an honest slip.
Well, here it is then. Tell me what you do, okay?
I hardly sit at an Art Fair and when I do I am knitting one of the items I sell which many people are fascinated to see how it's done(I draw them in.)
I dress to kill. No heels, mind you, but designer wear. Clients will often come up just to ask where I got my outfit(I draw them in.)
I am always scanning the crowd trying to make eye contact. When I do I walk up and ask the person if I can try on my soon-to-be patented invention:Angel Hair. 75% say yes because I am usually wearing one and they are very unique. 50% of the time I sell one. I sell out of A.H. almost every show. Why? Because I think I must be so enthusiastic about it people catch the emotion.
I always find a little girl to GIVE AWAY an A.H> to. It makes me feel great! They are thrilled. It draws a crowd. The people around pick up sales immediately. And there is nothing like a crowded booth to draw more people, yes?
In short, I try to engage the crowd. My booth smells nice(incense.) I have an oriental rug on the ground.
We play natural music(the sounds of nature.)
And I do think it doesn't hurt to leave the spaces open after someone purchases an item. Success breeds success, they say.
I guess there are hundreds of other things that I do that urge the customer to complete the sale. I just never thought it through. It';s reflex.
I really like people.
Selling is exhausting, though, IF you take it personal.
Who am I kidding? My ego bruises too.
But, honestly, aren't we lucky?
Wow, what great tips! I promise to use every one-AND have fun while doing it!
Years ago I bought my very first pair of black high heels-we won't even go into how VERY long ago that was! The prim, proper, sweet little man salesman looked at me from above his bow tie, eyes twinkling, while handing me the sales receipt and said, "May they bring you many years of happiness." This conversation thread has reminded me of how I felt when he said that to me...so the take away, I'll try and impart that same type of feeling each time someone buys one of my paintings. It is a big deal when someone likes my/your work enough to trade their very hard earned $ for your art.
Annette, I slipped the gentleman my card and told the booth, at large, the hours of the Fair....as if someone else had asked me. He did slip back later!
As for discounts, if you run a website, during special seasons(ie. Christmas, Mother's day), you may run a discount to pull in your favorite customers. I have run short time discounts on certain items I may want to clear out for my new creations. IF they know the CODE on the website, I will also honor it at the Fair on the same items. I feel that's fair to that great customer who treks all the way out to a foreign location to see me. As with Annette, if someone is spending over say $300-500, I have been intimately involved in the sale and I make sure that they have something extra or a discount to make the sale memorable for them. In todays market in the US, going over the top once may bring you a life-time follower not a one-time customer, But you need to use your instincts here.
Really that's what many of these posts have been about: instinct backed by experience. While I haven't had my company and website all my life, I have had to sell myself to others. So have you (if you are of a certain age,LOL.) I worked my way up to VP of a huge corporation, making six figures. In all phases of that climb, I met the same range of human beings I meet in my booth on weekends. It's true: set your standards before the day starts but don't crucify yourself if after a miserable day you being human, are felled by those grasping people....always looking for the deal. Don't be offended. It's their personal problem, not yours. You are just generous.
Hey, Paul and Michael.....everyone should assume the best in others.
Hugs.....hey, what a GREAT discussion!
With regards to holds - I make sure we are real clear on the terms. I ask 'what if someone else wants it'.
With regards to discounts - I never do if the person asks, especially if they ask in front of other potential customers. What Lorie said - have your answer ready ahead of time and be prepared to lose a sale if it comes down to it. Early on, I had someone bully me into a reduced price since I wasn't prepared and was very disappointed afterwars. Never again. Keep in mind, that if you discount for someone and they are a repeat customer, they'll expect a discount always.
With regards to Pauls last response. You used the word appalling after I said appalled. How clever of you. But you still are suggesting a lie. So to the original poster, I guess you have to decide for yourself if making the sale is important that you'd lie. Why stop at that lie? You could tell every customer who asks about a piece that someone else asked about it earlier that day and they may be back. That may push them to buy. No harm in that little tip, right Paul?
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