A while back, there was a post about giving discounts at art shows. Some artists refuse to give discounts to potential customers at shows, stating that it is an insult. While I agree with this to a point, I have managed to turn this around on several occasions. When someone asks me if I will take less, I simply tell them that I am always willing to take less for people who make multiple purchases and for past customers.
Over the years, this has worked wonders for me, not only at the time of the original sale, but at future shows I attend as well. Once a person has purchased one of my pieces, I tell the customer that any time they purchase a piece directly from me at any show I attend, they automatically receive a 25% discount. I know, 25% is pretty high.
BUT just this past year, over half of my sales were to people who have purchased pieces from me in the past. There is one couple in Indiana that now own 16 of my pieces. Another family in Florida has turned it into a true family adventure. Mom and Dad own 8 pieces, and their two daughters and husbands own 4 and 5 pieces within each family. And I have countless other examples like this as well. Hopefully, they are purchasing my pieces because they like my paintings, but I have to believe that the discount helps a little.
This past year, I only did 6 art shows. I usually do between 10 and 12 shows per year. I always send notices to people who have purchased from me in the past, reminding them about the discount. With the short show list this year, I actually had several people who traveled over 200 miles to come make a purchase from me at some of the shows I attended. My sales were only down slightly this year, even with the reduced schedule.
I look at discounting my work as a "Thank You" to the people who have given me the opportunity to do this thing that I love to do.
