Slow Economy? Not Here!

[Tim Bateson]

Who says the economy is slow or that cheap lasers will run us all out of business? After building my part-time business for just under 4 years now, I've Stopped all web advertisements, Stopped all eBay sales, Neglected my Website and Facebook page, nearly Doubled my fees, refer work to others, Turn work down, Lost work to others, am only available a few hours a day...... and my work load seems to increase several fold each month. I can remember going months between jobs, now my front hallway is stacked with 8 jobs all in the queue. Just as quick as I get one job done, there seems to be 2 more. If I take no more orders I MAY finished the current workload in 2-2 1/2 weeks. I NEED 30 HOURS in a day, please!

I know someone will ask so here is what's selling: Engraved ball bats, Cermarking Stainless Steel canisters, Crystal awards - all shape & sizes, Crafts, Trophies, Granite memorial (8 foot long for 9-11), Office Name Plates, Leather objects, Wood - custom objects, Dog Tags, Color Laser Transfers... That's what's hot this week - it changes a lot.

I love doing this kind of work & look forward to doing it full-time in a few years. That's if I don't burn out before then.

A 9th & 10th job came in while writing this post...

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Way to go Tim!!!! Glad to here there are others busy also. You seam to have a good variety in your orders.

Had my valley for a few months. Even though Texas is in a drought, it's pouring down at our shop, Thank you Lord!!!! You know how it is sometimes....when it rains it pours. Looks like someone in the Gulf will get plenty soon.

Insert inconspicuous side note here -Your 3mm is on its way today.

Thanks again and ...

[David Fairfield]

^5 Tim. I remember when you couldn't get a break. Glad your persistence paid off.

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/DaveKrakow/presson.jpg

[Martin Boekers]

Nice Dave!

In St Louis we had a player and later a coach. He wasn't the best in natural talent but a harder worker as well as
persistant you would find none better. One of my favorite quotes was "Hard work is a talent also" when he was
questioned about some of the players capabilities. His name was Brian Sutter.

[Scott Woodson]

Tim,

How are you engraving baseball bats and 8 foot items with an Epilog Mini24????

Scott

[Tim Bateson]

...How are you engraving baseball bats and 8 foot items with an Epilog Mini24????...

It's all an illusion / sleight of hand!

The ball bats – pulled off the front and created a simple jig to hold them level. The 8 foot (actually 90 inches for the base another 10 inches for the header) memorial will be cut in 11.25 inch segments to make them symmetric – cutting is on this afternoon’s tasking list.

[Dee Gallo]

Enjoy your hard earned success, Tim! It's great to hear you are doing well and still enjoying it!

[Scott Woodson]

It's all an illusion / sleight of hand!

The ball bats – pulled off the front and created a simple jig to hold them level. The 8 foot (actually 90 inches for the base another 10 inches for the header) memorial will be cut in 11.25 inch segments to make them symmetric – cutting is on this afternoon’s tasking list.

Wow, better than my solution of cutting a hole in the side :-)

[Mike Null]

Tim

I remember when you were questioning even owning your machine. Glad to hear it's going well.

Mine has been that way too and I've hired help several times this year and will have to have somebody nearly half of September. My year is in as of now. (last yearwas a bummer though)

I have been turning away retail business all summer to better take care of my commercial accounts.

[Rodne Gold]

Well done Tim.
All goes to show you CAN make some boodle with a laser , but it doesn't come easy or quick and requires dedication and hard slog initially.

[Keith Outten]

Tim,

Congratulations, it seems you have found a marketing strategy that is working perfectly.
Even if it took awhile to get things moving in the right direction the wait and the work are worth it now.

There are a thousand reasons to quit and only one reason to keep moving forward.

Great News!!!
.

