Sowing the Seeds of Love

Even though it's the last week of the year and is typically extremely slow, the marketing work we have done has paid off. Faux finish is usually the very last thing on folks' minds this time of year, but we have had 3 appointments this week and more phone calls than that for people wanting work done. I know, I know you might be thinking we've done advertising or something like that. The real deal though is that we've done so much marketing for so long that our momentum has kept our lead flow extremely high. If you want to learn how to generate these kinds of leads for your faux finish business then contact me. As always thanks and Happy New Year!

Take our latest faux finish survey

Please click on the link below and take our latest survey.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2lp5fyvg0s61msd/start

Coming up on 2010

For all the fans and folks following the goings on with our company, Mojo Faux, we've got some really cool things in store for 2010. Stay tuned for our new website with cool new products and lots of faux finish videos and training. This is something we've been workin on for a while so thanks for everyone's patience who's been expecting it.

What you thankful for?

Much as we love faux finish and small business there are still other things that mean more to us than those things. As we come into the Thanksgiving holiday let's give thanks. First, to Jesus Christ who is the creator of everything. He's the one who saves me and gives me life. To my amazing wife, kids, and extended family you are all so incredible in every way. You're so good I couldn't have dreamed of you. Friends and my church. You all blow my mind with your love and service. See, there is so much to be grateful for. Everyone have an awesome Thanksgiving.

Excellent feedback so far

The information provided so far on the faux finish training survey has been fabulous. This is helping provide us with critical information to better serve you. Please take it at:

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2mvgjfag26dqhaz/start

If you haven't already.

Faux finish survey is still on

We've gotten a lot of feedback so far. If you haven't taken the survey yet on faux finish training please do so at:

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2mvgjfag26dqhaz/start

Thanks!!!!

Remember to take the survey

Just a quick reminder if you haven't already to take our online faux finish training survey. All you need to do is click the link below:

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2mvgjfag26dqhaz/start

Faux finish training survey

Please take our latest faux finish training survey at:

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2mvgjfag26dqhaz/start

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me....Extremely Excited!!!!

I know. I know. You've heard the stories about the ants that gather and prepare for the winter. Turn on the news or financial show and you'll hear the gurus talk about the need to save. As faux finishers we know that there are typically ups and downs throughout the year. We go from 0 to 60 in a day. From nothing on the books to 2 months booked out in a few days. In order to weather this storm I've got a couple of recommendations.

1) Get out of debt!
2) Get a 6 month emergency fund in place
3) When you are not doing actual work pound the pavement for lead generation.

This blog is for those of us in the faux finish industry, but I think this advice will work for anyone. As always have a fabulous day!

Time for a break!!! Halloween

We work a bunch. Life is not about work despite what our world and culture tell us. Of the whole person work is a small part of us. This is a new mindset for me. I used to be weighted so much toward work. Now I try to put it in it's rightful place. Segregation of things is really, really great. I mean of the different areas of our lives. So...I'm gonna shut it down and be with my family. Hanging out with friends and my fam. Dressing up as the "swine flu" today too. Have an amazing day!

Ande on TV!

Ande's gonna be on T.V. in just a few minutes between 1230pm and 1pm on Channel 4 here in Middle TN. Check it out if you get a chance!

Doing our own stuff

Ande's upstairs working on our top secret room. We'll be doin' the reveal very soon. Stay tuned for details!

Take the first online "Faux Finish Survey"

You and your opinion are so incredibly valuable to us. Please share your insight and take our first online faux finish survey. Just go to:

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2lp3t5mg0s4wc7s/_tmp/questions?continue=Continue+%3E

Thanks for your participation!

The Faux Dude

On my days off

Today is a "day off". But if you are a small business owner then you know that "days off" come very rarely. We do schedule times when we abandon the phones and laptops. Weekends are also usually somewhat sacred ground. The thing is though that on a "day off" there are so many other things to do besides the work. My favorite duty is to do marketing. Today I am calling people in our database I've gotten bids out to but haven't been in direct contact with for a while. On my next "day off" I think I'll go by some of our referral partners' places and try to stir up some leads. Remember. If you want your biz to grow and you want to keep busy then treat your "days off" as an opportunity to redirect your energies and attention and make something else happen.

