Why Collectors Don’t Buy Art (Art Sales Psychology Every Artist Should Understand)

Introduction

0:00Hello, and welcome back to our Coach Club podcast. I am your host, Haley White. And if things sound a little bit different today, I'm annoyed because my podcast mic of, I don't know, like three years or however long it's been now, 300 episodes later, randomly broke today, which I guess is reasonable. It was like 50 bucks. I love that mic, but they don't sell it anymore. So also it, I was going to record today. I was all prepared and the mic wasn't working and that derails your whole day. So if any of you guys are having a derailed, it's Wednesday when I'm recording this, but a day where you're like, oh, just one thing and then it leads to another. And then your whole day is just like, oh, I was just ready to do this thing. So yeah, this isn't quite as crisp as I normally like it, but it also means I'm in the market for a new mic. And there might be a couple of weeks where things are a little funky, but we're going to get there. It was probably time anyway, but I really liked that mic. Anyways, so what are we talking about today to get into it?

Why Collectors Don't Buy Art

0:57We are talking about why collectors don't buy art. And you might be like, why are we talking about that? Because this is something I've not heard anyone talk about. And it actually comes up a lot in the club, one-on-one clients, one-on-one artists. I mean, a lot of the times we think about why galleries don't accept us, or we think about, you know, why the algorithm doesn't accept us. We don't really think about why collectors themselves aren't buying our artwork. And this is what we're going to get into today. Obviously, how you can help kind of guide them to buy your artwork, different reasons they might not be buying, which might click to things you could change that could help them buy.

1:34And so you just, what I really want to get into today is kind of the art sales psychology, what stops collectors from buying art, how collectors decide what to buy, and then we'll conclude with, you know, why cheap art doesn't sell. So we're going to get into a lot of good stuff today. It's going to be very collector-focused, but I think there's going to be a lot you can pull from it as an artist in terms of how to speak to your collector, how to better sell to them, and how to understand if you did have like a collection launch flop or something like that. It's not always, and it's often, not your lack of Instagram virality or things that we tend to really, really focus on. A lot of the times it's just not, you're not giving the collectors that are seeing you what they need to actually purchase.

2:15So first, let's just kind of start with the tone. I think this is, you probably heard this and you're thinking like, why collectors aren't buying my artwork and I don't want you to be anxious. I don't want this to be something where we're like, oh, we're just going to talk about why people don't like our art. It's not where we're going today. I want to talk about something that I think just a lot of you have dealt with. And so that is that feeling of people, you know, maybe they come across your page and you're like, Haley, I see people liking it. I see people commenting. I see the save numbers. I know people like this. I get the compliments at shows, but I don't actually get the purchases.

2:52Or I kind of have the like all circle back energy around my client. And it, I think what a lot of you guys feel and what I often feel in those situations is, well, if they didn't buy, does that mean it wasn't good enough? Or often was a price too high? And usually it's neither one of those things. Most collector hesitation has nothing to do with quality. So often it doesn't have anything to do with like if your painting is good or not. Obviously, sometimes people don't like your art and that's fine.

3:24But I'm saying if people are, you know, giving you compliments and liking it and doing all that stuff, they're not going to do it if they don't like it. There is a lot of factors that go into buying artwork. And so it's not just about if they like it or not. And it's not just about is it in their budget or not, which are the two things we often focus on. And collectors don't buy when they're unsure. So we have to make sure that they have all the information they need because often they're interested, but they're not sure about what that next step is.

Common Mistakes Artists Make

3:54So let's talk about the common mistakes artists are the common misunderstandings artists have when it comes to why people would buy art. I mean, the main thing I want to get across is that as artists, we often assume that buying artwork is just like a rational transaction. And it's not. And I talk to a lot of artists about this and I say, like, the reason I am an art business coach is because I talk to artists specifically because it's different than every other path. Like you'll see those gurus online and it's like how to sell. Oh, that stuff doesn't always translate to artists.

