eddie here again i would like to know the best way to pr a small bussiness
with small capital.
i run a bussiness here in nireland and i am not long open my customers
come into the shop the first thing they say is do you do picture framing here . the front of my shop is full of orginal artwork which we sell but it takes time to set up selling orginal artwork.
i have a sign outside saying that we do framing but i cant understand they must not read it. i bought a new hotpress this week i need some info on how to pr this machine because it cost a lot of money .
thankyou
advertising
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Spit
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Customers very rarely notice notices - we still have fairly local people come in and look bemused because they were expecting a post office - which closed a year ago. We have a big sign in the window and an a-frame outside which says 'picture framing' and they still miss them!
Door-to-door with flyers, advertise in the local press (expensive but you will find you will probably have to do it at first, like I have) but the most important thing is word-of-mouth, which is slower, but as long as you do quality work, the most reliable.
Door-to-door with flyers, advertise in the local press (expensive but you will find you will probably have to do it at first, like I have) but the most important thing is word-of-mouth, which is slower, but as long as you do quality work, the most reliable.
When I started I dabbled with adverts in local papers, sponsored calendars, etc. I soon came to the conclusion that they are not worth the money. And for every genuine enquiry you will get 10 more trying to sell you more advertising which wastes your time. Advertising is good to publicise special events, exhibitions, etc but for day to day biz.... I doubt if you would break even with the advert cost. That's my four-penneth anyway. 
If you want some free publicity, do what a guy I know did. Put a slightly rude picture in the window. He got lot's of coverage in the local rags and even a TV crew. Mind you, it is a bit quiet around here.......
He sold the rude picture btw.
Why not save the money you would have spent on advertising and treat yourself to some web space. For <£50 a year you can get all the space you will ever need. You don't have to employ any fancy designers to make a basic site or buy any expensive software. People nowadays tend to reach for the mouse rather than the Y*llow P*ges.
If you want some free publicity, do what a guy I know did. Put a slightly rude picture in the window. He got lot's of coverage in the local rags and even a TV crew. Mind you, it is a bit quiet around here.......
He sold the rude picture btw.
Why not save the money you would have spent on advertising and treat yourself to some web space. For <£50 a year you can get all the space you will ever need. You don't have to employ any fancy designers to make a basic site or buy any expensive software. People nowadays tend to reach for the mouse rather than the Y*llow P*ges.
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Moglet
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With regard to the hotpress, Eddie, I believe that it's well worth attending one of the training courses run by Hot Press. Sisslings in Dublin are one of the suppliers that host such events, but they may also run courses nearer to you. To the best of my knowledge the courses are free.
In terms of course content, I believe that they cover both the technical aspects of operating a press, and also marketing of press-related services.
In terms of course content, I believe that they cover both the technical aspects of operating a press, and also marketing of press-related services.
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
.Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
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The Crofter
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With regard to blind customers....
I had a customer in today, she stood in the workshop area surrounded by all the paraphernalia associated with framing and asked "do I do picture framing...?". I nearly said "no luv, this is a grocers" but I cannot afford to lose a customer.
Incidently she was not really blind !.
I had a customer in today, she stood in the workshop area surrounded by all the paraphernalia associated with framing and asked "do I do picture framing...?". I nearly said "no luv, this is a grocers" but I cannot afford to lose a customer.
Incidently she was not really blind !.
Pat
The Crofter wrote:With regard to blind customers....
I had a customer in today, she stood in the workshop area surrounded by all the paraphernalia associated with framing and asked "do I do picture framing...?". I nearly said "no luv, this is a grocers" but I cannot afford to lose a customer.
Incidently she was not really blind !.
You aought to have said "No, I neuter pets". To which they would reply, "Well why have you got all those framing samples on the wall?". To which you reply, "Well what would you put on the wall?". 
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kev@frames
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Lemon_Drop
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You guys are crazy.
Hi Eddie.
With regard to the vacuum press.
When I started to use one, I automatically assumed that amature photographers would know something about heatsealing/ drymounting, that it would be a topic covered in photo magazines etc. this is not the case, well not here anyways.
When you got your Hotpress, you also got a registration form to send back to Hotpress, they in turn send you a pack of heatseals, concidering the cost of the vacuum press the samples are a bit on the stingy side, in my opinion.
I think theres about 6 samples of heatseals, to cover 12x10 prints. I think its important to get some photos heatsealed and framed for display in your shop so you can show your customers what it is.
