How to Print Art for Selling at a Coffee Shop

Let me begin past admitting upwardly front that I am probably the wrong person to write this post. I own an fine art gallery and my unabridged focus is on selling artwork out of my retail space. I am ofttimes asked by artists, however, what I recall of an artist showing his/her piece of work in alternate venues – cafés, restaurants, banks, etc. The truth is that I accept very little experience displaying or selling art out of these kinds of venues. The correct person to write this post would be an artist who has had success selling this manner. I'm hoping that artist (or artists) will exit their thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

That said, lack of feel or expertise has never stopped me from having an opinion in the past, so why should it now?!

I am a big laic in exposure, in whatever form it may accept. For an artist early in his/her career, showing in a non-gallery venue like a restaurant or café can be a good fashion for you lot to begin to go your feet moisture. I would certainly rather have your work out where people can run across it than collecting dust in the corner of your studio. At least if the piece of work is showing, you've got a shot at someone seeing it and becoming familiar with your art and your name. Yous might even have a shot at a auction or two.

Permit'south acknowledge upfront what everyone'due south motivations are and should exist though, then that in that location is no room for disillusionment during the form of the exhibition.

The Venue's Motivation

Restaurants, banks and other alternate venues may have many reasons to host exhibits in their spaces. The owners of the business organization may have a nifty love for the arts and may be large supporters of the arts in the community. They may besides experience that their clientele is interested in the art and might want to support the artists by making a purchase. Primarily, however, I suspect that these venues desire to enhance their decor with your amazing fine art, which will make their space look improve to their customers and help them do more concern. By hosting exhibitions they gain 2 huge advantages: First, the art doesn't end up costing them anything. Second, they are not stuck with the art like they would be if they had purchased it. Every few months they tin alter the exhibition and have a totally new art collection to share with their customers.

In nigh cases, they are not looking at this every bit an opportunity to brand a commission on sales and increase their revenue – consequently, they aren't going to accept much motivation to actively promote or sell the work.

The Artist's Motivation

As an artist, y'all will probably feel that your number one goal in showing in this setting (or whatever other setting, for that matter) is sales. Because that doesn't align with the venue's motivation, you may exist setting yourself upward for disappointment. Instead, I would propose that you change your expectations and, consequently, your arroyo to the evidence.

I would propose that you look at the brandish as an opportunity to increase your local exposure and brand contacts with potential local supporters and buyers. With that in listen, here are some ideas that could assistance you attain this goal.

Ask for a public reception at the opening and closing of the testify

We take a depository financial institution in our area that hosts receptions for the artists in conjunction with their showings. They send out a beautiful invitation to their client list inviting them to the reception. They handle the catering for the event. This is a win-win for the bank and artist. It creates an opportunity for the bank to accept their customers in their cyberbanking space in a non-sales situation. The bank has its top banking staff and management at the issue to mingle with customers and build relationships. If the artist is known in the community it may also bring in some potential new customers.

The creative person benefits past having the opportunity to meet the customers and talk about the artwork.

I like the idea of having both an opening and closing reception because the closing reception gives people who have been in the bank while the exhibition was upward to come up dorsum and see the artist.

This may non work too in a restaurant or cafe if they don't have a good mailing listing, but it withal might exist worth the endeavour.

If yous are in a smaller community, you lot might likewise be able to go some printing coverage for the issue. Exist sure and send out a press release for the consequence and list it in local events calendars.

Impress upwardly stacks of business concern cards or postcards that visitors to the exhibition

Allow'due south face information technology, restaurant and bank staff is not trained to sell art and they're probably non going to be very good at information technology. I one time had an artist tell me of a conversation she overheard at a local eating house where a patron was interested in a piece of art and a server non just told the patron that she wasn't sure if the slice was for sale or non, but proceeded to give the patron an incorrect name for the artist.

By providing a stack of business or postcards, you tin can give the staff something tangible they can offering visitors when they want further information.

The card tin provide your contact information and an indication that the artwork is indeed for sale.

Using vistaprint.com or another online printer will allow y'all to create a custom card for the result relatively inexpensively.

Create printouts that human activity as your salesperson

Because the staff will exist unlikely to put much endeavor into selling your art (they're busy enough equally it is) I suggest y'all try and anticipate your viewer's questions and tell them stories about your art using printouts that you brandish alongside your fine art. We employ acrylic wall mount sign holders to display this kind of information in the gallery and it would work perfectly for this kind of venue as well.

