The Art of Negotiation: Getting Comfy with Selling Your Work

We chatted the other week about pricing and pricing mistakes and I figured we’d chat more about the selling side of thing for this one—but just a layer deeper! As an artist, you've spent countless hours pouring your heart into your work—creating something that reflects your ideas, emotions, and unique perspective. But then comes the part that many find tricky: selling it. Talking about your work’s value and negotiating with buyers, galleries, or collaborators can feel daunting, especially when you don’t want to come off as too pushy or, worse, undersell yourself (I have been super guilty of this in my early days!). So, how do you get comfortable with that side of things?

Selling your work is an art in itself. Negotiation isn't about haggling or trying to squeeze every dollar possible out of the transaction; it’s about communicating the value of what you’ve created. It’s about standing firm on what your work is worth while still being open to building relationships. Once you learn how to navigate that balance, you'll not only sell more work, but you’ll also feel more empowered in the process.

But the question remains—how do we do this?  Let’s take a look!

Getting Comfortable with Your Work’s Value

When someone asks, "How much is this?" there can be an internal battle (or, in my case, instant panic). Part of you might want to blurt out a price that feels safe, something you think the buyer will find reasonable, while another part of you knows what your time, skill, and effort are worth.

The key to overcoming this is building confidence in the value of your work. Your art isn’t just about the materials or the hours spent creating it. It's the years you’ve spent honing your craft, the vision you’ve developed, and the originality you bring to the table. Getting comfortable with your pricing starts by first understanding and valuing your work yourself. When you're confident in that, it shows—and buyers respond to that confidence.

Building Confidence in Talking About Your Work

So how do we do this? One of the first steps is to just get comfy about talking about your work. Talking about your art can feel awkward, especially if you're not used to it. But being able to articulate what you’ve created and why it matters is crucial to negotiation. You don’t have to give a lengthy explanation, but expressing the story, emotion, or concept behind the piece helps buyers connect with it. When a buyer feels a connection to the meaning behind the work, they're more likely to see its value.

It’s important to practice talking about your work. Remember how back in speech class days, the teacher would recommend talking in front of a mirror?  While you don’t necessarily need the mirror part, just talking out loud helps.  I often just talk out loud to myself to get comfy discussing a piece…or even with a friend or family member. You can even journal informally about your piece and what it means. This doesn’t mean you need to have a rehearsed script, but you should be able to comfortably describe your creative process and what makes your work unique. The more you do this, the easier it becomes to talk confidently during negotiations.

Negotiation is a Conversation, Not a Battle

Negotiation should feel like a conversation where both sides aim to get something valuable out of the exchange. You want to sell your art at a fair price, and the buyer, gallery, or collaborator wants to feel like they’re making a good investment. When approached this way, the pressure eases, and it becomes less about winning and more about finding a mutually beneficial outcome. Once upon a time, I had made a gorgeous red, intricately carved pitcher when I was a student and a visitor wanted to buy it.  After a few rounds of haggling, I agreed to sell it (mostly because the money would be handy for supplies) but I had that weird “gut feeling” that either I shouldn’t have or I just went too low.  That is my waypoint for sales from there on…sometimes even that “gut feeling” can be beneficial during this process.

While focusing on the relationship, it’s important to know when to stand firm. If a buyer or gallery is pushing for a price or commission that doesn’t reflect the value of your work, it’s okay to push back respectfully. As long as you’re confident in the value you’re offering and can explain your reasoning, most people will understand and respect your position.

Understanding Your Non-Negotiables

Before entering any negotiation, it helps to have a clear sense of your non-negotiables—things that you’re not willing to compromise on. This could be your price, a gallery’s commission, or the terms of a collaboration. Defining these boundaries ahead of time will give you clarity and prevent you from agreeing to something that doesn’t feel right.

For instance, if you know that you need a certain price to cover your costs and feel satisfied with the sale, don’t be afraid to stand by that number. If the buyer can’t meet that price, offering an alternative piece that better fits their budget can be a way to make the sale without compromising your pricing structure.

Negotiating for the Long Game

Negotiation is about more than just the immediate sale—it’s about building long-term relationships. You want buyers, galleries, and collaborators to see you as a professional who knows the value of their work. If you’re too quick to lower your prices or agree to unfavorable terms, it can set the expectation that you’ll do so in the future.

On the flip side, consistently standing by the value of your work builds trust and respect. People will recognize that you know your worth, and they’ll be more inclined to treat you as a professional in future dealings. In the long run, this approach leads to stronger relationships, more opportunities, and, ultimately, more sales.

Final Thoughts

Negotiating as an artist is a skill that you can learn and improve with time. The key is to be confident in the value of your work, approach negotiations as conversations, and stay clear about your boundaries. Whether you’re talking to a buyer, gallery, or collaborator, approach each negotiation with the mindset that it’s an opportunity to build a lasting relationship—not just a one-time transaction.

Every time you negotiate, you’re not only advocating for the value of your work, but you’re also advocating for your value as an artist. The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become, and soon enough, negotiation will feel as natural as creating the art itself.