After a Sale, Go Slow

by smARTist Speaker,  Alyson B. Stanfield

Don’t overwhelm your art buyers with a lot of stuff and promotional material at the time of sale. Why?

Because you want to save items for future mailings – “touches” for your collectors. You’ll need to follow up regularly in order to keep your name in front of people.

Start by sending a Thank You note in the mail within a week of the sale. A handwritten note with your artwork on the front of the card will be appreciated and will stand out.

Then, every few months, use snail mail to send any of the following:

• 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

See how this works?

If you show your entire hand immediately, your “helpfulness” will likely end up in a file or, worse, in the garbage.

If you “touch” your collectors on a regular basis, you’re unlikely to be forgotten.