How Designers Get Clients On Board with Buying Art
We know a lot of designers, many of whom we have worked with on projects around North America. (Here and here are two recent favorites). Those who want to work with us but haven’t yet: we see you! Today we’re answering your most frequently asked question: “how do I get my clients on board with buying art?”
Getting clients inspired to buy art is a common struggle that designers face when both designers and clients want the project to be photographed, declared done, and for it to feel uniquely special to the client. Here, we are breaking down how designers can successfully get their clients on board with buying art:
TIMING:
The timing of a discussion about art buying between a designer and client is key. Do not wait until the end, when everyone suddenly realizes the walls are blank. At this point, everyone on the project has decision-making fatigue, and no one is in a mood for a bonus round of spending. Bringing art up at the beginning of a project, as part of a conversation about budget and line items, and revisiting it at key points, such as when furnishing decisions are being made, tends to prepare and motivate clients. This is therefore a productive time to introduce clients to an art advisor that you feel would be a good fit for the project.
Note that when discussing art as a line item, it is important to assign a price or price range to that line item. Again, this mentally and financially prepares the client. We help designers establish realistic numbers around this all the time, so do not hesitate to reach out for support.
LANGUAGE:
People are often unsure what an “art advisor” or “art consultant” actually does, what type of client they service, and how much these services cost. Many clients have previous connotations about this. The most effective way for designers to inspire their clients to engage an art advisor is to have clients keep an open mind and defer to the advisor to share details. Language such as: “I know an approachable advisor who works with clients buying at different price points. Let’s schedule a call to share our goals and understand the process.” We often have introductory calls with designers, and then with designers and clients, or often the clients alone, to share information and build the foundation of a trusting professional relationship. The vast majority of people who have this call with us engage us for art advisory. Having all three parties - designers, clients and advisor - in one introductory email usually ensures this call happens (as opposed to simply sending the client the advisor’s contact information and hoping the client reaches out).
The living room of a Brooklyn townhouse project, done in collaboration with Jennifer Levy of Cav Design.
DETAILS:
One goal we have with every client project referred to us by a designer is to make the designer look good. We want the client to see the designer as their go-to resource, and to trust that designer’s creative vision and professional references. For this reason, we are highly incentivized to treat clients with particular care. Designers can be as involved or uninvolved in the art buying process as they like, knowing that we always keep their design vision front of mind. Each project is different, but we’ve spelled out the steps to each process here and are always happy to speak about individual projects. Our projects have spanned from LA to Aspen, Minneapolis, Miami, DC, Toronto, Connecticut, New York, The Hamptons, and now in and around London. Importantly, there is always something happening with the art world from fairs to gallery shows, art fairs, and studio visits and more. Joining us for any of the above is a great way to inspire clients and help them understand what working with us may be like. Let us know if this is of interest. We also put together a 45 minute Art Advisory Webinar for anyone (budding art advisors or designer’s alike) interested in honing their skills at sourcing art for clients.