4:29We are building something a little bit different. And so that's not to say that those people might not have some helpful advice. But what it comes down to is buying artwork is a luxury. It's not just a rational transaction. It's not a need. It's not, oh, I have a blank wall and I need art to fill it. It's just different. That's not how people think about it. So people aren't comparing art pieces like this to this to this like products. Designers kind of are because they do. That is their job. They're like, I see a blank wall and I have to finish it or fill it.

5:00But when it comes to just the everyday consumer who's coming across your Instagram page or meeting you at an event, they're not often, I will say, they're not majority of the time going, I'm going to look at every single artist. I'm going to compare all the 20 by 20s because I have a spot where 20 by 20 needs to go. And I'm going to see who has the rest price compared to the best review. Like that's just not how people shop for artwork. Instead, you know, they're thinking about, does this piece speak to me? Does this like on social media or meeting you in person? Like, do I relate to this artist? Is this someone I want to support?

5:33Is this piece, you know, bringing out some emotion in me? Is it nostalgia? Is it there's a lot of other factors that go into it? It's not like when I go to the grocery store and I'm trying to buy chicken stock and I'm like, I'm just trying to buy the one that looks the healthiest, have the least sodium and is 10 cents cheaper. You know, that's not how people are buying artwork. They're not looking at like prices like that. I mean, it's like if you're in their budget and let's say their budget is 300 to 500, they're not going to choose you because you're 349 and the other person is 350.

6:03That's not how art works. And so we're going to kind of nix that belief on pricing and we're going to nix that belief on my like X, Y, and Z wasn't as good as it needed to be because that's just not how people shop for artwork. Look, the reason one that collectors don't buy, they don't have enough context. Some collectors are going to come across your artwork and they're going to say, well, that's art. That art is pretty, but I don't really have somewhere to put it. And if they have no connection to you, like they just stumbled across you on Instagram. Think about how many artists you come across on Instagram.

6:35You're like, wow, that art is really beautiful. That would look beautiful in my home, but like don't know who they are. Keep going. So one, they don't have enough context. They, and when I say context, they either the example I have, I just gave, they either don't know you yet. They don't know enough about the artwork yet. They don't, they don't really know about your brand. You haven't built that connection. You haven't nurtured them long enough. So I think social media is a really good example for that. Or they don't have the context of, okay, like where am I going to put this? Like again, sometimes you'll meet a person, a potential collector and they're like, oh my God, I love that 40 by 60 that you have, you know, behind you at your booth.

7:09I don't know where I'm going to put it. Again, they don't really have context. So that is the kind of things collectors are wondering. And so what you can kind of do is say, or what you can do to kind of connect those dots and give them that context is understand the situation. So one, understand that when somebody follows you, they don't want to purchase from you right away. And that's, that's actually something that's not just with artwork. As a coach, like somebody follows me from an artist tip of the day, it's like, no, they probably want to like listen to this free podcast first. Or, you know, watch a few more videos.

7:40Like I'm sure a lot of you that are here maybe haven't purchased something from me yet, or maybe just discovered me and this is your first podcast. People need context. So it's true for most physicists. It's true for your artwork. From the social media side or just like the meeting you for the first time side, generally people want to get to know you. And that's why it is so important not to sell, sell, sell, sell on social media, to storytell and explain who you are so people connect with you. You'll see a lot of that across my accounts. If you go to my Haley Price White account, you will see most of the stuff I post is just about me, about my life.

8:15It's storytelling. It's the art is in there, obviously. It's like what I'm creating, what I think about the creative process. But it's basically people feeling like they know me so well so that when I put up a story and it's like, oh, yeah, this painting's for sale, people are like, yep, need to have it because I've nurtured that connection long enough. So that's what I want you to think about. First, give them context when I am thinking about brand building. Context into who you are. Then part two is in person. Give them the answers into the context of like, how does this piece fit into my life? So that could be something like, oh, you really love, you know, this giant piece.

