New Member: Attracting Drive-by Traffic?

[KL Smith]

A quick introduction if I may before getting to my question:

I am a Fine Art Photographer & Printmaker who has opened up a small (less than 800 Sq. Ft)Art & Frame Gallery (last Sept.) on a busy road leading to a major tourist destination which typically attracts 2-4 million people a year. I also sell my own work through a number of local area retailers on a consignment basis. My original goal when setting up the gallery was to generate income of approximately 1/3 from framing, 1/3 from printmaking and 1/3 from art sales (both mine and a dozen or so local artists).

The framing and printmaking side of the business has been better than I expected, but the art sales have been awful to say the least and this is because I cannot seem to attract non-locals driving by to stop in. BTW, when they do stop, better than 50% of the time, they will buy something. It's a little disconcerting when the half dozen shops in the region that carry my work, sell more on my work than I do in my own gallery:-(

The gallery is on a 30 mph street which is 5 minutes from the main tourist destination and even with a life-size Humphry Bogart statue, decorative flags, a good looking 5 foot x 10 foot lawn sign and ballons, I cannot seem to attract drive-by's. I have designed by outdoor signage so that I can easily change a 2 foot x 5 foot section of it to display whatever I want. For example Local Art, etc.

I can look out the window on a Saturday or Sunday and easily see anywhere from 2000 to 5000 or more cars just drive on by. If I am lucky I might get 2 or 3 non-locals stop in on a weekend.

We have spent a lot on advertising to the tourists in the form of brochures, magazine ads, local maps, etc. However, I am feeling that people just want to get to their destination and don't want to pull over. Then on their way home at the end of the day, they just want to hit the highway and get going.

Can anyone offer me any suggestion on how I might attract more traffic to stop in?


TIA

[Framar]

Hi Neighbour! Welcome to the Grumble - I live in Fort Erie!

It sounds like you have done just about everything but stand on your head to attract attention - the only thing I can think of is to be patient - a lot of folks who frequent your charming little town are repeat customers and perhaps you just have to build up some word-of-mouth amongst them.

Since you opened at the end of last year's tourist season, you are really just starting out - my advise would be to be patient - it sounds like you are doing well otherwise.

Good luck - and the Grumble is one of the best resources around! I am sure others will have more fruitful ideas for you!

[Framar]

BTW - did you know that you have no hyperlink on your "Framing" button???

[EllenAtHowards]

Could you post a sign that either says "Buy DIRECT from the artist" or "FREE artist autographs TODAY only"?

[KL Smith]

Framar:

Thanks for the welcome! Yes we are just down the road from each other!

Yes, I suspect patience is the key here, but I keep thinking I am missing something very obvious (I have been known to miss the obvious:).

Here, you have about 10 weeks (20% of the year) to try and generate 80% of your tourist business. So anything that will improve my drive-by odds has got to be a good thing.

As to my framing button link.... its on the proverial list of things to do:-0

Thanks again,

Sincerely,

[KL Smith]

EllenAtHowards:

Excellent Idea! I'll give it a shot!

Thanks,

[framinzfun]

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and guess that people driving by your store are heading to Niagara Falls, right? Maybe you should play up the angle of having Niagara Falls related art (of course ou probably thought of that... but I'm going to say it anyway.) I remember when I got married and part of our honeymoon was on Martha's Vineyard, I specifically visited some galleries with art by locals from the area to buy a small painting as a souvenir. Don't a lot of honeymooners go to Niagara Falls?
Other than that, maybe put up a roadblock so everyone has to detour through your parking lot!!!

[KL Smith]

Framinzfun:

>I'm going to go out on a limb here, and guess that people driving by your store are heading to Niagara Falls, right?

Very close... Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) actually. The falls are a few miles up river from here. 60 to 80% of the traffic that goes to NOTL has to pass my front door. NOTL is a very historic town (directly across the river from Lewiston, NY) which is typically known as the "Prettiest Town in Canada" with exceptional homes, gardens, vineyards, the Shaw Theater, War of 1812 history, etc. (and prices to match)

We do however get some spillover of Niagara Falls visitors and I do change the 2 x 5 ft section of my sign to say "Images of Niagara" occasionally.