Another busy week

This week is gonna be slammed. Ande's got two private lessons, and then there's a bunch of personal stuff we've got going on. Our upstairs is getting transformed into the coolest dance studio on the planet complete with mirrors, disco ball/ceiling fan, hardwood dance floors, and a stretch bar. I'll show you when it's completed. Of course, Ande is gonna do some faux too. If you've been to our house the old upstairs room was kinda boring. This one's gonna be the bomb!

New Promotional Video - Watch This Video!

Just put this video together for our website. It'll be on there in the next couple of days. This is a great representation of what we do. Check it out when you get a chance. See ya' later. Love you. Bye, bye.

Finished Job

Dut, dut, duh...another one bites the dust, dut, dut, dut...another one bites the dust...and another one down...and another one down...and you know the rest of the story. This is that really cool textured finish that the Faux Pro was working on recently.

The Nerve!!!

Saw a faux finish social network yesterday and they "Membership by invitation only" on the home page. It's one thing to provide a service where you charge people because the advice is valuable. It's a totally different thing to setup these little clicks where hoity-toity decorative painters make each other feel important by comparing each other's. In the world of male egos one would say "Mine's bigger than yours". Not quite sure what you call it in this world other than arrogance.

Faux Finish From The Faux Maux

You asked for it and here it is. Strangely I feel like I'm introducing the next act at Barnum and Bailey. And why do I feel that way? Because she is just that talented! That's why. Lots and lots of work going on these days and here's some of it for you to check out.

Whooo...business is crazy! Here's what we've been up to

Sorry it's been weeks or months or so since I've updated this thing. So, for anyone keeping track we've done several cabinet jobs, some faux, and other stuff. Ande and my little girl are out of the house right now so I've got some time to put up some videos. Ande was also on Danny Lipford's Homefront show this week. Check it out at http://www.dannylipford.com/homefront/. Here are some videos for ya' to watch too!

Dance Room Faux Finish



Didn't Know You Could Do That To Regular Ole Wood Cabinets...YEP YOU CAN!!!!!

The Truth About Cabinet Refinishing

We get lots of calls for refinishing cabinets. Most people seem to have an idea that the process is very simple. Others understand that it takes time, much of which is dry-time and getting to the site, but are not quite clear on the amount of work it takes to make them look magazine-worthy. One thing that I think is pretty common is the misconception that many cabinets cannot be refinished. When doing a kitchen renovation a lot of folks get quotes for various ways to replace their cabinets. New cabinet and refacing companies will often tell people about the perils of getting their old cabinets painted, glazed, or fauxed. The truth of the matter is that a faux finish can be done on just about any surface. The key is knowing the right products and techniques to use. At our company we have worked with melamine, MDF, laminates, and, of course, various types of wood. There are rare instances where we've had to tell our prospects that they need to get new doors or look for another option. Most of the time it's because there's a product on the cabinets that is bubbling, and will probably make it very difficult or impossible for us to sand out well. If you are a faux finisher or offer cabinet refinishing and your prospect is skiddish about getting their cabinets redone then just look online for examples of how their types of cabinets were transformed into something amazing.

Video recording tomorrow - faux finish with real actors

Tomorrow is definitely going to be an exciting day. We are recording a commercial for some up-and-coming faux painting video stuff. All of you fans and friends are gonna love this stuff. Stay tuned for the Faux Pro on the big (and maybe even some little) screen.

"Psycho"-Delic Music Studio Faux Finish - Before and After Videos

I know it's not polite to brag, but come on. The Faux Pro has really outdone herself this time. Watch the videos below and see the amazing transformation. Never knew entire walls could be art? Well, it you know what you're doing they sure can. This entire finish was done with our Faux A Good Time product, Can't Be "Suede".

