Commission-only sales force?

Scott T. Jensen wrote:
> "Joe Body" <joebody@safe-mail.net> wrote:
>
>>Thanks to you and Rose for the replies. The oil paintings
>>are painted to order so, for example, a picture of a boat
>>in a harbour can be repeated over and over. The artists
>>are employed by the studio to do exactly that (rather than
>>producing one off pieces). The studios carry thousands
>>(literally) of paintings at any one time.
>>
>>Because of this, and the price I can sell them for, I can
>>compete with the framed prints you mentioned, the
>>customer paying a slightly higher price than a print, but
>>getting an oil painting instead.
>
>
> People usually get prints of painting by famous painters. Your original
> paintings are by unknowns (your words). To many that's quite a difference.
> People like being able to answer the question, "What a lovely painting.
> Who's the artist?"
>
>
>>I thought this would be viable to a commissioned
>>salesperson based on the repeat orders.
>
>
> Repeat orders is the key phrase here. How can you guarantee that?
>
> Why most sales people work for salary PLUS commission is to insure their
> house bills will always be covered. Call it an insurance ... safety net ...
> worse case protection ... security. Sales people that only work on
> commission are either very desperate or very good. The first produces
> terrible results and never get off welfare in the process. The second take
> a massive cut for their commission due to you asking them to bankroll your
> venture. And, yes, that's exactly what you're asking them to do. They've
> got bills and you're asking them to take a chance that they can make money
> with no guarantees. Until they bring in commissions, they're eating into
> their own finances and thus helping bankroll your venture. What I am saying
> is that it will be a hard sell. Made even harder because this is only a
> part-time thing for you still and they'll degrade the "opportunity" when
> they learn of this.
>
> I guess my question right now is why do you want to sell paintings by
> no-names?
>
> Scott Jensen

Some food for thought there, but I would like to respond to a couple of
your comments...

"People usually get prints of painting by famous painters..."

I believe there is a market for those who just 'like a nice picture' to
hang on the wall because it matches their decor/taste/whatever. These
people, I believe, are not interested in the picture being by a famous
artist. My theory is based on the multitute of framed prints by unknown
artists sold by many retail and home improv outlets (Home Depot springs
to mind). My year long experiment in the craft market bears this out by
being asked maybe half a dozen times 'who's the artist'. I sold around
200 paintings in that time.

"Repeat orders is the key phrase here. How can you guarantee that?"

How can anyone guarantee repeat orders? This is a serious question. If
they sell, then there will be repeat orders. If they don't sell, there
will be none. What can I do to convince the salesman that repeat orders
are likely?

"...why do you want to sell paintings by no-names?"

See my responses above. I see this as an opportunity to sell in volume
to a mass audience, not one-off sales to art lovers.

If you still think the commission-only route will be tough do you have
any alternative ideas about how I can market the paintings on a shoestring?

Thanks,
Joe

Rose wrote:

> On 16 Sep 2004 00:35:56 GMT, Joe Body <joebody@safe-mail.net> wrote:
>
>
>>Scott T. Jensen wrote:
>>
>>>"Joe Body" <joebody@safe-mail.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Scott T. Jensen <stj@charter.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>You painting the pictures yourself or selling someone
>>>>>else's work?
>>>>
>>>>Selling someone elses work.
>>>
>>>
>>>So you want to make a commission off of another salesperson's work? Just
>>>clarifying things here.
>>>
>>>Scott Jensen
>>
>>Let me try to clarify:
>>Oil paintings are done in a studio by unknown artists. I buy the
>>paintings and sell them for a profit. My marketing budget is virtually
>>non-existant so I was wondering of the pros and cons of finding
>>commission-only sales people to sell to retail outlets and the like.
>>
>>Hope that makes things clearer
>>
>>Joe
>>
>
> I see a problem regarding convincing potential salespeople to work on
> a commission only basis. Have you sent out any "feelers" on this?
>
>
> Rose
> http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/consult.htm
> "Can YOU Make Money on the Internet?-YES!"
>

No, not yet Rose. I wanted to open the question up to m.b.m.m to see if
commission-only is viable, of if there are any alternatives to marketing
the paintings on a very limited budget.

