The Best Way to Sell Art Online

According to the latest from the marketing gurus, a consistent, engaging e-newsletter is best way to build your customer base and make online sales.

"Properly utilizing an email list to have meaningful conversations with your followers is currently the most powerful online marketing strategy artists can pursue." ~Clint Watson

I am happy that my website provider (Fine Art Studio Online) provides me with a built in, professionally designed newsletter that I can send to up to 1000 subscribers. I send out my

 newsletter once a month, and occasionally more frequently if I have a special event to promote.

Since studies have shown that a well written, engaging e-newsletter is THE best way to make sales, you'll want to create a  newsletter that is personal, newsy and showcases a few art pieces – and, perhaps counter-intuitively – doesn’t try to “sell.” You want to keep your collectors (and potential collectors) engaged, intrigued and informed.

How does this convert to sales?  People are more likely to buy from a trusted source – someone they feel they know and to whom they feel a connection. Your newsletter is your ticket into the hearts and homes of people interested in your art – and you. 

A few don’ts, before I get to the do’s of your newsletter. 

1. Don’t use your newsletter as a platform for whining (Please buy my art. Please, please please! I need the money. It's so hard to sell art. I’m depressed.) 

2. Don’t use it to spout off your political views (unless that is a part of your art…) 

3. Don't write a book.  Most people just skim.

4. Don't just write an email and send it out using your email program (ie. Outlook) - you might get marked as a spammer, and besides, you will look like an amateur.

The do’s are so much better!   

1. Do write about your personal process – do you use unusual materials, paint blindfolded, sing while you create? 

2. Do write about what motivates you. Write about what inspires you. Give us a glimpse into your heart and soul. 

3. Do share your successes, and don’t be afraid to share the work of another artist if you think your readers would be interested.

4. Do keep the newsletter short – create a link to your blog/website if you want to write something more in-depth.

5. Do showcase your artwork – but don’t put prices in your newsletter. Create a link to the image on your website or your gallery’s website.  (That also allows you to see how many people have clicked that link, which helps you determine interest in a particular piece).

6. Do be consistent! And let people who sign up for your newsletter know what to expect – how often, what type of content, etc. 

7. If your website host doesn't provide a newsletter platform, use an opt-in template emailing program such as Mail Chimp or one of these. 

So… you’re ready to write your first newsletter...

How do you get people to sign up? 

1. Start with friends and family. 

2. If you do Holiday shows, create a sign up to capture emails (always helps to have a giveaway).

3. Have a newsletter sign up button on your home page and on your Facebook (business) page. 

4. Create a Facebook ad to get more people to sign up for your newsletter.

5. Whenever you meet someone who is interested in your art, ask if you can send them updates on new paintings – via your newsletter. 

 6. Include buttons on your newsletter to make it easy for your readers to forward it to friends and share on social media. 

 

Kate Dardine is a professional artist and has been helping artists and photographers with their printing and marketing needs for over 25 years. She invites you to sign up for her monthly newsletter here.

Can We Talk... About Your Art?

by Kate Dardine

So you’ve got a website, and you are using social media to drive people to your site. You have your url listed on your business card, and you have a link to it as part of your email signature.  Fantastic! Now, how do you turn lookers into buyers?

According to Clint Watson, creator of the Fine Art Studio Online websites, the only way you sell art is through “connecting with real people and having conversations with them.” (Clint worked in a high-end gallery for many years before starting his own company – so he knows a bit about selling art.) “Well,” you may wonder, “how am I going to have conversations with people when I can’t see them – and am not even sure they are out there?”

You know the old saying – when there is a will, there is a way? Assuming you have the will, here are a few ways to engage in “conversation” with the viewers on your website (and, gasp! – in person).

Tell stories about your work.
I know, some of you are saying, “my art speaks for itself.” Trust me. It doesn’t. Now before you think I’m dissing your artwork (heck, I haven’t even SEEN it!) let me explain. Yes, the image has to speak for itself to attract the viewer. The subject matter, color, composition, values and style have got to first grab the viewer’s attention, enticing them to take a closer look. But on a website, unlike a gallery, there is no gallerist to walk over and start a conversation with the viewer. You’ll have to do that with your written word. You don’t have to write a dissertation – in fact, you’ll want to keep it short. But you’ll want the words to tell a story that leaves the reader intrigued and wanting to know more.

