When it comes to learning the ropes of selling our work, we all want to learn those "ropes" as quickly as possible.
No one wants to look stupid, or unprepared, or clueless. We want to look and act professional, and be treated AS a professional.
Sometimes, though, I think this works against us. There can be a tendency to wait til we "know it all" to actually get down to business.
This thought came to me as I almost responded to a post on an on-line forum. The person asked a question and said twice--TWICE--in their post that "they didn't want to look like they didn't know what they were doing..."
What's wrong with not knowing what you're doing??
Let me throw at you two pieces of my all-time favorite advice:
Start where you are.
Ask questions.
Okay, I'll admit, it helps to get a little jump up on knowledge so you can tell when something's headed south. But please don't wait until you "know everything" to get started.
First of all, it ain't gonna happen. I still don't know everything (though I love it when people think I do.)
And second, there is nothing wrong with learning by doing.
Yes, it's good to avoid some of the obvious mistakes we can make.
But I will always contend that you will get into MORE trouble worrying about "looking like you know what you're doing" than if you simply ask a million questions.
Let's say you've approached a store, and they say they only do consignment. If you "know" that the more usual model is to buy outright (wholesale), where do you go from there? Pick up your stuff and walk out the door?
You ask why they are suggesting that for your work.
Their answer gives YOU information.
They might say their entire inventory is sold on consignment only, that means you are not being singled out to be dealt with differently. This, by the way, is the way many stores involved with non-profit art organizations operate, and some co-ops.
They say your work has promise, but they aren't sure, they would like to do the experiment and try it out in their store without committing to buying outright.
They may say something snotty about your work, implying "Who knows, MAYBE someone will buy it.." and you may decide you don't need to work with someone like that.
They may say they are fully stocked right now, and low on money to buy new inventory, but there's something about the work that appeals to them, and they'd like to try it out. Or, similarly, they can only afford to out-and-out purchase a small selection, but if you were willing to consign some extra pieces, too, they could put a bigger display of your work out.
Asking questions lets you gather all the information before you make a decision. All of these answers tell you something about how that store works, and how you will be treated in future interactions.
Asking questions gives you a breather while you observe how the other person handles your questions. If the person is evasive or impatient or downright abusive, that's your signal--you don't want to deal with this person!
It allows you to compare their answers with other information you've gathered. If a sales rep says they expect to be paid 25% of any wholesale orders they take for you, and you know the industry standard is 15%-20%, then you may need to ask even more questions before you sign with them.
In fact, sometimes I act a little dumber than I actually am. You'd be surprised what people will willingly tell you when you aren't trying to impress THEM.
P.S. Apologies for a section that I inadvertently cut out while editing this entry, and thank you to Melissa Gregory for pointing it out!
