3 Ways to Nurture an Art Buyer

Art collectors snapping up your artwork left and right? Yes, please! 

If you’ve been working on building up your email list, great! With Black Friday coming up, get out that little black book called your contact list and start priming your customers to get ready to buy – and continue buying long after their first purchase. And if you haven’t no sweat! There’s no time like the present to get started. 

Studies have found that email marketing can be up to 40 times more effective than social media. Since these are people who opted in, you know the interest is already there. (Read: They want to hear from you!). So how do you make the most of this as an artist and nurture your buyers to become loyal customers?  

With a little bit of strategy, and a whole lot of heart! 

But first things first: You have to make a stellar impression. After that, it’s much easier to get customers to buy from you and continue buying from you again and again because they’ve not only fallen in love with the art but also with the maker behind the art – you.  

Here’s how it works…

First, make a plan to create a robust welcome sequence 

Crafting a customer journey that lets your people get to know you and your art better will allow you to build a nurturing relationship with your customers. That’s why you can’t stop with one “thank you and welcome” email. Instead, consider creating a series of anywhere from 5 to 7 emails that offer a good mix of value and sales in order to help take you from the artist of interest to the top-of-mind creator.

Expert tip: Do not, I repeat do not, be overly sales driven in those first few emails in the sequence. Why? Because people get turned off when you become too pushy with sales. Rather, try this formula instead: value, value, sales. 

This brings me to my next point. 

Tell your story 

Art is about passion and your unique point of view. It’s not solving an immediate problem. This is why you have to help your customers see the value you bring as an artist. Don’t be shy about sharing about yourself, your artist’s journey, or even the inspirations behind your artwork. 

Art is subjective and art buyers often buy pieces they connect with on a personal level. For the most part, it’s the buyer’s interpretation and how it “speaks” to or impacts them that creates value for them. Knowing more about you and how your art came to be can help them understand and relate to you and your work better. 

Expert tip: It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it formula. Meaning, don’t just do this once. This should be an ongoing process in your email strategy. 

Finally, make the customer journey cohesive

It takes 8 touchpoints to make a sale. With your audience narrowed down to potential, use your direct line to take your budding relationship to the next level. 

Take your potential customers through a cohesive journey that shares pieces of you, but also brings it back to them. You can offer things like exclusive bonuses to customers who purchase your original art, like throwing in free shipping or invites to your new show. Give enough value that by the time they get the 3rd or 4th email, presenting an offer to sell seems like a no-brainer. 

Expert tip: Use the P.S. section to your advantage! It can be a great lead into what your next email will be about, garnering excitement and anticipation to hear from you again. 

Looking to pull off a sustainable launch during the holiday season and beyond? Be sure to grab my Artist’s Launch Tool Kit. I’ve designed it with you, the artist, in mind. So, whether you want to market a course, product, membership, service-based offer, or your next art collection, you’ll have everything you need to sell, sell, sell. 

When connecting with your customers, don't be afraid to share your brand story as an artist, and strategically link to a shop page – when it feels right. You never know when your art will tug on someone’s heartstrings and prompt them to buy. 

If you’re feeling anxious, be sure to also check out my Seriously, Marketing Messaging for Artists to guide you whenever you’re feeling at a loss for words. Seriously, you don’t have to be a marketing expert to communicate with your potential customers!