You can become the displays for a couple of bucks from Amazon.com (click on the image to run across a larger photo and ordering information):

You should likewise include your biography and a display that includes a link to your website and phone number. Ideally, you will have all of this information in a place where people are waiting and have time to scan – the banking company'southward foyer, or a eating house's reception/waiting area.

Allow visitors to join your mailing listing by providing a ballot/comment box

I accept long recommended that wherever an creative person is – a show, art festival or other art upshot – they should provide visitors an like shooting fish in a barrel way to sign upwardly for the creative person's mailing listing. Typically, the easiest manner to exercise this is to take a guest book. This works very well at events where you are nowadays and can encourage your visitors to sign up, but it won't work likewise in a banking company or restaurant setting. The principal trouble with a guest book here is that your viewers aren't going to have a sense of privacy. I know I would not write my contact information downward in a guestbook at a restaurant where anyone can see it.

Instead, I recommend you use a locking ballot/comment box and provide viewers with comment cards and a pen.

Here's an example of what the box might look like from Amazon (click on the image to run across a larger photo and ordering information):

At present your viewers tin get a sense of security and privacy when they leave their contact information.

You lot can create the card on your reckoner and information technology doesn't have to be anything fancy. Ask for:

• Comments/Feedback virtually the artwork
• Contact data (including address, telephone number, and email) – your visitor might not include all of the info, but it certain doesn't hurt to ask)
• Permission to add the visitor to your mailing list. If y'all don't ask for this explicit permission you really shouldn't add the name to your mailing list.

If y'all apply the box I've suggested to a higher place, you tin see that you have infinite to add a description and instructions. I would include a photograph of yourself (to make the request for feedback feel more personal) too equally some kind of "I would love to hear what y'all think of my artwork" text.

Be sure and stop past the venue regularly throughout the prove to collect and replenish the comment cards. This is also a good opportunity to cheque on any other printed materials you have provided to the venue.

Try and build a rapport with the staff

I mentioned before that the venue's staff is unlikely to provide much back up toward your sales because they accept no motivation to do so. If you tin create a bit of a rapport with the staff, your friendship may be enough motivation for them to actually be helpful, and in some cases they may fifty-fifty become fans and big advocates of your work.

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

I don't believe showing in cafes, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, spa'due south or golf game clubs is the road to fame and fortune. Nonetheless, they can be a proficient use of your excess inventory and tin help you build relationships with potential local buyers. If you are going to take reward of this kind of opportunity, make the well-nigh of it past showing practiced quality piece of work and providing your visitors with the tools mentioned higher up. Discover means to optimize your display and don't be afraid to be a chip unconventional or creative in trying to maximize your results from the opportunity.

Showing your Work in a Cafe is non Going to Ruin Your Career

Finally, I am often asked if showing artwork in an alternate venue is going to ruin the artist's chances of showing with galleries, or if information technology will devalue the piece of work in the eyes of collectors. I don't meet any danger of either as long every bit the artist maintains consistent pricing (meet our recent podcast on pricing). The truth is that no gallery is always going to know you showed in your local coffee firm, and even if they did, they wouldn't intendance. If that showing pb to some good contacts and a few sales, that increased sensation will but benefit the gallery in the long run.

If a client runs into your work in their favorite eatery it's going to be a pleasant surprise and remind them of your piece of work. They're going to brag to their friends that they already accept i of your pieces.

The only upshot you should be aware of is any conflict such an exhibition might create with the exclusivity clause in your contract with a gallery. Sometimes the contract will prohibit you from showing your work in other venues within the gallery's trade area. Be sure and allow a gallery know ahead of time if yous are considering showing in this kind of venue in their locale.

Share Your Experience

As I said in the opening of the post, I have pretty limited practical experience in this area. I accept shown some of my artists' work in alternate venues on a limited basis in the past, but my advice in this area is largely based on retail principles I utilise in the gallery.

I would love, therefore, to hear from artists who accept existent-world experience in this area. Take yous shown and sold your artwork in an alternate venue? Was the showing successful? What did yous learn? What advice would you give an artist who is considering doing this for the first fourth dimension? Would yous do it once more?

Share your feel in the comments below!

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