Don't Make Me Think!
How a 22-year old book about UI/UX changed my view on customer relationships
How I shot myself in the foot
Have you ever gone out of your way to make it difficult for people to take action on the things you want them to take action on? Let me know if you do any of these things.
You have broken links to your site or no links at all
You don’t regularly update your website with new work
Your website is little more than a digital brochure because there’s no e-commerce capability
You tell people to email or DM you asking for the sale
You only show up in certain places
You repost the exact same content everywhere
You don’t tell people where to buy from you
I could go on and on with questions like that because I see it all the time from artists and designers who make it their job to keep sales from happening.
I did all of these things, even to the point of taking down my entire collection of art because it wasn’t like anyone was buying from me anyway.
Yes, I had the obligatory all my links URL in the bio of my social media, but that was the extent of my effort. There were plenty of things I could do to facilitate more sales, but instead, I filled up my day with busy work, and couldn’t be bothered with helping customers make the purchase decision.
And then one ambitious person reached out and asked how they could buy something from me because I didn’t have any active links. On the fly, we figured out a mutual solution through Venmo, but it made me realize the mistake I was making.
If you can’t make something self-evident, you at least need to make it self-explanatory.
- Steve Krug, usability expert
In 2001 I read Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug because I was trying to become a more competent web designer (no, I will not design your website). As much as the book is about UI/UX design, the subtext is about how buyers think (or don’t think, as the case may be), and the pervasive lesson is that people (fans/followers/customers) are too caught up in their own messy lives to try and figure your stuff out.
It doesn’t matter how much your fans and followers appreciate your work; if you put obstacles in their way, they will find something else to do other than buy from you, and they will do it in the blink of an eye.
How I got back to business
Getting right to it, these are the ways that I’m driving people to buy my work, and it starts with the most simple concept, but the one most artists find the scariest.
Ask for the sale
Simply put, when someone shows interest in my work, without making a hard sell, I let them know it’s still available. If you buy from my website, you can buy with PayPal or a credit card, but if those don’t work, I have Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App.
If they love a piece but say they can’t afford it at the moment, I offer installment payments (something I’m hoping to integrate into my online shop soon too).
It’s not uncommon for people to use excuses to try and gracefully walk away from a sale, but I want to present all the possible options and not make a false judgment about their intention.
Have multiple ways for people to find me
Some have commented that I am a content machine. I have this Subtack account, both as a blog and a newsletter. I also have two YouTube channels, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and (begrudgingly) a Facebook page.
I make independent content for each, not regurgitating the same thing across all channels because I know each account has a personality. I show up people where they are and how I believe they want to see me.
Yes, it’s a lot of work. No, it’s not just about making sales.
I make content because I want to either inform, educate, or entertain people, and I cater that content to them knowing at some point I’m going to ask for the sale and they may jump at the offer.
Simplifying the visuals
At the top of this post is an image and if you click on that image, it takes you to a listing for that piece on my website (which may or may not be sold by the time you read this).
One image of one piece of art that’s currently available and has an active link.
I’ve started using this method on my social channels (despite Instagram trying hard to diminish static posts) and it’s been reasonably effective at getting clicks and some sales. In fact, it’s working better than any other method in the past, but instead of just posting a picture and letting people figure things out on their own, I tell them if it’s available… like I did above.
Using the Red Dot strategy
If you present people with a missed opportunity, they will sometimes look for ways to not miss out on the next one.
When you walk into a gallery filled with beautiful art and you see a few pieces with red dots on the tag, it immediately triggers something in your mind that gives the work more credence, more validation, and therefore more worthy of purchasing.
If you go to my shop, you’ll see some items listed as SOLD, which at first seemed unintuitive and weird for an online shop, but when we’re talking about one-of-a-kind items like original art, it can trigger a bit of FOMO in buyers.
On my latest Instagram posts, I lead with “Still Available” in the description. When someone buys that piece, I change the status to SOLD in the post because I want people to see that they missed their opportunity.
Encourage impulse purchases
Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube give me the capability to add shopping buttons to my posts. I don’t get a lot of sales through them, but they do happen. Sometimes simply having a shopping button is all the encouragement anyone needs to pull the trigger on buying my work. And of course, there’s also this:
It’s not just about the art
Not everyone wants to buy my art, but they may still want to support me in some way. Maybe they want my work on something more functional and fun like a phone case, coffee mug, throw pillow, or a pair of socks.
I’m currently working on a new merchandise line because I want to give people the opportunity to have my work in another form.
People can also become paid members of my Substack, giving them additional content and digital assets that can’t be found anywhere else.
I also have a Skillshare channel where people can watch some of my more long-form training, something I plan on adding more of in the coming year.
This post is chock-full of self-promotion for a reason. I’m not the best at putting myself out there, but I’m getting better at it. More importantly, I’m getting more comfortable with it. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your art career is to show up for YOU better.
Also, there are more people willing to buy something from you than you realize, but they haven’t been nudged the right way to make that buying decision.
Have a great week and go sell all the things.
Cheers,
Dave