Conversation Starters

I want to give a few suggestions on how to approach someone about buying your work. Not necessarily big gallery owners, but everyday people who would probably love to have a piece of your art hanging in their home or office.

We can often talk ourselves out of a sale, either by talking too much and listening too little or by being too honest about our work and putting people off.

You want to make sure your art is right for the person, are they your target audience?

Ask a few simple questions evolving around "Who, what, where, why, how". The best form of listening is to ask questions, let the person sell themselves your artwork by using carefully phrased questions.

Let's say I approach a person looking at this piece of work.

The kinds of questions I would ask would be aimed to the person both bout the subject and about the art as an object.

First the animal related questions. Show an interest in their interests, find out a little bit of information about them while maintaining a friendly conversation.

1) Do you have a horse?
(Allowing me the chance to sell them a commissioned portrait.)

2) What's his/her name/colouring/breed/age/sport?
(I would point out a painting, if I have one, where the breed or colour is featured. It would allow me the chance to explain about how bright colours describe the horse more than the natural colours)

3) How many Pets do you have?
(I can use this to see if I could sell them a commissioned portrait where both their pets are featured, or whether their pets have very different personalities and I could paint two portraits at a special price)

Next the more arty questions. Talk to them about the practical side of owning artwork.

4) What kind of colours do you like?
(Some people who are inexperienced in art may feel pressure to pick the "Right" colour when talking to an artist. This is your chance to reassure them that there is no wrong answer. If they blush slightly when they tell you most of their home is beige, speak honestly about how subtleties in colour can be just as interesting as bright brash colours. If they are really unsure I could ask what colour stable rugs they have on their horse, or what colour their decor is at home or their office.)

5) Do you own any art?
(being a persons first art piece is a huge deal, be friendly and reassuring. Their art may need to be more personal than stylish)

5) What other artists do you like?
(I would only ask this is the person viewing my work has shown to be rather arty. You may learn about other artists who are doing similar work to you)

6) Who is the painting for?
7)What is the painting for?
(Quite similar questions, letting you know more about the person buying your work, and it's friendly as well as informative. It will let the person buying your work know that you love your art and want to know it's going to a good home)

8) Where were you thinking of hanging this piece?
(People want art to decorate their house or office, so acknowledge this. If they say they would like it for their office space - ask them what their job is. Their line of work could be related to your subject and if this is the case ask them whether they would be interested in you offering them a discounted price in exchange for displaying your contact details)

9) Do you prefure traditional or modern style art?
(This vague and undetailed use of artistic language settles the person, making them feel them can discuss art through basic terms such as "colourful" rather than getting into the depths of art history. It helps if you have visable examples of traditional and modern art. So the person is making a choice between two pieces rather than two vague styles)

10) Do you have a budget in mind?
(One of the trickier questions to ask. Only ask this when you are pretty sure the person is a serious buyer. Don't be too rigid on your pricing so it allows for some flexibility. Also have a range of work in at least two different price ranges. This also allows you to offer them artwork that is within their budget, making your art more easily accessible to them)

You can apply this is any art form of any subject matter, not just my cute little candy ponies.

Why people buy Art

Or more importantly, why do people buy your art?

I've wanted to cover this topic for a while but it's a slippery little sucker of a topic to pin down.

I don't want to talk about taste and why people buy particular art, I want to talk about the basics.

I think at the bare bones of it - people buy things they can't make themselves.

I'll tell you a little story to illustrate this and at the same moment be the barer of bad news - cupcake sales are drastically dropping. This is because they went from being a fabulous little cake you buy as a beautiful treat to a normal little cake you learn to make yourself instead.



Cupcakes became too accessible and people became too wise at their easy-to-bake ways.

The same is said for almost all other products. Can't grow food yourself? Buy it. Can't knit yourself a scarf? Buy it.

It even applies to things that you do actually kind of do make yourself, if you can knit yourself a scarf, you still need to buy the wool. And even if you have your own sheep farm - where you harvest the wool and make your own yarn you still need food for the sheep, and you need to buy that from someone. No one is fully self sufficient.

Someone will buy your work if they honestly feel they couldn't make it themselves.

They buy it because you have a particular viewpoint that they relate to but can't emulate. This could be your materials, or the message you portray through your art. Whatever it is, people buy it because you are passionate and talented - and I think that is a very important thing to remember.