Art Department: "The difference between selling and buying is asking engaging questions"

Three Houses. Andy Warhol.

A couple months ago, I was at a presentation at the Penn Quarter Neighborhood Association (business and residents organization) and in the pre-presentation announcements portion, a marketing-pr type for one of the newly opening theaters announced that they would be opening and that they were looking to set up preferred customer arrangements with businesses, so that their emploiyees could get discounts etc.

I went up to her afterwards and tried pointing out to her that she would have more success if she focused on the benefits to the retailers, rather than to her employees, and that the theater patrons were likely an even more desirable prospect market. She seemed somewhat miffed and not too interested in or appreciative of my advice. But then this happens a lot.

I will say that direct marketing is a great way to learn about marketing, and direct marketing is less about thinking what you want, it's what do you provide to the prospect so that they want to buy--the benefits!

Jeffrey Gitomer is a sales consultant and writer. Often his column, "Sales Moves," runs in the Washington Business Journal. In any case, it's always available online here.

This week's column uses an experience in an art gallery to make his point about something that has many different names, ranging from "consultative selling" to customer-focused marketing. I am sure that this column would be of benefit to all, including people from that theater newly opened on the 600 block of E Street NW.

____By Jeffrey Gitomer_________
"Ever been to an art gallery? What was the experience like? Was the artist there? If so, I'm sure you were more interested in the artwork than you would've been otherwise. How did the salesperson engage you? What did the salesperson ask or say? Maybe the salesperson asked a question such as: "Are you looking for anything special?" Maybe the salesperson made a statement such as: "I'm here to answer any questions you may have." Or maybe the salesperson asked: "What did you admire in the window that made you walk inside?"

This is what I have found to be true about buying in art galleries: Your taste determines your interest. You've got to like it. If you don't, you'll never buy it. Maybe you need a piece of art for an empty wall in your office -- but with art, taste prevails over need. But the real key to buying art has little to do with price or perceived value. Those are the "after motives." The key to the purchase? You gotta like it.

So, what's the secret of getting people to buy art (as opposed to the secret of selling it)? Engage them. Find out how much they really like the artwork. Get them to agree to take it. And get paid....

While in New York last week, I walked into a gallery in SoHo that featured many of the legendary Andy Warhol serigraphs. "Can I answer any questions?" the standoffish salesperson asked. "No, I'm just walking through and admiring the museum," I replied. "This isn't a museum," he snapped. "It's a gallery. All of these prints are for sale."

What could he have said? How much friendlier could he have been? How much more engaging could he have been? How much more helpful could he have been? ...

Whether it's art or another product, the selling points are the same:

1. Engage me with my interests, not yours.
2. Be friendly, not professional.
3. Be forward, not pushy (ask first -- then tell).
4. Be my equal; don't be smarter. When I ask questions, inform and educate me.
5. Make statements that reinforce my interests.
6. Don't tell me what you just sold, concentrate on me.
7. Be excited about my interests.
8. Be excited about the art.
9. Approach me if I seem to favor one piece or a particular artist.
10. Ask: "If you were to acquire this piece, when would you like to take delivery?"
10.5. Ask for the sale.

The art of the sale rests in the engaging questions. ...

Read the full column here.
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P.S. I've experienced this before, like the person at Zenith Gallery who spent a lot of time talking to me about the metalcasting process used in some of the items on display (that I wish I could have afforded, only a bit more than $1,000....) or witnessed how a person who just walked into the Works on Paper Gallery in Brookland, wearing shorts and a cap (after looking at the George Nock show at Roxanne's Artiques), turned out to be a serious collector and ended up buying because of the skilled and natural discussion by the gallery attendants. This person could have been blown off just like Jeffrey Gitomer (who has plenty of money to buy Andy Warhol originals).