For example, I have a painting called “Released: This Lucky Night is All There Is”. This is one of my current series that originate from a time in my life where I was forced to re-examine the things I took for granted. I had to let go of my preconceived notions, let go of my need to control, let go of the fear, the anger, the hurt and become like a leaf released from the safety of its mother tree to ride the wind. Fight it or go with the flow - no matter, there is change.”

Send out an email newsletter to your list on a regular basis.
I generally try to send an email newsletter out once a month. I keep the letter short, but provide insights into my creative life. I include a images of the latest paintings I’ve completed, and usually try to tie my “story” in to the work I am showing.

I also put “newsy” items in the newsletter – paintings that have sold, shows I’ve been accepted in to, awards I’ve won, etc. And every once in a while I offer a special discount to my newsletter readers – and let them know they are the only ones getting the discount. I also, with the client’s permission, put in testimonials from people who have purchased a painting. I might give a short review of a book I’ve read or a movie I’ve seen. And I provide a short intro and link to my latest blog…

Start a blog!
My website through FASO has one built in, but there are plenty of free blog hosting sites out there. This blog is hosted by Blogger, and Wordpress is a popular blog site. . There are a number of good sites out there that can help you get started writing a blog, and so I won’t go into detail here. Here's two to get you started. “The 12 Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a Blog”,  and “How to Create an Art Blog that Makes Collector’s Swoon”.  Really, you want to think of your blog as another touch point, another place to start a conversation.

And the Scariest…

Learn to Talk About Your Art. Face to Face. In Person. 

Believe me, I know how scary this is. I am the Queen of the Tongue-tied when it comes to talking about my work.  But, I am getting better.  How?  By facing my fear and putting myself in situations where I actually have to talk to people. About. My. Work. I have come up with an “elevator speech” so I can describe what I do in a few words.  “I create intuitive pieces that explore spirituality, the connection between humans and animals,  and the wisdom of the subconscious mind.”  If someone wants to know more about how I physically create the paintings, I add that I mostly work in acrylic on canvas, for the immediacy of the medium, and the ability to create layers of color and pattern – which aids me in keeping fresh and spontaneous.  If they want to know more about what inspires me, I have stories about how I came to paint the way I do (you can listen to a short interview with me here.)  And then I listen – and ask questions of them – “Do you paint?”  “Do you have any original art in your home?”  “What is it about this painting that drew you in?”  Yes, that’s right… have a conversation!!

 Kate Dardine has been helping photographers and artists market their prints for over 25 years. She is currently Marketing Director at Fine Print Imaging, as well as a professional artist selling original paintings and prints. Need one on one advice?  Call 970-484-9650 or email info@fineprintimaging.com to learn about our marketing consultation service.

Print Pricing Made Easy

How do I price my prints? That has got to be the Number One question I get when talking to artists and photographers about entering the print market. For this article, I will concentrate on the simplest method for calculating resale pricing on your prints. That method is Multiplied Print Cost.

1. Artists and photographers just starting to sell prints of their work usually make one of two mistakes: pricing too high for their market or pricing too low and not making a profit. You have to find that happy medium. (Did I hear you say, “Duh?”)

2. The easiest method to calculate your print price is to figure out how much the print cost you to produce, and then multiply that number by four to get your retail price. For example, if you are selling an unframed, un-matted 16x20 print on Somerset Velvet paper, and the print cost you $47 to produce, your retail price would be $188. This pricing system works well if you are selling through a gallery that takes a 50% commission. After the gallery takes its $94, you are left with $94. Out of that you subtract your print cost of $47 and end up with $47 in profit.

3. If you are not selling in galleries or shows that charge a commission, then you have a little more leeway. Try multiplying print cost times three – in the case of the above-mentioned 16x20, your retail price would be $141. When you subtract out your cost of $47, you are left with a profit of $94. In this case, you can play around with the numbers to see what “feels” right. If $141 seems too high for your customer base, try multiplying by 2.5, for a retail price of $118, etc.

4. Another common mistake is forgetting to add in all the costs when figuring out your prices. If you have matted and framed your print, then you have to add that into your total cost. If you spent $100 framing your $47 print, then you have to make $147 to break even. If you are selling through a gallery, and they are taking 50%, then you have to at least double the cost of the framing ($200) and then add that to your print cost x 4 ($188). You won’t make money on the frame, but you won’t lose, either, and your profit will be the same as in #1. Some artists tack on a “framing fee” to the original framing cost. Even if you are just poly-bagging the print, you have to add that cost into the “cost to produce the print.”

