There’s no shortcut to building a successful career in the art world. Whether you’re an artist or a gallerist, you’ve likely realized that this is not a get-rich-quick kind of business. Success takes time—years of sustained effort, learning, and persistence. But while there’s no magic bullet, there are fundamental principles that, when understood and applied, can help you increase your sales and take your career in the right direction.

1. Increase Your Exposure

The first and most important factor in increasing art sales is exposure. At its core, selling art is a numbers game. There’s a direct correlation between how many people see and experience your art and how many sales you ultimately make. In other words, you must show your work to a lot of people to reach those who are ready to buy.

Think of the sales process as a funnel. At the top of this funnel is the large number of people who see your artwork. A smaller percentage of them will show interest, and an even smaller group will have both the desire and disposable income to purchase your art. The key is to fill the top of the funnel with as many people as possible so that you increase the chances of finding the right buyers.

Certainly, you can refine your approach and target the audience more likely to buy, but you’ll always need to work through a larger pool of people before you find the ones who are ready to make a purchase.

2. Leverage Multiple Platforms to Show Your Work

The more places your art can be seen, the more opportunities you’ll have to make sales. We’re fortunate today to have a variety of platforms—both traditional and digital—that can help get our work in front of buyers.

Let’s start with some traditional avenues:

• Open studio events: These give potential buyers a chance to see your work up close in your creative environment.
• Art festivals and shows: These weekend events can bring large crowds specifically interested in purchasing art.
• Gallery representation: Partnering with galleries ensures that people who are already looking for art are seeing your work.

In addition to these tried-and-true methods, there’s another powerful tool you can leverage—the internet and social media. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and personal websites have drastically lowered the barriers to entry for marketing your work. No longer do you need the approval of a magazine editor or a costly advertising budget to get exposure. Social media allows you to showcase your art to a global audience, cultivate relationships, and build a community around your work.

3. Build a Consistent Brand Around Your Work

Creating a consistent brand is crucial to nurturing interest and building sales over time. This doesn’t mean you have to make the same piece over and over, but you do need to establish a recognizable style or theme that unites your body of work.

Consistency helps create the repeated exposures necessary for someone to move from interest to purchase. The more familiar your audience becomes with your work and story, the more likely they are to engage with it—and ultimately buy it. For tips on how to create a cohesive body of work, check out my blog post: Are You Consistent? A Gallery Owner’s Perspective.

4. Tell Stories About Your Art

In over three decades of working in the art business, I’ve learned that buyers aren’t just drawn to the visual appeal of a piece—they’re drawn to the story behind it. By sharing your inspiration, your background, and the journey that led you to create a particular piece, you’re offering potential buyers a deeper, emotional connection to your work.

Telling these stories helps you engage your audience on multiple levels, turning a casual admirer into an invested collector.

5. Offer a Range of Price Points

To broaden your buyer pool, offer artwork at a variety of price points. By offering smaller, more affordable pieces or reproductions, you can attract first-time buyers who may not be ready to invest in larger works. These entry-level purchases provide a way for people to become familiar with your art, and over time, they may move on to purchasing more valuable pieces as they become repeat buyers.

6. Transform Casual Buyers into Collectors

Your most valuable clients will always be those who buy from you repeatedly. Cultivating collectors—people who return again and again to purchase your work—should be one of your top priorities.

How do you transform casual buyers into lifelong collectors? It starts with keeping in touch. Every artist should develop an email list to stay connected with buyers and those who show interest in their work. Make sure everyone who purchases from you joins this list, and use it to inform them about new pieces, upcoming events, and gallery shows. Galleries should also maintain their own lists to help you cultivate collectors.

In addition to your email list, use social media to nurture your followers and keep them engaged. Regular updates and new artwork posts keep you on their radar and increase the likelihood that they’ll purchase from you again.

Conclusion: It Takes Work, But It’s Worth It

Being an artist is far from easy. Anyone who told you that all you have to do is create art in your studio and sales will magically follow was misleading you. However, by understanding the principles of exposure, branding, storytelling, and relationship-building, you can build a sustainable and successful art career.

Put in the effort now to establish habits that will help you grow your audience and move buyers through the sales funnel. Your future self—and your art business—will thank you.