I have a Custom furniture business , How can i get more clients?
Answers:
My husband made custom furniture for years in LA where we owned an interior design firm for 30 years. I strongly suggest you hook up with an interior designer who will literally sell your work for you. You will have to work out the financial details, but if you have several that you work with, you will keep very busy.
Call them and make appointments to show them your portfolio and examples of your construction. If you can, get the CID or ASID members guides (used to be around $60 each). That will tell you their specialties and that way you can design your portfolio to their needs (i.e. residential, commercial, residential, contemporary, eclectic, etc.)
Also, it might be worth it to take a booth at some of the design shows in your area. Ask some of the designers which ones in your area are worthwhile and derive the most benefit and why.
If you do decide to advertise, be particular and spend your money wisely. Here in San Diego, custom furniture businesses advertise in the San Diego Home & Garden Magazine with success, but the LA one is a real dud and doesn't generate enough business to justify the costs.
You might also explore on-line advertising with yahoo or google if logistics allow. In addition, try contacting the producers of some of the design shows through DIY, HGTV, TLC and discovery to offer your services. We did some gratis work for a TV talk show set by using our sources for floor sample furniture which generated business for us and our sources.
Be creative, persistant and think out of the box. You will be surprised at where your business can come from!
Other answers:
Local newspaper ads, flyers, and talk to the interior designers and home decor stores in your area. If they don't know you're there, they won't hire you.
Local newspaper ads, flyers, and talk to the interior designers and home decor stores in your area. If they don't know you're there, they won't hire you.
How about Ebay? You can have an eBay store.
place ads wherever, whenever you can, mate, internet, news paper
You could promote your business through newspaper ads or tradeshows. You could also utilize the internet to promote your business. Have some opening promotions like discount.
In order to get more clients,you first to judge by yoursellf if your products are quality products.after that youhave to calculate the material ,that is the cost price and after that you can impost an average price to the clients.you also have to go througth the media.verbal message tofroends and relatives.from there,you will see a greater improvement
In my opinion, technology media outlets are the best way to advertise in today's society. A well-designed, comprehensive website would be your best option, and possibly less expensive than magazine or newpaper advertising.
Whenever I need to purchase an item, I immediately (out of habit and convenience) search online for the item name along with the city I live in (ie. Wood endtables in Austin). A website can help draw in both local and distance customers.
Make sure your website is very comprehensive. Include photos of your products, classify and organize them logically (put the "Tables" under one heading, "Chairs" under another), include prices, and as much information as you can about your products. I am one to comparison shop and if a business doesn't have a website or does not include a full product line and prices I am less likely to use them. Better access to information leads to more sales!
Also, be sure to provide your business's email address, street address, and phone number so customers can contact you with any questions or orders.
A well designed, comprehensive website makes all the difference when consumers are choosing to purchase an item!
I manage a custom furniture store and one of the things I do is contact local interior designers to spread the word about our business. Consider hosting a designers reception and provide elegant refreshments and wine. Let them see the quality and workmanship of your items from start to finish ( in the workshop?) We have found word of mouth, through the interior design community, has done wonders...
RADIO, NEWSPAPER AND IF YOUR REALLY GOOD. WORD OF MOUTH IS GREAT.
hmmmm...well...I know THIS...trying to get them on YAHOO ANSWERS isnt going to work ;)
Before you go spending lots of money on newspaper and (gasp) magazine ads that will actually give you little in return.see if some of these might work for you. First, you need some kind of website -- doesn't have to be fancy, just something neat and gramatically correct that gives a little background and shows off some of your creations. If feasable, try selling some of your wares on eBay, it is a great way to get your product out to the entire country for way, way less than you would pay for even a local newspaper ad. A local custom cabinet-maker friend of mine has never actually sold anything on eBay, but he estimates about 10% of his business comes from people who saw his stuff on eBay and either contacted him directly or went to the website link from eBay. eBay is a relatively low-cost way of "advertising" nationally. Contact the local newspaper's Home and Garden editor, and see if they would be interested in doing an article about you, your wares, your shop, etc. The same goes for shelter mags -- Architectural Digest, Better H&G, etc., as are always looking for this kind of stuff to do both small and large features on. Get a professional looking package together comprising a press release and some quality color and B&W photos of your stuff (not just printed on a piece of paper from the inkjet). Free publicity is always good. Are there any upscale craft/home fairs in your area? My cabinet-maker friend attends about 10 upscale craft fairs per year and he claims the sales and contacts from these fairs account for half his business (BTW, he has been doing this or 20 years and has never advertised in the local newspapers once). Make contacts and good friends with every interior decorator and upholterer in a 100-mile radius -- invite them and the press to an open house. Find some venues that will carry some of your pre-made wares or be willing to recommend you to their customers, like a local custom furnishing shop, an upscale antique shop. Post fliers and business cards in appropriate places. Most of your business will come from word of mouth, and as much as I hate to say it, newspaper advertising is just not cost-effective -- advertise only if the newspaper is doing a feature article on you or you feel some moral obligation to help support your local newspaper by advertising. In the long run, word-of-mouth will be your best source of new clientele. Think of everything as a way to get your business out. In fact, you missed an opportunity here. While you made a small reference to the quality and type of work, if you had included the name of your company, where you were located and/or would be willing to ship anywhere, and/or included your website link.who knows...you might have gotten a client or two...all for the cost of a couple of points. Good luck, and I am sitting here envious, thinking of all the cool tools you must have.
In as much as advertising is a good means to build clients, consider the cost implications of such. Other means, such as word of mouth, emailing friends, and making less costly forms of advertising (like say a website showcasing the stuff you offer) might be preferable at first.
Good luck!