ARE YOU WILLING TO BE DIFFERENT?

[Whynot]

Lately there were numerous debates about becoming different as a way to survive in business. But when reading through grumblers threads, aside of some newbes desperately calling from help, I see very little signs of change. Same old skills and routines are being followed and drilled to perfections, and shared. Oh, yes, there is another one, TG seems to shrink and depopulate just like the frame industry does, despite a wave of newly born grumblers rapidly filling in and becoming vocal.
What exactly "being different" is to you, how important is it and how are you going to achieve it in a "transparent" world in which how (differently) you make same thing(s) more than what different thing(s) you make appears to be the median between framers success and failure.

OK, some of you are successful and those few are not in need to fix anything yet, but what about the rest of you who wish your live to see better days or just another day?

I am not suggesting any possible way to differentiate yourself, just asking in hope to clear this aspect and get you thinking and hopefully embracing the changes, whichever those may be. Although of little relevance to you, in my case changes come with producing new frame designs, new techniques, new finishes, and even producing new "objects", other than frames, finding new ways to sell within my present market and expend into new markets beyond framers' world. What about you?

 

[PaulSF]

It's a bell curve. The vast majority of consumers want fairly mundane, middle-of-the-road merchandise and design, and they are perfectly happy with that. They don't crave the unique to the point where they are willing to pay $180 for an 5x7 photo frame.

There is a fairly limited number of people who crave unique and distinctive goods, and are both willing and able to pay for it. So you have a lot of framers chasing after a select few customers. Most of us are going to have to make a living going after the vast majority. It takes time to develop the kind of clientele for the unique and distinctive. I don't think anyone can just open their doors and expect to be flooded with customers for finished corner frames. In the year I've been carrying them, I've sold a handful. Most of the pieces that have come in haven't been a good match for that type of frame, or the customer wasn't willing or able to pay the premium for them.

Ask me again in 5 years.

 

[framah]

I'm diversifying what I can do for people.

I'm increasing my printing services for artists as well as the general public.
I'm starting to set up so I can shoot art (and other stuff) using my 4x5 view camera and a high meg scan back. As film is going the way of the slide rule, having the ability to create extremely high quality scans of art is the next step and I plan to be there doing it.

This helps the framing side of the business by giving me more art to frame for artists.

Even if the framing industry heads toward cheaper frames and on line purchases, there will always be artists needing their work reproduced.

Plus I will still be able to work even after the carpal tunnel problem has prevented me from framing anymore.

 

[Dermot.]

“Different” or “niche” market positions are a bit oversold for the most part……

I have learned over the years that the best marketing/sales strategy is to define your target market and then strive to provide the best possible product and service to that market position.

A small business like picture framing simply cannot be all things to everyone………

I believe that a framing business could be as successful and most likely make as much money regardless of which end of the market is picked………

Cornell one of the clear reasons your business is successful is that you picked your market and have possible become that best in that market position….

The reason the BB framers are if all rumours are to be believed are doing well as framers is that they have picked their market position and from what I have seen of their operations they do a very good job in that market sector……….

I exited framing because I just could not find a market position I could be the best at…………with my current business I have managed in a very few short years to position myself and the business as the “expert” (for Ireland) in my market………even though I say it myself I quite good at what I do these days………..I never thought I would see the day when I could expect earn more than my wife (she is vvvvvvery good at making money) but that day is fast arriving………it will happen hopefully next year or at the very worst the year after…………the secret to my business these days id a very focused business and the focus is getting better month by month….the reason I guess that I’m having the success I’m having these days is that I was in the very fortunate position to get my business to a very focused business.

BTW as a side and off topic these days when I do business with one of my suppliers (office supplies) I talk to some people based in Romania

 

[Jay H]

I'm curious what you mean by different?

A. Completely unlike all other frameshops
B. Making all frameshops more relevant via drastic change

If you're talking about "A" then no. This industry is already irrelevant enough. I could dress in drag and do the hula at the design counter. How’s that for a niche? Is anybody else doing that? Would that make me more relevant and increase my market share?

I have already embraced "B".

Next month I will be 4. In just figuring out who I am, what I like, and what my market likes I have sold wildly different products in 3 wildly different locations. You just won't find another person here MORE willing to change or be different.

