Selling Art Online and Getting Known

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by: guywann
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Word Count: 528
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2010 Time: 11:07 AM
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Spend some time locating a gallery or galleries that fit your style, budget and goals. Some online galleries will require you to pay a fee to list your items, while others are free. Two of these free websites are redbubble.com and artslant.com. My favorite of these two is redbubble. I have not sold any paintings here but they do sell a post card of my work almost every month. I'm not saying I'm getting rich off it, but what a ego booster!

I find it is also more useful to work with a gallery that limits the number of artists it displays. An online art gallery with large numbers of different artists may not be as successful as one with a few, simply because buyers will get lost and may never find your work among the many artist. On a website with fewer artists, there is simply a higher chance of your artwork being seen.

Choose an online gallery that uses different techniques to showcase the art it sells. Some galleries offer incentives to buyers (free shipping), while others have contests or giveaways. A gallery that is simply a listing of names will do little to attract customers willing to spend money.

Ask whether the gallery sells art through direct transactions, auctions, or through connections with art studios and brick-and-mortar galleries and shows. The more options a gallery offers, the greater the chance you will be able to sell your work. Clarify in writing (e-mail) anything you don't understand about the operation of the gallery. Some galleries act as intermediaries, showcasing your work and closing the transaction, but you are in charge of mailing the work to the client once the sale is finalized. Other galleries sell only secondary works (prints, products) created from a scan of your original work. Finally, many galleries actually take your work and finalize the whole transaction without your intervention.

Find an art gallery that allows you to create and sell prints of your work. Rather than focusing on your original work only, these types of galleries cash in on secondary sales, including personalized gifts, framed prints and even computer downloads. This is a great way to expand your earning system without any additional work.

The way that works best for me is to have your own website. I went from selling my work for $400 to $1800. I found a hosting service, 24-7Qualityhosting.com, where you can build right online. No programing skills are required which was nice for me. It is very important to get a domain name with your first and last name. This makes it easier for your customers to get back to your site. My domain is guywann.com. I kept it simple. There are no spaces, dashes or other symbols between my fist and last name. Remember--the more places your paintings listed, the more search engines will pick up your name. Search engines make a very important part of selling your art the easyer customers can find you the more art you will sell.

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