This Post is by Lori Woodward Simons, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews.  Find out how you can be a guest author.

I've had the opportunity to discuss the current art market with a number of my artist colleagues recently, and what I'm repeatedly hearing is that their sales have diminished, and some of their galleries are closing. This does not come as a surprise - all sectors of our economy are being tested right now. But it's good to keep in mind that there are some occupations which can't be outsourced and are yet flourishing, and while these folks have the means to buy artwork, they may not know how to go about it, or else, the idea just hasn't occurred to them.


Don't Burn Your Bridges

Before I get very far into this blog post, I have to say that while some segments of the art market are suffering, some are continuing to do well. My friends who have high visibility among this country's top collectors are selling well.. friends like Richard Schmid, Jeremy Lipking and others whom I've had the pleasure of knowing.

So what about us - emerging artists? What about artists who've been doing well for the last 5 years, but whose sales have taken a dip since the fall of 2008? We're concerned and don't know how it'll all turn out. I've listed some ideas that you might consider here: however, let me preface these suggestions with the following:

If you're currently working with an honest gallery that is doing fairly well for you, don't leave. I believe many galleries will survive this recession.  Those who've managed their finances well, paid their artists promptly and have continued to court new collectors are worth sticking with. A good relationship with a gallery is worth its weight in gold. Don't burn the bridges that are currently holding you up.


Cultivate New Collectors

Even for those who are working with galleries, it may be a wise move to diversity your marketing efforts. What I'm suggesting -- is that you consider adding new art selling venues to the ones that are already working so that you have more than one market to fall back on.

Over the past decade, I've had the pleasure of working with several art marketing experts, and one thing that has become clear to me: Many folks who have the means to buy original artwork, have never thought of doing so.

There are millions of untapped potential art collectors. Less than 5% of the U.S. population ever enters an art gallery or museum. This statistic rings true in my own experience; for example, in the late 1990's, I began offering portrait commissions at local fundraisers. The families that bid on my portraits were well off.  While one could easily see that these people had highly developed their tastes with furnishings, architecture, and gadgets, the only "pictures" on their walls were photographs of their children and sometimes framed poster prints. As I became acquainted with these families, I realized that they would love to collect original art, but had no idea about how to get started.  Many times, they felt ignorant and were nervous about the idea of going into an art gallery.

To make a long story short, I saw this as an opportunity to gently educate them about the art world. In most cases, once these folks felt more informed, they bought additional original artworks from me and entered a new phase in their lives as art collectors.


Build A New Audience

As Clint has pointed out in previous posts, even gaining one collector can evolve into a lifetime contact. When you build a loyal collector base for your work, you're also getting the friends and family of those collectors see your work. What essentially can happen is that your client base becomes your agent. They begin to promote your work to those who visit their home.

For example, one of my former students began to collect my work and the work of some of the artists I'd recommended. Because this former student is now my collector and advocate, she wants to see my art career flourish. Furthermore, if this friend is so inclined, she is welcome to introduce her friends to my art by encouraging them to visit my website. My hope is that each referral will sign up for my e-newsletter. When they sign up, the opportunity for me to cultivate an ongoing conversation with them becomes a reality.

Another way that I might cultivate new art collectors: hold an art show/party at my friend's house. Or, I might hold a weekend exhibit in the lake community where my husband and I have a second home. There are many wealthy retired folks from New York and Connecticut there who have mini-mansions on the lake. It's a small community, so it wouldn't be too difficult for me to send out postcards to the residents. Chances are, they'd only have to drive about 10 minutes to come to the art show.

(no, just in case you're wondering...our property isn't one of the mini-mansions with lakefront property)...

Even if you do not have a second home, spend some time thinking about some of the ways that you can introduce people in your realm of influence to your artwork.


My Collector's Newsletter

Whether I sell work initially through these efforts or not, my ultimate goal is to get people to sign up for my e-newsletter. Here is where I begin to educate them about the world of collecting art. These newsletters not only showcase my new work, but also educate and introduce subscribers to art history and collecting in general. I want to whet their appetites and help them become more informed, so that they can walk into a gallery or museum with confidence.

As I offer my subscribers useful information, they'll begin to think of me as an approachable resource when they have questions about art related subjects. Even when I recommend other artists, it ultimately works in my favor. Many times, these folks have visited galleries that I've recommended, started developing their artistic tastes, and as a result purchased my work. Even when they decide that they like another artist's work better than mine, we all benefit because a collector is born.

Today's art marketing is not about 'getting', stalking, or pestering -- it is about 'giving'. In order to develop a relationship with collectors - either seasoned or new to the art realm -- it helps if you set yourself up as a trusted source of information. For future blog posts, I'll be sharing info about setting up newsletters that will engage your readers and keep them coming back for more.