The best customers you can ever have are the ones who keep coming back. Selling to someone who already knows you is a lot easier than trying to win over a complete stranger.
At art fairs it is tempting to spend all your energy chasing new buyers. The trouble is, you can miss the people right in front of you who could turn into regulars. A few good repeat customers can keep you going through slow spells and give you much needed income.
Ignore them and you are starting from zero every time you put up your stall.
The good news is that it does not take anything fancy to encourage people to return. A handful of simple habits and ideas can turn one-time buyers into collectors. In the next pages I will walk you through seven ways to make that happen.
1. Be Reliable and Consistent
If you want people to come back, you need to be there for them. That means showing up at the same fairs, keeping a regular stall, and making it easy for your customers to find you again.
Buyers like to know they can rely on you. If they enjoyed your work once, they will expect to see you in the same place next time. When you vanish or only appear now and then, you break that link and risk losing them to someone else.
There is a drawback to being too regular. If a customer knows you will always be there, they may keep putting off a decision to buy. It is easy for them to think, “I will get it next time.” That is part of the game.
The balance shifts once someone becomes a fan. At that point they start seeking you out. They make a point of visiting your stall and checking what is new. That is when consistency really pays off. They trust you to be there, and that trust brings them back again and again.
2. Build a Mailing List to Stay Connected
One of the best ways to turn a buyer into a repeat customer is to keep in touch. I do this with a simple comments book on my stall. It serves two purposes. First, it collects nice testimonials that I can use as social proof. Second, it gives me a way to gather email addresses.
I am careful about this. I only want addresses from people who have actually bought something. Those are the ones that matter. A list full of casual browsers is not worth much. A list full of paying customers is pure gold.
Once a month I send out a short email. Nothing heavy. Just a reminder that I am around, a note about new work, and a link back to my online shop. That way, when someone is ready to buy again, the door is wide open.
The trick is not to be pushy. You do not need to be selling hard every time. The point is to keep your name alive in their head so that when they need a gift or a new piece for themselves, they think of you first.
3. Offer Online Sales for Later Purchases
A mailing list is only half the job. To really make it work you need a website where people can buy your art once they have left your stall.
The important thing to understand is that you should not be pushing your website at the fair itself. If you stand there telling people they can go online later, many will walk away without buying anything in front of you. The stall is where you want the sale to happen. Online sales are for afterwards, when they are back home and ready to spend.
That said, having a website is essential if you want to be taken seriously. A proper online shop shows you are professional and committed. It reassures buyers that you are not going to vanish the minute the fair is over.
Always give customers a way to find you again. Drop a business card or flyer in with every purchase. Encourage people to take a photo of your card on their phone. If you want to get fancy, add a QR code they can scan that takes them straight to your shop. These are all simple ways to stay connected.
But the best thing you can do is collect an email. That way you are in control of the contact, and you can remind them directly when you have new work ready.
4. Provide Refunds and Replacements Without Fuss
Refunds are rare when you trade honestly, but I always make it clear that I will give someone their money back if they return a print in the same condition. In more than twenty years of selling, I can count the number of refunds on my fingers.
Exchanges are more common, and I never make a fuss about them. If someone wants to swap one print for another, I let them do it automatically. I don’t argue about whether the old one is in mint condition, it’s often damaged but I always let it go. If they bought it from me, they can change it. Simple as that.
The point is not about the tiny loss of one print on the day. The point is about trust. By being generous with refunds and easy with replacements, I show people that I stand by my work. That reassurance keeps customers happy, and it makes them much more likely to come back.
Factor in the odd loss and move on. You only lose the cost of the print, it’s not a disaster. The goodwill you earn is worth far more than the cost of a single print.
5. Give Discounts, Token Gifts, or Sign Prints for Regulars
Regular customers deserve a little extra. I often give them a discount or a small token gift, even if they never asked for it. Sometimes that might be knocking a few pounds off the price, other times it might be slipping in a miniature print or something from the reject pile that still looks good.
These gestures cost very little, but they build a lot of goodwill. People remember that you treated them well. They feel like they are getting something special, and that makes them more likely to come back for more.
I sign all of my prints before selling them. Some customers ask me to add something extra, like a message or a personal note. I am always happy to do that. It takes only a moment, but it makes the piece feel unique to them.
Small touches like this are what keep buyers returning. They are proof that you care about your regulars and appreciate their loyalty.
6. Sell in Sets to Encourage Multiple Buys
One of the easiest ways to increase your sales and bring customers back is to offer sets. When people see a themed group of prints such as animals, birds, or a matching series, it makes their choice simple. Instead of debating which single piece to buy, they are tempted to take the lot.
Selling in sets is not just about getting a bigger sale on the day. It also helps build loyalty. Someone who likes your work enough to buy several pieces at once is already halfway to becoming a regular. They have invested in you. That makes them more likely to keep an eye out for you in the future.
There is another bonus. Buyers who go for a set are often proud of their collection. They will recommend you to friends, show off what they bought, and talk about you long after the fair. That kind of endorsement is worth more than any advert you could buy.
7. Position Your Art as Collectible
If you want people to buy again and again, you must give them a reason to see your work as collectible. That starts with how you position yourself. It is better to be known as the master of something than to be the artist who does a bit of everything.
Customers like to pigeonhole you. They want to know what you stand for. In my case, I made it clear from the start that I am a wildlife artist. My subject is animals, my style is photo-realism, and my medium is graphite.
That combination is my brand. It makes me recognizable and it gives people confidence in what they are buying.
Finding your own niche is vital. If you try to please everyone with random subjects, you will confuse your customers. Keep to a coherent theme. Over the years I have built whole sets around big cats, British wildlife, and jungle animals. Collectors like that.
They know what to expect, they can build on what they already own, and they enjoy the satisfaction of completing a series.
Once someone sees your art as a collection, they are no longer buying a one-off. They are buying into you. That is when they become repeat customers who seek you out.
How to Get Repeat Trade: Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, people come back because they enjoy buying from you. The art matters, of course, but the way you treat your customers matters just as much.
Keep your stall welcoming and relaxed. Let people browse without pressure. Some will want to chat, others will prefer to look quietly. Read the mood and adjust. A warm smile and a bit of patience can do more than any sales pitch.
Humour helps too. I often joke with customers or share a light moment about a drawing. It breaks the ice and turns a transaction into a friendly exchange. That is the kind of encounter people remember.
The key is to make every buyer feel valued. Whether they spend a few pounds on a small print or splash out on a large one, treat them with the same respect. They will leave with more than a picture. They’ll leave with a good memory, and that is what makes them come back.
If you want more ideas like these, you will find them all in my book Selling Art Made Simple. It is packed with the same practical advice I have learned from years of trading at art fairs, craft shows, and markets. The goal is to help you avoid the common mistakes and build a business that keeps people coming back for more.
- Art Business Names: How to Find the Right Name
- How to Turn Browsers into Buyers in Art Fairs
- 8 Distractions That Kill Sales at an Art Fair or Market
- Artist Business Cards: 6 Tips For Artists – From a Pro
- How to Write an Artist About Me Bio: In 4 Easy Steps
- How to Name Your Artwork: Find a Title That Sells
- How to Negotiate the Price of Your Art: Prints and Originals
- How to Prepare For an Outdoor Art Fair: Tips for Success
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Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
I can show you how to do it. You’ll find a wealth of info on my site, about selling art, drawing tips, lifestyle, reviews, travel, my portfolio, and more. Enjoy