Another idea is to frame 2 photos, one with a heatseal, the other with float glass and put them in your window, after a few weeks the one under glass will fade, so it helps to sell the uv blocking properties of the heatseal, as the heatseal photo will still be perfect.
Also we do drymounting posters onto foamcore for trade stands that local companys attend, so that is another option to use the vacuum press other than framing.
Things like posters / prints for public areas, where glass is a bit risky, We did 20 frames for a pub before Christmas, the guy wanted toughtened glass, we talked him into using a heatseal.
The main problem selling is that the public dont know what it is, or what it does, the only people that do seem to know is professional photographers.
Regarding customers, I was in a computer shop last weekend, I know the owner very well, and we were talking, a customer comes in looking for a flash drive, he showed her 4 or 5 drives and she asked him if they were any good.
No he said there a pack of rubbish, no one in their right minds would buy one.
The comment passed over her head, and she said I will have the 1 gig, drive.
Strange creatures, costomers, but where would we be without them.
Lets see whats happening on the comedy channel.
Hi Eddie.
With regard to the vacuum press.
When I started to use one, I automatically assumed that amature photographers would know something about heatsealing/ drymounting, that it would be a topic covered in photo magazines etc. this is not the case, well not here anyways.
When you got your Hotpress, you also got a registration form to send back to Hotpress, they in turn send you a pack of heatseals, concidering the cost of the vacuum press the samples are a bit on the stingy side, in my opinion.
I think theres about 6 samples of heatseals, to cover 12x10 prints. I think its important to get some photos heatsealed and framed for display in your shop so you can show your customers what it is.
Another idea is to frame 2 photos, one with a heatseal, the other with float glass and put them in your window, after a few weeks the one under glass will fade, so it helps to sell the uv blocking properties of the heatseal, as the heatseal photo will still be perfect.
Also we do drymounting posters onto foamcore for trade stands that local companys attend, so that is another option to use the vacuum press other than framing.
Things like posters / prints for public areas, where glass is a bit risky, We did 20 frames for a pub before Christmas, the guy wanted toughtened glass, we talked him into using a heatseal.
The main problem selling is that the public dont know what it is, or what it does, the only people that do seem to know is professional photographers.
Regarding customers, I was in a computer shop last weekend, I know the owner very well, and we were talking, a customer comes in looking for a flash drive, he showed her 4 or 5 drives and she asked him if they were any good.
No he said there a pack of rubbish, no one in their right minds would buy one.
The comment passed over her head, and she said I will have the 1 gig, drive.
Strange creatures, costomers, but where would we be without them.
Lets see whats happening on the comedy channel.
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Roboframer
FWIW
When we started, from home, we pounded the streets with our own leaflets that we got done from some obscure printer in Exchange & Mart at a silly (cheap) price.
We progressed to having those leaflets distributed with the free papers and we always had a business line and therefore got the free entry in yellow pages.
Then we paid a distributor to deliver the leaflets alone and we also had ads printed in the free papers, then ads in the paid-for local papers - town and county (Littlehampton gazzette/ West Sussex gazzette) Also had a few editorials in both.
Then we progressed to a dispay ad in yellow pages - then we took on a shop with another business line and ended up with display ads in the Brighton and the Portsmouth yellow pages, plus a free entry in each, plus larger non-display ads in each - all under different headings - Picture Framers, art galleries, craft, needlecraft.
Main success was stand alone leaflets and yellow pages. Anything to do with local - or not so rags - waste of time and money, for us - be it leaflets with them or ads in them. Not intrusive enough - those that put the free papers straight in the (recycling) bin (like us) bin your leaflets with them - then there are those (like us) that bin anything that falls out of the paid-for local papers. In fact with the local papers I read the news; when I get to the 'leisure' and classified bits - well, I just don't get that far!
I'm not alone!
But the editorials, which were free and took up to half a page, worked very well. Something else I keep meaning to do again - and I could make it far more interesting these days too!
Eventually sacked yellow pages due to their agressive sales tactics.
6 or 7 years ago we dipped our toes in to radio advertising and now we are members of a 'brand builder' scheme.
The idea is just to get your name out there - members of the scheme are guaranteed X amount of 30 second ads per month with a percentage of those in 'primetime' But members also get unsold airtime distributed amongst themselves for free - some of which will also be in primetime.
