Art Books Add a Boost to Prestige and Sales

Galleries take art books off the shelf to use them as powerful selling tools

Cover to cover, page by page, art books are attractive tools that entice collectors, lure potential buyers and enhance the sales techniques of gallery personnel.

Indeed, complementing artwork with interesting and attractive reading material is a win-win strategy, according to industry experts. In a nutshell, art books bring credibility to an artist, broaden the exposure of their work and provide a sense of esteem to the high-end collector.

Julie Maner, director of business affairs for Museum Editions, likens a devotee's interest in an artist to that of a musical performer.

"When people enjoy a musician, they buy CDs and attend concerts," she noted. "By reading a book, fans gain additional insight into the performer, his inspiration and his values. It helps them to pursue their attraction."

"The same goes for art books. When people see a work of art that they like, they become interested in an artist. Art books help satisfy their curiosity," she said. "The books are a wonderful promotional tool. Collectors love them; they put people one step closer to the artist, his makeup and his technique. The books provide a real value in helping to know who the artist is and what his work stands for."

Furthermore, the books succinctly illustrate an artist's full range of work. "Chances are that an artist has hundreds of pieces, but only five will fit on a gallery wall," said Maner. "Providing a book for a client to browse through helps to supplement the lack of wall space"

New Rochelle, N.Y.-based Museum Editions has published a series of four books by Charles Fazzino. The most recent, released about a year ago, has nearly sold out. Part of the book's appeal is that it is a work of art in itself, said Maner. "The Fazzino book is a high-quality, glossy, coffee-table release," she said. "To do well, a book has to be as beautiful as the artist's work. It's a complete reflection of the artist. There is something magical about being able to hold a book in your hand and see all the wonderful accomplishments of one talent."

A Show of Books

High-end art books are particular assets when tied in with gallery shows, pointed out John Murphy, vice president and general manager of Smart Publishing. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based company has published two books of work by David Schluss.

"Offering books is an adjunct to selling the art. We find that people who buy original works are also interested in the books. Buyers like pointing to a book on the coffee table that contains the art they have displayed on their wall," Murphy said.

"Books spark interest," he added. "During an exhibition, a buyer may become intrigued by Item X on page 22. The books are good sales tools that pique a buyer's interest. Books acquaint people with the range of artwork available. Further, a book loaded with visuals can open doors for new collectors."

Decorative Expressions in Atlanta practices tying in books with exhibitions. "It is a missed opportunity not to showcase, educate and promote a gallery artist," said President Robert Harris. "People who purchase art are interested in the books for prestige as well as for the information the books provide. The books support artist recognition. This is a very positive and powerful marketing tool."

This month, Decorative Expressions is tying in its new release, a book devoted to the artist Alvar, with two gallery shows and a museum exhibition.

"At the time of the book's release, the Georgia Museum of Art will have a retrospective of his work and there will be shows held at Regency Fine Art in Atlanta and Nuance Gallery in Tampa, Fla.," he said. "The book is written by a scholar at the University of Georgia and will be used as a resource for people who have bought original pieces and limited editions."

Peter Nee, president of P&C Fine Art in Washington, D.C., offers dedicated books during artist shows. "This provides the clientele with a personal touch," he said. "The art books offer credibility to the artists, and they help build collector interest."

Boosting the Book Value

Are the art books themselves collectors items? Absolutely. "We offer signed books, which create a sense of intimacy and pride for the clients," said Harris. "These items are regarded as collectibles. Galleries will do well to market these items as souvenirs and memorabilia."

Chalk & Vermilion Fine Art in Greenwich, Conn., is doing just that. The company recently released its second coffee-table book by Kerry Hallam and the first complete book of monographs by Liudmila Kondakova.

"An interesting marketing feature of each of these books is that they were produced with five different dust jackets," explained Eric Danneman, c.o.o. of Chalk & Vermilion and president of Martin Lawrence Fine Art. "The covers, of course, feature the prints we publish, and there is an image on both front and back, allowing a total of 10 prints to be given a prominent display.

"Each book has an introduction by a noted writer and contains a range of the artists' works, from sketches to paintings to prints. The Kerry Hallam books includes multimedia works on charts and maps and collage works on canvas," he said.

