I notice how show organizers promote how they keep similar styles or categories apart. I spoke to one show organizer last week and she said that the artists don't want to be adjacent to similar "competitor" artists. I just don't get that. I may not be well versed in art shows but I do have over 30 years of business and marketing experience. This separation is harmful to sales.
Here's why:
When people shop - they have some idea of what they want. Jewelry, pottery, wood, paintings, etc. There is the occasional impulse buy but when you boost the quality and price to a professional or juried level that factor diminishes. When a show has 150 - 200 booths, the shopper has to search out their "category" preference and it is unlikely they will find all that fit.
In reality a sale comes down to two things - whether they like the product or not and the price. Believe it or not, cheapest does not always win and sometimes a price too low can kill a sale. Sorry, I digressed. Essentially, you think you have enough variety but when you step back your prices are consistent (within a range) and your work has your style.
Take away the isolation aspect and place another artist (same category) adjacent to you and now you have a true difference. What really happens - you now have a potential (even likely) buyer who is no longer in a "yes" or "no" situation; and placed them in an "either" "or" situation. It is now more likely that at least one of you will make a sale.
This is why more new car dealerships carry more than one line of cars. The red versus blue is just not enough and the lowest price isn't the real issue, it is what they believe is value.
Tell me if you (pardon the pun) buy into this strategy or not, and if not, why not.