Thanks,
Joe

"Scott T. Jensen" <stj@charter.net> wrote in message
news:cie86b02vnd@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
>
> I guess my question right now is why do you want to sell paintings by
> no-names?
>

My guess would be, because you can. Like the 3' x 4' painting I have hanging
above the bed in the guest bedroom. I didn't care who the artist was. I'm
not even sure the painting is signed. It's an oil on canvas and was only a
few hundred dollars and looks as good as one of those overpriced prints from
Thomas Kinkade. There is a market for this product. If I went to one of the
dozens of galleries we have here, a similar painting by someone they would
tell you is on the verge of becoming famous, would probably sell for several
thousand.

--
McWebber
"Richter points to the lack of legal action against his company as proof
that he's operating appropriately."
Information Week, November 10, 2003

"Joe Body" <joebody@safe-mail.net> wrote:
> Some food for thought there, but I would like to respond
> to a couple of your comments...
>
> "People usually get prints of painting by famous painters..."
>
> I believe there is a market for those who just 'like a nice
> picture' to hang on the wall because it matches their
> decor/taste/whatever.

You misunderstand what I was saying. When people get prints, it is almost
always by some well-known artist. For them, it is having a copy of their
work in addition to something they think will go well where they're planning
on hanging it. In fact, some will buy prints without a specific spot to
hang the print simply because they like the artist. To these buyers, it's
more than just a pretty picture.

> These people, I believe, are not interested in the picture
> being by a famous artist.

Yes, I know this. But that wasn't what I was talking about. What I was
trying to point out is that to a large extent they're two different markets.
Print buyers also want a name attached to the picture they buy. Thus don't
really focus on or make analogies about them too much for your type of
business.

> I sold around 200 paintings in that time.

Real life experience is good, but do realize the small number you're talking
about and how it is too small to base a good judgment on. It is better than
nothing, but just take into consideration statistics.

> "Repeat orders is the key phrase here. How can you
> guarantee that?"
>
> How can anyone guarantee repeat orders?

Track record. I don't think you have a sufficient one to convince sales
people to go the commission-only route with you.

> This is a serious question. If they sell, then there will
> be repeat orders.

If you build it, they will come. It's a cute sentimental saying, but not
something any knowledgeable salesperson will buy.

> If they don't sell, there will be none. What can I do to
> convince the salesman that repeat orders are likely?

First, they won't buy "likely".

Second, you've got to prove it. How you prove it is by a track record.

> "...why do you want to sell paintings by no-names?"
>
> See my responses above. I see this as an opportunity to
> sell in volume to a mass audience, not one-off sales to
> art lovers.

No, you missed what I was asking. Why no-name art? Why not cars, houses,
or kitty litter? How did you end up getting into this type of business? Do
you have expertise? Connections? Did it just seem to be what people bought
from your little space in that craft market? What?

> If you still think the commission-only route will be tough
> do you have any alternative ideas about how I can market
> the paintings on a shoestring?

The suggestion I've made before. Open up an art gallery. What you want to
find is a landlord that's willing to take a chance on you. What this means
is likely you'll be starting out in a terrible location that your landlord
has had an impossible time getting a business into and/or keeping there.
The key is convincing the landlord to give you a sweetheart lease.
Sweetheart leases are ones where the landlord is basically confident that
their location is actually worth something, is willing to put their money
where their mouth is, and thus is willing to let you open up and pay as you
go. They're structured in different ways, but the one you want is
essentially the first month free and then pay a percentage of your gross
revenue up to a set limit. The limit being what the landlord was originally
asking for as the monthly lease ... though you should offer a bit more to
entice the landlord to give you such a great deal. This can give you a lot
of breathing room to develop your business on a shoestring.

Now if you're really lucky, there will be more than one vacant business
location within eyesight of each other. And since you're likely only to get
such a sweetheart lease at a bad location, other vacant retail spots there
are almost a given. Get those other retail spots on sweetheart terms. Get
as many of them as you can. Yes, I'm serious. What you can then develop is
a magnet location ... where you own then entire magnet. In your case, you
should have the different art galleries specialize in different themes.
Heck, you could have them specialize in just different colors. For people
that buy no-name art, they're likely buying it for a specific location and
the color of that room will largely determine the painting they'll buy. Or
you could specialize them in the most popular themes. "Golden Meadows Art
Gallery", "Salty Dog Art Gallery", and "Puppies & Kittens Art Gallery" sort
of thing. Or you could go "De Abstract Art Experience", "The Gallery of
Perfect Realism", and "The Art Gallery of Visual Impossibilities". Or you
could mix and matches these. The idea is variety of themes.

