Why are coffee table books valuable for artists?

Books work at every stage of the sales process and serve multiple purposes. First, they can be a bridge to selling original artwork—people buy the book, see a piece they love in it, then purchase the original. Second, they increase your average order value when someone buys a piece—you can offer to add the book to their purchase. Third, after a sale, books are great for showing off: ‘here’s the book with the work in it, and by the way, here’s the original.’ Fourth, people often give books as gifts featuring art they themselves own. Books also help with multiple price points and make great products for non-wall art offerings. Overall, they’re a fantastic tool that supports sales at every step.

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Asked by an artist/poet who has published books · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-03