Gloat - sorry if it offends

[Stephen Beckham]

I've read several sad and dis-heartening threads here lately, but I'd really like to get the word out that it's not all doom and gloom for the lurkers to see. There is still a lot of work out there and some markets are saturated while others are dry.

I've had to expand again due to the level of work and took the extra step of adding two 15 needle embroidery machines. I've already taken over a thousand in orders for them and have only had them three days. Customers have stated they are willing to wait for me to get up and running to buy from me - but they need it next week... :eek:

My point is that with the right market research and the great location, people are hungry for great deals and close to home providers. I've still got big city (okay Louisville may not be big to some of you guys and gals) buyers coming 25 miles to my store to get it more economically priced. I've got other customers driving over 45 miles to come to buy from me. I'm not really doing anything different than others here, I just lucked into a great location.

Anyway - again - I don't mean to offend anyone going through tough times by gloating. Just want to let those researching to get into this line of business that they might be able to pull it off if the stars are aligned.

[Joe Pelonio]

Yes, I too must admit that things are picking up here to. Since I took a full time job the laser has been running from 4:30am until I leave, then again all evening and a good 20 hours on the weekend, and that should continue most of the month before I get through the current orders. It's hard working that many hours but you have to do it while you can. I love my new job too, and the steady paycheck and benefits are nice. I was just talking to an associate who does large format printing and his work has picked up too, and apparently he's getting customers whose regular sources have gone under. If you can hang in there, less competition will make it all the better eventually.

[rodger d cooley]

My day job shows signs of improvement also and I am hering the same from many other businesses.

Hope it is a continuing tread.

[Rodne Gold]

Well, I tend to think that we are experiencing a small bull rally in a major bear market. I think there is around 2 yrs of deleverage before the good times will roll in again. Hopefully Im proved wrong on this?
In this climate I think setting up a laser/engraving business from scratch is foolhardy..yes, if you already have a captive audience and client base , it might be wise to add to your production facilities and capture market share if the business is out there and your opposition is folding like flies.
The problem with our industry is that unlike 5-10 yrs ago , laser engraving is ubiquitous and not at all rare..I have 30 competitors now vs 2 or 3 5 yrs ago so the level of profitability has dropped substantially.

[Mike Null]

Steve

Congratulations! Good to hear good news.

My business has been strong all year and a fellow who helps me out from time to time is being called back to work at a local steel mill.

[Gary Hair]

You call it a gloat, I call it good news! The last two months have been my best ever and I am not gloating, I'm spreading the word! There is business out there and I was fortunate enough to get a large chunk of it.

The recession hasn't hit me so far and I hope it continues that trend. I firmly believe that things may get a bit worse but that we very close to rock bottom. If you are still here in 6-12 months you will be fine and better prepare for a boom - maybe a bang instead of a boom, but prepare anyway.

Thanks for the good news, we can sure use it!

Gary

[Dan Hintz]

I have no problem hearing of this kind of news, and I certainly wouldn't call it gloating... there's nothing wrong with finding business during a time when business is hard to come by. I have some good news to speak of, but I'll detail that a bit more in another thread, and it's not the most ideal of situations... but so be it.


Well, I tend to think that we are experiencing a small bull rally in a major bear market. I think there is around 2 yrs of deleverage before the good times will roll in again.
I have to agree with Rodney on this one... I estimate another couple of years before we really see things perk back up, and the current spike(s) are just that, temporary anomalies. Some industries have yet to reach bottom (housing being a major one that is still going lower in some areas, such as the more affluent areas who were able to hang on a bit longer than blue collar and middle-class areas).

Hang on to your good customers, and make sure they know your customer service is top notch... plenty of competitors out there will do their best to undercut your pricing (at the expense of any profit) just to keep their doors open. The smart customers will see through it and stay with you, but enough money can make even the most intelligent person temporarily brain dead. Combining services with another (meshing but non-competing) company is good advice no matter what the market is like, but it could be a deal-breaker for some in this economy.

[Dave Johnson29]

Just want to let those researching to get into this line of business that they might be able to pull it off if the stars are aligned.

Great post Stephen,

Recession, what recession? I have been tempted to post just such an account as yours but with the doom and gloomers abounding I decided against it. Now that the cat is out of the bag, I have to agree with you.

I don't even have a good location I work from home in an area where there are 2 towns close by with a combined population of 5,000 people. There are about 4 other small towns in a 30 mile radius. I sell stuff through other businesses and have been turning work down. I am currently refurbing my 50 Watt home built laser to deal with that problem.

I am not sure if it is a mind set or what, and I am not going out of my way to drum up business it is just building itself. Right products and right marketing approach I guess. I do not want to over analyze it in case I mess with it. :D:D

Best part for me is that I do not have to deal directly with the end customers. My other web based businesses are 50% up for the same periods last year.

So you guys out there feeling the pinch, the money is still there, you just need to stand back and look for those niche markets. For me dealing directly with other business people and bulk sales is the key. I actually thought of joining some networking groups like Chamber of Commerce etc but have not got around to it as I am as busy as I want to be.

[Belinda Barfield]

Good news all around guys! Thanks for sharing!