Magnet locations work by offering more than one seller for people to select
from. People like variety and a sense of control over their purchasing
decisions. Magnet locations give them this and thus draws them. Magnet
locations become "the" location for that type of business. In fact, they
draw other same-type businesses to become part of that magnet. You might
open up three art galleries and be joined by more. Don't resent these other
art galleries joining you, but welcome them with open arms. The bigger the
magnet, the stronger the magnet. The stronger the magnet, the further out
its pull and the more customers it will draw. You get a smaller percentage
of customers with other competitors there but the number of customers you
draw actually goes up.

I've advised this countless times and it has never failed. It takes a bit
for business people to see the logic of it, but once they do, big silly
grins spread across their faces. The only thing you need to do is to keep
your ownership of the different shops as low as possible ... if not unknown.
If the public feels the magnet is owned by one person, it will lose some of
its appeal. Don't lie about your ownership. Just don't advertise or
volunteer that information. ;-)

Oh, and if the retail location is larger than you feel a single art gallery
can justify. Simply hammer a wall to divide it into two or three art
galleries and there you go. Just do not have any shared door be in that
wall. You want the customers to feel they're separate businesses. And to
make them feel more like different locations, you need to decorate them
different (if you hire architects and/or interior designers, hire different
ones for each gallery) and hire different sorts of people as employees of
each. The commission-only sales people need to look different in each shop.
Match them to the theme. Have them dress to match the theme. Never have
them fill in for someone at the other art gallery for that a big tip-off to
the public that the stores are owned by the same person.

Lastly, if you do the above, open up at least one espresso cafe in between
your art galleries ... if there isn't one there when you open them.
Espresso cafes help with this sort of magnet. Make the cafe very artsy and
have it have a different theme to its paintings on its walls ... thus
another retail location for you to sell paintings through. This can be the
one business that you can have employees of the art gallery also work at.
And get the cafe employees pitching your art galleries. Heck, give them
business cards that double as discount coupons at the art galleries.
Someone buys a painting using that card and the cafe employees gets a
commission and gets even more motivated to help pitch the art galleries to
cafe customers.

Scott Jensen
--
Peer-to-peer networking (a.k.a. file-sharing) is entertainment's future.
If you'd like to know why, read the white paper at the link below.
http://www.scottjensenshow.com/P2PRevolution.pdf

Scott,

While I wouldn't presume to overestimate the size of this market, I would
also not underestimate it. Of course, the best thing for the OP to do is
create a business plan which includes such extremely important things such
as potential market size.

People *do* buy paintaings based on how it goes with the decor vs. who
painted it. Personally, that is not something I would do, but, empirically,
I know a lot of people who do this. Statistically, I would focus more on
businesses, they would potentially buy more, and more often. Get clients
such as decorators who are creating a "work of art" on their own and are not
so much interested in showcasing a Manet or Renoir

--
--
Patrick
www.covot.com
small business tools
"Scott T. Jensen" <stj@charter.net> wrote in message
news:cigogg01ora@enews3.newsguy.com...
>
> "Joe Body" <joebody@safe-mail.net> wrote:
>> Some food for thought there, but I would like to respond
>> to a couple of your comments...
>>
>> "People usually get prints of painting by famous painters..."
>>
>> I believe there is a market for those who just 'like a nice
>> picture' to hang on the wall because it matches their
>> decor/taste/whatever.
>
> You misunderstand what I was saying. When people get prints, it is almost
> always by some well-known artist. For them, it is having a copy of their
> work in addition to something they think will go well where they're
> planning
> on hanging it. In fact, some will buy prints without a specific spot to
> hang the print simply because they like the artist. To these buyers, it's
> more than just a pretty picture.

[Tons of unneeded quotage nuked. GD - Co-moderator]

Doctor's offices, dentists, businesses, interior decorators, decorators for
home models, etc... all these people buy generic bulk art. That's probably
where any commission based business would be.