The speed bump idea is rather timely because they are resurfacing the road in from of the store and they left some 2 inch bumps where they stopped working on Friday. All weekend long, thousands of cars slowed to a virtual stop as they drove over these bumps and yet I had a grand total of 3 people in all weekend! Good thought however!

Thanks for the reply!

Sincerely,

[Dermot]

Hi Ken and welcome to the G

I’m having a feeling that you are or could be targeting the wrong audience “drive by’s are just that drive by’s”…..I know that in Ireland (lots of tourists, our biggest industry) that most tourists are destination tourists particularly in areas where there is a main attraction……there is little spill over to other local businesses….in the village where I live there are locally two main tourist attractions and the other businesses in the locality pick up little business from these two main attractions people come to visit the main attraction and move on…….

but in saying that the local business do pick up good business from the “lets overnight here” tourist……these are quite different from the “lets go there just for today tourist and see what it is like”………perhaps your efforts would be better targeted to the tourist who will stay around for a day or two.

Have you got your web address on your sign!!!! that’s a lot of drive bys and a few may return or might pay your site a visit and buy on line….

Good luck

Dermot

[Rogatory]

Ken, welcome to the G!
This exercise will only cost you some gasoline, a little time and some imagination.
Either before you open or after you close your shop, drive the opposite direction from the tourist attractions about 2 miles, park somewhere and turn off your car.
Close your eyes and imagine you’re a tourist.
Really think about being a tourist; you have a spouse and at least one child in the car with you. You have never been to this area before but have been planning this trip with your family for some time. You have been driving for five to six hours. You are on a mission, focused on the destination.
Now start your car and drive towards your shop, pass your shop and pretend you don’t know its there and drive a few miles down the road, pull over and think about what you just saw.
Was there something about your shop that would grab your attention as (an exited, hurried, tired, hungry, etc) tourist?
Now find someone you know and trust that has never been to your shop, explain to this person that they are the above tourist and let them drive by your shop with you riding shotgun. Don’t tell or lead them to your business, just drive past. Have them pull over a block or so beyond your store and ask them some questions, pick your friends brain about what they saw. You can come up with your own questions. Drive them back and show them your store and ask them what would have grabbed their attention to stop then, or to make a note of your store and stop by on the return trip.

If you think this is just plain stupid idea, forgive me. I will grant you your two minutes back. ;)

[RozR]

Ken -

I love the area you are in... we roam to that destination every now and then as a getaway from the Rochester NY area. We love it. We will certainly be a "drive by" that will stop on our next journey to the area.

Unfortunately I have no clue as to how to help you atract the people that drive past your shop and don't stop. I know there are times when I see something and I am in front of it.. but don't stop - now, is there any way you can purchase billboard space in either direction from you store? The "1 mile on the right" type of message... I don't recall seeing very much signage on the road from the falls to NOTL...

We have friends who specifically look for a local artist's work to buy when they visit a locale... I like to myself... is there any other product you have that would draw people in? Gifts? Jewelry?

So, for my 2 cents worth - hope you don't feel cheated!!

[KL Smith]

Dermot:

Thanks for the reply.

You may very well be correct in what you say. These types of tourists are what we call "Day Trippers" as they typically come into town for a few hours and then drive home in the afternoon/evening. We have about 300 B&Bs here and we actively participate in advertising to them. We are also on a B&B map that is propduced here.

I do not have our web address on the sign, but I will make a point of it! Great suggestion -- thanks!

[KL Smith]

Rogatory:

Your idea is not stupid at all - I think it is great! I suppose it is easy to fall into the trap of "thinking" that our shop should be noticable from the street, but maybe it isn't, or maybe it just doesn't have that special look to it that says, "hey, this might be worth a stop and look see..."

Thanks!

[KL Smith]

Rozmataz:

Please do stop in next time you're over here!

I like the billboard idea (Ever seen the "South of the Border" billboards coming into South Carolina?) but billboards are all but bannished from NOTL. The town has extremely strict signage bylaws here that really limit what we can do.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Sincerely,

[billrobertstudios]

You need a powerful marketing word....

FREE something... water, ice cream, whatever.

Bill