10 steps in handling online sales

I would like to preface this by saying that I don't have all the answers; nevertheless I remember my French teacher saying "Profit de mon experience" so I'm sharing some of what has worked for me.

Online sales of artwork are possible and it is important to treat your website portfolio just as if it were a gallery store front on main street. With so many venues in art closing and opening over the years an artist really needs to have the ability to sell things themselves as well. Show opportunities come and go, galleries come and go but if you are an artist who wants to still be working in the arts 30 years down the road it is important to develop an ability to sell work. Itdoesn't preclude dips in your market just opens up the possibilities for another line of sales.

I've made lots of errors with my trial and error method of learning and sufferred accordingly for my ignorance. This experience of doing things wrong then correcting myself is starting to apply in a positive direction in online sales.

• 1st things first: you must have artwork to sell and good quality accurate photos of the the work in your portfolio online. Separate out into different portfolios, giclees from originals, plein air from studio, seascapes from florals. Think in terms of hanging your show on your website so that it hangs well together. You wouldn't just throw it up on your wall so why just throw it up on your website.


• 2 - once you have your website designed spruced up and looking good, be sure to post up your resume, about the artist, newsletter about events you are participating in etc.. These help get people to know you.


• 3 - make sure that people know about your website, have it on your business cards, advertisement for current shows and if your work is hanging somewhere have plenty of free materials for people to pick up with your website prominently displayed, this is actually the most successful combination. Create opportunties for exhibitions and advertise your website.


• 4 - Open a business paypal acct and verify it.


• 5 - the best way to handle letting people know that your work is for sale and actually selling it, it not to have paypal buttons all over your site, that changes the aesthetics of your website and your work. Instead create a link for them to "inquire about a piece or request an invoice". This is THE best method after several years of experimenting it is my most successful method of handling sales. Also post an email contact on every page so that people can just click to ask you a question as it comes to mind.


• 6 - CHECK YOUR EMAIL contacts that handle paypal sales and online inquires EVERY DAY.


• 7 - once you have an email or a phone call respond to it immediately. Obtain their email address if they haven't emailed you, and send them an email invoice through paypal. Tell them you are doing so in a separate email. Make the subject line your title of the piece and your name. If you are tardy in responding apologize for keeping them waiting.


• 8 - Explain when sending the invoice that they can either use the invoice to pay on line through paypal or credit card or that they can send you a check.


• 9 - Once you have your order and it has cleared, prepare and send out promptly.


• 10 - Write a thankyou note for their business.

I hope this proves useful.