As artists and gallery owners, we all want to make sales. We work hard to promote our art, create a welcoming environment, and connect with potential buyers. But when those buyers walk through the door, something unexpected can happen: judgment. It’s a deeply human trait—one that has probably served an evolutionary purpose—but it can be very dangerous in the art business.
Whether you’re selling art at a festival, open studio tour, or in a gallery setting, you’ve likely caught yourself sizing up the people who come to look at your work. Maybe you thought, “This person looks like they can’t afford anything,” or “That person seems like they’re just browsing, not really interested in buying.” The truth is, none of us are as good at predicting who will purchase art as we might think. More importantly, allowing ourselves to prejudge potential customers can actually cost us sales.
As someone who’s been in the art business for over two decades, I’ve experienced this firsthand. Today, I want to share a couple of stories that taught me invaluable lessons about how dangerous it is to make snap judgments about the people who walk into your gallery or booth.
The Fly Fisherman Who Surprised Me
Early in my career, I worked in a gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming—a stunning resort town that attracts people from all over the world. During the busy season, our gallery would see a constant flow of tourists. Some were clearly in town to shop, while others were simply looking for a way to pass the time.
One afternoon, a man walked into the gallery who looked like he’d just come off the river after a day of fly fishing. His clothes were worn, his hair was unkempt, and his shoes were falling apart. He was definitely not the type of person I would have expected to buy fine art.
Still, I greeted him warmly, gave him a tour of the gallery, and talked to him about the artists we represented. I treated him with the same respect and attention I would give anyone. To my surprise, after spending some time browsing, he selected several significant pieces of art and made a large purchase.
As we were finalizing the transaction, the man told me he would never go back to the gallery next door because they had treated him poorly based on his appearance. He also revealed that he was an executive at a well-known company. That experience taught me an important lesson: You can never truly know who might be a serious art buyer just by looking at them. Appearances can be deceiving, and it’s our job as gallery owners and artists to treat every visitor like a potential collector.
The Beat-Up Car and the $3,000 Sculpture
Fast forward a few years to my own gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. One day, an older woman pulled up in front of the gallery in a beat-up car that had clearly seen better days. She didn’t fit the stereotype of someone who buys art—her clothes were simple, and her car was cluttered with what looked like years of accumulated junk. But I greeted her with the same enthusiasm and professionalism I give all of our guests.
After spending some time in the gallery, she surprised me by purchasing a $3,000 bronze sculpture. When I carried the piece out to her car and placed it in her trunk, I couldn’t help but notice how out of place it seemed in that vehicle. Yet there it was, a reminder that you really never know who might be a buyer.
These experiences, and many others like them, have shaped the way I approach sales. I’ve come to realize that treating every visitor with respect, offering them my full attention, and doing my best to connect them with art can never be wasted effort. Even if someone doesn’t buy anything, the experience of talking about the artists I represent and sharing the stories behind their work keeps me sharp. Every interaction is an opportunity to refine my skills and cultivate a positive reputation for my gallery.
The Power of Equal Treatment in Art Sales
Let’s be honest: selling art can be exhausting. Most of the people who walk into a gallery or stop by your booth won’t make a purchase. But here’s the thing—what harm does it do to treat every potential customer with care and respect? In my experience, the answer is none. In fact, by giving everyone your best effort, you’re far more likely to build lasting connections and make sales to people you never would have expected.
There’s an old saying in advertising that goes something like this: 80% of your ad dollars are wasted—you just don’t know which 80%. I think a similar sentiment applies to art sales. The majority of our efforts might feel like they’re wasted on people who aren’t going to buy anything. But if we treat everyone well and approach each interaction with enthusiasm and professionalism, we’ll be ready when that 20% comes through who actually will make a purchase.
The bottom line is this: You can never tell who will be your next art buyer just by looking at them. We all have biases, but it’s our job to rise above them and treat every person who shows interest in our art as if they’re a serious collector. They deserve it, and so do you. By making this commitment to yourself, you’ll likely find that your experiences with customers improve—and so do your sales.
What About You?
Have you had an experience where you underestimated someone’s interest in your art, only to be pleasantly surprised? Have you made a sale to someone you would have never expected to buy? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below. Let’s share and learn from each other’s experiences.
And if you’re interested in more insights into the art business, be sure to subscribe to RedDotBlog for regular tips and advice. Together, we can continue growing our art businesses and creating meaningful connections with collectors.
I’ve had very interesting and somewhat humbling experiences.
