Replies

1. 
   sapwood | Apr 20, 2006 08:35pm | #1

   Chat up the local retailers of hardwood and plywood. Let them know who you are and what your shop can do. There are a lot of people buying wood that want it resawn, jointed, planed, etc. A friend of mine does this and although the work isn't furniture making, it fills in some free time and can pay well.

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 21, 2006 04:31pm | #5

   thanks

2. 
   xxxxx | Apr 21, 2006 01:42am | #2

   I've heard there is a lot of money to be made making custom nosings and trim for hardwood flooring installers.

    

   Paul

3. 
   Troy | Apr 21, 2006 01:52am | #3

   With any advertising or marketing your message needs to be repeated over and over. You might consider a website as well as sending flyers or postcards to high end home builders and also interior designers.

   Good luck

   Troy

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 21, 2006 04:25pm | #4

   thanks

4. 
   DaveinPa | Apr 21, 2006 04:35pm | #6

   Make sure you get some business cards and spread them around. Go to http://www.woodweb.com and go to the woodworkers directory and post your business (it's free) plus get in touch with the better business bureau, they can help you a lot. Best of luck to you.

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 21, 2006 05:05pm | #7

   thanks-great site.

5. 
   JamesMichaelFurniture | Apr 21, 2006 09:48pm | #8

   Keep your eye out for a moulder/planer if you dont have one, my company makes makes flooring and oak trim that does very well all year, by no means is it a full time job but helps us stay in the green with our profits. I also wear my own company shirts, I order cotton screen prints to work in with our company logo, and I also have nice polo shirts for social outings I have gotten a lot of work by people asking me about my company from the shirt or hat I was wearing at the time. just a couple thoughts. be blessed friend

   
   

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   Edited 4/21/2006 2:49 pm ET by JamesMichaelFurniture

1. 
   WHWW | Apr 22, 2006 05:49am | #9

   James; Your methods work for me as well.  The website goes a loong way to increasing business.  Put the webaddress on your b-cards and get them into the hands of as many interior designers as you can.  Doing this kept the business coming in and kept the 'tire kickers' from tieing me up on the phone.  This was really important to me as I'm a one-man shop.

2. 
   [email protected] | Apr 22, 2006 08:36pm | #16

   thanks

6. 
   woodk2 | Apr 22, 2006 07:37am | #10

   Set aside the shop talk for a moment...

   Provide impeccable customer service.  Call people back.  Fast.  Be honest with timetables.  Be honest with price...IE-don't underbid work and destroy your passion with "freebies"...most desirable is "yes, he's expensive, but he is damn worth it!"  Show empathy and understanding for people(I honestly had a contractor friend of mine say to a lady, "Lady, you ain't ordering a pizza when she asked him how soon he could do the work) who may not understand the business.  Show up on time...always.  Get a good accountant/CPA when you can afford it...learn every legal tax advantage available to a small business.  Be careful of expensive, needless advertising...word of mouth is and always will be your most important advertising.  Don't do work for family or friends unless everyone is very clear on the rules of the game.  Teach a class at adult education if possible.  Look for free advertising in your weekly circular paper, see if the Chamber of Commerce/Economic group in your area will run a feature story on you-it will be more productive than any radio spot and FREE. 

   The above might do far more for you than whether or not you handcut your dovetails.     

    

    

    

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 22, 2006 06:14pm | #13

   thank you very much.

7. 
   gb93433 | Apr 22, 2006 07:51am | #11

   Every time I give a bill I also attach a business card to it.

   I was busy for quite awhile doing nosings and trim for hardwood floors because I had the ability to make those rather cheaply compared to others who were not as knowledgable on how to do those kinds of things. I regularly got orders for laminated millwork such as beams, and handrails, etc.

   The lumber yard also sent people my way.

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 22, 2006 06:13pm | #12

   How did you get started with the lumber yard?

1. 
   gb93433 | Apr 22, 2006 07:24pm | #15

   I bought materials from them for many years. I have always tried to be loyal to my suppliers over the years. It pays off in the long run.