8:48Well, it would look really good in a dining room, like over a chest, or it would look really good over a sofa, or I just had a client put it over their bed. Like, give them context. Give them a couple examples of where it might look. This really helps. I mean, it's also something you can do on social media through imagery of install shot, especially if you're someone who is maybe an abstract artist or does something a little bit different. I find the artists that paint realistically have a little bit less issue with this because, let's say you paint marshes, a lot of the time people are like, oh, that's a marsh.

9:23I think it's pretty, it reminds me of the marsh at my grandmother's house. I'm going to find a place to put it in my house. Versus if it's like, you know, a really bright abstract, people might be like, wow, I really like that. How's that going to fit in my traditional home? That's where installs and working with designers and getting those photographs and, like, explaining where these things could go goes really far. It gives them context. So, continuing, and something kind of overlaps in these different reasons. Reason two is kind of similar in that they like it, but they don't trust themselves yet.

9:54So, maybe they're not art connoisseurs. And maybe they're worried, like, will I still like this in five years? Am I buying this for the right reasons? Am I rushing into it? Is this good? And that, again, it relates to kind of what I just said about context. It kind of builds off of that. It's where those install shots. It's where social proof of that credibility of, like, maybe you're in a gallery. You can show, well, I'm a gallery artist. Or, you know, you work with designers. Like, those are social proof that kind of helps the buyer answer those questions.

10:25Like, is this good? Yes. But will I still love this in five years? Is this, like, a quality piece? Like, you can kind of prove that through your credibility. And then the way to do that is hinting at these things as you talk to artists, but also in person, but also online. You know, showing images, telling stories, talking about installs, talking about commissions. Like, someone might say, like, oh, I would love a commission from you, but I don't really know what I even want. Walk them through their commission process. If it's online, do it online. Have a clear commission page. See what I'm saying? You've got to give them context, and then you have to kind of build that trust in them.

Price Feels Unclear

11:00Next, reason three, the price feels unclear. Not wrong. So that is the key. I think so many people think, oh, I'm priced too high. I immediately slashed their prices. No, no. That's, you don't want to be the Walmart of artists. That doesn't mean, you know, you have to be the Louis Vuitton of artists. But, you know, it is a luxury gut, and if there's one thing I took away from marketing in college, it was that lower price and, like, being the cheapest isn't a differentiating factor.

11:30Someone can always go cheaper. There will always be an artist who can undercut you who is just starting out or who, like, doesn't look at their bucks and just doesn't know what they need to be charging. So price isn't a differentiating factor. You need to decide what you can charge. With that in mind, understand, once you have a good grasp on, like, what you need to charge, understand who your clients are and where they're going to be. If you are at a market where it's mainly, you know, cash and carry kind of items, people are spending 20 bucks and under, it's going to be hard for you to sell a $300 piece.

12:02Similarly, if you were at a show where everyone's selling $3,000 pieces, you don't want to be the artist that's selling a $300 piece. So, one, you want to know where your clients are for what you're trying to sell them because then you just avoid this whole price confusion anyway. But you also need to understand that a lot of the times your clients don't know what art costs. So, you want to present the work in a way that is aligned with what it costs, therefore being at shows where other people are pricing similar to you.

12:32Working with designers who, you know, are buying fabric that's at a similar price point as your artwork. You know, the whole room is expensive, so your expensive artwork fits right in. Or, you know, on, or with galleries that work with similarly priced artists. And then even online showing, like, the work that goes into your pieces or the quality of the materials. Explaining that, you know, the work that goes in and why it's priced the way it is. And I think also understanding that people kind of go into a purchasing process for a luxury good with an amount they want to spend.

13:05And it's a range. So, if somebody is willing to spend $300 to $500 and you fall in that, your price isn't the differentiating factor. But if someone's going in and they're only wanting to spend up to, like, $200 and you're priced at $500, the price might be the thing that means they don't purchase from you and you don't want that sale. You want to find clients who are willing to meet you where your prices are. So, just really, really, really want to hit this home. And I feel like I talk about pricing a lot.

