how to go about attaining clintel

[christwo]

i am in the process of starting a new upholstery buisness in bath springs tennessee, my shop is about finished, i have everything i need but now i just need to get customers. i dont really know anybody in the area i just see a big market for upholstrey. there are alot of marinas in the surrounding area as well as car dealerships and plenty of restaraunts. i dont really know how to go about getting buisness, i plan to print out a bunch of cards, and kind of just go to different establishments and leave cards. how did you guys go about getting buisness in the beginning?

[byhammerandhand]

That's sort of a tough question without your knowing where you want your business to go.   Are you looking for commercial work or residential work?  Furniture or auto/marine?  High end or low end? Reupholster or repair?  To designers, consumers, or businesses? Or do you know?   Or do you care?  Or are you going to be flexible enough to let your demand dictate where your business goes?  I would probably guess everyone here has established their own niche and flourished there.  I do 90% B2B with recurring customers, so doing something like a booth at a home show would not be effective for me.  Some of my competitors tend to do a lot of advertising and marketing to get the one-off end user and charge them 4 times as much.

And despite lax standards in the texting and internet world, look carefully at grammar and spelling.  To me, slips there indicate a potential for sloppy workmanship.  I've often said that I would never hire a mason with "Masonary Work" on the side of their pickup.  If they don't know enough how to spell their trade, I don't want them.

[christwo]

I'm actually very literate and intellectual, but i didn't really see the immediate cause for grammar accuracy, and further more whats grammar have to do with upholstery anyways. i wanted to gear it towards auto, marine, not necessarily low end, but not custom high end either. i want to do commercial and residential, the only thing i want to kind of stay away from in the beginning is furniture. Was my spelling better this time that I actually, took my time? ;]

[MinUph]

  It sounds like you have a decent plan by visiting marinas, car places etc. Face to face is the best way to make acquaintances especially in business. You might offer a referral discount or gift valid for a few months to customers you do pick up. Send them 20 bucks or a dinner gift certificate or something for referring a friend.
  Word of mouth will take awhile but it is the best you can get. Do great work and the rest will follow.

[christwo]

i like the referral idea, i think ill have to try to utilize that. word of mouth out here i know is going to be key, thats why i figure regardless of if the establisments supply the buisness, if anything they may at least be referrals

[baileyuph]

i am in the process of starting a new upholstery buisness in bath springs tennessee,

What you do, how well you do, will largely depend on what you can do.  By what you can do means what are your proven experiences?

Are you coming to this activity with a successful background already in some dimension of the work?

How many years have been spent in each of the dimensions of custom work?  Any professional training?

Your attributes will pay a very important role in getting clients, but what type of work you excell at will draw a specific client.  If you restore trophy winning classics, then obviously that might be your key to a successful business,  high end classic auto interiors, for example.

In general to answer the question you asked:  "how to attract clients" is based on your skills, knowledge, and experiences and the type of clients you are seeking.  You could be very successful with a particular client but perhaps not all clients.  Finding a fit between demand and what you have to offer is it, in a word.

Provide presentation describing what you bring to the business, which category of the reupholstery business are your strengths and list your experiences and qualifications in pursuing that or those categories.  If it is cars or marine work, then maybe hooking up with interior decorators/designers might not be the next step to take.

Congratulations on your start up efforts,

Doyle

[christwo]

Much thanks Doyle, i appreciate the input. furthermore I am 25 years old and do have a bit of experience, about 2 years worth in a very respected shop who monopolized its town and surrounding towns in coos bay Oregon, "The Fabric Mill". they claim i was the first person they hired and kept in 9 years, infact said they thought it was remarkable how fast i picked it up and how well i was at it. my edge in the matter, is that i am by trade a finish carpenter. it was by stroke of luck that i landed a job in upholstery in coos bay Oregon, but i did. believe it or not, close to every aspect of upholstery applies to finish carpentry as well, only the materials vary. however, the appearance of the finish job is all the same, its your name on that finish product and your work should speak for its self. when i say a job is done a job its done. i leave no room for error or mistake, infact theres a saying to go along with it as follows "measure twice, cut once" its quite simple. once i learned the ins and outs of sewing, i was almost unstopable minus the learning curve and the mistakes that followed and that still do and will follow. i had professional advice for the first 6 months that i worked there, but due to differences with the management he resigned. ultimately leaving me with every aspect of upholstery from marine, to auto, to ATV/cycles to heavy equipment, to restaurant, to commercial, to medical (hospital/ambulance), to airline related ( north bend, OR airport ) to furniture from lazy boys to antique chairs to sofas to any random imaginable fix, repair including all foam repair, reconstruction and fabrication necessary, to complete improvisation via the fact that neither one of the owners of the shop knew a lick of upholstery, bought the business as a "seemingly fun investment", and i quote. already long story short, experience isn't extensive, but i know ill be fine once i start, i just need to get started heh. word spreads like wild fire, and this i know. this is just a big step for me, so I'm rightfully nervous, not doubtful, just.. nervous. we are our own biggest critics and if you aren't, well.. you should be. all we have is our name and our word, so i figure those principals alone will make this business successful. please excuse my ramble, but here are some pictures of just a couple jobs i have pictures of laying around. one is a casino booth seat for their restaurant, one is a custom fabricated hospital/ambulance gurney/stretcher pad from 2 pieces of ballistic nylon bordered in between with 3 inch webbing, filled with 1" topper foam pad, and integrated 2" symmetric webbing handles. 6 on each side, and 2 on the top and bottom as well as 4 corner 1 inch webbing straps with plastic buckle clips, as well as two centered and mirrored identical strap and buckle clip. mind you i made this from nothing more then an idea, a few parts laying around the shop and some rolls of fabric. the last picture is my very first vinyl bucket seat, had nobody in the shop who knew how to do one or the first thing about it. i was asked if i thought that i could handle it, not knowing if i could i said yes. i had to completely reconstruct the entire right side of the foam work and make a new vinyl cover with close to no pattern and a digital camera. took pictures every step of the way for reference and figured it out. mind you i was not happy with the wrinkles in the headrest, but the shop insisted in leaving it and sending it as is, lack of pride in my opinion and was very disappointing for me.

