Painting A New Online Presence for Willock & Sax Gallery
This week we are featuring Susan Sax-Willock, the creative force behind Willock & Sax Ltd. Gallery, a haven for art in the heart of Banff National Park. The gallery is known for representing fine Western Canadian artists and their passion for historical art as well as their list of art services from appraisals to estate representation. Thanks to the Digital Economy Program (DEP), the gallery has embarked on a captivating digital transformation, enhancing its online presence and democratizing its operations for a more sustainable future.
Willock & Sax art gallery was founded in 1998 as a museum consulting service. The following year, they opened the doors to their first commercial gallery space in Waterton Lakes National Park. In 2007, Willock & Sax Gallery found a new home in Banff, Alberta where they have been located ever since. The Gallery boasts a well-curated selection of artworks by a strong roster of fine Western Canadian artists with a mix of both emerging and well-established artists. Alongside an active exhibition schedule, Willock & Sax aims to help first-time buyers, institutions, and collectors of all levels in the acquisition process for their desired artwork. When asked about the business's mission, owner Susan shared,
“We believe there is great art to suit every budget, and commit to providing a pleasing and approachable setting with informed personnel – so you can find that right work of art.”
Susan came to the Digital Economy Program looking for assistance to “revamp” the company's website. Though they have had a website since 1999, Susan sought ways to improve their online presence and help democratize business tasks through technology.
“The new goal for our business is to put in place various digital platforms that will transform the gallery into a turn-key status… decreasing the reliance on a single person's knowledge.”
Susan was paired with a member of our Digital Service Squad from the Business Link team, who provided one-on-one support to help Susan and Willock & Sax Gallery through this digital journey. Together, they started by building a new Squarespace website for the business to help showcase the exceptional art and services that can be found through the gallery. The squad member also supported adding an eCommerce integration through Shopify, so that the site could offer online purchases in the future. Additionally, our team shared resources like tips on the best times to post on social media, send out newsletters, and how to better understand customers through analytics.
When asked about what the support has done for her business, Susan said,
“The support (and) transformations of website, social media, and adoption of gallery software (has) streamlined the processes within our gallery and continue(s) to lead us in that direction. The results have been noticeable with an increase in exposure, increase in sales, and decrease in time taken to accomplish both of these goals.”
Reflecting on the one-on-one support from her Digital Service Squad Members, Susan Shared
“(The) DSS members were incredible, they listened to our specifics and provided excellen(t) guidance (as we move) forward… (and) simply the support, being able to talk to a knowledgeable support person, via the convenience of Zoom, with sufficient time to provide the support needed.”
Through tailored assistance from the Digital Service Squad, Willock & Sax Ltd. has revamped its website, expanded its online reach, and streamlined operations. With increased exposure and sales, the gallery's future is filled with creativity and success. This journey with Susan and her gallery exemplifies the value of creating online to complement physical business locations.
To learn more about Willock & Sax Ltd. and how they support the Canadian art community, visit their website here.
To learn more about Digital Main Street and how our Alberta Digital Service Squads can help your business, visit here.
Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners, including Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Meta, Intuit QuickBooks, Square, Lightspeed, Ebay and Canada Post.
Digital Main Street and Business Link have partnered to deliver the Digital Economy Program in Alberta. Through Digital Service Squads, the Digital Economy Program aims to help small businesses adopt digital technologies to grow and stay competitive. The Digital Economy Program is funded by the Government of Alberta and Prairies Economic Development Canada.
