10 Things to Do at Your Next Artshow

Getting out there and showing your art is an art business essential.  

Talking to people is the most effective way to help people experience your art, and feel all the feels. 

Here is a list of 10 ways you can up your game and create more demand for your art when you are out in the world showing your work. 

Word of caution...there is a lot to unpack in the list below.  My recommendation is to pick 1 or 2 of these to focus on at a time at your next show(s).  Do them until you feel as though you've really mastered them and then move to the next.  

1. BE CURIOUS. ASK QUESTIONS.

We're afraid to ask questions during a sales conversation for fear that we'll sound salesy, pushy, and annoying.

And, if you are asking questions with the intent of getting them to buy...then there probably is a little salesy energy going on.  

But if instead, you ask questions from curiosity and the desire to help your collector have the thing that they want, whether its a yes or a no...there's no way you can sound salesy.

"It looks like you may have a question…how can I help?”

"Why are you drawn to this one? What grabs you?”

”What kind of art do you already own?”

”How do you normally decide what art to purchase?”

"You shared that this is something that you really wanted for yourself, but now you seem to be having a hard time deciding.  What's coming up for you?"

2. LISTEN.

When you engage with your collectors, they say some really important things, and so do you. Pay attention, get out of your own head, and LISTEN.

You’ll learn so much when you do.

What their experience is.
What YOUR experience is.
Objections they may have.
Words that resonate.
What your process is.
How they feel.
How you feel.
What drew them to you.
All of this will help you better articulate the way you talk about your art and engage with your collectors in the future. 
Listening will also help you best understand how to help your collectors have what they want. 

3. BE YOU.
I get it...everyone is saying this.  Just be yourself.  
But, it's so true when it comes to selling your art. 

You are perfect, just as you are. 

You don't need to change anything about yourself in order to sell your art...and the more you try to be the person you think you need to be in order to sell...the harder it will be to connect with your collectors who need you and love you and your work. 
This showed up for me a lot in the beginning when people asked where I went to art school.  I thought the right answer was to have a BFA or an MFA from an art school....which I don't have.  So I uncomfortably and apologetically fumbled over how I was primarily self-taught...which of course made my collectors feel uncomfortable and apologetic that they ever asked me that question.  

Now, I just tell them confidently that I'm self-taught with a couple of classes and mentorships thrown in.  And, of course, they love hearing about my journey and it always opens up the conversation for more questions about being self taught.  

4.  IN THE BEGINNING, SELL JUST ONE THING.

You may be tempted to add a bunch of different things to sell at a show in order to "have something for every budget", or "create multiple revenue streams" in your business. But, your original art is enough, and anything else is just a distraction for you and for your collectors. 

Focusing on just one thing will help you master selling your work, build demand quickly from people who want the thing you LOVE to create, and open up the doors to additional future offers based on your original work - such as teaching, workshops, prints, etc. 

Does this mean you can only create ONE thing?  Of course not.  Create all the things in the studio...but only SELL the one thing that you love making...the thing you can see yourself doing for the long haul.  

5.  CAPTURE DETAILS

Write down the things that resonate. 

Things collectors say, or things you say in conversation. 

Things about your process, purpose, or stories that illuminate the work.

Write down your collector's information…address, email, phone, etc. So you can connect with them after the sale.

Write down your booth space, layout, how you hung the work, sales, hotels, places to park, notes for future reference, etc.

Capture all the details in a safe place that you can look back on when making future decisions, or over-delivering to your collectors.  

6.  SHOW YOUR PROCESS

Collectors love to get a behind-the-curtain experience…seeing work in progress makes them feel as though they are part of the creation of the work. 

Ask yourself if there is a way to allow them in to witness the beautiful messiness of an unfinished piece while you are out there showing.

This could be done as an in-progress demo, a photo album of a piece coming together step by step, a video they can watch, or a display of materials they can touch and play with.

7.  DROP YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Stop focusing on the sale and start focusing on helping the people who love your art.

Stop focusing on the money you paid for the show and how you’re going to make it back, and focus on helping your collectors.

Stop needing to prove you are talented, on the right path, and good based on your sales, and start focusing on helping your collectors.

YOU ARE ALREADY GOOD, TALENTED, AND ON THE RIGHT PATH.

Expectations for people to buy puts the focus on you and what you want and need to feel good, worthy, and validated.

This will not be useful while you are selling...I promise.

You’ll appear needy and graspy and desperate to the people you meet….and you’ll do things that feel off - like offer discounts on your work, obsess about the people who say they’ll be back, and feel resentment towards, well, everything and everyone.

8. BE PRESENT AND AVAILABLE

As tempting as it may be to scroll on your phone, or go hang out with your artist friends at a show…you just never know when your next best collector will walk in and discover you and your work.

Stay in the moment. Be available to talk and engage with your people.

9. PRACTICE RECEIVING

At a show, you are going to hear a lot of really great things about you and your work. 

"You're so talented."  

"This is really amazing work."

"You are the best one here."

"This work belongs in a museum."

After the first hour or so, it's easy to take the compliments for granted. 

Sometimes even rejecting them with a thought like, "well if you love it so much, then why don't you buy it."  

(If you find yourself in this place, it's totally normal...but not helpful in a selling scenario.  The important thing is to notice it...and then make an intentional effort to shake it off...go for a walk...do some stretches...remind yourself how your art helps people and that you're only here to help...etc.)

There is so much goodness and gratitude in being able to receive.  

It will uplevel you and everyone around you. 

10. EVALUATE

Your time out there showing is going to provide you with a lot to evaluate.

Your setup, your sales, your layout, your parking, your meal choices, your conversations, your marketing, your delivery, your self-care, your location...

Write it all down and decide how it worked and didn’t work, and then make a plan for what you’ll do differently next time.

Keep these evaluations in a safe place so you can refer to them before the next show. 

xo,

Teresa