Danneman noted that the variety of dust covers is a method of forward marketing. "Of course we hope to sell the collector all of the editions" he said. "However, it is our intention to introduce the covers gradually so they can be used to promote editions as they are introduced."

Seal the Deal With a Book

Although regarded as collectibles, galleries must view art books as a selling tool rather than a moneymaker, the experts agreed.

International Selected Fine Arts has produced books featuring Torres Prat, Gabriel Picart and Gonzalez Beltran. "Generally, the books are given to a collector upon the purchase of a painting or sculpture," said Herb Spiers, president of the New York-based company. "The books support the marketing efforts of the galleries who carry their work.

"All of my galleries find these books to be valuable," he continued. "They add credibility to the artists' stature. An artist without a book is an artist without a sound sales strategy."

"When you sell a $15,000 piece of artwork, it makes sense for the dealer to add the book as part of the sales package," stated Daniel Deljou, president of Deljou Art Group in Atlanta. "The books make it easier to sell an expensive piece of art."

Deljou recently published a book on the artist Emmanuel that includes interviews, art history and a biography.

Nee often gives the book to the collector at the time of purchase. "This creates good will and a sense of intimacy," he said.

"Half of the time a book is used as a giveaway item," pointed out Murphy. "This is cheaper than offering a discount, and it makes everyone look good."

Turn Browsers Into Buyers

Within the gallery, books work well when placed near the artwork they illustrate, said Vicky Berg, marketing director at Colville Publishing. "Art books can help sales tremendously," she said. "They work best when put out in the open on a stand near the artist's works on display."

The Los Angeles-based company represents such published artists as John Asaro, Christian Title, Sharon Burkett Kaiser and Marilyn Simandle.

"Gallery personnel should also use the books to help their sales techniques," Berg added. "The staff needs to have familiarity with the artist. First-hand knowledge is great, but books are the next best thing. Knowledge is key in making a sale."

Harris urges dealers to become more aggressive in book promotion. "Some galleries do not take advantage of what they have to offer," he said. "Books should be displayed and showcased during a show. They can make a difference in closing a sale during an exhibition."

Murphy of Smart Publishing said "Once a book is touched, the sale of the artwork is that much closer. We recently did a one-man show in a gallery where the books first were showcased in a glass case and could not be read. Once we put the books out in the open, we saw sales increase."

The books always should be treated with respect, noted Danneman of Chalk & Vermilion. "There should never, never be a dog-eared copy of the book on a desk with a note on it saying, `Do not remove--gallery copy.' That simply makes the books look like cheap catalogues. A beautiful copy should always be at the ready, and that copy should eventually end up in the clients' home, along with their new print or painting.

"Everyone in the gallery should read the books and talk about the books to clients," he added. "It will make them much better salespeople."

Beyond the Gallery

Chalk & Vermilion, Museum Editions and The Chase Group are among several publishers who distribute their books beyond the gallery level.

This is a strategic decision that benefits the artist and the dealer on a broad scale, said Bob Chase, president of the Chase Group. The Chicago-based company recently launched its first book, which features works by artist Mackenzie Thorpe.

"We wanted this book to be more than a memento for collectors," said Chase. "We are distributing the book through nationally known bookstores, which lends credence to Mackenzie's work and exposes new people to his art. Plus, people who buy the book will show it to their friends.

"We priced the book under $50, which makes it a viable gift item. To date, sales have been tremendous," he said.

"There is a market for people who enjoy art but cannot afford to buy it," noted Deljou. "Therefore, there is a market for people who buy the books. For them, the book is a work of art."

"The market for books is opening up more every day," he added. "With the Internet and through national bookstore distribution, the exposure of art, artists and art books has definitely gone up. Common sense tells you that the more exposure there is, the better it works for the artist, the dealer and the gallery personnel."

MARKETING TIPS

Art Books

* Place books in a high-traffic area.

* Put books where they can be picked up and browsed through.

* Display books prominently during an artist exhibition.

* Open books to the page of artwork showcased.

* Treat the books with respect.

* Read the book and use the information as a sales tool.

* Do not display dog-eared copies.

* Aim to put as many books as you can into the clients' hands.

Liudmila Kondakova--A World of Enchantment, published by Chalk & Vermilion Fine Art, is available with five different dust jackets.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Pfingsten Publishing, LLC
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group