Your friends and followers on social media are valuable, but the people who buy from you and entrust you with their email and physical addresses are your VIPs.
My email subscribers are my VIPs. If you are a subscriber, you know that I like to share gifts periodically as a reminder of how important you are to me.
My gifts are mostly special reports or worksheets, which wouldn’t be appropriate for your collectors and potential buyers.
So what do you give them? How do you roll out the red carpet for VIPs who offer their support and trust?
Here are some ideas.
Share Sneak Peeks
Before you post a new work to your blog or social media site, consider showing your list first.
Make it exclusive to them for 5 days and make it clear that this preview is just for them.
Offer Discounts
Discounts are often frowned upon by art-advice-givers, but I am all for discounts when you sell directly to buyers.
Why not?! Galleries offer discounts to their customers all of the time!
If you share a sneak peek (described above) in your newsletter or email blast, extend a discount for a limited time to subscribers only.
Likewise, if you raise your prices, give your collectors first dibs on your work at the old prices.
Schedule Collector Events
Host a private viewing at your studio or gallery before an exhibition. See how Janice Mason Steeves does this.
A different twist on this is Simonne Roy's Quiet Gallery Experience that she started when social distancing during Covid forced her to rethink an annual event.
Or schedule a collector appreciation night at your studio. This isn’t about sales. To take the pressure off, you could set a rule that nothing is for sale.
An appreciation night is about recognizing and honoring those who have supported you.
How do you roll out the red carpet for your VIPs?
9 thoughts on “Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your VIPs”
Hi Alyson – Excellent! I like the idea of the collector appreciation night “for buyers only” … truly to be about honouring thems. Thanks for the idea. Cheers, Susan
Thank you so much for all of the great advise that you share on an ongoing basis. It is always helpful and most of all easily implemented.
Great idea about offering collectors work at the old price when you raise your prices. I was just wondering about precisely this issue! Thanks Alyson for your usual perfect timing.
Alyson, I give my ART Collectors 25% Off the Paintings for life as a gesture of my appreciation of joining the Collectors Circle. I introduce my Collectors to one and other as well. It truly is an honor for me when people appreciate and collect my work. I know my hard work will be well loved and exhibited in their homes or offices decorating their sacred places instead of collecting dust in my studio. I also take them out for lunch from time to time and get to know about them one on one. I send them personal hand written notes any chance I get and also send out Birthday Cards. I enjoy building and maintaining solid relationships. Sometimes I indulge them with handmade jewelry made just for them by me (if they are females). I like spoiling people I care about. I got that genes from my father. It brings me great joy and deep satisfaction.
Wonderful post Alyson.
As a thank you to my recent painting buyer, I make a dozen greeting cards with the painting image on the front. The back of the card contains the title, my web site and the words: “From the collection of (insert buyer’s name)”.
These personalized cards are a BIG hit with the purchasers and they send them to their friends, so it is a win/win.
It is a neat idea indeed!
What fantastic ideas!
I love the idea of a Collector’s Appreciation night where nothing is for sale, but simply to recognize and honor collectors. And I’m glad to hear that others do what I do…I always honor collectors by giving discounts.
Great and timely post!
I’ve found it is much harder to grow a list of emails and addresses for newsletters than collect fans on social media! You are spot on to put the spot light on them! Great ideas! Any tips on building up those VIP lists??