The 25-mile Rule for Local Selling

or 20 years I exhibited at wholesale jewelry trade shows, made sales trips and personal appearances, supervised employees and worked nights to fit in the time to design and make new pieces. I was burnt out and needed a new outlook.

That was four years ago. I now own a successful retail gallery in a rural area on my home/studio property. I still do some wholesale business with established customers through my Web site and over the telephone, but my energies are now put into my work and the gallery. I currently employ one full-time jewelry assistant and use a free-lance bookkeeper.

I also adhere to a concept I call the “25-mile rule” that defines the market area around my gallery and studio. I chose a 25-mile radius because that is the farthest I think most people in this area of Maine are willing to travel to shop and how far I prefer to travel to promote my business. After having a whole nation as a market, this was a new phenomenon, but with the application of 10 steps, I found I could make it work.

Join your local business leaders

Face it: You are in the business of selling art. If you want to learn about making a business succeed locally, get to know local business people like Chamber of Commerce members. They know the ropes and are generally happy to share information. Also, they may have the disposable income to become customers.

Craft an eye-catching logo

Design a memorable and appealing logo that appears on all your promotional materials and distribute them liberally within your designated radius. Dropping off brochures, postcards or fliers to inns, restaurants, visitor centers, etc., is a must. Also consider places where people are waiting for service, like at a doctor’s or attorney’s office. Carry brochures and business cards just in case you meet a potential customer.

Establish a sales showroom

Set up a neat and organized showroom in your studio or close by. Make sure that you have an attractive and readable sign out front with regular shop hours and stick to them! I have a studio in the rear of my home and a freestanding gallery that was a dilapidated one-car garage. Don’t rule out that old shed on your property. It may cost money to fix it up, but its right there! To save money, I had an artist friend paint my sign on plywood using acrylic paints. The stick-on lettering is from a sign company. I also don’t man the gallery until a door buzzer alerts me that we have a visitor.

Don’t overlook community venues

Abandon your artist’s ego and consider venues where locals gather. I found great opportunities at holiday craft shows, at community centers, church events, even the lunch hour in office buildings. You may not sell at the time, but it is inexpensive publicity and will turn into future sales.

Volunteer and contribute to fundraisers

Build good will and acquaint people with your work by donating to fundraisers, giving talks and volunteering for workshops for community groups and schools.

Join the social circuit

Socializing in your community also makes good business sense. People are more likely to do business with those that they know. Get out of the studio and show up at community suppers, dances, theatre events, etc. It’s fun and it’s nearby!

Tailor your work to the market

An issue for many of us is that our work is not always appropriate for our local market. Take this as a challenge and ask yourself this question: How can I design a marketable product for the local community and still retain the integrity of my art? If you compare this challenge to the ordeal of exhibiting all over the country, I believe you will come up with a solution.

Take advantage of free publicity

Most local papers are hungry for news. Whenever I have anything newsworthy, I send in a press release to the newspaper and they usually print it. This includes new gallery hours, a design award, a new design, open house, a donation, holiday sale, etc. Try to send in something once a month. Don’t forget to include a photo.

What about a local guild?

Forming a local guild is a great way to attract customers to your area. I worked with several other craftspeople in the area to form the Round Pond Guild. We put together a tri-fold brochure, which informs visitors and locals about what’s happening in Round Pond. We also do a one-day event on Columbus Day weekend called the Round Pond Roundabout. We provide a map of 18 locations, offer food and have a raffle to win a gift certificate.

Our group has expanded to 27 members, including a localrestaurant, antique shop, B&B, charter boats, realtor and a greenhouse. Round Pond is getting a reputation for being a happening place.

Reach distant customers with a Web site

A Web site is the one place where you can reach out of your 25-mile radius without traveling. I had a designer do my site and I love the way it looks. Yes, it is hard to keep it up to date, but most people are not checking your site everyday. Update it quarterly and this will probably be adequate.

There may not be a lot of business to begin with, but it will grow. Also make sure that all your marketing materials include your Web and e-mail address.
The 25-mile rule is not only for jewelry artists. These basic business ideas will work for most craft artists. You may be able to skip forming a guild if you are in an area with high visibility, but the other nine points are a must. Also, your radius may be 40 miles or 60, but the approach should still be the same.

Best of luck to those craft artists who embrace the 25-mile rule.