8. 
   dustinf | Apr 22, 2006 06:45pm | #14

   High quality work, and high quality customer service are the best advertisers.  Eventually, most of your business will be referrals.

   The hard part comes from understanding that not selling a job is better than selling a money losing job.  Your work/passion WILL suffer when you aren't making any money.  As your quality diminishes, your business will diminish.

   It's hard to put the required time in when you can't afford to buy your kid that present they really want, or when you have to tell the wife you can't afford vacation this year.

   Builders, and other tradesman, are the best source for "busy" work.  Designers, and homeowners, are the best source for high mark up work.

   http://www.colonypress.com is a good source for bulk mailings.  Mailings work best in conjunction with a great website.  Don't skimp on your web design.  No website is better than a junky website. 

   If you have any poo, fling it now.

9. 
   daviddubya | Apr 22, 2006 09:14pm | #17

   One of the least expensive forms of advertising is a sign on your truck or trailer - whatever you drive around to jobs.  People will see your sign when you are parked in front of a house or business and that leads to inquiries about your work.  A close friend in my area has a trailer with his company name and phone number painted on it.  He says that is the only advertising he needs to do - inexpensive and effective.  He has a handyman business he started about four years ago and is busy every day of every week, and could work 7 days a week if he was willing.  Poor guy had to raise his rates again recently because he has so much business.

   Daviddubya - Cave Creek, AZ

10. 
    knc | Apr 23, 2006 03:27pm | #18

    This is my 22nd year in business. Ten years doing shop work.  I have found doing repair work whether it be a broken chair or a broken window,  take it on. These small jobs lead to more work. Big cabinet jobs are good, but you really need to have a system. Too mush time trying to figure out how to build them eats profit. Having plenty of small jobs stacked up in the back of the shop helps the cash flow.  You can weave these small jobs around that custom built -in that you been working on . Charge by the hour for repair work. I also get alot of lathe work. Not many turners here in Southeastern Connecticut.  Getting friendly with anyone in the trades is important. Even the competition , another shop might be swamped with work and they be happy to send you some of their dirty work. Get out to your shop and work it, even if you have no jobs in the shop. Have a phone in the shop so you can take calls. I'll end it here with a "Good Luck" and " a clean shop is a happy shop". knc

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 23, 2006 04:53pm | #19

   sounds like really good advice-its Sunday morning and, speaking of which, I think I'll get out there and clean off that bench and clean up the shop. It does get overwhelming when I'm tripping over myself. thanks

11. 
    mikegagne | Apr 23, 2006 09:25pm | #20

    An informational packet to designers and architects with a followup works well as does chatting up contractors. Even a well thought out business card has impact. Word of mouth is as powerful as it gets though and even other woodworkers will send people to you if they have too much on their own calender. Little persistent steps is mostly what it takes. aloha, mike

1. 
   citrouille | Apr 25, 2006 09:27pm | #24

   "a well thought out business card"
   The place to go to print business cards is http://www.overnightprints.com
   The cards are thick and superbly printed, the price is right.
   I do two shows a year and I found that a postcard with pictures of my work is more of a reminder to potential customers than a business card.
   Same place to print them.C.

12. 
    mudman | Apr 25, 2006 02:12am | #21

    I would not recomend advertising in a large metro paper. You need to target your market more directly. Local comunity papers are great ways to spread your name in more affluent neighborhoods. Direct marketing is one of the best forms of advertising in our buisness because the marketing company will be able to get to your exact customer profile. It is also a lot less expensive than I thought.

    Mike

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 25, 2006 02:34pm | #22

   What do you mean by direct marketing? How expensive is it?

1. 
   jackplane | Apr 25, 2006 09:13pm | #23

   buy in volume. reduce monthly overhead costs as much as possible. read up on owning your own business, such as the Journal of Light Construction's, Running a Home Improvement Business. keep records. track your time on each and every job- the only way you'll learn how to bid accurately.Remember, the purpose of a business is to make money, your enjoyment of it is a another separate issue.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   Edited 4/25/2006 2:17 pm ET by jackplane

13. 
    BossCrunk | May 08, 2006 05:57pm | #25

    What kind of projects have you been building since you started your business?