Why is merchandise like books important for an art business?

Merchandise provides a low-commitment, low-friction sale that allows you to acquire many more customers than you would selling wall art alone. For example, selling 600 books means you’ve acquired 600 new customers who are now on their way to potentially becoming collectors. In contrast, a great year selling just wall art might net you 35 customers. At the end of the year, you’d have 635 customers to market to instead of just 35. The easiest customer to get is one you already have, so merchandise dramatically expands your potential collector base. Many people aren’t in the market for wall art when they first find you, but a book gives them an entry point to start a relationship with your work.

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Asked by an artist considering creating a book · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-12-03