Artprice's latest report on the art market reveals the devastating effects of the pandemic. The health crisis has also been bad news for the gallery and auction business, but, looking at it from another perspective, it has brought structural changes that have allowed them to explore the digital environment.
Although we may think of the art world as romantic, there is undoubtedly a commercial side to it that we cannot forget. Consumer behaviour in general has changed, and this is also reflected in the art world. Social networks contribute to the orientation of tastes, multiplying the artistic offer at the same time as they have played an important role in counteracting the effects of Covid.19. However, online presence does not mean that all galleries and artists perform well in online sales.
In my experience, the reasons that move a client to invest in your project are as varied as they are, as a client buys for different reasons depending on their economic circumstances. In any case, whether you are selling an artistic piece or a cultural project, you have to ask yourself why they will buy it and if a client has told you that they don’t want to buy the product you are trying to sell them, you have to ask yourself what went wrong or what you might have done wrong.
After many years working on my own developing projects, acquiring art pieces and talking to many artists and galleries I have learnt to analyse what makes a person say no in the buying process.
In this post I’m going to talk about 3 keys that will make you think about why they will buy your projects or products (art/design/culture).
To start with, there are three essential elements that make the process successful: the right audience, the right product and professional communication in a timely manner. It sounds easy, but any mistake, no matter how subtle it may seem, will cause a potential client to take no action and leave their credit card out.
I assume that you know who your audience is and that your production is of high quality, always on the road to continuous improvement. Now I am going to give you 3 keys to review the communication around your products, which will help you understand why they will buy your art pieces.
#1.- The information you provide.
One of the main reasons for not buying any item is the lack of information. How many times have you searched for a product on the internet and not been able to find the answer to your doubts? The same thing happens in the world of art, even if you think that visual aesthetics is the most important thing. The client wants to know the characteristics of the piece and the story behind it. If you don’t give it to them, there will be thousands of artists who will be willing to offer the information a buyer needs before deciding.
On several occasions I have asked for a piece and the information they have offered is brief, little more than the measurements and the price. I recommend that you prepare a small file with details of each piece available and always have it at hand for when you are asked about it and in the case of a project a speech or text in case they need more information.
#2.- Credibility.
Another reason why your customer may back out and decide not to buy your offer is lack of credibility. Customers buy products or services from brands they trust. And in relation to art or the creative field, once the client knows the item (or project) they like, the next thing they will want to know is if they can trust you and if you will be able to deliver what you promise: on-time delivery or how the piece will get to its destination.
It is therefore very important that you give them reasons to trust you. In many cases, this is conveyed by your actions, for example, if you respond quickly to communications or the way you do it in order to provide them with security.
#3.- Relevance.
In art, without a doubt, the relevance of an artist matters a lot when it comes to acquiring a piece or approving a cultural project. The c.v., a professional trajectory that endorses him or her or the representation of a (serious) gallery are key for the artist to position him or herself well in the market.
Sometimes emerging art attracts new audiences who don’t look at an artist so much in the “long term” as in the now. On the other hand, there are other collectors who do not acquire a piece because they like it more or less than another, but because they are acquiring the artist’s name with future projection, they want to be part of something more.
Relevance is also aimed at being topical, a discovery or a relevant figure in a specific subject. In an art collection there are always gaps that only certain pieces or projects, by very specific artists, have room for. You have to think that it can be you and you have to be prepared to be told “yes” and “I’m going to buy it now”.
[The project review sessions are underway as I told you in the previous post, are you interested? To find out more write to me at sandra@expressan.com and I will send you all the information].
El trabajo emocional.
En este post voy a hablar sobre qué es el trabajo emocional en un proyecto que influye en los resultados obtenidos.
La autopromoción.
En este post voy a hablar de la forma de decir que existes para que te encuentren: la autopromoción.
Crear tu discurso.
En este post te voy a hablar de la importancia de crear tu discurso y cómo hacer la declaración de artista o statement.
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