The Before Video



The Middle-of-it Video



The After Video



Detailed After Video

Wait till you see the next faux finish

Ande is working on an incredible faux finish this week in a new music studio. Any of you familiar with Teal Underground, it's that but with a psychedelic twist. Stay tuned for the before and afters in a few days.

Ande does a private faux finish lesson

The Faux Pro is at it again. She did a private lesson today with a student all the way from Cali. She learned several of Ande's finish in a one-on-one intensive day lesson. See what she has to say.

Just Finished Cabinet Refinishing Job - New Video

Some of you have been asking about this. Now here are the after videos for the project we just completed. Wowwww!!!!!

Ande to be interviewed on Danny Lipman's show - Saturday, July 11

As if things weren't already going extremely well, Ande will be interviewed next Saturday morning between 9am and 11am on the Danny Lipman Homefront Radio Show. Danny is a home improvement guru with appearances in the New York Times and on numerous television shows including CBS' The Early Show, Rachel Ray, and Regis and Kelly. The show is on more than 80 radio stations across the country. To listen to the interview go to http://www.dannylipford.com/homefront/ for the live show.

Current Project - Before Videos

Here is the project we are currently working on. Check out the before video so you can see what the cabinets started out as. We will be completing this project the first of next week. I'll be posting the after videos so you can see the amazing transformation. Stay tuned friends!

Enhance your marketing with viral video

I just put together a short minute-and-a-half viral video with a few client testimonials. There are a couple of other videos for our company on Youtube now. This is the first one with customers giving their thoughts about us though. One of the videos has gotten about 4,000 hits. A lot of these, I'm sure, have turned into traffic for the site. Viral videos are extremely effective as far as getting you more exposure and helping create leads. The one I just did was recorded on a new Flip Camera Mino HD that I bought recently and edited with some simple and affordable video editing software. When you get a moment check it out online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfhxkcQUElc. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or recommendations.

The Faux Finishers ROI Guide

Being in the industry and running a successful business I've had a lot of faux finishers ask how much to charge for doing finishes. The answer to this isn't a simple, short one or two sentence thing. First of all you have to answer a couple questions. One is: How much do I consider my skills to be worth? The fact is that it is different for everyone. It also varies by region of the country. A faux finisher in Los Angeles might be able to demand more or less than one in Wichita. It may also be based on your level of experience and the intrinsic value that you put on what you do. Maybe you offer finishes that are notnoffered by anyone else, or at least, anyone in your area. If that's the case then you could charge a premium. Then there's the economy part of it. In an up economy you might be able to get more than a down economy. As you've read before I'm not a chicken little type when it comes to down times and recessions and all. Another part of the equation comes from how much you have invested in the ENTIRE process. When I say investment you have to think about the time you put into it as well as the money you spend on your business and supplies to get the sale. So, now I'm going break it down for you. The following is a pretty good list of the line items and components involved in costing out your faux finish job.

-Regular business expenses a. Taxes (income, sales, local, etc.) - There might be several that apply b. Business licenses c. Marketing expenses - This would include your website, advertising, brochures, business cards, etc. d. Accounting expenses - Any costs you have associated with accounting software, bookkeeping, or using an accounting professional e. Supplies/Operations expenses - You do samples to show clients, buy brushes, rollers, sundries, etc. f. Miscellaneous expenses - There are other things that come up.

These would be specific to your business. Now that we have covered that we should now consider the entire order of things from getting a lead to finishing the project.

- Getting the lead You find prospective clients or they find you. This could be a referral from someone, answering an ad you've put out, finding you through a Google search, or another means. Sometimes there's a cost to this and sometimes the referral may come about at no cost. It is, however, something to consider in the equation.

- Meeting with the client for sales consults. In this case you could have several types of expenses. Gas and vehicle, samples to help get the business, etc. Then you have the time you spend with the prospect. Figure up how much that is (including all of the things you do with regards to selling them) and then multiply that time by the value you have placed on an our of your skills.

