The Ultimate Guide to Art Management Software : how to grow your art business through technology

Prior to the disaster of the Covid-19 pandemic, art was predominantly sold through traditional channels such as galleries, art fairs, and exhibitions. In 2020, everything changed. The world was in lockdown and the art selling channels were shut down leading to a decrease in art sales through traditional channels. This affected the artworld in the following ways:

• Online art sales in 2020 doubled over 2019. 

• Artists began to market themselves more to the public via social media platforms such as Instagram 

• Virtual exhibitions, fairs, and immersive art experiences replaced physical exhibitions and events

• A new, younger breed of collector emerged ie. the millennial collector who sees and acquires art differently from that of the traditional collector

• There was a shift in the role of the elite art tastemakers, who traditionally drove key decisions about which art is collectible and which isn’t

• NFT’s gatecrashed the art party and currently, the NFT’s market is estimated to grow bigger than the entire art industry

  
  

The artworld as we knew it has changed. This has forced foundations, galleries and artists to relook and rethink their strategies and ultimately find other avenues and hybrid ways to sell and present their work. Never has it been as important for art businesses to take note of these changes and trends and embrace the new technologies and digital thinking that will make businesses more competitive and increase the chance of success. Just having an online presence is not enough anymore. 

There is a bright side, with the move to online and digital, art business management software has become a real thing. There are many art business management platforms around and ultimately choosing the right one for your business will change your life - saving you time and money!

Here is the Ultimate Guide to what you should look for in Art Management Software so that you can grow your business through the technology available. Even if you are using a software platform already, it is beneficial to go through this list and ensure you are getting all your business needs met with your existing package.  For ease of reference, we have broken these down into inventory management, downloadable pdfs, website creation and management, online viewing rooms and private viewing rooms, CRM, Additional Services, and Selling Online.

Inventory Management

Keeping track of all your artworks, locations and artists is really a full-time job, and if you haven’t taken the plunge and moved it all online. Now is the time to do so. 

Managing your art inventory online takes the repetitiveness and tediousness out of your day which ultimately saves you a block of time to get on with marketing your art business and getting sales. 

Here is a list of key art inventory management features to look out for:

Artworks:

• Organise and track your artworks

• Search, sort, and filter data related to the artworks

• Link your notes, locations, documents, and invoices to your artworks.

• Sort your works by categories and mediums

• Add past ownerships and provenance to each artwork

• Add multiple images per artwork

• Be able to publish and unpublish works

Artists

• List and profile your artists 

• Link the artworks to each artist

• Categories your artists by works available by, represented, and associated (or other categories)

• Include information on the artists for example: bios and all types of media (exhibitions, interviews, etc.)

Instant, downloadable pdfs

1. This is an absolute must-have feature - do not settle for art business software that does not have this. The ability to create and download an elegant pdf catalogue or report is the ultimate sales tool and a feature you cannot do without.

2. Some platforms even offer a label feature where you can create your own perfectly designed and sized labels and certificates. 

3. Also, look out for a feature to create the following lists at the touch of a button:

• Inventory

• Consignment

• Insurance

• Location

• Price

Creating and managing your own website

1. Imagine creating and managing your website easily. You get to choose a beautiful website template and manage your website daily. This is a blessing as it saves both time and ongoing designer costs. This feature allows you to change your website copy, images, and information at any time which reduces the need for a third party as you will be able to make all the changes at a touch of a button. It is best when the website feature is built-in and not an integration.

2. Speed optimisation and mobile responsiveness are very important features for SEO as this drives up your search engine rankings and it is therefore important that the software you choose offers this. For more information on the importance of website optimisation and mobile responsiveness, read here.

3. Ensure that your software offers you the option of publishing your website on your own custom domain.

   
   

Online Viewing Rooms

An online viewing room is an exclusive digital showing or exhibition which allows the viewer to see the artwork and additional media in a single virtual environment. Because the viewing room is online, you can extend your gallery space beyond its physical walls and include new, beautifully crafted spaces. Online Viewing Rooms can attract a bigger, global audience which in turn creates more opportunities to turn leads into sales.

Private Viewing Rooms

Some platforms offer exclusive private viewing room features where VIPs can be invited to view artworks or events with private codes to gain access to the viewing room, which is not on the website. This is a great way to build and nurture relationships with key clients and to present works for preview allowing key clients to reserve works ahead of time. 

CRM

Managing your database and sales pipeline is key to running a successful art business. It is important to ensure you the art business software has these features:

• The ability to manage contacts, artists, suppliers.

• Include contact details, notes, invoices, and sales history.

• Mailing capability so that you can send out e-mail campaigns, newsletters and other communications, and create automated e-mail nurture sequences to turn leads into sales. 

Online Sales

Displaying and showing your artwork is only part of the process. The new millennial collector is far more comfortable with buying art online than their older counterparts - in fact, they predominantly look for art online. It is therefore imperative that you make the buying process as easy, problem free, and quick as possible. It is therefore important to have a Buy Now or Enquire Now button that can expedite the sale. 

Additional Services

One or two art business management software companies offer value-added services such as strategic consulting, content plans, digital marketing plans and management, email campaigns, and marketing automation for audience  nurture and analytics, for an additional cost. If you require these services, it is best to use their one-stop-shop approach to ensure synergy between your online platform and the value-added services. 

As mentioned, there are many software packages on the market. You need to consider your objectives and weigh up the options and ultimately find one that suits your business's specific needs. Most of these platforms are subscription-based, so work out a monthly or annual budget before finalising your decision. It may seem daunting at first but well worth it in the end. Happy hunting!