You set out to do your landscape painting in the great outdoors.
You think it's just going to be you, your painting supplies and the
natural world. Well, you're wrong. There's always the chance that
passers-by will notice you hard at work. They may carry on walking or
they may start a conversation with you. Every single person is a
potential customer, so do you turn these passers-by into customers?
Will strangers really buy my art?
When
people stop and talk to you, they're showing that they're interested.
Not everyone who stops to talk will end up buying your art, though. But
the more time you spend plein air painting, the more people will speak
to you and the greater chance you stand of finding new customers. Even
if you only gain one or two new customers, every little helps. You
wouldn't have gained those customers if you'd spend that time painting
in a studio.
Be friendly and polite
This person is going out
of their way to engage in conversation with you. Even if you don't want
to speak to anyone, you have to be friendly and polite. If you show no
interest at all, the person, your potential customer, is just going to
walk away and there's a potential sale lost. Sales work both ways, so if
the potential customer has started reaching out to you, it's up to you
to reciprocate.
Get the conversation going
Don't spend the
whole conversation talking about yourself, but do let the potential
customer know who you are. Mention an upcoming exhibition and say when
and where it's going to be. Tell them about paintings you've done
before. Ask them if they've done any painting and talk about what you
both enjoy about painting. Offer some interesting facts about the place
you're painting. This is an opportunity to sell your work, so make the
most of it, but don't overdo it.
Offer your details
The
potential customer will leave at some point, so they have to have a
means of contacting you. If they leave and they have no way of getting
in touch with you, chances are they're not going to try to get in touch
with you. Offer them a business card with your details on it. Better
yet, offer them a free photograph of the painting you're working. The
potential customer will be delighted to be receiving something for
nothing.
Let them end the conversation.
No matter which way
the conversation's going, you should always let the customer end it on
their terms. They started it, so they should choose when to finish it.
Try to keep them talking for as long as possible and get them interested
about your work. If you end the conversation, you're showing you're not
interested in taking things further. Of course, do be polite if the
potential customer decides to leave or even politely declines your offer
of a business card or free photo.
These are just a few tips to
help turn a passer-by into a customer. Plein air painting offers a great
way to gain new customers and build up your customer base. It can be
very easy to do and having a nice conversation that results in a new
customer is a nice bonus. Have you got any more tips?
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