Art Assistant Amsterdam

Selling is hard, and it’s almost nobody’s favorite part of being an artist. However when you’re exhibiting without a gallery, you’re often responsible for the whole sales process yourself. From explaining the work to discussing prices and following up afterwards. These 5 tips can help you feel more prepared when someone shows real interest.

1. Know your prices
Have a clear and consistent price list ready, including sizes, editions and framing if relevant. You don’t want to start calculating or doubting the moment someone asks what a work costs.

2. Make buying easy
Think through the practical side beforehand. How can someone pay? Can they take the work home immediately? Do you offer delivery? Can you send an invoice? Make the next step as simple as possible.

3. Know your story
Think beforehand about what you want to tell people about your work, and keep that first explanation short. Give them enough context to understand the work, without immediately telling them everything. If they’re interested, the conversation can naturally go deeper from there.

4. Ask questions
Don’t only talk about the work yourself. Ask what caught their attention, what they see in it or where they could imagine it. When someone starts thinking about a work in relation to their own taste, home or experience, they often start to form a more personal connection with it.

5. Follow up
Not every sale happens on the spot. If someone is genuinely interested, exchange details and follow up afterwards with the information they asked for. And don’t wait too long!

And if you’re preparing for an exhibition or fair and want to make sure your presentation, pricing and sales materials are all in order, I’d be happy to help.

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