Recording Your Limited Edition Sales

Because your art is your business, it is your responsibility to keep track of edition numbers for your reproductions. Here's a few ways you can do this...

• The old fashioned way - a list in a book
• A digital spreadsheet like Google Sheets or excel
• Software like Airtable - we have some templates you can use.
• Keep a list in Evernote

Whatever you do, you'd want to be able to store the following information...

• Artwork title
• Total Edition number
• List each reproduction as sold showing number, size, media, customer contact details

It's important that you have some sort of database management system so you can record customer details so you can promote to them down the track - if they've bought once, they may buy again.

Here's the fun part - you don't need to sell them in numerical order.

If someone wants to buy #30 for a thirtieth birthday present, and that number is available, then let them have it, simple note that it is sold on your database.

I also recommend you don't start at #1, in fact you may want to save the first few for your children if they are interested. Say you have two kids, save #2 and #3 for them.

The reason behind saving #1 is that at some point down the track, either when the edition has sold out or you are having an exhibition, you can feature your #1's and sell at a higher price!

Limited Editions have always typically been hand-signed by you, the artist, because you've always received the order first-hand, had the reproduction in stock or ordered and collected it from us then supplied it to your client.

With the opportunities available now with sites like www.buyartnow.com.au, there can be a delay in the delivery process when artworks need to be signed. We need to look at ways of keeping you happy, and above all, keeping the client happy by delivering their artwork as soon as possible.

With progress comes change and here's how we see the future for you...

Imagine this scenario...

A client orders and pays for a Limited Edition reproduction in a FRAME from our site. We print the order in a couple of days and contact you to say it's coming to you to be signed and then for you to send it back to us so we can frame it.

But the problem is... you've gone away overseas on holidays and won't be back for 4 weeks! What do we tell the client? Sorry, but you won't receive your artwork for about 5-6 weeks because we can't contact the artist to sign it. They say "but I need it for a wedding present in 2 weeks, sorry I need to cancel the order and get a refund".

Messy right, nobody wins here.

Here's the ideal scenario...

• The client orders their artwork
• We get the order, add a digital signature, which you have provided for us and we number it according to a range of numbers you provide for us to use.
• We print it, frame it and forward directly to the client as soon as possible, keeping them happy.
• We provide you with their details, the image and LE number and you hand-sign your Certificate of Authenticity, with the same details and post it to them, along with some personal promotional information of your own, such as a business card with website details, your availability for doing commissions.

Here are the Key advantages to this process...

1. The customer is happy because they get their artwork quickly and efficiently.
2. You get the customer's details to add to your database
3. You get to do a soft-sell promotion directly to this customer, independent of anything we do.
4. This process minimises freight costs and the chance of damage in transit.
5. You don't have to unpack the artwork, sign it, re-pack it and post it either back to us or on to the client.

We are happy to work with you signing your work in the traditional way especially if you are local and can call in to sign your work at a moment's notice. However the digital signature will ensure there are no delays and everybody wins.

How do you provide us with a digital signature?

• Easiest way is to use a BRAND NEW, BLACK permanent marker pen like a Sharpie or Artline 70. Black pen on white paper is best - we can scan this and change the tone of the signature to suit the artwork.
• Write your signature quite large - best if you can write it larger than you would typically do so on a painting, This allows us to reduce it for best results. In fact it works best if you can write across a full A4 page in landscape orientation.

Any questions please ask!