[Linda Tetreault]

Stephen,

If you need stock designs, Balboa designs is selling their entire catalog for $300. The designs are beautiful & it's a steal, but only if you need it. I have severa otherl sources for designs, you can email me if you're interested.

[Marc Myer]

I suspect that what we are experiencing is what I call the Little Things Effect.
During the Great Depression, Marie Callendar pies began, and immediately thrived. People couldn't afford anything significant, so they treated themselves to something smaller but enjoyable.

So it is with us. People are not going out and buying cars, high-dollar items or expanding their businesses. But they want to indulge themselves or their companies, and laser-engraved items seem to be just the ticket.
My small web-based business is also up measurably.

[Gregg Vaughn]

My day job is with a University in Ohio and higher education is certainly having a bad year and gloomy outlook on the next few years. That said, however, my little engraving business is doing well and growing. I have cultivated numerous good, repeat customers for whom I try to provide the very best service I can. I just finished a job for 203 plaques ( I actually had a big enough order to get free shippg from JDS!) and I am getting numerous repeat orders from customers who received awards I had engraved for other customers (it pays to advertise on the back of your awards).

For me, plaques have been the biggest seller. They also been the least labor intensive and provided the best profit. I have had several customers who are national organizations and received orders from way outside my usual business area as a result of their awards (again, it pays to advertise on the back of your awards).

It also pays to read posts on the Creek and learn from so much talent and experience. I don't think I have encountered one thing yet that I have not found addressed here.

[Dave Johnson29]

I forgot to add, personalized stuff is about 80% of my laser work.

I was reading a thread here the other day that it was *not* the market to be in. Gotta contradict that one.

I offer the basic lasered products then will do a one-day turn around for personalizing. The personalizing with a Family name is added to about 80% of base sales. Really is the cream.

I think Marc may have hit the nail on the head with the "Little Things Effect" my stuff sells between $10 and 30-bucks.

[Tim Bateson]

You have the right to gloat. :cool: It gives the rest of us encouragement.

[Tom Buzz Bernard]

Excerpt from an article I just wrote for A&E magazine called "Sales are Up"

Sales are up for this industry. We just have to realize where and capitalize on it!

To make my point even clearer, let me give you a simple test to see if what you’re hearing and seeing is the whole truth about this economy.
Question: 1) Do you have children? 2) Do you have a mother, father, or both? 3) Do you have friends or distant relatives? 4) Grandparents? 5) Will any of these people have a birthday, wedding, or graduation? 6) Will any of these people receive a promotion, have a baby shower, or do something spectacular? 7) Do you honor Mother’s Day or Father’s Day with a gift? 8) Will you still purchase holiday gifts for the children - yours or the grandchildren? 9) Do you have an anniversary coming up? 10) As bad as times seem will you still buy presents for any of these occasions?

If you said yes to question 10 you are in the same category as 300 million other Americans. No matter how bad times get we will still buy a gift for a loved one! It may not be something extravagant. It may not be something expensive, but it may have more meaning, more emotional thought, maybe even make the recipient cry with joy. You can make products like these with your laser. Whether you personalize a gift or come out with a great product line that has both design and wording to cause emotion - these are the gifts that 300 million Americans will still buy in any economy.

[Stephen Beckham]

Boy do I feel better - I was expecting the worse and figured people would tell me to be quiet and enjoy my blessings behind closed doors. Shame on me. I'm glad to hear there are other things picking up. Maybe it was bugging me because others needed to hear it. We are getting enough bad news all over the media - glad I could get us up on a positive note for a change.

Take care and check your prices. I started etching knives for $5 now versus $10. The word is out and people have brought them along with guns in for etching. Some said they would have never done it at $10, but $5 is just too much a bargin. The word got to a local knife maker and I've got a dozen of his hand-made knives to brand before he sells them for big bucks. He's so happy with the $5 charge, he keeps overpaying me in tips... Don't go cheap, go economical. AND don't let someone use the CHEAP word in your store. Keep your heads up... We've still got something people want, our job is to make them feel like it's affordable for the return of investment.

[Paul Perkinson]

Once again Rodney's words are sage. Sorry, I don't know how to pull his quote in down here except the old-fashioned way: "yes, if you already have a captive audience and client base , it might be wise to add to your production facilities and capture market share if the business is out there and your opposition is folding like flies."

We've been adding new capabilities rather steadily as some of our competition closes their doors. Work is up this year beyond all hopes and expectations. We have had weeks where at least one of us was working all around the clock and as many as 8 of us at one time working one project or another to get them out on time. Hey - it's a family business and some people work while they're hanging around waiting on food ;-)

For what it's worth... we are now servicing some customers that we approached over 5 years ago originally and it has taken this long to get their business. I'm sure part of it is due to some of our competition melting away, but some of these customers have told us that until a place has been in business for at least x number of years (seems to be around 2 or 3 usually) they can't afford to take a chance on them. This business climate may change that some (for the better), but if you can hang in there...

As has been posted several times recently by others... look for things people NEED. Prior to this year signage made up about 10% of our business. This year it is about 85% and we are just beginning to learn the ropes.

Many congratulations to everyone else doing well during these tougher times. I would love to take credit, but in our case it is more Divine Intervention than anything else.

[Ramon Carrizosa]

We have had the best start to a new year than in the last 15 years. Our primary business is: product design, prototyping and cnc machining.