Selling Men Art

Is there a typical male art buyer? No more and no less than there is a typical male clothing buyer or car buyer. That still means they buy like men and not like women.

Do more men buy animal scenes and sports-related art? Certainly. Still, most men truisms never equate to every man realities. So, care and discernment rules. I always ask what my male buyers currently have on their walls. I have found that men like the black and white photographic images and abstracts particularly. Typically, their preferred art has scenes with an uncomplicated focus of interest and distinct, clear lines. Landscapes appeal to men. Men understand nature.

Most men tend to be simple creatures and their taste in art tends to have a single uncomplicated focus. Men tend to have “things” in their choices in art. Think solitary for men going off by themselves with their art. For women, think social, connecting themselves with the images in their art. Men laser in on the technical aspects of their art. What’s happening? Why is it happening? How did the artist/photographer capture the happening? Think John Singer Sargeant’s painting of the lion attacking the horse.

What this all boils down to is that men generally like masculine art while women generally like feminine art. Do the lines blurr? Sure they do. Do they blur most of the time? No. Think dogs, eagles, horses and wolves for the men.

Now, what happens when men make decisions on how to frame their art. Typically, men come to the process knowing it all or knowing nothing. Either way, framing with men becomes a bit of a nurturing process, because my job is to make sure that the finished piece looks well and wears well in its environment. Men often aren’t adding to their process the decor in the room where the piece will live. Men tend to work in single focus mode.

I have found that when I allow each male buyer to teach me what is important to him about the art he likes and what is important to him about the mechanics and the aesthetics of the framing process, he feels understood and confident that we can accomplish what he wants to take home.

Price considerations require managing, as well. Consider that men shop less than women. Rising prices may be less noticeable to them. Art and framing prices have gone up in the last decade. Still, men understand costs when put in terms of hourly rates and time and material considerations. They know what their hourly rate is.

Once you have the confidence of a male buyer, you generally have their loyalty. Men are creatures of habit. And they like their creature comforts. Make them feel properly taken care of with quality products and services and you earn their loyalty. They are comfortable and they come back whenever they need what you offer.