Tips for Selling Art Through Local Retailers

At last week's Art Market event, we heard from the dedicated entrepreneurs of Indy Ink, Fancy Tiger, Caboodle and Artwork Network about selling local art in local shops. 

The discussion was thoughful and informative for both artists and retailers, so we'd like to share some of the gems we learned. 

Know the shop, their audience & protocol prior to approaching the buyer. Demonstrating that you understand their store and showing how your art fits into their shop not only builds your credibility, but also saves everyone time. Call or email the shop in advance, asking who their buyer is and how they like to be approached. Then of course, listen to their response and follow their protocol. 

Build a relationship. If they know you in advance and have an experience of you as a person in their community, it goes a long way in receiving consideration. Retailers are people, too, and as people we're more invested in our communities than in the unknown. 

Respect everyone's time. Be responsive to communications and responsible about your expectations.  Don't approach them in front of customers or during busy times in their shop. Wait until they are not busy working and when they have quality time to spend assessing you as a potential vendor. Also, a retailer could love selling your stuff, but if you never respond to their message or are impossible to reach, they will eventually give up trying to contact you.

Remember you're on the same team. The awesome thing about local businesses is that they want their community to work, too. If you approach your new relationship with them in mutual respect and seeking workability, you'll both be able to succeed. 

Know your price before you show them your wares. Avoid saying, "whatever you can sell it for is fine," or offering to deeply discount your initial price. This is a big part of your preliminary research - knowing your costs and the kind of merchandise they sell will help you determine how to appropriately price your art. Retailers will suggest either consignment or outright purchase of your art based on your mutual needs. 

Manage your expectations. They'll only take your art if they think they can sell it. Low sales of a product don't benefit either of you, so a retailer might be doing you a big favor by not carrying your stuff if they don't think that it'll move much. Additionally, be aware of their sales process and the best way to complete your transactions (such as in the case of consignment) in advance. And be sure to give the process plenty of time. 

It is inspiring to find locally made goods and art in our local stores. We hope this will assist you in sharing more of your art locally. Looking for local? Be sure to visit www.ColoradoLocalFirst.com to find and review Colorado businesses.