Build relationships, don’t hard sell and don’t be needy?

The most important thing an Artist can do in selling their work is to build relationships and not hard sell. A sale that is pushed and made is always one sale, but the Artist that takes the time to build a relationship with the customer will build a life time of sales and this should be our long term objective.
You see if we just make a sale with someone and money is exchanged then it is finished and both parties walk away satisfied not owing anything, but a relationship is different, there is emotional currency involved as well.
What do I mean, well if you build a relationship between yourself and the customer before they buy then they are giving you permission to sell them the painting because of the relationship and when the transaction is done the relationship is still intact and they will let you show them new work in the future because it wasn’t just a sale between strangers it is a transaction between consenting parties, both understanding what is happening because we have a relationship.
This then allows you the Artist to keep in contact with them and they are giving you permission to show them more work. This is how the Artist collector relationship is born and emotionally currency or good will is built.
There is no problem you asking for the sale occasionally from your friend because if he buys or does not buy the friendship goes on, it is not based on the sale it is based on their appreciation of your Artistic work and the relationship that you both have.
Warning never go to this person you have built the relationship with begging for a sale, you may get it but you instantly changed the relationship and used up your emotional currency.
Before you sold because of relationship, permission and friendship now you are selling because you are needy.
You may get away with it once but seldom twice because you will have used up all your good will.
The customer is not looking for a charity to give to, they are looking for an Artist to follow, support and occasionally buy from, take care of that relationship because it has emotional currency, use it up and the relationship will change.
You build this relationship with your collector and you have a relationship for life and make a lifetime of sales, abuse this relationship and you may find you will lose this collector and a life time of sales.
Build the relationship, sell because they give you permission to show them your paintings and treat the relationship as a precious gift.