Tips for your first art market with Chikako Ogawa | Sell your art at markets | Art fairs tips

[@ArtBusinesswithNess]

Have you sold at art markets before? Is it something you'd be interested in trying in the future? Let me know!

[@laurenvonduyke-dadmun9928]

I've had some experience presenting my work at art markets and I think that I was really overly ambitious! I put so much out there and I'm pretty sure that I overwhelmed and maybe even intimidated my customers! Chikako's advice to start simple and small is great. I love the way that she was able to listen to and respond to customer feedback at each art market and that she was able to develop her product line and organically grow her presence. Well done!

[@ArtBusinesswithNess]

@@laurenvonduyke-dadmun9928 I really admire your ambition and willingness to go all out! It does make it harder to pivot and adapt to the needs though... A mix of caution and calculated risk would be devastatingly efficient!

[@chinajones8874]

Starting small is great advice! Just relax and have fun, usually sales came for me when I started talking to people about my art. I love the post it idea! I had a commission inquiry at the event, but they never followed up. One thing I recommend is to collect email addresses from interested customers, more often than not people were more than willing to sign up if I had a list on the table. And after the event I noticed an up tick in visits to my online store.

[@ArtBusinesswithNess]

That's a great idea! Building the mailing list is always a priority :) We then have access to these people later, not just for the fleeting few minutes they're at our table!

[@chinajones8874]

Yep totally! Repeat customers are the best.

[@ogawachikako]

Thank you so much for hosting me, Ness! You are always welcoming and also inspiring! This interview was very nice moment to see my past few weeks. I hope I could pass some information to people who are interested in shoring up at markets. Just adding one thing, if you do a market outside, it’s possible your prints will blow away because of wind, so I recommend you to bring something that you can hold them. Good luck all artists^^

[@laurenvonduyke-dadmun9928]

Thanks so much for this wonderful interview! You and Ness did a great job and answered so many questions that I've been having about art markets. This was really helpful! It was especially lovely to hear that this experience allowed you to explore work that is personally meaningful to you, while still responding to your customers. I can see that you're really enjoying art markets and I'm sure that your customers enjoy meeting you!

[@ArtBusinesswithNess]

Thank you so much for generously sharing your knowledge. It was so great chatting with you!

[@letiziafarisato8780]

Thank you for this very open and inspiring interview! So many good tips and insights! It makes me want to consider marketing my artwork also with this modality in the future 😄 Thank you Chikako and Ness!! XOXOX

[@ArtBusinesswithNess]

Hi Letizia! I'm glad you enjoyed the interview, I did too!

[@kristinemilyfriend2066]

Thank you, ladies! This was a very helpful and encouraging interview. I illustrated my children's book with watercolor animals, one animal per page. I've toyed with the idea of trying to sell them at events alongside my book. I'm curious how you sell your prints - do you frame any? Do you put them in clear plastic to protect them? How do you display them? I will go look at your IG account. Your photos may answer these questions. Thanks again and best wishes to you both!

[@ArtBusinesswithNess]

Those are great questions, I should have asked! I suppose it depends how many prints you have. If you only sell 3-5 ones, you could frame them all. But if you have more than than, packing them in a plastic sleeve and putting them in a bin to be sorted through is probably a better experience!