Customers

[Junior hall]

How did you start finding customers.

[Ross Moshinsky]

No offense, but based on all of your posts, you're not even close to being in a position to market your services.

[Junior hall]

May be so Ross I can not post pictures of the things i have done as i have a camera phone not going to buy another phone again but the camera part is busted. I still have a flip phone. All the people that live around me are elderly in there 60s -70s

Also i have learned and DONE more than since prior to this. I have done several pictures of the same exact things you all have posted just to get a feel for it all and to see if i could do it as well.. It looks the same as the original poster posted

Thanks Ross

[Lawrence Richards]

I highly suggest checking out your local library for business resources- mine has free classes on everything from production mediums to customer acquisition and all the classes are also EXCELLENT networking resources (your top way of acquiring new customer arenas)

Other resources for your business building are your local SCORE rep, the SBA and State/county economic development councils. In almost every one of these cases, the counsel does not cost any additional fees (other than your taxes!)

If you have any factors that make your situation fit into a "special or disadvantaged small business" there are TONS of additional resources available (Minority, Disabled, Woman, Veteran, Service Disabled Veteran etc)

I hope this helps
Lawrence

[Gary Hair]

2618373[/URL]]How did you start finding customers.

Join your local Chamber of Commerce and maybe some other networking groups.

[Bill George]

Does your local High School or Community college have short intro classes on starting a business? Usually they are just one day sessions. Believe it or not people judge you on your grammar and spelling when you do hand outs. They also like to see you dressed up like your going to Church and first appearances count. You may do great work, but in a way you need to sell yourself when you present it for showing. BTW did a couple of craft shows here years ago and lesson learned, you can not compete againstb goods from India or China price wise. No matter how nice it is, they compare against the cheap Cr@p. You need to do something personalized or special to your area.

[David Somers]

Junior,

Lawrence is on the money in terms of resources. They are generally excellent ways to get help figuring out your business and getting started, as well as maintaining it after. Check them out!!!

[Junior hall]

David Somers , Bill George , Gary Hair ,Lawrence Richards. I will check into these resources thanks

I once had a repo business back in 2002 of 10 yrs started in in 1993 got out of the business when every tom rick and harry got into it then the prices went down to 250 a car when got into the business it was 575 a car. I went to school to learn how to train police k9's and service dogs. I started the business in 2005 had the business until the economy went to crap back in 2010. I had 402 dogs and 14 employees lost it all thanks to the economy.

[Kev Williams]

Wish I could help but I have no idea how to answer that question...

My engraving business is 50 years old this year, and thanks to my dad and his old Litton work buddies, we have yet to 'find' our first customer.
Virtually every dollar we've ever made came from someone who found us.

I don't wish 'looking for customers' on anyone. Back in '08 when EVERYONE'S business was down, I thought I'd try looking for customers, specifically, I wanted to see if I could sell engraved granite pet memorials. I was able to give exactly 3 of them away. Those who got them loved them. But I never sold one, and I actually couldn't find anyone who'd take a free one after that. My targets were folks I knew (and still know most of them) on other forum boards like this, and I think they didn't want to 'take advantage' of me. But at the same time, no one ever asked to buy one either.

It's tough when you can't even GIVE your product away...

[Scott Marquez]

No offense, but based on all of your posts, you're not even close to being in a position to market your services.

Junior, I have to agee with Ross, I'm not trying to dog pile on you but here is why I feel this way.
Communicating with potential customers is a key to building a client base and in today's world you must be prepared to quickly reply to Emails, and a lot of times using pictures of your past work and explaining how you can do their job will give you what it takes to land that job. I would suggest getting your phone up to date and learn how to post pictures of your work so potential customers can see your capabilities.
Good luck,
Scott

[John Lifer]

I'm in the same situation as you, I've got to join the chambers up here, jus for the contacts. Dress and look good. There is a guy in the area that has done decent pt business,but the way he looks is a big detriment and hindrance to anyone buying from him. I'm not putting anyone down,but just making a business comment. I can look as grubby as Anyone. I think that you have to have generate sales with something that folks will buy. That you have to determine and is the hardest thing to do.

[Junior hall]

Thanks John Lifter.. I will join the Chamber of Commerce.. I do not have a suit and tie but i do have dress clothes...I have had a multi million dollar business in the repo industry and also in training dogs but this laser engraving is one thing that is hard to figure out...

You said it right John finding some thing that people are wanting is the hardest part of this business. I have over 30 thousand different pictures designs from the mega collection books plus my own pictures i have found and still nothing... This is the hardest to figure out what people are interested in..

Where i live at it is the furniture manufacture capital of the world High Point, Lexington, Thomasville, Greensboro, Winston Salem NC...

This is the reason i posted this question. May be i shouldn't have but then again why not. Im still learning. When i stop learning then im dead.. Some people were born knowing every thing there is.

[Tim Bateson]

You don't need a Suit & Tie. You are in the service business (assumption there) not a downtown corner office on the 40th floor.
I'm busier than I'd like to be and my market is a little smaller than yours. Few people ever jump into this business with a long list of clientele. It doesn't happen over night & honestly if it did you wouldn't last 6 months. This business is a massive learning curve. After 9+ years I am still learn something new... and screw up all the time. Those slow years were vital to sustain my current over flow of clients.
The saying "build it, they will come" was very true in my case. Not over night, but after 9 years, 100% of my customers are either return customers or if not they find me. If you are truly good at this a reputation takes time... no shortcuts.
Yes, I've done the Chamber thing, the Businessman group thing, the Charity thing, the advertising and a dozen others. All were a waste of my time.
Listen closely....
1. Web Site - Not world class, but if it has your basic info, you're off to a great start.
---- Drive this website up in the listings - but don't pay for it. Find a way to drive those web site hits up. I won't go as far as reveal my secret to this, but you get the idea.
2. Quality... Quality... Quality
3. Be open to change - What you "think" you are going to do with a laser may or may not be what makes you money.
4. Don't undercharge for your skill and hard work. You have a skill few other do.. charge accordingly.
5. Be careful what you wish for. Success is hard work with long hours and almost no time left over for a life.

[Bert Kemp]

Well I jusst am at a loss for words here.

[Gary Hair]

2618546[/URL]]Well the way the saying goes if you cant say something nice.............

That's a really classless move Bert.