5. When you are first starting out, it is better to sell for as low as you can and still make a profit. One way to do that is to reduce the cost of the print. The example above was for a single giclée print on Somerset Velvet paper, which costs $47 through our custom service.  If you order at least 4 of the same image/size, your cost goes down to $37.50 each.  Or consider going with a more economical  paper. The same print on Decor Textured paper would be $38 if ordering one, or $30.50 each if ordering four. Or, if you want to order one at a time and lower your single print cost, use our Express service.

See, it is not too difficult. Like most things in the art world, there are no hard and fast rules, no “magic bullet” for success. As I mentioned, if you are just starting out with prints, you will probably want to start as low as you can and still make a profit. If you are not selling through galleries, then you can even just double your print cost to start out. It is easier to raise prices if prints are flying off your shelves than to lower them if they are just languishing. And if this method doesn’t work for you, there are plenty of other formulas for pricing out there. This just happens to be one that I think is easy – and works for me.

Here’s a bonus tip:When establishing the price, try to keep it under the “barrier” numbers. So instead of $50, sell for $49. Instead of $100, sell for $98. Strangely, once you’ve broken a barrier, you can go higher. For instance, if someone is willing to pay $125 for something, they’d probably not blink at $149. Study pricing in retail stores and you’ll see what I mean.

OK, one more tip.
Sell in “package deals.” A photographer I know sells matted 5x7 prints at shows. One matted 5x7 is $39. If you buy two, you get them both for $59. But if you buy three, you get them all for $65. Guess what he sells most of? Yep, three prints.

Kate Dardine has been helping photographers and artists market their prints for over 25 years. She is currently Marketing Director at Fine Print Imaging, as well as a professional artist selling original paintings and prints. Need one on one advice?  Call 970-484-9650 or email info@fineprintimaging.com to learn about our marketing consultation service.

Give and Grow

by Kate Dardine

Reciprocity. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word as “a mutual exchange of privileges.” In this article, it refers to the act of giving something in order to get something in return – specifically, to give away something in your art show booth, at your gallery show, or from your website – in order to receive something – a sale!

Glenn and Cherie McBride, of Yellowbird Studio in Texas, report on some findings from their own five year “survey” of marketing techniques:

No sales could be traced to business card handouts!
Few sales were generated directly by brochures.
Few sales were generated directly by magazine advertising
Few (almost no) sales were generated by newspaper advertising.
But ...

They have received an incredible rate-of-return from small give-a-ways.

And, they have high sales during face-to-face interactions (such as at Outdoor Art Festivals and Art Expo).

There is a psychology to the free giveaway: when someone has gotten a “gift” from you, they feel, perhaps subconsciously, that they need to give something back, and that is most likely to be in the form of a purchase.

One way to handle the free giveaway is to give something free with a purchase. G. Brad Lewis, a photographer and long-time Fine Print customer has been practicing the art of reciprocity for many years. His habit is to slip in a free matted 5x7 when a customer purchases a large print from him. 

Another way is to have a prospective customer DO something to get something for free. Like sign up on your mailing list to receive your free e-letter. Or sign up on your mailing list to get into a drawing for a print or a small painting. (I have found that the latter is the most likely to get people to sign my mailing list.) This option works in your booth as well as on your website and social media.Whether you choose one of these techniques I’ve listed or have a trick or two of your own, “give something and get something in return” works. Not with every customer, every time, but enough that it will make a difference in your sales. 

This blog post has been updated from the original published in 2008. 

Kate Dardine has been helping artists and photographers with their marketing questions for over 20 years. In addition, she is a professional artist. You can see her work at www.katedardine.com.

Can You Embellish on That?

In the world of giclée printing – most notably canvas giclée printing - embellishing is the hot trend.

Whenever we discuss hand embellishing of prints, we get a flood of questions, like:

• Should you embellish your giclées?
• What choices are there for embellishing?
• What products can be used?
• How does embellishing affect archival quality of the print?
• What the heck IS embellishing, anyway?

Webster’s dictionary defines embellish as:
1. To make beautiful by ornamentation: adorn.
2. To add fanciful details to. 

