How to Sell More Art in 2020 – Success Leaves Clues

“If you want to achieve success, all you need to do is model those who have already succeeded.” Tony Robbins in his book Unlimited Power

 

SUCCESS LEAVES CLUES!  

 

If you want to sell more art in 2020, read this post.  It will help you make a stronger plan for the new year.

Every artist wants the secret to selling more art.  But there is a lot of conflicting advice out there.  

Here are a few ways people say you can sell more art:

  • Having your art in a gallery  (most highly successful artists are NOT showing in galleries)
  • Social Media (art isn’t selling on Facebook or Instagram like it used to)
  • Exhibiting your art at a LIVE venue (I have learned that this is the best way to reach new buyers)

But the truth is this:  the right answer varies from artist to artist.

So, you have to figure out what works best for YOU. 

And the best way to determine what is best for YOU is to look at what worked in the past (for you and/or others) and do it again and again.

When I’m consulting an artist on how to increase their art sales, I begin the session by asking three questions:

  1. What did you do to produce art sales in the past 12 months?  
  2. Where did the buyers see it?  
  3. How was it priced?  

Now, ask yourself these 3 questions.   Look at what DOES WORK and then duplicate it.  

I’ll give you a real life example.  I recently consulted an artist named Victoria Sager (she gave permission to share her story).  Her main question to me was this:

“What action plan should I follow to become a full time artist?”

Victoria is a teacher who just started selling her art a year ago.  She wants to transition from teaching to being a full-time artist. So how does one make this transition?

The answer has 3 parts:

  1. Increase art sales (sell more art)
  2. Increase number of collectors and potential buyers
  3. Stay in constant touch with collectors so they continue to buy and refer the art to others.

I asked her where her sales came from in the past 12 months.

Victoria said:  “I did exactly what you told me to do in our last session and I made my first two sales!”

My advice to her a year ago was to do live exhibits outside of the gallery scene.  So she exhibited her art at a lovely hotel in New Hampshire. There she sold her very first two paintings!

This worked for her because exhibiting your art at a live venue is the most effective way to connect with new buyers.  

I told Victoria that if she planned four more live exhibits, she would more than quadruple her art sales in 2020.  

Success leaves clues; ask yourself what worked in the past and then continue to do that.  

(And if you’re just starting out, look at what other artists are doing to sell and experiment with that.)

Also ask yourself, what did NOT work in the past?  And STOP doing those things.

So now I’d like to ask you:

What did you do that worked well in the past 12 months?

 

And what did NOT work?

 

Take time to answer and then assess what you will do in 2020 to increase your art sales.

 

Please, share in the comments on this post.  I’d love to hear your feedback!

 

Maria xxoo

 

PS:  I teach my exhibit strategies in a very in-depth online course called Art Exhibits that Sell – please sign up HERE for my e-series and I’ll notify you when my free webinar is ready.  I’ll share with you my highly effective 20+ year old method on how to plan and execute an exhibit outside of the gallery system that works!

 

114 Responses

  3. For me I am a vendor at a year around craft campaign show which bring me new customers on a daily interaction. They can also link into my website for commissions.
    This way for me, has been a true blessing, in the new year I pray to open up even more new avenues.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for sharing what works for you Tammie! Glad to hear that you found a venue that brings you new buyers. Happy new Year!

      Reply

    1. Creating art in front of an audience is called Live Event Painting (sculpting, etc.) A Live Venue, I think, is simply exhibiting where people can view the art in person and the artist is there in person to interact with them. Examples of this would be a solo show or group show and you’re there to talk with your potential buyers. Maria, correct me if I’m wrong.

      Reply

    2. Hi Linda – great question! What I mean by LIVE events in this article is doing live art exhibits to show your work, in person. (Rather than online). Exhibiting your art and meeting new buyers in person, live, can increase sales significantly.

      Reply

  5. Maria… amazing info and really got me thinking… and FRUSTRATED!!! I “sold” more in 2019, at ONE event, than ever. And that’s the frustration!! I taught an art healing course that I created. The problem now? How to replicate it! It’s a pretty intense course for me to teach but is extremely well received.
    Your post has made me literally stop in my tracks. Thanks so much. I think! 😉

    Reply

    2. Sandy, first of all, CONGRATS that you found something that works so well! Now, your work is to find a way to make it repeat-able – in an easier way – so that it’s less work for you but still gets you the same or better results. I know you can figure it out if you make it a priority. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  6. Very much agreed. Here’s a case in point. A little over a year ago, I rejoined an artist’s group I had belonged to many years ago, but never placed or sold anything. The first time I exhibited at one of our shows in Fall 2018, I won first place for oils and sold a smaller painting. The woman who hosted the venue had seen it and wanted it, but didn’t express it fast enough. On advice from one of your blogs, I contacted her before the next show to let her know I would be exhibiting a similar work. This time, I placed first and also third for oils. She thanked me for letting her know about the pieces and she bought one of them the day the show opened. She even came to the Juror’s critique on my invitation. So for me, what works is participating in an artist’s group that challenges me to continually up my game, exhibiting in our shows, and staying in contact with those who showed interest. So this year, I’ve joined two more artist’s groups (that’s all I can handle for now) in the hope that I will be challenged at a higher level and get my work in front of a fresh audience, while staying connected to my current one. As always, your blog was pivotal in the decisions that led me there. Thank you, Maria!

    Reply

    1. Jan, so good to hear from you and to learn about what worked for you in the past. Happy New Year to you and yours!

      Reply

  7. I feel like this misses some key things. You say “My advice to her a year ago was to do live exhibits outside of the gallery scene.”

    And then —
    “So she exhibited her art at a lovely hotel in New Hampshire.”

    Wow, there’s a massive piece of the puzzle you’re missing here. How in the world did she get into a hotel in New Hampshire? What was that process? That’s the important part.

    It’s like your advice is “If you want a million dollars, go out and get it!”

    That’s not helpful. Your advice is go get in a gallery. Well duh, every fine artists goal is to get into a gallery, what’s the process? What are the logistics, the approach, etc… How did your friend get into that hotel? What did she do to sell those two paintings? Who did she talk to? How did she know that hotel wanted to display her work? Was there a contract involved? ….there are so many things here that need addressing…

    Reply

    1. Hi Travis thanks for the feedback and the questions!

      Yes, there is a lot to this – and to answer all of those questions you asked, requires several blog posts. But, you gave me great material to work with – so thank you! I will attempt to answer all of your questions in my future posts.

      ALSO: I have an online course and free webinar that answers many of those questions you asked. You can sign up for info here: https://brophy.mykajabi.com/aets-waitlist

      Thanks!

      Reply

  8. I always have the most success selling through my newsletters. I send them out monthly, to subscribers I’ve gathered from years of teaching, and writing guest posts on various blogs etc. This year, I’m planning to really focus on my newsletter and blog rather than social media. After all, the folks who sign-up for my newsletters are already interested in my artwork!

    Reply

    1. Laura, So TRUE that the email list is much more valuable than social media! Thanks for sharing.

      And growing that list is another topic – but one way to do it is to exhibit your art at a venue that has a large audience already, that is in alignment with your artwork.

      List growing is a huge topic for me right now!

      Thanks and Happy New Year! xxoo

      Reply

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