[Jeff Belany]

Really glad to see some of you are having a good year. I moved my laser shop into a newly remodeled storefront in a prime downtown location (for my little town), hopeing that with more traffic, business would increase. Since I now had a lot more space I added a consignment Gift Shoppe featuring local artwork. Well, lots of people -- locals, tourists, all day long, everyone telling me how nice the building looks (had been vacant for several years) and how beautiful all the art & products are. Then they wave and out the door! I feel like I'm running a museum. Very frustrating. My only hope at this point is that business this fall and Christmas season will pick up.(quite a few people comment that many items would make nice Christmas gifts) If not, it's going to be a COLD, COLD winter.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Scott Challoner]

If not, it's going to be a COLD, COLD winter.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

Jeff

Isn't it always a cold, cold winter up there?:D

But seriously Tim...
I remember your post from a few years ago too. I remember thinking we were in the exact same boat. Glad to hear you're doing well. My business has picked up considerably too. And hang in there Jeff. Attrition (and marketing) seems to be the key. Hold on until word gets around.

[Joe Pelonio]

Great to hear you are doing so well, Tim, hopefully it keeps up!

I was just thinking today that we're in for a little more competition when I saw laser photo engraving offered at the Wal-Mart in the sleepy little town of Sequim, WA. I didn't ask the price nor could I tell if it was done in-house or sent out.

[David Fairfield]

I'm really glad that Tim hasn't followed up with a punch line! I was sort of expecting one, based on Tim's experience clawing his way up. :)

As far as Walmart goes, I'd figure it can't hurt. Puts the idea in people's heads and Walmart will screw up or turn down enough custom orders to have their customers seek out a professional.

Dave

[Bill Cunningham]

I'm really glad that Tim hasn't followed up with a punch line! I was sort of expecting one, based on Tim's experience clawing his way up. :)

As far as Walmart goes, I'd figure it can't hurt. Puts the idea in people's heads and Walmart will screw up or turn down enough custom orders to have their customers seek out a professional.

Dave

That's the way I look at it.. There are lots of 'trophy' shops around that have lasers. This doesn't mean they know how to use one for custom jobs.. All of my work is custom, other than a simple yellowpages ad, and my website, I do not advertise at all, and probably turn down a dozen or more jobs a week.. Having too much work, can kill your business as quickly as having too little. Only about 2% of my business walks through the front door of my shop, and all the rest is via my existing customers, and new internet sales. The work is out there, you just have to be around long enough, that people start seeing your business on every related google search.

[Tim Bateson]

That's the way I look at it.. There are lots of 'trophy' shops around that have lasers. This doesn't mean they know how to use one for custom jobs.. All of my work is custom, other than a simple yellowpages ad, and my website, I do not advertise at all, and probably turn down a dozen or more jobs a week.. Having too much work, can kill your business as quickly as having too little. Only about 2% of my business walks through the front door of my shop, and all the rest is via my existing customers, and new internet sales. The work is out there, you just have to be around long enough, that people start seeing your business on every related google search.

Bill, There is so much truth and wisdom there. Doing the simple things will keep business flowing to some degree. Craftsmanship/Quality, Availability (turn-around time), Courtesy/Value (I’ve removed the hints in this portion – trade secrets ;-) ), a phone on your hip (for calls from the boss – wife), and TIME – lots of time like good wine or a good chili (another specialty & secret as well).
I work out of my house, so I have zero walk in customers. Referrals, my website, and Google account for all of my business, that and customers that come back over & over. I have no illusions that this current abundance of work will continue indefinitely, but it does tell me I’m doing something right & gives me hope that a full-time business is a real possibility in the future.

[Jiten Patel]

Well done mate, that sounds fantastic. I can completely understand the feeling. My wife and I set up and went live 7 months ago. We expected to break even after 18 months! 14 weeks after we set up we paid off our machine, and all other loans and have been reeling it in ever since. We have gone from being a no-name company to know to everyone in the wedding industry is the 7 months. Celebrity clients too! Loving it! 2012 is going to be epic!

[Mike Null]

Jit

With your talent you were a "sure thing".

[Jiten Patel]

Cheers Mike, but there are many many people on here with some serious talents that make me look like a monkey clapping cymbals!