--
--
Patrick
www.covot.com
small business tools
"Scott T. Jensen" <stj@charter.net> wrote in message
news:cie86b02vnd@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
> "Joe Body" <joebody@safe-mail.net> wrote:
>> Thanks to you and Rose for the replies. The oil paintings
>> are painted to order so, for example, a picture of a boat
>> in a harbour can be repeated over and over. The artists
>> are employed by the studio to do exactly that (rather than
>> producing one off pieces). The studios carry thousands
>> (literally) of paintings at any one time.

[Lots more unnecessary quoted stuff removed. - GD - Co-moderator]

Interesting Post.

Allow me to cut to the chase my friend and mention to you that you have
already broken one of the immutable laws of post/ Walmart marketing ...
I'll tell you that one in a second....

I want to answer your first question first... Will a commissioned only
salesperson to retail bite the bait... The short Answer is... no. I
mean... yes someone will respond, but it sounds like they won't be happy
with you for long. Too many hands touching the sandwiches. Everyone
squeezing it just a little. The Wholesaler marks it up from the artists
value. Then you mark it up. Then your agent. Then the retailer.. then...
*sigh*.... His/ her commission structure probably wont justify his time
unless you hire a agents who were "already in the neighborhood" for
other, more profitable reasons.


The good news is...

The largest market for art is the one you are targeting. The
'art-on-sale' $200.00 or less decorator pieces.
Most could care less about a name, and frankly, are not "savvy" art
buyers.

By cost-based segmentation, other art media can compete (original
monoprints, original paper drawings, giclees, etchings, and stone
lithography, or heck, offset, for that matter) come to mind as part of
this market as well, but I agree with a responder that by distribution
"convention" or method, they are not.

But it's for this very reason -- that the market is divided by
distribution channel -- that I also feel that the gallery sales of
no-name art would flop.
"Craftsman quality" of paintings of unknown origins is not what folk go
to galleries, nor the tea houses across the street from them to discuss.

When in the gallery, one is firstly purchasing a slice of the artists
inner vision, and the way it makes you feel. The design functionality
is of value if the first requirement is met. (Someone out there just now
is thinking "no way"... so I must admit that there are exceptions. But
are the exceptions "standard enough" to build out a cove of galleries to
accommodate? I think not...


Discounted art imports (or something similar) are part of the the 'art
sale' market... a veritable culture clash with the traditional market,
so any gallery would seem to actually "outclass" the art... (for lack of
a better way to say it). If you want a retail venue of your own, you are
better off selling numbered prints through a gallery, or running an art
clearance house with your type of originals.

The second largest market is, incidentally, $2,000.00 plus collectables.
The artists' name there means everything. People do sometimes buy art
within this market just for the colors, etc., but this is so rare. Most
people who buy collectibles "just because I like how it looks" are
steady buying in that class because they are, in fact, collectables).

Problem is -- distribution on no money when galleries are not viable for
you. Big problem. But not impossible to fix.
Another problem -- Market Saturation. Walmart. And other competitors.
Furniture/ household goods stores included. That's who own the customers
share of mind. Give me 200-300 bucks and 2 hours and I'll be back with a
decent looking painted picture. (To the average joe schmoe).

What I'm saying is that you have a low cost advantage.. true.. but
that's NOT your greatest asset, because your low cost advantage benefit
is totally offset by other competitors superior distribution/ marketing
mechanisms. Your competing against the marketing budgets of home depot
and walmart. And you are doing it through "mid sized stores"... exactly
the ones that the big box merchants of death are taking out. Don't show
up to a shoot-em-up with a switch bade.

Solution: Avoid "me-too" marketing. Do something they can't do!

They cannot give great customer service... (I can personally vouch for
this) They cannot do custom work, no-way-jose. You say you can. Viola!

Target tighter using that business model.... Build around those who will
want custom work. This is what's known as "flanking" your competition.

Develop a whizbang Marketing program for your service.
This is where you as a broker add true value for your agents... besides
only logistical value.
Position and name your business to reflect your Benefit!

IN fact, build up the very best:

Customer service department... you can use automated phone kiosk as long
as you return calls several times a day... Put glowing testimonials on
your kiosk...

