Help!

[jojo]

Hey guys, I'm miserable and I need help. Business slowed down so much for the winter that I had to take a 9-5 job. As you all can imagine, it's so hard to work for someone else after you've been your own boss.
My niche (determined by my customers, not me) is boat covers and marine upholstery. I live in Northeastern PA, and we have cold snowy winters. Everybody shrink wraps their boats at the end of October.
I've tried to offer discount incentives to anybody who thinks to take their seats out before they shrink wrap their boats. I sent out mailers to restaurants and doctor's offices offering my services. I got a few bites, but certainly not enough to sustain myself.
I've gotta get out of this job! What else can I do to drum up business?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[kodydog]

Hang in there Jojo, spring is right around the corner and now is the time to get geared up.

I'm not a boat person but I don't see the correlation between doctors, restaurants and marine work. Seems like targeting marinas and boat sales lots would be more appropriate. I like to kayak in St Augustine. I noticed a guy there posted flyers at all the boat ramps. Don't know if it brings in any business but it got my attention.

Do you have a web site. I've gotten quite a lot of hits since I updated mine about 3 months ago. Around here not many other upholsterers have a web site so when someone does a search I'm near the top of the list. There are some good, free, do it yourself web site builders. Face Book For Business is another way to do on line advertising. Also any fb groups for boat people or boat repair businesses would be good to get into.

I'm all about free advertising but sometimes a paid advertisement goes a long way. Here in Florida we have a web site called On Line Fisherman. Its a very popular information page that comes out once a week. I would think there is something similar in your neck of the woods. Might be worth checking out.

Spring is the time for trade shows that could bring in some business. 

9 months ago I was in your shoes. Working at a job I couldn't stand. There is nothing like working for yourself. And when I decided to be self employed again I promised myself I'd do what ever it takes to make my business work. I spend hours each night updating my web pages. I have 5 or 6 on different sites. And its starting to pay off.

[sofadoc]

Things got a little slow for me back in the late 80's. Mainly because some local furniture factories closed, and suddenly the town was flooded with people that thought they could open their own upholstery shop.

None of them lasted very long. But for several months there wasn't enough work to go around. So I tried a few things like passing out flyers, and running ads in the local paper. Offering "DEEP" discounts!

All I discovered was.......when people ain't ready to spend money........they AIN'T ready. No amount of coaxing is going to change their minds.

That was my experience back in the days before this new fangled internet anyway. I hope you have better luck.

I know it's hard to get enthused about punching a time clock.

[jojo]

Thanks guys. Kody, I do target marinas, but the marinas are deserted in the winter. Everything closes until April. From April to September I'm absolutely swamped.
Covering restaurant booths is similar to boat seats - quick work with vinyl materials. And traditional upholstery isn't my thing. I even put out an ad in the fall offering Jeep zipper repair - something I said I would never do again! But nobody called. This is the worst winter I've had in the four years I've been in business.
Yes, sofadoc, punching a clock sucks. And I feel so nickel-and-dimed all of the time. Also, being sedentary at a desk is also killing me.

[baileyuph]

I understand Jojo, marine work here in winter is sort of like yours.  Good to hear you like marine work, so cheer up and hang in their, spring is right around the corner.

Look at the positives, there is employment now, which is very good. Because  your employer pays half of your SS conributions.  I have to pay all of mine which is a little over 15%.  Not an all bad situation.

During the meantime, just keep looking, asking questions and it might work out to where you can get some repair or new work (vinyl type) from theaters, gyms, or ..........  I had a contact this week from a wood fabrication company that makes commercial seating (not restaurant booths) using vinyl.  They then ship the products to the purchaser after vinyl seating is prepared.  Keep an eye out on what a small custom wood builder would need in the form of sewing support?  Never know.

Keep a positive outlook, it will work out, like I said right now isn't all bad.

Doyle

[JuneC]

How about cars/trucks/farm equipment?  The seats are similar to boats and the only tools you'll probably have to buy is a pair of hog ring pliers for $12.95.  Check with trim shops or put ads in CraigsList.

June

[kodydog]

Here are some free web sites you can create a page,

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ladd-upholstery-designs-high-springs

http://www.manta.com/c/mx40tzx/ladd-upholstery-designs?ftoggle-frontend-prod-on=abTests.revenue.responsive_02032015_a&utm_expid=82789632-30.NJYNlVUdTD21e-Hx75j2aA.2

This one is geared toward the interior design industry.

http://www.houzz.com/pro/edwin-northuis/__public

Also this guy has a nice face book page and pops in here once in a while,

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bayview-Canvas/139172656155816?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser

[jojo]

I do have a website and I'm the first business that pops up when you search boat covers in my town. Trouble is they're just not thinking about their boats in the winter. And of course I like Mike's page on the facebook  :). I get a few calls about cars every now and then, but the whole airbag in the seat thing scares me. I feel like I need another level of training to do these.
I wish there was some sort of product I could make and sell.

[Mike]

jojo where is yout shop on a main road? ,ome was a viible location on the lake I was at. I also tried to get winter upholstery but as you know they arnt thinking about the boat  , they just want to put it to bed,. I had a bait shop also so I did have a little cash flow but not a great thing. id set out signs in march offering a 20% discount to all work sign iin march to entice  people to dig there boats free. also I had to work my ass off 7 days a week booking signing jobs at the shop Saturday and sunday then sew allweek to get paid on Friday and start all over again. ltill one year I took a vaction to florida.

ps jojo are there any boat dealers near you that you could stop in and introduce your self to ive always donw a lot with dealer I only have one now and in rent a shop in there service center, they can keep you busy