In the Art Marketing Minute Podcast, you’ll learn how to sell your art, how to market your paintings, and everything else you need to know in order to have a successful art career. Each episode answers questions from artists by host Eric Rhoads, author of “Make More Money Selling Your Art,” publisher of several art magazines and newsletters, and author of ArtMarketing.com.

In this Art Marketing Minute with Eric Rhoads, learn how to get a good price for your paintings even if you live in a “bargain” town, and why it’s worth your time to set up at small art shows.

Listen to the Art Marketing Minute Podcast: Episode 19 >>>

Submit Your Art Marketing Question:

What questions do you have about selling your art? Email Eric today at [email protected] (include your name and where you’re from) to hear your question answered on an upcoming Art Marketing Minute Podcast.

FULL TRANSCRIPT of the Art Marketing Minute:
DISCLAIMER: The following is the output of a transcription from an audio recording of the Art Marketing Minute. Although the transcription is mostly correct, in some cases it is slightly inaccurate due to the recording and/or software transcription.

Announcer 0:02
This is the Art Marketing Minute with Eric Rhoads, author of the Amazon best selling book, “Make More Money Selling Your Art.” In the marketing minute we answer your questions to help your art career brought to you by artmarketing.com, the place to go to learn more about marketing. Now, here’s your host, arts magazine publisher, Eric Rhoads.

Eric Rhoads 0:23
Thank you Jim Kipping. And thank you for joining us today. My goal is to eliminate the idea of the starving artists. So let’s get right to today’s questions.

Eric Rhoads 0:35
Here’s a question from an anonymous listener who says I live in a market with a Walmart mentality. How can I get a decent price on my paintings? If everyone is looking for a bargain? Well, there’s several answers to this question. Tony. First, every town has a Walmart mentality. There’s a certain percentage of every town that is looking for a bargain. We’re all looking for bargains, let’s admit it, but there are fluent towns, and there are Walmart mentalities and even affluent town. So for those who are shopping at Walmart, I have a saying, stand in the river where the money is flowing. Most towns, there are affluent neighborhoods with doctors, lawyers, business people, business owners, somebody owns all those businesses in that town. And they live in good neighborhoods, typically they have places they go like country clubs and social clubs, and maybe that doesn’t exist in your town, but it does, in most even a lot of small towns. So you need to work where the money is flowing. Go where the money is flowing, stand in the river where the money is flowing. Secondly, if the money isn’t flowing in your town, don’t waste your time. Go where the money is flowing your choices, either discounting your paintings, and if you don’t feel like you’re getting the price that they’re worth, and you need to get the money they’re worth. Then go to a place where you can get your worth that’s trying to get into a gallery In a town where you can get your price. Also, money flows to known brands, no matter who you are, if you’re not known, it’s hard to get your price. You’d be surprised how much more price you can get, even from people looking for a bargain if they know who you are, they know about you, they think about you. Fourth, I think every artist needs a dual strategy meaning a local strategy and a national strategy as a hedge against problems. So I grew up in a small town in Indiana, and there was an affluent community there. But you know, the the main manufacturer in our town all of a sudden left, and it was employing most of the people and it really put the town in difficult times for about 20 years until it got its act together. If all of your businesses in one place and something like that happens, you’re gonna have a problem. So have a local strategy and then have a national strategy as a hedge against problems. You might also consider a regional strategy right? So like maybe another town nearby or maybe Other town in your state is a really good place for you to be selling and building your brand. If it’s not in your town, it doesn’t have to be in your town, you just have to figure out how to sell paintings. So this is a good way to give you people who are buyers on a national level who collect paintings who are going to be reading magazines like plein air magazine, or Fine Art connoisseur. Or you might, you know, you might target them in other ways. Also, usually when people tell me there’s no money in their town, I tell them, it’s there, you just have to find it. You got to hang with the right people. You got to remember that you may not be hanging with the same people who are you’re going to you’re going to be your clients. You know, if you’re struggling financially, if you didn’t grow up in a fluent neighborhood. That doesn’t mean it’s not out there. There are wealthy people everywhere. Even in small farm towns. I mean, sometimes there’s a wealthy farmer, you know, you just never know who’s going to buy a painting and put it on their wall. So you just got to find out where they are. You got to spend time around them. You got to brand yourself around and we got to get exposed around them and do the best you can because there are people who love and buy art you can build a list of those people locally, regionally, nationally, etc.

Eric Rhoads 4:10
Next question is from Jeremy. Jeremy says, I’m new to the market and I’m just starting to sell my art at library shows and shows where I can’t sell something worth my time. Well, I think it depends on what you consider a waste of time is building awareness of your name, your brand, in your community, a waste of time, is having your name and places where people can see and fall in love with your artwork, a waste of time. You know, when you’re starting out as an artist, you need to do anything and everything you can to sell finished works or to expose finished works. And it’s definitely worth your time for the learning experience of mounting a show and getting used to doing that kind of thing because you’re going to do it your whole career. And you’re going to learn something by talking to people at the show if you have an opening You get a chance to talk to people, you get a chance to practice talking to people about why you painted tell your story. You know, talk about your art, find out what their needs are, learn and engage people and start conversations around your artwork. And the better you get at doing that, the better you’re going to have throughout your entire career, you’re going to be connecting your artwork with potential collectors. And just because they say you can’t sell at the library show doesn’t mean you can’t sell. You know, if somebody says, Hey, can I buy this painting? Are you gonna say no, you’re gonna say, Here’s my card, contact me and we’ll work something out. And also, it’s a great way for you to build your list, you know, put a thing in there when everybody comes to visit the show, ask them to write down their name and their email address. And happily send your, your newsletter to them. And of course, you can, you can find other ways to get names, you know, exchange business cards, and so on while you’re there, but I think everything is worthwhile. Everything’s a learning experience. And no, maybe you’re not going to Sell direct right away. But I think you want to kind of get in the habit of learning how this process goes, it’s gonna help you a lot. also build lists, build brands and get publicity. You know, could you get your, your name in the local media, local websites, local newspapers, etc. for doing this show? Can you get pictures of your stuff out there? It’s going to drive people to your website. Don’t forget about that.

Eric Rhoads 6:21
Well, this has been the art marketing minute with me. Eric Rhoads. My goal in life is to eliminate the idea of the starving artist and to help your dreams actually come true. So if you want to submit questions, simply email Ericartmarketing.com. And to learn more about marketing ideas, you can visit Art marketing.com Thanks for listening.

Remember to Submit Your Question: What questions do you have about selling your art? Email Eric today at [email protected] (include your name and where you’re from) to hear your question answered on an upcoming Art Marketing Minute Podcast.