Master the art of print advertising: selection and presentation are key in print promotions and can bring added sales to your gallery

Art Business News, Feb, 2003 by Carol King

Fingerhut Galleries also tracks which of its advertisements attract clientele to its galleries. The consultants at each of the galleries ask clients where they first saw the work that they purchase and relay the information back to corporate headquarters to help track the ad dollars. This is an effective method of making sure your money is being spent wisely.

"Often Art & Antiques comes up, and we advertise more in that publication as well," he said. "We are inclined to go to Art & Antiques when we are doing something special. Normally, we promote artist originals and graphics programs. We have found that Architectural Digest readers tend to be interested in original works, while Art & Antiques readers purchase prints."

Advertising in local publications also works well, noted Shinar. He said that when his gallery hosts a show, they do a series of promotions, and advertising in local publications becomes important. "We advertise in the local newspapers, and we place advertisements in the magazines distributed in local hotels--concierges recommend us to the hotel patrons," he explained. "When we are in a slow season, we are inclined to have gallery shows and send out formal invitations. This is an example of the mountain going to Mohammed."

Targeting clientele can differ between gallery locations, pointed out Danneman of Martin Lawrence. "For example, some galleries are located in primarily tourist areas, so they should advertise in tourist-oriented publications. Others who have a more local client base should then look for upscale local magazines and newspapers with a readership that they hope to attract."

Advertising techniques vastly differs from one gallery to another, agreed Shinar of Fingerhut. "An artist will sell well in one location, and do medium rare in another," he said. "Normally, our gallery directors recognize the ambience of their gallery and what people are looking for. For instance, we find that our gallery in Sausalito gets a sophisticated collector base. Each of our galleries have certain products that sell well in their areas."

Making a Presentation

The headline is the most important draw in creating an eye-catching ad, according to Raphel of Raphel Marketing. "The ad's headline must either promise a benefit or provoke curiosity," he said. "The key thing is that you must have a headline that makes people want to keep on reading."

According to Raphel, keeping a reader's eye is hard to do. A whopping 75 percent of an audience reads only the magazine headline. Only 25 percent keep going. "If you cannot capture someone with a headline, you will lose them," he explained.

Promoting an artist with examples of his or her work is essential, according to Diamant of Arcadia Fine Arts. "I have always been curious about galleries that advertise an exhibition for an artist but only mention his or her name," he said. "We would never place an ad without an example of an artist's work. If you are going to advertise art, you have to show it, unless the artist is a household name or extremely well known within the community."