Your relationship with a collector doesn’t end when the work is purchased.

It has just begun.

Discuss.

At one of my fall workshops, a woman said to me, “You know . . . you haven’t used the word ‘customer’ once.”

She wondered aloud why I hadn’t used that word. She was surprised it wasn’t in my workshop vocabulary.

I told her it was habit.

Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson's family studies "102 Colors from My Dreams" by Spencer Finch - a 2002 installation of drawings at Mass MoCA. Photo courtesy Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson

To me, the word “collector” is hopeful. But it’s also honest. If someone has purchased art from you, they have collected your work.

“Collectors” sounds cozy – like they might be part of a family or something bigger than a transaction between two people.

Calling someone a “collector” seems to elevate their status immediately – in your eyes as well as their eyes. They’ll surely embrace that title.

“Client” is appropriate if you are providing a service for someone: you’ve been commissioned to create a piece of jewelry, install a mural, design a website, or paint a portrait.

But “client” still feels cold to me. Too much of a business transaction and not enough heart.

There’s nothing wrong with “buyer.” It just sounds a bit too retail-y and a little too “one-time-only.”

How about “patron”? “Patron” usually implies monetary support, but not necessarily in exchange for art.

Is anything wrong with “customer”?

Don’t delete people from your mailing list or wipe them off your radar just because you think they’re not potential buyers.

Kyle Vincent Thomas, Weathered (study). Oil on canvas mounted on panel, 20 x 16 inches. ©The Artist

Part of your job as marketing wizard for your art is to figure out who your audience is. But there will be times when you come across people attracted to your art that don’t conform to your notion of an ideal patron.

Embrace them!

When I was a naïve young curator, I worked with a number of collectors in our local community.

Some people looked, dressed, and lived as you would expect a collector to. They were well-coiffed, wore designer clothing, drove shiny imported cars, and owned lovely homes tended to by housekeepers and gardeners.

Then there were Mr. and Mrs. Wilson (pseudonyms). Mr. and Mrs. Wilson looked like they were relatively homeless – especially Mr. W.

His socks were probably 40 years old and didn’t match his clothing. His shoes were worn, and he drove a beat-up jalopy. He usually needed a shower when I met with him.

Mr. W was a closet collector. “Hoarder” might be a better word. He had a warehouse full of purchases that he had made over decades, which were mostly from auction houses.

This was not a small warehouse. Its size and the enormous number of items it stored were mind-boggling.

And there was Mr. Wilson overseeing it all in a rundown, non-climate-controlled, low-security warehouse.

There’s an argument to be made that you don’t want your art to end up in a box in a dark corner of a secret warehouse. I get that. But not every closet collector will behave as Mr. Wilson did.

While Mr. Wilson was no collector of living artists, there are still two lessons to be learned from this story:

• Don’t discount anyone just because they don’t look like a serious buyer.
• Treat everyone who approaches your art as equal.

Do you have a similar story about an unlikely collector?

“I have plenty of artists reading my blog, but what can I write to attract collectors?”

The assumption is that art collectors would only be interested in reading art-collectorish stuff. You’re imagining that art-collectorish stuff pertains to 1) money and the value of art, 2) buying “the right” artist, and/or 3) thinking about what to do with the work after they collect it.

The stereotypical topics we write for collectors include:

• Caring for the artwork
• Hanging/installing art
• Starting a collection
• Looking at trends in the art market
• Appraising and insuring your collection
• Loaning works to exhibitions

Collectors can get a lot of this information by just using Google. But you–not Google–are the expert on your art and your career. Collectors come directly to you because they want to connect with you.

True collectors are a sophisticated bunch. They collect art for the same reason you make it: Out of passion. So, show ‘em your passion. Collectors are interested in how things are made and why they’re made. They want to know the story behind the art . . . the secrets. Educate them, but never talk down to them.

Collectors want to know you’re going places. Reveal–through your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.–that your art career is active. Talk about the following:

• Exhibits you’re participating in
• Gallery talks you’re giving and attending
• Visitors who come to your studio (get pictures with them!)
• Openings you attend (mention names and what you like about the work)
• Works you’ve sold
• Commissions you received

We are energized by your enthusiasm, so show that you are active and connected. Make us want to come along for the ride.

Don’t blog for collectors. Blog for yourself and those who are interested in what you do. But do show us what you do–every nook and cranny of your art that you’re willing to share. Most of all, make sure you are interested in what you’re doing. If you’re bored by a process or event, we’ll be bored, too.

