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genek
08-30-2013, 09:56 AM
Who are Potential customers, Where can I find customers.

How we make our living with the shop bot depends on customers. Without our customers we can produce all the product we want but we will not make a living and we will not survive.

My Grandfather Told me that one can be a poor man and be starving with a gold mine in his back yard. I was young and stupid at that time so I asked how could one be poor with a gold mine.

His answer was The gold is useless unless you mine it, and it is useless unless you can sale it to someone.

This applies to all of us. We each have a gold mine with our cnc. We just need to learn to mine it for it's valuable products, Then we must learn how to sale our product to make it profitable.

Now the question Who is my customer. Basically anyone you meet is a potential customer, even someone with a cnc. Yesterday I was at our local Kroger's as I was getting out of my truck I noticed that a company was striping and re-painting the parking lot. I over heard a man say that they needed to make new painting jigs to paint the handy capped space, that it was starting to get heavy build up. I went over and asked if he was the owner, he was not but that the owner would be here shortly. By the time I finished my shopping the owner arrived, Talking to him I found out they make their own templates but that they had to do this quite often from paint build up. I suggested they make them out of aluminum and informed him that I have a cnc machine that could cut the patterns needed very cleanly. Well now I have over 30 different patterns to cut for his company. why. I showed him a better mouse trap. the patterns cut in aluminum can be cleaned and is more durable than the plywood ones.
Had I not over heard the painters or just ignored the painters I would not have that job.

Also last night at Our local arts and crafts meeting A teacher from the High School attended. She was Looking for a wood worker to Make prop for a School Play. (our local school system in their wise wisdom shut down the Vocational classes last year.) I made the prop last night, and delivered it this morning. The principal of the High School saw it and asked if I could do another project, (which I could) He called the school board office and told them. Now I have a meeting with the school board to do a project for all of the schools.

Customers are everywhere, keep your eyes, and ears open at all times, Look for customers everywhere you go. Do not be afraid to approach people, the worst they will do is tell you they are not interested.
The More contacts you Make the more customers you end up with.

By the way I gave all of you a Potential customer. Approach the companies that paint parking lots tell them you can make their templates that they can soak in cleanser or stripper and re use with out having to replace due to heavy paint.

myxpykalix
08-30-2013, 06:23 PM
That is what i call a "Wheeler-Dealer":D Part of the problem I see is some guys don't recognize opportunity even when it slaps them in the face. You have the ability to create almost anything, now you have to develop the ability to recognize opportunity when you see it like Eugene talks about.

One thing i've done is go to Craigslist and you can find ad's for Handymen and carpenters and contact them and show them what you can do that would add work to their "repitoire". They can sell that extra work like making a fancy carved fireplace mantel or wainscoting. They sell the job, you go measure it, cut the parts, they install it. They do all the hard work.

You could make up a webpage of just examples of things you've made so they can go take a look and it would get them interested in what they could offer their customers. I've made up binders of photos that some handymen carry with them to show customers. They pay for the photos and binders and when they sell something you can split the cost of the binders from the profit to keep you from making a bunch of binders that slackers just throw in a corner.

Ajcoholic
08-30-2013, 08:57 PM
My problem had always been this: too many ideas and not enough time. I am usually 4 to 6 months behind in larger furniture & cabinet jobs. I have a million ways I would love to try and make extra money. But, that takes more time which leads me back to my initial problem :)

Ajcoholic
08-30-2013, 09:00 PM
Ps. When I was younger and single and childless, I used to work 10 or 12 hour days often, and almost every weekend. I went 9 years (yes years) before I met my wife in 2006, without a vacation. I used to do a lot more than a regular 8 hour work day.

Now with family, that isn't possible or as my wife suggests I'd be single again pretty quickly!!

myxpykalix
08-30-2013, 09:26 PM
Andrew,
Children and wives have a way of changing your priorities....some out of desire but most out of necessity!:eek:

waterwheelman
08-31-2013, 10:36 PM
Jack, I have three handyman companies that come to my shop with request from their customers all the time. The projects very from custom cabinets to signs. I never know what they will bring in next. It has been a steady source of fill in projects to go along with my own customers.

myxpykalix
09-01-2013, 02:55 AM
David,
I have found that some handymen who advertise aren't able to see the opportunity you present to them while others figure out pretty quick how they can take advantage of the opportunity to offer something to their customers that they otherwise would not be able to do. Those are the ones i like to deal with.

Another thing i have done is to take business cards and a binder with pictures to these local "home shows" that get put on in springtime in communities. You have a concentration of home improvement companies, sign companies, handyman companies and other interested people.
I got 2 jobs just for hanging around the concession area with my binder laying open on a table while eating a hotdog and one guy had me make a fireplace mantel and another had me make some columns for him.:D

Brian Harnett
09-01-2013, 08:13 AM
I have Andrews problem more ideas than time. My favorites are the professional contractors I deal with, they know what they want and are willing to pay.

At the art shows I go to a lot want me to do custom work but want to haggle price, I do not bargain.

harryball
09-03-2013, 03:37 PM
I just look at them and say "I'm bat man!" I either get a bat house sale or pepper sprayed... kind of a toss up. :D