We are guaranteed 90 ads per month, on two transmitters covering an area from Worthing to the East to Porstmouth to the West and Gatwick to the North - a hugely densely populated area.
We usually get about 300 with 50% in primetime.
The guaranteed 90 costs us £6000+ p.a. and that would be more if we were not part of this scheme - so the actual value I simply would not want to pay/be able to afford - and it works, it really really works.
After the first year we thought 'this is scary' - it's a part timer's annual salary - it's the annual turnover of some of our craft suppliers - it's .... it's .... SIX GRAND!!!
But now we know we have speculated to accumulate - this is a small village and we definitely have a very unfair share of the market in all (main) departments. The one thing that same-type businesses closing down (3 in as many months) around us have in common with each other is that they never took this plunge. Who knows if they would still be around if they had; who knows if we still would be if we had not.
Who knows?
What we do know is that a huge amount of people that live nowhere near us, know us, and one fine day some use us ...... and tell their friends - word of mouth created by radio advertising - along with all the rest.
It's a deep breath you take when you equip yourself with professional equipment, or upgrade to better - it's stuff you need to do a better job, or at least as good a job - but faster.
The right advertising is right up there with that equipment if you do not have huge and natural footfall - it would also maybe increase sales and profits even if you do.
When we started, from home, we pounded the streets with our own leaflets that we got done from some obscure printer in Exchange & Mart at a silly (cheap) price.
We progressed to having those leaflets distributed with the free papers and we always had a business line and therefore got the free entry in yellow pages.
Then we paid a distributor to deliver the leaflets alone and we also had ads printed in the free papers, then ads in the paid-for local papers - town and county (Littlehampton gazzette/ West Sussex gazzette) Also had a few editorials in both.
Then we progressed to a dispay ad in yellow pages - then we took on a shop with another business line and ended up with display ads in the Brighton and the Portsmouth yellow pages, plus a free entry in each, plus larger non-display ads in each - all under different headings - Picture Framers, art galleries, craft, needlecraft.
Main success was stand alone leaflets and yellow pages. Anything to do with local - or not so rags - waste of time and money, for us - be it leaflets with them or ads in them. Not intrusive enough - those that put the free papers straight in the (recycling) bin (like us) bin your leaflets with them - then there are those (like us) that bin anything that falls out of the paid-for local papers. In fact with the local papers I read the news; when I get to the 'leisure' and classified bits - well, I just don't get that far!
I'm not alone!
But the editorials, which were free and took up to half a page, worked very well. Something else I keep meaning to do again - and I could make it far more interesting these days too!
Eventually sacked yellow pages due to their agressive sales tactics.
6 or 7 years ago we dipped our toes in to radio advertising and now we are members of a 'brand builder' scheme.
The idea is just to get your name out there - members of the scheme are guaranteed X amount of 30 second ads per month with a percentage of those in 'primetime' But members also get unsold airtime distributed amongst themselves for free - some of which will also be in primetime.
We are guaranteed 90 ads per month, on two transmitters covering an area from Worthing to the East to Porstmouth to the West and Gatwick to the North - a hugely densely populated area.
We usually get about 300 with 50% in primetime.
The guaranteed 90 costs us £6000+ p.a. and that would be more if we were not part of this scheme - so the actual value I simply would not want to pay/be able to afford - and it works, it really really works.
After the first year we thought 'this is scary' - it's a part timer's annual salary - it's the annual turnover of some of our craft suppliers - it's .... it's .... SIX GRAND!!!
But now we know we have speculated to accumulate - this is a small village and we definitely have a very unfair share of the market in all (main) departments. The one thing that same-type businesses closing down (3 in as many months) around us have in common with each other is that they never took this plunge. Who knows if they would still be around if they had; who knows if we still would be if we had not.
Who knows?
What we do know is that a huge amount of people that live nowhere near us, know us, and one fine day some use us ...... and tell their friends - word of mouth created by radio advertising - along with all the rest.
It's a deep breath you take when you equip yourself with professional equipment, or upgrade to better - it's stuff you need to do a better job, or at least as good a job - but faster.
The right advertising is right up there with that equipment if you do not have huge and natural footfall - it would also maybe increase sales and profits even if you do.