13:36But price objection is not what's happening here. People aren't, collectors aren't not buying from you because you're priced too high 99% of the time. If you are within what they are expecting to pay and you explain why your work is worth that, it's, if they're not purchasing, it's because they don't have some of those other things. Like, they don't have the context they need. So, reason three is the price feels unclear. And then the way you can clear it up is just say where your pricing is.

14:06I think a lot of artists feel like they shouldn't do that. They're like, should I save my pricing? And if you are doing what you should do, which your pricing is consistent across the board, you can charge a little bit more for commissions. But your gallery pricing to your website pricing, all of that is consistent, which it should be. Why wouldn't you share your prices? People can just go to the website and find it. Why wouldn't you share it when you're talking about it? I think people feel like they shouldn't share their prices, but how are people going to buy if they don't know what it costs? And there's some nuance to that, but that's my general thought.

Collectors Don't Know What Happens Next

14:33And then the last reason that I can think of today, why collectors don't buy your artwork, is they don't know what happens next. So this is where clarity is really important. I think collectors worry about they leave the show and they forget to follow up with you. They don't know how to follow up with you. And so you need to follow up with them in a low-pressure way. Maybe they worry about pressure and they're worried about like, oh, it goes back to pricing. Like, I don't know what this piece costs. So I don't really want to DM her. I don't really want to follow up in an email. I don't really want to ask.

15:05They worry about, you know, having to say no later. So again, they worry about all these things and be like, oh, what if it's not a good fit? They worry about logistics. It's like, well, what's it going to cost to ship it? What's it going to cost to frame it? How am I going to frame it? Like, I see this all the time where people are like, oh, my prints aren't selling or my paper pieces aren't selling. I'm like, where are you telling them how to frame it once they get it to you? We're giving them examples. Like, great stuff. Collectors worry about timeline. So I think a couple things you can do to combat people not buying because they don't know what happens next is have clear next steps to reduce friction and lead your clients gently through the processes.

15:43This is professional, so this can look like a commission page on your website that you direct people to, and it clearly maps out every step. And it's like, you get an email from me, and then you fill out this form, and then you pay the first deposit, and then it takes three months, and then whatever that looks like for you. The more clear you can be, one, systematizing these things is good for you, but also it helps with your customers. The same goes for framing. If you have a framing guide for your commissions, can things come framed for an upcharge, and you tell people what that is? Same with shipping. Is it built in? Is it not?

16:13A lot of this stuff is just clarity. It's just saying, you know, artists are, either they don't have it all figured out so they don't share it, and then they figure it out on the fly, or they just think they don't need to. So just to kind of quickly run Dr. Ruby is, the four reasons I think collectors don't buy mainly is they don't have enough context, which we talked about a lot. So, again, it comes back to, like, how is this going to work in my home? You know, who is this artist? I don't really know who they are. I just stumbled across them, so they need context.

16:44They like it, but they don't actually trust themselves yet. They're like, I don't know where it's going to go. Is this going to look crazy in my house? Is this actually good? Like, is this artist credible? Is this going to fall apart? You know, things like that. And then reason three is the price feels unclear. Again, not too high. It feels unclear. They're like, I don't know why it's priced this way. I don't know what it costs. Is this include framing? Like, there's just some kind of unclarity. And then reason four is they just don't know what happens next. And that's probably the easiest to fix.

17:14So what often happens and what artists often get wrong in moments where there's, like, some client pushback or they see that stuff isn't selling and they wonder why, they assume a couple things. They assume the price too high. They assume their art's not good. They assume silence means no. A lot of times you just need to follow up with people. Your artwork that somebody came across on a Saturday at an art show that they went to for fun is not top of mind Monday morning when they're going back to work. You have to kind of pop back up in their inbox.

17:45Like, a couple days later, be like, hey, you know, because, like, get busy. And so understand that silence doesn't mean no. I think artists also, when they get any kind of pushback of, like, how does this work? What comes next? Explain the pricing. They, like, over-explain or they apologize. They're like, I'm not super. Like, I just want to know the price. And artists are like, oh, my gosh. Well, it's usually $500, but I'll do it for $250. And I'll just throw in free shipping. Don't over-explain. Don't over-apologize. Just be professional and give the information they need. And then, finally, I think a lot of artists try to convince people to buy instead of support.

