Hook, but NO Line or Sinker.

I've been reading Zig Ziglar's book The Secrets to Closing a Sale . It's a great book, recommended to me by a salesman I work with. I suggest you read it if you're serious about selling your art. Sales is a very important part of marketing, along with self image, advertising, customer satisfaction....the list goes on and on!
   I went to the Village Artist's Market (covered by TV6) because it was a great opportunity to support my friend at Mango Lane Gallery, and it's a new event, and I wanted to hone my sales skills.
   I didn't get much of a chance to hone those skills. It was cold, rainy, and like I said, a new event. Four whole people stopped and looked. They were all great people! Just not art buyers. 
   Except maybe this one gentleman. He parked his nice newer car near me, jumped out in his polo shirt, nice jacket, and dress pants, and bee-lined it to me. "I love the colors!" he exclaimed. I thanked him. "I found this Russian artist on-line, and he uses great colors too!" He showed me some pictures on his phone that he'd downloaded. I agreed, the paintings he showed me were nice."I have pictures all over my house! All kinds of stuff! I love your work!" I thanked him again, and asked him which one he'd like. "Oh, I don't have room on my walls right now." I pointed out the small 11X14. "No, I just saw one at St.Vinnie's (a thrift store) and I didn't even get that one. I don't have anywhere to put it!" 
   So here's where I goofed. I thought that since he wouldn't pay $2 for a used print, he wasn't going to pay $175 for my original. So I gave up. I chatted with him some more, but I dropped the sales pitch.
   Here's what I should have done: I should have said "Well, sir I don't blame you for not getting that print at St. Vinnie's! A two-dollar used print isn't worth rearranging your wall space for. But THIS is an original, one of a kind oil painting. Nobody has one, and nobody ever will except you until you decide to sell it. This will shine on your wall for years to come. You can enjoy it for the rest of your life. Isn't that worth moving some things around for?"
   But I didn't say that. I let him go. I don't know if the line would have worked, but I never let myself find out. 
   So I've learned something on my own that Zig Ziglar writes about: never give up on closing a sale! Maybe this gentleman was just waiting to see the value and joy that I could offer him. Maybe he was broke. I'll never know!