Presentation Packages...Develop a consultants kit for your agents
(designers etc.) to colormatch the customers decor. Build on the Quality
of the Article... The quality/ workmanship of the canvas, frames, paints
used, quality of shipping etc. The quality is guaranteed 100% money
back. Make your supplier give you a great big write up about quality of
"workmanship". This will include standardizations of sizes, quality of
canvas and frames, shipping quality, and visual design quality. Give
discounts for "Multi-room" purchases. Why not do a whole home for
1,000.00! -- the equivalent of 1 painting free.

Each painting is personalized per order.
Someone needs a cat in a hat? No problemos. What about a fruit bowl done
in a monochromatic scheme of Purples and lavenders? Yup.
Can we paint tulips and a mint julep? Done deal.
How about two kids and a swing at sunset? Done yesterday!

Get a good logo! Get a good name! Go National. PUSH your service though
every interior design school in the country. Get involved with the
associations. Go way out with the mission... CUSTOM ART FOR EVERY HEART!
(lol.. work on that one)

Get several good sales persons in on it by using people with established
distribution channels, such as architects, designers and decorators. Art
purchases are a great business tax write off -- get someone out there
who decorates pushing these things at businesses!
Also go after gift shops... put your color customized order kit and
computer interface RIGHT IN THE GIFTSHOP!

The immutable law of post walmart marketing you broke was...

You did not begin by Identifying PAIN

Therefore, your 'solution' was to something which was not a 'problem'.
It's like asking a fatman to pay you to take away his pizza... makes
sense to you, but he didn't ask you.

I believe that's why the question was asked... why this product instead
of kittle litter sales. You had no 'unique selling proposition' to speak
of. Marginal cheapness was a mere "add on" type advantage because your
product was falling into the twilight zone of diminishing returns... and
not even that because you were to be be outgunned in the advertising
department, therefore making it difficult to hijack any share of the
mental market. You were going to play against the big boys little league
style.

Don't. Change all the rules. It's Your game now.

By the way, don't forget a charity element -- give a little something
to the needy. You choose who. It's not just good PR, its good for
everyone .


All the best,

~zion~

Thanks for the response. You've raised a couple of comments and
questions which I'll deal with/ask below:

> I want to answer your first question first... Will a commissioned only
>> salesperson to retail bite the bait... The short Answer is... no. I
>> mean... yes someone will respond, but it sounds like they won't be happy
>> with you for long. Too many hands touching the sandwiches. Everyone
>> squeezing it just a little. The Wholesaler marks it up from the artists
>> value. Then you mark it up. Then your agent. Then the retailer.. then...
>> *sigh*.... His/ her commission structure probably wont justify his time
>> unless you hire a agents who were "already in the neighborhood" for
>> other, more profitable reasons.

Of cource there is markup, how else would I make a profit? The $200 I
mentioned in my original post includes a 20-30% commission.

>> The largest market for art is the one you are targeting. The
>> 'art-on-sale' $200.00 or less decorator pieces.
>> Most could care less about a name, and frankly, are not "savvy" art
>> buyers.

I would be interested in seeing the stats to back this up?

> But it's for this very reason -- that the market is divided by
>> distribution channel -- that I also feel that the gallery sales of
>> no-name art would flop.

I think you have missed the point - I am not intending to open a gallery
but a B2B distribution

>> Another problem -- Market Saturation. Walmart. And other competitors.
>> Furniture/ household goods stores included. That's who own the customers
>> share of mind. Give me 200-300 bucks and 2 hours and I'll be back with a
>> decent looking painted picture. (To the average joe schmoe).

This is exactly my target market. If you look around Walmart et al you
will find prints, not original oils on canvas. I want to tempt the perso
nwho is willing to spend $200-$300 on a print 'because it looks nice'
and show him he can get an original oil instead

>> You did not begin by Identifying PAIN

I'm probably being dumb here, but as this is a 'luxury' purchase what
'pain' are you looking for?

Thanks for the long post, and I'm interested in your reply

Joe

Tech 22 22 wrote:
> Interesting Post.
>
> Allow me to cut to the chase my friend and mention to you that you have
> already broken one of the immutable laws of post/ Walmart marketing ...
> I'll tell you that one in a second....