-Preparing for the job. Once you land the project then you have some more work to do. There could be more meetings with samples, you will have to order supplies and buy tools, and you will have to make sure your deposits and paperwork are squared away (time). There are obviously both hard costs and soft costs associated with this step. -Doing the job. Now that you've gotten the work you will have the expense of travelling to the job and the actual time it takes to complete it. You might also have to get more supplies and tools as you get into it.

-Post job. Even though the finishing is finished you still have some stuff to do afterwards. This could include going back to do touch ups, invoicing and collecting on the remainder of the project payment, follow up calls and thank yous, etc.

As you can see there are lots of moving parts when it comes to landing, completing, and tying up loose ends for a faux finish or cabinet refinishing job. For more information or questions feel free to email me at thefauxguy@gmail.com.

Consortiums, Associations, & High Society Blah, Blah

If you've been in the world of faux finish for long you might have figured out that some in the industry look at it and themselves as elitists. In a tough economy pomp and arrogance take a back seat to value, innovation, and quality. All that matters to people trying to sell their home that's taken a hit on value, or those who are trying to ride out the abyssmal housing market is that they get something that differentiates their house from others, but in a good and economical way. In terms of the faux finish business, the things to focus on now are not stroking each others' egos as much as it is coming up with sensible, client-oriented solutions. If I were a faux finisher short on business here are some things I would recommend doing.

1) Offer savings-based solutions such as cabinet refinishing, finishes on fireplaces, and altneratives for backplashes. You can still satisfy your clients' needs for something new and fresh. These can be really profitable for you as well.

2) Develop as many deep referral partners as you can. The nose in the air needs to come back down to earth. Some of your greatest business associates can be folks like cabinet makers, countertop companies, and carpenters.

3) Keep your organization lean. Spend any extra dollars on marketing. Again, don't let your ego get in the way of good sense. Deciding on renting a space for $3,000 a month or pocketing the profits should be a no-brainer. We are small business owners and one of our motivations (including great work, having fun, etc.) is to make a decent pay check. You and I are not General Motors. Our bail out plan is called elbow grease and some genuine low-budget creativity.

As always thanks for taking some time to check out our blog. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any other questions.

Ande the Faux Pro at it again!

Here are some pics from the latest job Ande finished in downtown Nashville. You gotta love this stuff.

More Private Lessons This Week

Ande the Faux Pro is at it again. She is about to wrap up the amazing faux finish project in downtown Nashville. Today is all about private cabinet refinishing lessons. Ben from Alabama is here learning how to do the really cool and marketable finishes that has won Ande the great reputation she has in Middle Tennessee and beyond. Anyone interested in private faux finishing lessons should call or email me, The Faux Guy, at thefauxguy@gmail.com. As always check us out online at www.mojofaux.com.

Private Lessons Take Faux Training To A New Intimate Level

When you try to learn anything there are tons of options. You can check out a book from the library. That's convenient, but impersonal. Videos and audio books are the same. You could also sit in a classroom. While this is great for hands-on and collaborative benefits you will also be in a class with other people. That can be a good or bad thing. Another option is to have someone train you one-on-one how to do something. That's what we are doing. My lovely and beautiful wife has been doing private lessons. Even though the investment is a little more than a live class you have the full attention of an expert. For more information on our faux finish services, training, and decorative painting products check us out at www.mojofaux.com.

New blood, new perspective

Like most people in our industry, we are always looking for the new angle on business. I am a firm believer in leveraging referral partner relationships to get leads. The fact is that over time if you keep dipping into the same well it can become dry. Becaus of all the information we get calling or emailing people too much can start to look a little too much like stalking. Today I got out of the box and went around to several businesses to meet new people and mix it up. With samples in hand the folks I met were warm and welcoming. I love meeting new people being a people collector. A few of them said that they have clients asking for our types of services. Now it's just time to nurture these relationships. This is just confirmation that when things get slow it's time to start marketing. As always check out our faux finish site when you get a moment.

