What is effective frequency and why does it matter for selling art?

Effective frequency is the number of times an individual needs to be exposed to your art or creations before they’re ready to make a buying decision. That number is not one—it’s typically seven to ten exposures. They might need to see an email, then visit your website, then see an Instagram post, then another email, then a Facebook post, then another email. After six or seven of these touchpoints, they’re ready to buy. This is why you need to increase your marketing frequency heading into Q4—you need to build up these exposures before the actual sales start in October and November. People need multiple reminders that you exist and that your work is available for purchase. Each email, social post, or website visit counts toward that effective frequency number.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-10-03