From a question by Kevin Lee Mackay He asked, “I am curious, in all of your experience, what is the one strategy for selling art you would never recommend?” Ok Kevin, you asked for it… This is such an awesome question….
🚫 Mistake #1: Driving Blindfolded (aka “Winging It”)
You’d never jump into a car, blindfold yourself, and shout “Let’s see where this takes me!” (Well, hopefully not.)
Yet many sales strategies begin with the same kind of chaos energy. “Let’s just post something!” “Let’s try emailing everyone!” “Let’s offer a 97.5% discount to attract new customers!” No map, no plan, no clue.
Instead: Know your audience. Set goals. Understand what you’re offering, why it matters, and who actually wants it. Sales isn’t magic—it’s a combination of preparation, empathy, and timing. (With only a light dusting of drama.)
🚫 Mistake #2: Honking the Horn (aka Being Pushy)
There’s confident selling—and then there’s ramming your prospect’s inbox like a territorial goose. You know the type: multiple daily follow-ups, fake urgency (“Only 2 spots left!”… for the past 3 months), and the dreaded “Just circling back again again again!”
Instead: Follow up thoughtfully. Give space. Be useful, not irritating. If someone’s not interested, take the hint. Chasing someone down like a caffeinated spaniel rarely leads to a healthy client relationship.
🚫 Mistake #3: Forgetting the Satnav (aka Not Knowing Your Product)
“I think it does… um… things. With a dashboard. And analytics? Maybe.” If you don’t know what you’re selling, neither will they. If you can’t explain your offer clearly in one or two sentences, you’re not ready to sell it.
Instead: Be the expert. Know your product or service inside out—its strengths, its weaknesses, and its magic. Confidence sells, but clarity closes.
🚫 Mistake #4: Playing the Clown Car Game (Overloading the Offer)
“Buy this, and you’ll get a PDF, a cheat sheet, an ebook, a webinar, a mug, three questionable bonuses, a partridge in a pear tree…”
Throwing in too much feels desperate, not generous. It muddies the offer and screams, “Please love me!”
Instead: Keep it clean. Focus on value, not volume. A well-placed bonus can sweeten the deal. A kitchen sink full of freebies just clutters it.
🚫 Mistake #5: Selling Ice to Penguins (aka Misreading the Room)
Not every person needs your product, and not every platform is the right showroom. Trying to sell high-end artwork in a Facebook group for freebie hunters is like turning up to a black-tie gala in your dressing gown and wondering why no one applauds your effort.
Instead: Match the message to the market. Go where your ideal clients hang out. Talk in their language. Sell what they actually need—not just what you fancy offering this week.
🚫 Mistake #6: Thinking ‘Selling’ Means Talking
Newsflash: Great salespeople listen more than they talk. If your entire pitch is a monologue about how brilliant you are, you’ve missed the point. Sales isn’t performance—it’s conversation.
Instead: Ask questions. Be curious. Learn what your potential customer really wants. And when it’s your turn to speak, answer them, not your own script.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Be That Driver
We’ve all seen them. The erratic, last-minute lane-changer. The person who can’t parallel park and blames the car. The one who forgets indicators exist.
Don’t let your sales strategy follow suit. Be strategic, be kind, be clear. Know when to accelerate, when to brake, and when to gracefully exit the roundabout and try a new route.
Oh—and if all else fails? Pull over, re-centre, and have that cup of tea. Even the best drivers take breaks.
