What are the main benefits of doing in-person art shows?

Shows offer numerous upsides: They’re a fantastic way to validate your work and test new niches or directions—there’s no faster way to find out if your work will sell than getting in front of real humans. They’re incredible for capturing leads (email addresses), and leads captured face-to-face are more valuable than digital ones. Shows force you to order and carry actual inventory, learning to merchandise your art properly—you don’t sell JPEGs. They give you opportunities to practice selling and negotiation skills, which improve your entire business. Shows are great for getting commissions, which provide immediate revenue and alert you to new niches and ideas. They offer excellent promotional content for email and social media. And they’re a perfect venue for running live broadcasts to reach people who can’t attend in person.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2022-07-28