Author Jeff "Percy the Potter" Percival shares how artists can create more sales at art fairs.
Learn to set up your booth as a safe space for your customers to get out of the flow of lookers – a place where you can interact with potential customers and find out how and if you can be of service. Look for ways you can draw customers into your booth.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (PRWEB) June 25, 2019
Author and artist Jeff Percival announces the release of his new eBook, Creating Artful Sales. The book is a guide for artists at street fairs who need to break through their fear or dislike of sales to increase their bottom line.
The core idea for Creating Artful Sales came to Jeff Percival a decade ago, after years of watching talented artists and craftspeople sitting behind their work just hoping for a sale. “At an art fair in Milwaukee, I wandered into an artist’s booth where a man was staring at a hanging tile,” Jeff said. “I started asking him questions. What do you like about that piece? Do you favor any colors? What wall do you see it hanging on in your house? The artist came over and apologized, telling the potential customer that he didn’t even know me. Well, he didn’t make the sale. When the prospect left the booth, the artist asked me if I had a book so he could learn to ask those questions. That was the birth of Creating Artful Sales.”
With more than 20 years experience selling his own ceramic art at fairs, Jeff cites two mistakes artists make when trying to sell their work. “First, some artists use their display as a barrier between the potential customer and themselves,” Jeff said. “Learn to set up your booth as a safe space for your customers to get out of the flow of lookers – a place where you can interact with potential customers and find out how and if you can be of service. Look for ways you can draw customers into your booth.”
The other mistake is not talking to people who visit your booth. “Some artists never ask the potential customers any questions, nor engage them in any interactions. You need to engage them, to help them see how your art can fit into their lives,” Jeff said. “Make a list of safe questions to ask them. You can start off with a yes or no question to engage them, such as, ‘Do you own anything like my work?’ Then add more engaging questions to your list. Don’t let shyness stop you. The more you get used to asking questions, the better you’ll get at it.”
Too many artists have negative attitudes about sales or a fear of selling. “There are exercises in the book that will help artists adjust their attitude about selling. Many artists love creating but hate selling,” Jeff said. “You are not trying to talk someone into buying something they don’t want. You need to find out if your art is for them. You are talking to your ‘lookers’ to see if and how you can be of service through your art or craft. Creating Artful Sales will walk you through a simple process which will help you change the way you look at selling and increase your sales at art fairs. So the next time you hear someone say, ‘I’m just looking,’ you can smile and say that’s great!” Jeff said.
Creating Artful Sales is available at more than 140 eBook stores around the world, or it can be purchased directly from Book Baby.
For more information, or to book an interview, contact Jeff Percival at 828-691-1255, or email him at jeff (dot) percent (at) gmail.com.
