The Shy Artist's Guide to Answering Questions:
How to respond to all those annoying questions and
comments you get from your customers

Introduction
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the ability to say that perfect comeback before your customer has left your booth?

Imagine yourself hearing another one of those annoying comments about your work and knowing exactly how to respond.

Wouldn't it feel great to be able to handle any question or comment that customers throw at you?

As artists, we have all heard those repeated questions and those annoying comments. And, we don't always respond in a way that we would like. Sometimes, we stumble over the words. Sometimes we say something, but it's not what we intended. And, sometimes we don't say anything at all.

So, what's an artist to do?

First of all remember that not everyone understands art or craft. And, even if they have some knowledge, they may not understand your particular type of work.

Look at a question or comment as a way to open a dialog. While it may not directly lead to a sale, it may give people something to think about and maybe when they see you at the next show, they’ll be able to ask more engaging questions.

Think of it this way: If you met an astronaut, what would you ask? I’m guessing they are probably sick of hearing the question, “What’s it like in space?” But, until we start asking questions, we really don’t have any common ground on which to converse. The seemingly inane questions are often a way to open up a dialog when we don’t know any other way.

The tips and techniques gathered on these pages come from my many years of experience on the show circuit and my years as a gallery owner.

I have also listened to the experiences of many other artists and crafters. Some of the comments and questions are geared toward art or craft shows. Others are more generic.

I've tried to cover as many comments and questions as I can. There may be a couple I have missed.

If there is a customer question or comment that I have not covered in this book, I'd love to hear it. Please email it to me at [email protected].

What you will learn in this book are ways to handle the most often heard comments and questions from people viewing your work whether at an art show, a craft show, a trade show, a gallery opening, a retail store, or any other place you might interact with the public.

Knowing the appropriate responses ahead of time will help make it easier for you to interact with your customers. They will keep you from being tongue tied. And, maybe, if properly delivered, they will help you to make more sales.

While I can't guarantee that you will sell more if you use these techniques, I do know that you will be able to engage your customers so that they will stay in your booth a little longer and increase your odds of success.

The chapters in this book are in no particular order. Some of these questions or comments may not apply to your situation. If not, then just skip over that chapter. (Although, it can be fun to read about the things other artists hear all the time.)

Sometimes, I'll give examples that talk about painting. If you are not a painter, then simply change "painting" to sculpture, or photography, or whatever type of art or craft you create.

As you are reading through all the comments and questions, be sure to take notes. Write down the ones that apply to you, especially the ones that you hear often and have trouble responding to. If you have to, change the wording so that you feel comfortable saying it. Then practice, practice, practice!

So, let’s get to work on learning how to handle all those customer questions and comments.


How long did it take you to make that?
This is a classic. I’m sure every artist has heard this at least once. And, what are we thinking when we hear this question? They want to know how much I make per hour. Yes, there are probably a few people who think this way. But, most of the time it is because they simply don’t know what else to ask. So, use the question as an opportunity. Try some of these responses:

Answer with another question like, “How long did it take me to just paint the piece or including all the time doing preparation and research?” This lets the person know that there is more to a painting than just painting. So, later on, if you choose to answer the question, you can explain that while it took you only an hour to paint, there were days of research that went into the piece. Then you can talk about the time spent deciding on the composition, or how you chose your colors.

Here’s another answer in the form of a question,” I’m just curious, I am asked this question a lot, so why do you ask?” This opens up the dialog and, hopefully, you will get a meaningful answer that you can use to continue the conversation.

You can also avoid the question altogether. I am a fiber artist. Some of my art quilts use all commercially available fabrics. My “answer” is, “It took me longer to find all the different red music themed fabrics than it did to actually quilt the piece together.” It doesn’t really answer their question, but it allows me to talk about how much time I have invested in finding all the materials that go into my work.

Never answer this question with a snide remark such as, “It took me 40 years to paint that.” It is just makes the person feel ignorant. And, it often comes out sounding either sarcastic or obnoxious.

Here's another idea. Create a chart. It doesn't have to be very large. It can simply be an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper or even less. On the chart, lay out all of the steps that it takes to create your work, and include the time for each step. Be sure to include each and every step, no matter how small. If it goes into making your work, include it. Post it in your booth where it's visible. Then, when you get the "How long did it take you to make that" question, you can simply point to your chart.


More Information

Start Selling Your Crafts -
5 Tips for Crafters Just Starting Out (What it takes to sell your work at craft shows)

Start Selling Your Art -
5 Tips for Artists Just Starting Out (What it takes to sell your art at art shows)

Three Mistakes Artists Make When Selling Their Work
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