A price comparison of new cabinets, refacing, refinishing, and training

There is so much information out there about everything. Finding good credible, reliable, and honest insight is tough. With regards to the options for kitchen cabinets it is high time that somebody cleared the air. Here's the deal.

New Cabinets
-Creates a huge mess
-Installation can take a long time
-Good only if your existing cabinets are way, way too far gone
-Costs $25,000 on the low end and goes much higher from there

Cabinet Refacing
-Provides a "cheap" alternative to getting new cabinets
-Can take a while to get installed
-Cost is usually between $12,000 and $20,000, but can go up from there

Cabinet Refinishing
-Little mess
-Projects are usually finished in 4 to 6 days
-Uses existing cabinet base
-Investment of only $3,000 to $5,000 for most kitchens

Cabinet Refinishing Class
-Same benefits as cabinet refinishing
-Can use finishes you learn to also transform kitchen vanities and furniture
-With Mojo Faux Finishes, total cost for class + supplies is only between $600 and $800!

As you can tell I am a fan of cabinet refinishing. For more info call or email us!

Faux finish dictionary. Funny stuff

So we live in the Nashville, Tennessee area. I thought it might be appropriate in the spirit of songwriting and punnyness to do a short series of terms that we have come up with that have the word "faux" in them. With the industry having such a stuffy reputation (not everyone, just some) this will give us permission to let our hair down and have some fun with this. The first word is:

Fauxcuss (fow-cuss): The obscenities one blurts out when one falls short of the desired finish one wishes to achieve. Example: I tried and tried to mimick the 48-layered look that my client said she wanted on her 54 vaulted ceiling. Despite my efforts everything I did fell short of it. In fact I was so angry that I began to fauxcuss, and just let it fly. Now I feel much better.

If you have any puns you'd like to share it would be great! Feel free to send them to me and we'll get them posted.

"Cool and Amazing Cabinet Finishes" class coming up!

The Faux Pro is at it again. On March 6 and 7, she will be teaching a class called "Cool and Amazing Cabinet Finishes". It will be held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Besides the 8 great looks that students will learn the training will also include:

1) Breakfast
2) Lunch
3) Tools and supplies for the class
4) 8 samples to take home and blow your significant other's mind!

For more info or to get signed up all you need to do is go to:

http://estore.websitepros.com/2037472/Categories.bok?category=Live+Classes

Latest custom cabinet refinishing work - Check this out!

Here is a new set of cabinets we finished last week. You gotta love this stuff.

Private faux finish lessons

This week we are doing something really cool. Ande, the Faux Pro, is giving private lessons to a business in our area. It is going to be sort of a mentoring/training thing at their place. Private lessons are great for so may reasons.

1) It is all about one-on-one attention. The customer gets so much love and attention and they so enjoy that.

2) It is more flexible than a classroom setting. The customer can ask questions and you can be more specific in teaching them.

3) Private lessons are a great way to increase your income!

If you are interested in getting private faux finish lessons or want to know more about it email me at thefauxguy@gmail.com.

Learn how to get more business!

This week is the final week to sign up for our small business marketing class coming up on Saturday. If you want to learn 5 proven methods to grow your business then you will definitely want to attend. For more info or to sign up go to:

http://estore.websitepros.com/2037472/Detail.bok?no=61

Email me at thefauxguy@gmail.com if you have any questions.

The cobbler's children have no faux finish

As the saying goes "The cobbler's children have no shoes". As many of you know when you are in business for yourself the last person in the world to benefit from your products or services is YOU! Having gaps between jobs is most often filled with marketing, accounting, enhancing different aspects of your business, etc., etc., etc. We had a few days like that this week. The really cool and amazing thing is that we are doing some work to our house. Yipppeeeee!!!! Gotta love that. Now we can say not only are we faux finish pros, but we are teachers, and we have some really awesome stuff in our own house. And now the cobbler's kiddos are gazing at that really incredible looking living room wall.