If your work is good and you present it with oomph, we’ll be interested. (No, this doesn’t mean that you just have to use a lot of exclamation points!!!) If you have good content, you will gain readers. More readers=more people to refer you.

The other assumption in the question that opened this post is that you don’t care whether or not artists read your posts–that it’s not doing you any good to attract more artists to your blog.

It doesn’t matter whether collectors read your blog regularly or not. You’re trying to get eyeballs. More eyeballs=more connections=more referrals, which could lead to all kinds of opportunities!

From my inbox:

How does one connect to the buyer agents of high-end customers? How does one get into the loop of being looked at? Performing artists have auditions and can wind up on American Idol, etc. It seems that the rest of us struggle every which way to get out there. Other than having all the necessary qualifications and Internet exposure, how do we get into that select group of artists and designers that is being considered by high-end buyers?

That’s a $10million question, isn’t it? It’s what everyone wants to know. My short answer is “persistence,” but let’s dig deeper. When people ask me a question like this, here’s what I want to know:

• How long have you been promoting your art?
• How many people are on your mailing list, and how have you been using it?
• How much time do you spend on marketing each week?
• Who created and is maintaining your website?

Their responses will tell me a lot, and then I can suggest steps for more fruitful results. In the absence of the answers to those questions here (and in the absence of any American Idol for Visual Artists), these are the three steps I would take to attract high-end buyers.

Michele Renée Ledoux, Silent Enough. Monotype, 19.25 x 18.25 inches. ©The Artist

1. Network everywhere.

You have to meet new people–more and more new people. You should be out networking not only with people who are potential buyers but also with people who know potential buyers. These might be other artists (yes, artists know potential buyers), but they could also be people who hang out at your usual haunts: museum lectures, group meetings (especially if you have a niche), church and school functions, political rallies, and the like. Meeting new people means expanding beyond your comfort zone. You never know where you’ll run into someone who could become very important for you in the future.

2. Work your contact list!

It doesn’t do any good to meet new people if you’re not going to stay in touch with them. I’ve said it a gazillion times. Connections are critical to your success. How often are you reconnecting with the people you know? The most alarming weakness in most artists’ marketing is not using their contact lists to maintain personal relationships. Make sure everyone you know is aware of your art and who your potential buyers are. When your connections come across a good match, they’ll think of you first.

3. Get a website evaluation.

One thing stood out for me in the above email message: the phrase “Internet exposure.” You can’t just have a website. You have to work that site through consistent blogging, Facebooking, Twittering, emails, and newsletters. You need a strong, well-constructed professional presence. Templates and blogging platforms make it easy for anyone to build their own sites. However, unless you know how to add <Title> and <h> tags (and lots of other stuff) correctly, your site might be ineffective. Ditto for copywriting skills. Words rule on the Web, but you have to know how to use them to your advantage.

FINAL WORD: If it sounds like I’m singing the same tune over and over again, I am! Outside of the major international art fairs that attract the world’s elite collectors, there’s no single place you can show up and be seen. There is no magic pill for attracting high-end buyers. What you need is true grit. It takes persistence and determination, which is why the life of an artist isn’t for everyone. Don’t try something once or twice—or even every so often—and think you’ve failed. In fact, don’t think of it as “trying” at all. As Yoda said, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” Do!

Home-based art sales are all the rage. I love the idea because these sales have low overhead and the comfort factor: you’re welcoming your guests into a relaxed, familiar setting. But regardless of how comfortable the setting is, the focus is still on making sales.

Did you ever consider that inviting your fans into your (or someone else’s) home could be a reward in itself? It could be your way of saying Thank You for their support.

Follow the example of artist Janice Mason Steeves. Instead of planning a sale, you could schedule a preview.

Janice Mason Steeves, River of Longing. Oil on panel, 34 x 26 inches. ©The Artist

Let’s say you have a new body of work and an upcoming exhibit of that work. You invite your fans or top collectors to a preview of the work before anyone else sees it. This invitation to be among the first to view your new work demonstrates how special the invitees are to you and recognizes their support. You’re throwing a party in their honor!

There’s a twist: Nothing is for sale. It can’t be for sale because you have to save it for the exhibit.

Without the pressure of trying to sell your art, you’re free to focus on your guests and enjoy yourself. You spend the evening schmoozing, expressing your gratitude, and introducing your guests to one another. You shine!

At the end of the evening, you can hand out invitations or save-the-date announcements for your upcoming exhibit.