{Rest of unnecessarily long quote deleted. - GD]

ME:
I want to answer your first question first... Will a commissioned only
salesperson to retail bite the bait... The short Answer is... no. I
mean... yes someone will respond, but it sounds like they won't be happy
with you for long. Too many hands touching the sandwiches. Everyone
squeezing it just a little. The Wholesaler marks it up from the artists
value. Then you mark it up. Then your agent. Then the retailer.. then...
*sigh*.... His/ her commission structure probably wont justify his time
unless you hire a agents who were "already in the neighborhood" for
other, more profitable reasons.


YOU: Of course there is mark up, how else would I make a profit? The
$200 I mentioned in my original post includes a 20-30% commission.

ANSWER:
Let's back it up a bit...

You don't get why I mentioned the mark up problem? I admit I didn't go
into full detail as to why... but I appreciate you asking.

Commission for the salesman is 20-30% I think you mean? OK. Allow me to
use 200.00 and a 25% commission to your reps for examples sake.

I will also assume in my example that:

1) You are working a blind drop ship from the manufacturer to the
retailer with your label, meaning the sales man isn't lugging canvases
in a van. If not, then goodness... add to my example the need for even
MORE compensation to you agents.

2) That you are displaying via wall spaces at a fairly busy medium size
department/ variety store or art sales shop, and that this space is at a
premium.

3) That your offer to retailers will be respectful of industry standard
markup or commission
provisions.

4) That you don't want just pin money. That you want this to become a
highly profitable and sustainable venture in terms of monetary
measures... that you don't want to structure this in a way that is can
be merely potentially be marginally successful in the short run, only
to kill you in admin costs, turnover, and sluggish sales in the longrun.

6) That you intend to hire sales persons who will work this job as a
professional sales job.. meaning that you want to hire career men (or
women).

7) That the Industry inventory includes paintings. Limited edition
prints. Mass produced prints. Posters. Sculpture. Tapestries. Crafts....
sold via either a) galleries or e-galleries 2) decorators or network
sales 3) department/ specialty stores, 4) various discount markets/
outlets

8) That the market is basically serious collectors. Budding collectors.
Casual collectors. Students. Corporate buyers. Museums. Interior
decorators. Gift buyers. Decorators include those do-it-yourself people
decorating their living room or bedroom wall.

9) That you haven't the budget for advertising your handsome,
discounted, original oil paintings in a series of promo campaigns which
drive traffic to where you want them to go to buy your product.

10) That to make this work, you may have to all but forget that what ur
offering is "better". "Better" is good but not what marketing is really
all about. I personally feel that R.C. cola tastes "better" than Pepsi.
But "Better" is not really "better" if "better" never becomes available
due to faulty merchandising strategies or other marketing blunders.


Alright...
That's the page I'm working from.

Now... with the above, your 'economics of 1 unit' will look something
like the following:

Customer Sees painting on store wall, pays store 200 Bucks. Store Keeps
100.00, passes 100.00 on to you. You send 25.00 to the salesman, keep
75.00. Out of that you pay the artist company and keep the rest for
expenses and profit.

These may not be your figures, but they are also not far from realistic.

Now, the problem is that the agent will get slighted.

For example, if the each store moves four paintings per month and he
has ten stores. To the agent that's just 1000.00 per month gross income,
and about 500.00 after expenses. That's what I meant by too many hands
handling the sandwich. If your paintings were going for 2,500.00, he
would have made 5,000.00 that month, wouldn't he?

So again...
The problem is not your markon... or you marking up the product to make
a profit... on paper.

Rather its being able to do so while sustaining the relationships in the
channel. The only way to sustain these relationships is for it to prove
profitable for every link in the distribution chain.
The Problem is that your distribution apparatus requires 5 entities to
get paid on a bulky item which must sell in the low art range... 200.00
for example. The only way this will work in the long run is with massive
and repeat sales. This will be very hard to pull off for this type of
product with a smaller store.

One way to overcome this, as discussed before, is to focus on custom art
sales through decorators, while adding value for your agents (the
decorators).

This adding of value can be done with quality guarantees, with factory
drop-ships, mail-out sales packages, international territories, draws on
account sales, quality sales/ marketing documents, branding value,
training packets, educational incentive and in-service trainings and
bonuses and the like. Since you can't afford to pay a sales salary, I
think that these things would make you more attractive to a potential
salesman.

Better yet, if these salesman are decorators they already in touch with
the target market, so go that route.