Great home improvement and faux finish story

Here's an article on some ways to spruce up your home. Check out the section with my wife, Ande Crenshaw, from Mojo Faux Finishes. Here it is!

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009901180337

New cabinets versus refacing versus custom cabinet refinishing. A true comparison

People looking to update their kitchens know that choosing the right option for their cabinets can be challenging. If you have talked with a salesperson from a home improvement store you have probably heard it all. Some say that you can't paint certain types of cabinets. Others will tell you that products will peel. The fact is that most of this is said with the purpose of getting the sale. That being said, I want to dispel some of the myths and provide some clear, concise, and honest information for you readers.

Myth 1 - You can't refinish melamine, laminate, or press board cabinets.

The Truth - You can definitely refinish cabinets. In fact, some of the best looks we have achieved have been on non-wood surfaces. It all depends on using the right products and applying the correct techniques.


Myth 2 - You have to spend a lot to get the look you want.

The Truth - No way! Custom cabinet refinishing is about 12% to 8% the cost of new cabinets and usually 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of cabinet refacing. One of our clients was quoted over $60,000 for a new set of cabinets. We refinished them for under $6,000. Wowww!!!!


What all of this comes down to is you have to hire people who know what they are doing. Cabinet refinishing with paints and glazes is certainly where it's at. Email us with questions or for more information.

Oh no, it's a bad economy! Ignore that idea and get business anyway!

Everybody is freaking out about a bad economy. People are so worried. I feel like it is my responsibility to say something about that. To paraphrase from a very known and timeless book, 'worry does not add anything to your height'. In other words, it doesn't accomplish anything productive. The important thing to remember in times like these is ACTION. In my opinion the best way to keep money coming in during these days is to learn tips from the pros and act on them. As many of you know our faux painting business has taken off this year. First of all, being a Christian I attribute our success to God. He is the beginning and end of all good things. There are also some things that we have done that I feel are very effective at growing business. Whether you have a faux finish business, a salon, an interior design business, or something else these things work. One small business marketing method that I would like to focus on is building a strong referral partner base. You might, and should, already get referrals from your customers. That source of business is invaluable. The types of referral partners I am talking about are people or businesses who are in a business that compliments or could logically compliment your own. Let's think about it for a second. If you own a pet store then where might you find viable referral partners. I would start with the following things in mind.

1) Who else would serve my same client base? In this case it would be pet owners or those who take care of pets.

2) Where would I find the most affluent group of these people? Maybe there are dog shows in town. There could be a grooming place or veterinarian clinic who you could partner with.

3) Now make a list of these people or groups. You can find them on www.yellowpages.com, by doing a Google search, or many other ways.

Now that you have the basics you are on your way. I am going to be covering this and many other small business marketing tips in our "Big-Time Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses" class coming up on Saturday, January 31, 2009. Feel free to call or email me with any questions.

Faux finish giveaways, faux painting discounts, tips, and news

Wants tips on faux painting and the faux finish finish business? Looking for discounts our faux paint products? Want to hear about the newest classes and faux finish training? If you do then sign up for our newsletter. All you have to do is go to www.mojofaux.com. Go to the bottom of www.mojofaux.com. Sign up today and you will begin getting our monthly newsletter next month.

Faux painting on the job!

Ande, the Faux Pro, just completed an amazing glazed medallion. This type of finish is similar to the ones taught in our cabinet refinishing class. Check it out below and get more information about the course online at www.mojofaux.com.

Great new faux painting online portfolio/slide show!

Video, video, video. Anyone who follows marketing trends and particularly those online knows that the internet is king. The other day I heard that over 80% of home sales begin by someone looking for a house online. There is nothing like seeing what you are looking to potentially buy. Recently we added a Youtube video to our Home Page. Traffic is up tremendously! Check out some of our faux painting pics when you get a moment.