FINAL WORD: Scheduling a preview of your art is a way to reward those who have supported you in some way. It takes the pressure off of sales and allows you to focus on your guests.

The podcast is an audio version of this content.

Someone buys a piece of art directly from you. You’re about to hand over the art, but then you wonder if you should be providing anything else at the same time. Consider including the following six items with each sales transaction.

Leiann Klein, Cowgirl Hardware. Linocut, 16 x 12 inches. ©The Artist

1. A receipt of sale
2. Your business card
3. A brochure about your art
4. Instructions on caring for the art
5. Copyright notice
6. Certificate of Authenticity–if needed

The fifth item on the list is important. Most buyers will not know or may not understand that you retain copyright or what that even means. Use gentle wording. “While you own the artwork, please be aware that I retain copyright to the image. This means . . . “ should do it. It’s a lot nicer than “WARNING! The artist retains copyright. You may not duplicate this work in any form without consulting the artist first!”

[ The copyright notice can be combined with the Certificate of Authenticity. ]

You shouldn’t give buyers–upon purchase–anything more than what I’ve listed above. Why? Because you want to save other items to send later. You’ll need to follow up regularly in order to keep your name in front of your collectors.

Start by sending a Thank You note in the mail within a week of the sale. You can’t be assured that an email will get through to the recipient, but you can be 100% positive that a handwritten note will be appreciated and will stand out. Then, every few months, send your collectors anything from the list below.

• Articles about you, about art, about collecting
• Articles about something you know is of interest to the recipient (I couldn’t help thinking of you when I saw this . . . )
• Changes in your contact information
• Invitations to events, gallery openings, teleclasses, etc.
• Newsletters (See I’d Rather Be in the Studio! pages 117-137 for details on creating and sending newsletters)
• Announcements of awards you’ve received
• Postcards from your art travels

FINAL WORD: Don’t show your entire hand! Give your buyers only what they need at the time of the sales transaction and save the rest for following up at a future date.

PODCAST

The weekly podcast is an audio version of this content. Listen to it here.

Edward Winkleman has a great post on his blog: How to Buy Art in a Recession: Part I. He gives you a look at behind-the-scenes gallery dealings such as discounting, payment plans, and down payments (or pre-orders). I am looking forward to Part II.

Some people will buy one piece of art from you and you’ll never hear from them again. Others will purchase more frequently and invest more in your career. It’s that group that you want to be sure you’re not neglecting.

If someone buys a single set of note cards from you, I’d discourage you from making a big fuss over it. But if someone commissions you for a $10,000 sculpture, they get a gold star in your inventory and they need to be appreciated at a higher level than others who buy from you. They’re your Gold Star collectors. Take care of them.

1. Send more frequent mailings to your Gold Star group. Not annoying mailings. But something that’s interesting. Maybe just an interesting article with a note saying you’re thinking about them.

2. Set up a Gold Star Web page on your site. Put your most recent work there and email your Gold Star group to let them have first choice.

3. Instead of #2, send a CD of your new  images to your Gold Star collectors.

4. Send a handwritten note to your Gold Star collectors telling them that you’re happy they’re fans.

5. Invite your Gold Star collectors to a special preview of your next opening–before anyone else sees it.

6. Instead of #5, ask your Gold Star collectors to a reception at your studio before you deliver the work to your next show.

7. While everyone else on your list gets postcards or email blasts, your Gold Star collectors get special hand-printed invitations and holiday greetings.

8. Remember birthdays and specially occasions for your Gold Star members. Keep this information in a database and add reminders to your calendar.

Okay, first I read this article about rip-off auctions on cruises. Amazing! I guess I’m slightly amazed that people on a cruise buy $30,000 art at an auction. But I’m flabbergasted that naive bidders have no problem dropping $30,000–on "fine art" they know nothing about. And I’m dumbfounded that an auction house would tell bidders that the values are 5x what they actually are.

That led me to the Fine Art Registry, which I confess I’ve never visited. Great site! I got caught up in this article: Gallery Damage to Consigned Work. Yikes! Can you imagine leaving a piece of art and having the gallery cut out a square (to be tested) without your consent? Artists, beware! This is why you need to put everything in writing. Which led me to . . .

The Andenken Gallery site. It’s here in Denver and they post their contracts online (click on PDFs in the left column). Also, don’t forget about the wonderful Professional Guidelines from the Society of North American Goldsmiths. They have a model consignment contract under Contracts.