One that stood out was a father, mother and son (about 10). As the studio tour was held on Mothers Day weekend I thought perhaps they might be looking for a present for the mom. They looked, came back and forth and the mom said to the son “well which one?”
He was buying it for himself.,He had spent a lot of time and decided on that 1 painting. It really made me think “you never know”.
(I’m sure he gave his mother a gift but this was definitely for him).
I was talking to an unshaven guy in cutoffs at a charity event that I was photographing. It was a VIP event, so I knew he had to have some money to be there- tickets were 25k each. Turns out, he is worth just over 1 billion! You never know!
!
Exactly right. Especially in the tech world, suits and ties are a thing of the past.
I agree on treating you porential customers well! It was a HOT day, even for a Veil, Colorado festival.. A gentleman kept frequenting my booth and the young man next to me. I figured he was only trying to be in the shade. He had a beard, med-weight jacket, old-looking boots and pants. After about the fourth or fifith time in my space, I didn’t know how I was going to tell him to take a hike. He finally left my space and within a matter of a couple of minutes the young man next door came running into my booth to ask,”You know that homeless guy that’s been in our booths?” “Well, he just paid CASH for my six large paintings that are in my booth! He will come at noon to have me put them in my truck and will go with me to deliver them to his house!” So ya bever know!
What a great story! It’s a perfect reminder that you truly never know who might be a serious collector or buyer. Sometimes the most unassuming visitors can turn out to be the biggest supporters of your work. Treating everyone with respect and openness can lead to wonderful surprises like that. Thanks for sharing—it’s an important lesson for us all!
We can always improve on the way we think about and how we treat others. Thank you for the winsome, well-worded encouragement Jason.
❤️👍
When i owned a galllery in california a regular visitor was an old guy who drove a 1950s beat up pickup and by his clothes and smell worked in the farming industry. This fellow looked like he had not a penny however was a keen observer of quality paintings and bronzes. At the end of a 30 minute whirtwind tour he pointed out numerous art pieces and as he was leaving instructed the gallery operator to send the bill to mary at the office and deliver them to the house the next day. [i had never met him before so was not aware of his habits of art shopping] . The next day i rode along on the delivery to a large estate where mary his assistant gave us a tour of hundreds of art pieces on the wall, leaning on the furniture, stashed under the couches etc. All original works of considerable value. The gentlemans business was a global enterprise. his habit was to buy art he liked without regard to price as he could afford anything.
My most recent collector, an unassuming man whom I have never seen smile, has 3 of my pieces in his house. It is truly an art museum. I had the privilege of a tour where he showed me floor to ceiling art in every room, even the basement. He said , ‘art is his addiction’. Thank God for art addicts.
I had a coach who would say “Stay out of your customer’s wallet.” We never know by looking at people what they have in there.
Love that!
I totally agree, this has happened to me on several occasions. I once entertained what I thought was a clearly intoxicated gentleman. I still don’t know if he was but he kept coming back to talk to me and finally came back at the end of the day without his partner and bought a substantial sculpture. On another occasion I was at a market and as another gentleman walked through the hall I thought to myself ‘now that is someone who will never buy anything of mine’. Dead wrong!!! He bought several of my pieces. I am always friendly but thoughts are thoughts and I have been so wrong in the past I have learned my lesson!
Thank you for sharing your experiences! It’s incredible how our assumptions can be so off when it comes to potential buyers. Your stories are a great reminder to always stay open and approachable—there’s no telling who might end up being a collector. It’s part of what makes this business so surprising and exciting!
A while back, I worked in a gallery in Los Alamos, a smallish town full of “eccentrics”. Boss Lady said, from the start, don’t judge a customer by how he or she dresses. Many of our customers looked like they were out for a run or stopping by while waiting for the laundry to dry. One couple, pushing a baby in a stroller, browsed through the gallery. They bought a Gorman, then they carried it home, still pushing the stroller.
I have been fortunate enough to learn this early on. While I can peg which people are likely to enter my booth, there have been several instances that have surprised me. Most recently, a young man working a food truck was looking at my booth and I happened to be across the way at the moment trying to stay out of the sun. I did not hurry back over right away but as I watched, it appeared he was quite intrigued but by the time I walked over he had moved on.
He saw me come back and came over to ask if that was my art.I said yes and he said he really liked it. While his English was a bit broken and I had a hard time understanding some of what he said, we were able to communicate enough and he bought two original pieces. He then later came back with his friend or co-worker to pick out two more!
We can NEVER be sure where a sale will com from!