18:18So people don't need to be convinced. We're not, like, harsh sale people. Instead, we're, like, supporting them through the process. We're giving them all this information they need. We're giving them the context. We're explaining the pricing. We're explaining next steps. We're telling them, you know, who we are, why we're credible. That's all supporting the buying process. And then we're also, you know, we're building our brand. So they just, like, absolutely have to buy from us. We're not pushing them into buying. We want it to be a decision they feel like they're making, one they're excited about, not one that we're, like, pulling them into.

18:49So that's really important. And then, you know, what happens or what actually helps collectors purchase, which is kind of rounding all of this out, is clarity over pressure. So, again, we're not pressuring people to buy. We're just giving them the information they need to make that decision on their own. Being consistent. So consistency is really important without pressure, without urgency. But just saying, you know, like, after a show, you take the initiative to follow up with people. Please don't give them their business card and expect them to follow up.

19:20Only 10% will. I made up that stat, but that feels right. Don't give them your business card. People lose those in their handbags. They drop them on the ground. They get thrown in the trash, crumbled up in a napkin. You can hand out a business card, but make sure you get their email and you personally follow up. Not just add to your newsletter, send people a personal follow up. You need to do that. That is where consistency comes in. And professionalism, it's not pushy. It's just making their life easier. You don't understand the amount of times I'm out in the world doing things. I'm like, will you send me an email? Because I'm not going to remember to do this.

19:51So that's really important. Finally, confidence. Be confident. But, I mean, that goes on social media. That goes at shows. Don't feel like you have to over-explain and over-sell. And it doesn't need to be, you know, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. This is what it's called. Like, oh, I feel so bad. And be confident in your pricing and your work and the right people are attracted to that. And then give context. So that's the slow rolling out of your brand. That is, you know, building credibility through the people you work with. That is building testimonials through, you know, commissions, things like that.

20:24It's also, you know, having a great website, having great sales processes. It's having a brand and storytelling on social media, which I'm so big about. Context is huge. And so really at the end of the day, what helps collectors buy is all of these things, which is why, you know, relationships matter with like galleries, designers, things like that. Also with your customers, because word of mouth is huge. And this is how repeat collectors happen. You know, it's like if you guide them through a really great first experience, they're going to come back.

20:54And this is the slow growth path. You could grow super, super fast and then crash if you just like are the cheapest and have, you know, these like, I don't know. I'm not saying that won't sell your art, but what I have seen is artists who are the cheapest and they think artists, collectors aren't buying because my art is not priced right. And they slash their prices or they do something super, super trendy or they copy another artist that seems to be doing well. Well, yeah, those people get some sales, but they get some sales for like a month and then they crash and people lose interest.

21:26And I see it happen again and again and again. So you really don't want to buy into that too much. So I think that's really, really important. And these are the conversations I want to have. This is why I want to do more solo episodes to go deeper into this type of stuff, because this is what I hear artists asking about again and again. And often not just like, why aren't people buying from me? It's like a little more nuanced than that, but I just see artists getting upset because they go to a show and they're like, oh, these people are interested and then they don't get the sale or all these people comment in the DM and they say, but then I don't get the sale.

21:58And I just think it's really important to break down why that might be happening. So this is, you know, just a short episode. What are we at? Twenty four minutes as I'm, you know, kind of clocking this right now. So there's so much more we can go into all of this. And if you like it, I'll continue to do more solo episodes like this. I think so many artists think collectors aren't buying from them because their art isn't good. Their subject isn't right. It's not trendy enough. They're not viral. The algorithm hates them and their price too high. And it's generally none of those things. Hopefully you found this helpful. I have already had way too much caffeine, if you can't tell with how fast I'm talking,

22:30but hopefully it was a good little 25 minute tip to start your day. So I'll talk to you next week and have a great rest of your day.