YOU: (About my feedback on the gallery concept.) I think you have missed
the point - I am not intending to open a gallery but a B2B distribution

ANSWER: Understood... some of what I discuss is in response to other
posters, and my aim there is to shed light on why that posters solution
could have been problematic. Not because you may have been considering
it, but because these posts go out to a great many readers, and I felt
that was an important point. A point, which also could have helped you
in understanding that it's not an exclusivity product... something I
think you may have missed. I think that the gallery enclave concept is
viable, just mis-applied here with the no-name art. And it's important
you you to know, so that you can understand the dynamic behind
positioning your product!

YOU:
(To my statement that the bulk of art sales falls to the under $200.00
and over $2,000.00 market...specifically I said "The largest market for
art is the one you are targeting. The 'art-on-sale' $200.00 or less
decorator pieces. Most could care less about a name, and frankly, are
not "savvy" art buyers.").
I would be interested in seeing the stats to back this up?

Should be in your marketing plan.
Any research librarian can pull this in 15 minutes for you, as can any
reputable framing house.

Your experience will back this up if you telephone Walmart, K-mart,
Home Depot. Also Kohls, Walgreens, Giftshops, and Galleries or
decorators association and ask where their average sale falls.

Finally, Books. Magazines. Newsletters. Newspaper stories will verify
this. The Internet even. The Subjects are you looking for? The Art
Business. Running an art gallery. Framing. How artists sell art.
Starting and operating a small business. Promotion. Publicity.
Biographies of famous dealers.

I won't get into my database and pull it for you because your marketing
falls pretty much within this range already, so the discussion seems
only for the sake of academics.
If you are really not able to ascertain it, let me know, I'll work with
you on that.

YOU:
If you look around Walmart et al you will find prints, not original
oils on canvas. I want to tempt the person who is willing to spend
$200-$300 on a print 'because it looks nice' and show him he can get an
original oil instead.

ANSWER:
This works in theory, but WHERE are you having this conversation with
the prospect in which you make your case and "tempt the person"? It sure
isn't at Walmart. Which is why again I'm saying, be careful with the
viability and robustness your distribution channels. Are you starting to
get the "picture"?

YOU:
(To my saying that one mistake is you did not begin by Identifying PAIN)
I'm probably being dumb here, but as this is a 'luxury' purchase what
'pain' are you looking for?

ANSWER:
The Pain of someone needing a specific thing and not being able to get
it. That's the feeling you want to cater to. In the exclusivity market,
this pain is the need to be better than my peers because I buy better.
Or the need to be accepted because I spend as much. That insidious
creeping haunt that maybe, just maybe, I'm not held in high enough
esteem to be good enough. And finding the cool water of conspicuous
consumption which affirms my "OK'ness... finding it in a Dali print that
I shell out 1,500.00 for. Or the pain of needing to own a Dali. Being in
love with him.
Sorry, you're product does not quench this pain in the american market.

But perhaps...

The pain factor you missed is the economic "need" to pull original art
out of the rabbits hat.. and profit from it... and yes, Pro decorators
are often needing a cure for that.
Hey, make it easy on yourself. Always start with trying to target your
products to a psychological or physical NEED.

About your product being a luxury...

Nope... your confusing a discretionary purchase with a true collectable/
high dollar purchase. It's not a luxury, exclusivity nor or conspicuous
consumption commodity purchase... not at 250.00 a pop for an original
nameless oil painting... Very important to realize!

It's a discount commodity/ gift purchase and decoration commodity on
every day of the week that ends in "y". "Luxury" is not a market,
exclusivity is. Bear in mind that that an exclusivity purchase has an
exclusivity factor to it so that you are keeping your benefits
statements correct to your markets and not hitting your brand with an
identity crisis before it even gets off the ground.

Didn't you just say your prior market was the flea market crowd and that
it sold well? Most 'luxury' limited edition prints, let alone paintings
cost more than this just to have framed, and don't do well in flea
markets where cheapness is the number one criteria for sales.


All said...
Bottom line... if you are selling through a commissions only channel, it
might make sense to let it be composed of folks who are already
knowledgeable about design and are in direct and trusting conversation
with the buyers, especially since your product falls somewhat outside of
convention.


~zion~