[phoenix]

i get a chuckle listening to the newbies...good luck in your endeavor. put down the coffee...relax! and remember...you'll always have work!lol!

[bobbin]

Christwo, you have to know your "target market" before you will be successful marketing to them.  Seems to me, from what you've written, that you know what veins you wish to mine in your immediate area.  I appreciate the difficulty of establishing a clientele that returns reliably and is well connected enough to ensure that your name and your manifest skills are passed along the "grapevine" to others in need of your service.  Only time and your own quality work can do that for you. 

I urge you to ponder your reply to BHAH, however.  If you don't fully appreciate the importance of grammar, spelling, proper punctuation, etc. you are automatically telling those people who value those things that you are not their "go to contractor".  Reread your reply to byhammerandhand and think very carefully about your assertion that you're actually "very literate and intellectual".  I count several very basic errors (which is not to say I don't make errors myself!).  Food for thought, nothing more.

[byhammerandhand]

Just one more thought: Don't burn your bridges.

Even though I'm in a metro area of more than 1.5 million, I still see the same small community of retailers, designers, movers, etc., that move between place to place.

[bobbin]

Great advice, BHAH!

Over the years I have had several customers whose backs I've been only to glad to see, lol.  I've "held my tongue" more than a few times over the years always summoning the advice that, "every difficult transaction presents an opportunity to forge a stronger business relationship".  Sometimes you can't salvage anything and telling someone to "get stuffed" is perfectly legitimate... but every time you do that there will be a "ripple effect" and when you're starting out it's wise to avoid creating "ripples".  I prefer the following protocol:  particularly difficult customers (those with a "history")are told that I'm so busy their work will be 45-60 days out.  If they're willing to wait I''m willing to "schedule them", but "reserve seating" requires a 50% deposit.  I make sure I accommodate them within the stated terms. 

I have told a very "elite" group of  customers that I have no desire to deal with them ever again.  I can count them on the fingers of one hand (and I've told my friends in the trade to watch out for them, too). 

Good work and a desire to to the "right thing" for your clientele is the way to build  your business.  Every difficult "customer relation" situation presents the opportunity to:
1.)  Piss someone off (rightly or wrongly)
2.)  Resolve an uncomfortable issue and send a happy customer out into the world singin' your praises. 

The best advertising is "word of mouth".  It's also the cheapest!

[christwo]

I really didn't mean any disrespect on the comment to AHAH. I guess what was intended to be said was that I do understand and value the importance of minor detail like grammar. Regardless, I do still appreciate the input for its all contributing factors, I just felt the thread was being sidetracked from the outcome I intended. When I am inquiring the input of those I feels experience would prove helpful I guess I let my grammar guard down, and didn't expect it to leave me open for analysis, but I do see the points made. Bare with me guys, my nerves are kind of shot throughout this whole process, heh. Its almost overwhelming in a sense, but I know the end result will prove gratifying. This all presents more questions to me too, like for instance: should i gradually work my way up to a set hourly rate and offer cheaper work in the beginning for the mere recognition and experience? And hypothetically, if i were to be presented a job that I wasn't necessarily sure that I could handle, would you guys suggest finding another trusted tradesman in the area and subcontract work just to help build the name? If i did do that, does he set the price, or do I? I guess it would be dependent on the sub contractor.

