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.
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1 comment:
I completely agree with you on all three counts. I have to say that the cabinet refinishing kind of found me. People called me asking if that is something I would do, I said sure. Did a little research and practiced on some old doors. If you aren't feeling the pressure of high overhead, you can take some risks, and if they don't pan out, it isn't a disaster.
Also, it seems like I get more back if I spend time developing referral relationships and selling to them how referring business to me will help them, it is a much easier sale for me. They do all the "trust" work upfront.
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