As applied to fine art paper and canvas giclées, embellishment refers to painting over areas of the print to enhance color and/or adding brush strokes to the finished print. The following list of do’s and don’ts for embellishing your giclée prints should shed some light on the subject. 

the tools you need for adding brushstrokes

1. We do not recommend embellishing fine art paper giclées with watercolor paint. Although our giclée prints on fine art paper are water resistant, the inks can be lifted with water and a brush. Instead, if you want to punch up a color, use a colored pencil (Berol Prismacolor work well,) or use a pastel pencil. Pastel pencils tend to have a duller finish than colored pencils. If you simply MUST embellish using water based paints, use the smallest abound of water needed to achieve the effect you want. In any case, use a light touch at first and experiment on your proof until you get the effect you are looking for.
2. Fine Print canvas giclées come to you sprayed with a protective coating, allowing you to paint on top with acrylic or oil paints. If using acrylic paints, mix a bit of gloss gel medium to the acrylic paint to provide a sheen that will match that of the canvas finish. Do not spray or varnish over the canvas after you have painted on top of it. Your finish may not be compatible with ours. How much or how little embellishing you do is entirely up to you.
3. You can also add texture to your canvas giclées by adding brush strokes with Liquitex gel medium (make sure you get the kind that dries transparent), brushes made for acrylic paint and water (for thinning). You can apply it pretty thick if you want – we applied areas up to about 1/8” thick and, although they took 24 hours to dry, they did dry transparently. If you want to embellish for color and add brush strokes, add the acrylic paint first, then the gel medium after the paint has dried thoroughly.
4. You can add brush strokes to giclée prints on watercolor paper. However, we do not coat the watercolor paper, and adding the gel medium will noticeably alter the density – in other words, your print will appear much darker/punchier after applying gel medium. For this reason, we do not recommend adding texture to giclée prints on watercolor paper.
5. We recommend that you stretch or mount your canvas giclée before adding texture or embellishing. 

  

adding brushstrokes to a canvas print

As always, you can call and talk to one of our specialists to get more information. 800-777-1141. 



Kate Dardine has been helping artists and photographers market their work for over 26 years.  She is also a professional artist and our staff embellisher. You can see her paintings at www.KateDardine.com.

Time is on My Side...Or Not

Back in July of this year, I cut back my hours at Fine Print Imaging, where I’ve worked for the past 26 plus years.  I am now working Monday – Wednesday at Fine Print, while Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for my art business.

 

I think somewhere in my head I believed that I would have so much time to paint in these two days. And so much time to devote to marketing my work. And so much time to build relationships with other artists.  The first month I got absolutely nothing art related done on my “art days.”  In my defense, I just moved  into a new home, and that first month was spent trying to find stuff. 

 

So now, after a month of devoting those two days a week to art I am laughing at my naïve self!

 

“So much time” seems to fly by quickly, especially if I get caught up in the distractions of having my studio in my home.  Distractions like laundry, Facebook, yard work, Pinterest, etc. – all things I do to avoid staring at the blank canvas or the blank blog post.  Oddly, it was one distraction – Pinterest – which was an “aha” moment for me

.

A schedule.  Not the kind of schedule I would have made for myself, which would have been a “nose to the grindstone, get up at 6 AM and paint until noon…take ½ hour break…get back in studio and paint until 4” kind of schedule.  Which is not the way my creative mind works, but is the way my “inner boss” wants it.  No, this schedule accommodates shorter “work times” interspersed with thinking time and reading time and exercise time and meeting friends for lunch time.

So for now my Thursday/Friday schedule looks something like this:

7:00 AM – 8:30AM.  Walk dog.  Yoga/meditation. Breakfast.

8:30 – 9:00  Email correspondence

9:00 – 10:30  Painting

10:30 – 11:00 Laundry/etc.

11:00 – 12:30 Painting

12:30 – 1:30 Lunch/walk dog/ read, etc.

1:30 – 3:00 “Marketing” (writing my blog or newsletter, posting to Facebook, designing postcards, etc.

3:00 – 5:00 "Flex time" - errands, painting, marketing, as needed.

This may be subject to change – after all, one of the great things about working for oneself is the ability to be flexible. If I want to drive down to the Denver Art Museum one day, I can. If I want to meet someone for lunch I can.  But what the schedule does is give me a framework and helps keep me on track.

I’ll let you know how it goes!

If you want to see the “pin” that helped me organize my day, go to www.pinterest.com/katedardine,  and look on my “other cool stuff” board. (Someday I’ll organize my Pinterest boards better. Probably the same time I get all my old photos out of boxes and put them in albums. Ha!)

How do you juggle your art business with your "day job", family, other interests? Do you have a schedule? 

Kate Dardine has been helping photographers and artists market their prints for over 26 years. She is currently the newsletter editor and new customer liaison at Fine Print Imaging, as well as a professional artist selling original paintings and prints.Her website is www.katedardine.com