Nina Nina

Nina Nina
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It's undeniable: our economy is hurting. Disposable income is diminishing and artists always feel the pinch first. In these challenging times, what can you do to maintain your art sales?

The answer: make your work indispensable to your potential buyer. Do this by acquiring better marketing habits and getting flexible about art pricing.

Acquiring better marketing habits means going after the people who have supported your work in the past: family, friends, and collectors.

• Keep them informed with a newsletter in the form of a blog or frequent emails. Fill it with quality information about your work, the work of other local artists, and community art events. Include vibrant photos and even offer sales for your readers. Try taking 20% off all your art pieces for the next month.

• Throw a small party in your studio or fill your living room salable pieces and have a viewing. Encourage friends to bring guests. Serve up wine and talk art until you make a sale. Or get up a group show, pulling together with other artists to maximize resources and increase buyer interest.

• Getting flexible about art pricing means taking a hard look at your art sales and lowering the asking price on pieces that aren't moving. Look at your "comparables" ie. what artists who make similar work are selling their pieces for. Talk to collectors, gallery owners, and art aficionados to get their pricing opinions. Then conduct informal interviews with potential buyers, asking what they think a fair price would be.

• If everything is priced over $1,000, then reprice some pieces to under $500. If you are willing to part with a piece for $200, go for it. Small sales generate loyal buyers and will keep you encouraged. Prints are even better, as you can sell them for $50 a pop and still hold onto the original artwork.

• Be open to negotiations, either in terms of a payment plan or bartering your art for goods and services you need. Try renting out a piece of your artwork for $30 a month. It'll keep your work in circulation and extra money in your pocket.

Though art prices fluctuate, remember this doesn't reflect your value as an artist. Use this downturn in the economy as an invitation to focus on the things that really matter in life: family, friends, inspiration, and art.

Nina Alvarez, Chief Editor of Artspan.com - an online artists community, and writer of the Artspan blog on art marketing. She also created the Philthy Art blog offering encouragement to writers and artists, and the popular poetry blog NinaAlvarez.net. Nina has an master's degree in English and is a published poet and fiction writer.

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• Nina Nina Ricci