[byhammerandhand]

I learned long before I started my own business, there are three keys to business success.  Lack of any one of them is going to spell doom (the Anna Karenina Principle)

• A product or service people want


• Cash (to cushion your cash flow and keep the business going)


• Good management, not only of employees, but of business relations, finance, time, and marketing

A couple of more options that may work for you:

A buddy of mine was in Business Network International ( http://www.bni.com/ ).   It was a small group of 8-12 people, all in different disciplines, that referred business to each other.   Each week, they would meet for breakfast, have a short presentation (normally "this is my business and what I do."), and note referrals that they've given to other members of the group.  The group I looked at had a lawyer, a real estate agent, a Lexus sales rep, a building repair contractor, etc.    It was not for me, but if you "don't know anyone," it would be worthwhile to pyramid up your contacts.   Informally, I have built up my contact list with painters, leather repair guys, general handyman contractors, caners, glass shops, suppliers, etc.   We all refer each other out when something is needed outside our discipline.   Just last night, I ran into a customer that had a friend with her.  I had referred my customer to a leather repair guy, which she had referred to her friend and was reporting he did a great job for her.

SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) has free counselors and nominally-priced seminars that may help with your start up.  Here is a seminar notice that I just got:

"So You Want To Start Your Own Business"

To pre-register please click here
 
Is your dream to start your own business.? This seminar will provide you with the basics that you need to know to start a business. It will also will tell you how to find the resources to evaluate your business idea and bring it to reality.

Don't wait! Space is limited in this FREE seminar.


Is your dream to start your own business in 2010? This seminar will provide you with the basics that you need to know to start a business. It will also will tell you how to find the resources to evaluate your business idea and bring it to reality.

Don't wait! Space is limited in this FREE seminar. 
Topics covered in this seminar are:

1. A skills assessment to to help you determine if running your own business is right for you.
2. Some of the myths about running your own business.
3. How to develop your idea and identify your customers.
4. How to develop a marketing and sales plan.
5. What your need to know about financing your business - especially cash flow.
6. How to fund your business.
7. Options to starting a business.
8. How to find the right resources.   

[kodydog]

Good post BHAH.
My wife and I contacted SCORE. Our mentor reviewed our business and told us the first thing we need to do is get the heck out of Live Oak Fl.

One thing you can do is tell every one you meet what you are proposing to do. Give them the feeling of confidence. Make sure to leave them feeling their lives will be enhanced by by hiring you to work for them.

[scottymc]

Much thanks Doyle, i appreciate the input. furthermore I am 25 years old and do have a bit of experience, about 2 years worth in a very respected shop who monopolized its town and surrounding towns in coos bay Oregon, "The Fabric Mill". they claim i was the first person they hired and kept in 9 years, infact said they thought it was remarkable how fast i picked it up and how well i was at it. my edge in the matter, is that i am by trade a finish carpenter. it was by stroke of luck that i landed a job in upholstery in coos bay Oregon, but i did. believe it or not, close to every aspect of upholstery applies to finish carpentry as well, only the materials vary. however, the appearance of the finish job is all the same, its your name on that finish product and your work should speak for its self. when i say a job is done a job its done. i leave no room for error or mistake, infact theres a saying to go along with it as follows "measure twice, cut once" its quite simple. once i learned the ins and outs of sewing, i was almost unstopable minus the learning curve and the mistakes that followed and that still do and will follow. i had professional advice for the first 6 months that i worked there, but due to differences with the management he resigned. ultimately leaving me with every aspect of upholstery from marine, to auto, to ATV/cycles to heavy equipment, to restaurant, to commercial, to medical (hospital/ambulance), to airline related ( north bend, OR airport ) to furniture from lazy boys to antique chairs to sofas to any random imaginable fix, repair including all foam repair, reconstruction and fabrication necessary, to complete improvisation via the fact that neither one of the owners of the shop knew a lick of upholstery, bought the business as a "seemingly fun investment", and i quote. already long story short, experience isn't extensive, but i know ill be fine once i start, i just need to get started heh. word spreads like wild fire, and this i know. this is just a big step for me, so I'm rightfully nervous, not doubtful, just.. nervous. we are our own biggest critics and if you aren't, well.. you should be. all we have is our name and our word, so i figure those principals alone will make this business successful. please excuse my ramble, but here are some pictures of just a couple jobs i have pictures of laying around. one is a casino booth seat for their restaurant, one is a custom fabricated hospital/ambulance gurney/stretcher pad from 2 pieces of ballistic nylon bordered in between with 3 inch webbing, filled with 1" topper foam pad, and integrated 2" symmetric webbing handles. 6 on each side, and 2 on the top and bottom as well as 4 corner 1 inch webbing straps with plastic buckle clips, as well as two centered and mirrored identical strap and buckle clip. mind you i made this from nothing more then an idea, a few parts laying around the shop and some rolls of fabric. the last picture is my very first vinyl bucket seat, had nobody in the shop who knew how to do one or the first thing about it. i was asked if i thought that i could handle it, not knowing if i could i said yes. i had to completely reconstruct the entire right side of the foam work and make a new vinyl cover with close to no pattern and a digital camera. took pictures every step of the way for reference and figured it out. mind you i was not happy with the wrinkles in the headrest, but the shop insisted in leaving it and sending it as is, lack of pride in my opinion and was very disappointing for me.

Since your a literary genius mate, could you use a few paragraphs as it all goes a bit bla bla bla after the second line,  ;D