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Moglet
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Just the thought of handling a PITA customer with that technique makes me bristle with pleasure. Luxury! The only fast one I get to pull is to play David Bowie or Peter Gabriel tracks loud enough to be heard in the gallery: I find it mildly amusing that customers don't notice the occasionally "dubious" lyrics. Simple things...Lemon_Drop wrote: Regarding customers, I was in a computer shop last weekend, I know the owner very well, and we were talking, a customer comes in looking for a flash drive, he showed her 4 or 5 drives and she asked him if they were any good.
No he said there a pack of rubbish, no one in their right minds would buy one.
The comment passed over her head, and she said I will have the 1 gig, drive.
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
.Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
.Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.Arqadia have some good ideas on their website, www.arqadia.co.uk click on the link to PR toolkit. They have letter templates to send to artist groups, newspapers and loads of other ideas. We have found that unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money on advertising you may as well throw the cash away. Do not be tempted to join in any last minute "opportunities" that the local press salespeople offer. They are usually last minute because they have been unable to sell the space to anyone.
I am in two minds about the value of advertising in Yellow Pages - we get some of calls asking for price quotes. We just feel that we should be there because all of our competitiors are. Personally, I cannot remember the last time I used yellow pages in preference to google.
I have found that PR coverage in the paper always works best - I was the 7th person to pass the GCF so my number is GCF 007 - I received half a page in the local paper "Licensed to Frame" corny, but loads of people saw it and came in - that has been the main benefit to us of taking the GCF test.
I am in two minds about the value of advertising in Yellow Pages - we get some of calls asking for price quotes. We just feel that we should be there because all of our competitiors are. Personally, I cannot remember the last time I used yellow pages in preference to google.
I have found that PR coverage in the paper always works best - I was the 7th person to pass the GCF so my number is GCF 007 - I received half a page in the local paper "Licensed to Frame" corny, but loads of people saw it and came in - that has been the main benefit to us of taking the GCF test.
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kaptain.kopter
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Robin C said
" I was the 7th person to pass the GCF so my number is GCF 007"
As all the ex military members out there can vouch for, your last 3 digits of your service number are the the ones that are often requested.
My dad had the rather enviable 007 as his last three and his mates came out with every James Bond type nickname you could think of.
Unfortunately mine were 321 and I was simply Dusty Bin through basic training.
The injustice of it all.
" I was the 7th person to pass the GCF so my number is GCF 007"
As all the ex military members out there can vouch for, your last 3 digits of your service number are the the ones that are often requested.
My dad had the rather enviable 007 as his last three and his mates came out with every James Bond type nickname you could think of.
Unfortunately mine were 321 and I was simply Dusty Bin through basic training.
The injustice of it all.
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kev@frames
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LMAO dusty I bet to confound the situation further everyone except your mates assumed your name was Miller then....
Ah, in a previous career I had a certificate issue number 0666
My mate was 0002 and we worked with 0006, the Prisoner.... true to form we never oficially found out who number one was. (actually it was a bloke called Alan xxxxxx, but seeing as we had number two and number six we stuck to the spirit of "the prisoner")
0007 was a diver from Looe with an unpronouncable polish name. We actually had a diving superintendent called Bloefeld....
Sometimes life can be just a bit too surreal.....
I bet to confound the situation further everyone except your mates assumed your name was Miller then....Ah, in a previous career I had a certificate issue number 0666
My mate was 0002 and we worked with 0006, the Prisoner.... true to form we never oficially found out who number one was. (actually it was a bloke called Alan xxxxxx, but seeing as we had number two and number six we stuck to the spirit of "the prisoner")
0007 was a diver from Looe with an unpronouncable polish name. We actually had a diving superintendent called Bloefeld....
Sometimes life can be just a bit too surreal.....
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Moglet
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I am not a number, I am a free picture framer!kev@frames wrote:... 0006, the Prisoner....
Thought it was Windy Miller....
When I worked for Wang, the then General Manager was a chap called Ken Bond. He wasn't very tall. Known throughout the company as "003½"...
........Áine JGF SGF FTB
.Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
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kaptain.kopter
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Great British Sci Fi. I haven't seen an episode for years.
I seem to remember being told that the cast and crew, including the writers didn't know what was happening from one week to the next and quite often 'winged it'.
The 'special effects' were unusual to say the least. Who can forget the giant weather balloon sentries?
I seem to remember being told that the cast and crew, including the writers didn't know what was happening from one week to the next and quite often 'winged it'.
The 'special effects' were unusual to say the least. Who can forget the giant weather balloon sentries?
Not that anyone noticed. 