40 Question Blog Series – Question 21 What can I do to relate to mycustomers better?
Everyone buys something for different reasons. Whether it is a car, a cellphone or even art, everyone is not the same. Recognize this becauseall of your customers are not the same. You know your work insideand out, but do you know your customers? Can you relate to them? Ifyou are a “middle class” artist, can you relate to an audiencethat is upper class with your art? Here's some tips on how to get inthe head of your customers...
Question 21 What can I do to relate to my customers better?
To understand your customers you have to know who they are. Generallyeveryone has a typical customer/marketing audience for their art orcraft. The key is to learn what their beliefs are, their passions,favorite shows and books, and so on. While most folks may questionthe logic of learning a customers favorite t.v. show, this info canhelp in breaking the ice when it comes to selling to customers.Here's some examples.
Finding a common ground can help ease both parties when talking about yourart. It isn't enough to just have your work on a wall or shelf at ashow, you have to sell it and each person responds differently towhy they buy. Tell interested customers whether a particular pieceis inspired by a piece of artwork on a popular t.v. show or the bowlis just like one that Paula Dean uses on The Food Network. Theseexamples allow customers to personally identify with a piece,which will make them more likely to buy it. Those from a higherincome bracket might want to know if your work was featured in arecent art exhibit or if it a popular seller at a local gallery.Knowing where these people shop, watch on t.v. and so on are allways to get customers to relate to your work and help them becomeattached to your art.
People with different economic backgrounds display art in different waysand this can affect how your work sells. Those with money often buylarger format work because, with having bigger homes, their wallsare bigger and are less interested in small 11x14 photographs, butgravitate towards large format work. At the same time those withsome spending money, but live in apartments or smaller homes,gravitate towards smaller pieces, this is why having a largeselection of art work sizes (for example) opens yourself up to alarger buying audience.
Don't be too specific with your work. While the economy prevents peopleto spend money easily, the more specific a buying audience you havethe more likely you will not have great sales. My personal storywith this deals with my new line of candles. Granted everyone sellscandles these days it seems, the key is to offer something others donot offer yet anyone would be interested in. I developed a line ofpalm wax candles called Destination Scentsations which ties intravel and scents to those who love candles. I can't think ofanyone who doesn't freely talk about their recent vacations andmix that with those obsessed with making things smell nice became myinspiration with my new line. Combining the two opens my product tonot only people who have money to travel but teens who dream oflounging on a tropical beach to those planning a destination weddingand so on. Doing this opens the door to people who wouldn'tnormally buy candles, yet love to travel and at the same time givecandle lovers an even better reason to buy my candles over others.
Look at your work and ask yourself what else can I do to make my work moreappealing to others. Get to know your audience because if you can'trelate to them, how do you expect to sell to them. The more youappear genuine and honest to your customers, the more they will buyfrom you – economic recession or not. Next question will covernaming your business – soo many people are doing it wrong, learnhow to do it right!!! - Michelle Sholund,www.bythebaybotanicals.comand www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com
