Updated video of Lou's sculpture. I added a picture of him in his booth (taken at St Louis) as the last slide to give scale to the work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPZ9T1OfgA
Because my painting is painstakingly slow, I think I'd bore people to death if I tried a video of me working! I agree with Robert that the "do you have a website" question is a polite exit to no sale most times. However, giving a potential customer my card and brochure has gotten me quite a few commissions and requests to be a vendor at future shows after they go to my website. I haven't YET gotten any sales directly from my website or Artfire.com page, but I believe that will come.
Facebook has definitely netted me some sales and for me its like an informal "meet and greet" for my website.
Great video Larry. Youtube has become a growing method for marketing, really (I believe) the next best use of photography for marketing art work. Which of course challenges artist with "argh, another medium I need invest in and to learn to market my art work." Or, pay you of course. But most effective.
We are not yet using video, though we bought a vid cam to begin. Potential customers who have become more web smart appreciate and respond to well done videos on an artist's work, especially as we all use the web for more "follow-up" with customers at a show interested in your work.
So many customers now ask "do you have a web site?" Maybe a polite way of saying "no, I don't really want to buy your work, but I'll make an ok exit by asking you for your card and/or web site." Or, "I really like your work, I may buy it via your web site." Or, ?
Larry, what are your thoughts on that increasing common question in art booths, "do you have a web site?"
Some artists have told us that they sell very little, if any, of their work on their web site, even though they get asked if they have a web site, and hand out a business card.
We use our web site as a sort of "brochure" of work, plus my wife maintains an active Etsy web site where she has sold a fair amount of work.
We do occasionally get surprised by someone writing an email asking if we still have that piece the person saw at a show.
RE: Facebook, my wife started FB to mainly get reconnected with some former art students of hers way back when, she also did a business FB page and since has sold about $1,000 of her art from her FB pages, not intending to, but it just happened as she posted informative pics of fresh fired pieces, etc. Sold one $625 piece just setting on a bench, no background, pro lighting, etc.
Would be great if we all could just sell all our work via the web, not have to go through the show grind. But, just wouldn't be as much fun as setting up, spending a weekend talking to folks, then tearing down, you know, that great,fun art show life.
Larry Berman > Robert LeuallenAugust 31, 2010 at 4:22am
Ten years ago if you were to ask about a web site I'd say you need one. Today, I can't understand at all why some artists don't have some kind of web presence. Though we no longer push it, we've (Chris Maher and myself) built web sites for somewhere around 150 to 200 artists. Having a web presence should be included in your business plans, if not to sell your work, at the very least for your show schedule.
Treat it as a business card. You get business cards printed to hand out but if you don't have a web site to send them to to see your work, what's the point.
Replies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPZ9T1OfgA
Larry Berman
Digital J u r y Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Facebook has definitely netted me some sales and for me its like an informal "meet and greet" for my website.
We are not yet using video, though we bought a vid cam to begin. Potential customers who have become more web smart appreciate and respond to well done videos on an artist's work, especially as we all use the web for more "follow-up" with customers at a show interested in your work.
So many customers now ask "do you have a web site?" Maybe a polite way of saying "no, I don't really want to buy your work, but I'll make an ok exit by asking you for your card and/or web site." Or, "I really like your work, I may buy it via your web site." Or, ?
Larry, what are your thoughts on that increasing common question in art booths, "do you have a web site?"
Some artists have told us that they sell very little, if any, of their work on their web site, even though they get asked if they have a web site, and hand out a business card.
We use our web site as a sort of "brochure" of work, plus my wife maintains an active Etsy web site where she has sold a fair amount of work.
We do occasionally get surprised by someone writing an email asking if we still have that piece the person saw at a show.
RE: Facebook, my wife started FB to mainly get reconnected with some former art students of hers way back when, she also did a business FB page and since has sold about $1,000 of her art from her FB pages, not intending to, but it just happened as she posted informative pics of fresh fired pieces, etc. Sold one $625 piece just setting on a bench, no background, pro lighting, etc.
Would be great if we all could just sell all our work via the web, not have to go through the show grind. But, just wouldn't be as much fun as setting up, spending a weekend talking to folks, then tearing down, you know, that great,fun art show life.
Treat it as a business card. You get business cards printed to hand out but if you don't have a web site to send them to to see your work, what's the point.
Larry Berman
Digital J u r y Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100