Is it working? As of Wed. I was up 75% over last year to date and 50% for February. I can say that gross sells are translating to an out of control net gain as well. My checking account is as big today as it ever has been since I opened the doors. I'm willing to give a little bit of that up to "luck" but Mr.Chance aint getting all the glory. Much of this is my doing and it's intentional.

I already think the changes are going great and feel like I'm just 1/2 through the first quarter of the game. I have a bunch planned for the second half.

Am I willing to be different? Well yea I’m game, what do you have in mind?



---



On a completely DIFFERENT note, Cornel, just incase you missed my Valentine post in warped I gave my wife a picture she had taken in Italy at a vineyard last month. I have been sitting on a frame I got from you. Being a frameologist do you think this frame is appropriate for this image?

 

[Whynot]

I too believe that picking on a target and staying focused on it, becoming very good at what you are doing will eventually pay off. Far from being the champ Dermot assumes that I am, that was largely my advancing formula as well. But general framing allows for fewer opportunities to stay focused and hone your specialness to the point where it becomes truly recognized and recognizable.
And please, stop thinking at high end niche as the only way one can make a difference. Warren is different from all of us, yet his success has little to do with being what most would call a high ender.

I just arrived back home, in PA, from a one month long driving trip that took me to California via Las Vegas show, and from what I noticed in this trip, the framers' world is shaking from deep inside itself. It is not true that high enders are being spared in the process. They too see their business shrinking, but they have probably a better chance to survive the rocking because, in the end, it will come easier to them to extend, if necessarily, into lower levels of framing than it will be for mid enders to grab onto the high end. The high end is not empty territory, you must know it, and it takes long time to get established at that level. This is not like opening a framing shop with income tax returned money and then be asking grumblers around when in trouble.

However, I think that even high enders are under huge pressure to change and, if possible, become/stay truly different from their competitors.

Some of you persist in vulgarizing my attempts to get you creative and dynamic. Changing, being different, is about much more than bringing in higher end frames, if you are a low/mid end framer, and lower end frames, in the opposite case. That is not only rudimentary but also ridiculous reasoning, which reminds me of a sad joke with Auschwitz detainees becoming one day overly excited to learn that next day they will be having their cloths finally changed. Next day they learn that David Rabinowits must change his cloths with Andrey Ivanovich's, Isa Leibovitsz must change his with Sacha Bloomberg's and so on.

So, it's about true changing (Yes we can, yes we can!! ) and becoming special, not simply about selling high end frames. Even if that was an avenue, the bad news is that it is already taken and well served by others. One more annotation here: it doesn't mean that I have a solution for you just because I am asking the question. I am not sure that I have the right solutions to my problems, leave alone others'. But I have the feeling that many grumblers mimic understanding the situation, thinking and looking seriously for ways out of these troubled waters.

Jay,

I am glad you are doing well. Good for you. I am sure is not just luck. It must be much more than that. That means that you are changing with times, have a good sense of timing, discipline and clearer perspective than many of us do.

 

[Delan]

...The vast majority of consumers want fairly mundane, middle-of-the-road merchandise and design, and they are perfectly happy with that.

It's possible to inspire customers to make more "interesting" choices. To steer them outta mundaneville. It takes a willingness to think "outside of the frame" But sometimes creativity comes at a price. I, at times, give customer's freebees just so we can persue an idea but more often than not if they get excited by an idea they are willing to pay. THAT can set you apart from others, especially the BBs. I think the mundane comes from our own attitudes towards the daily grind. I know it happens to me when the work load and business issues get in the way of creativity, my customers can suffer at these times.

With economic situations as they are, in some sort of limbo, it's easy to fall back into safe mode.

Anyway there's couple copper bisquits for ya!

 

[PaulSF]

Oh, I love to show more interesting designs than the customer asks for. But something I learned the hard way, after more than few "I have to think about it's," is that I shouldn't fight with my customers. I shouldn't force my ideas on my customers. Sure, there are ways to show them more interesting designs than a simple black frame, but at the end of the day, if they want the black frame instead of the closed-corner-frame-with-fabric-mat-and-fillet-and-museum-glass, give them the darn black frame and close the sale!

 

[Kirstie]

Oh, I love to show more interesting designs than the customer asks for. But something I learned the hard way, after more than few "I have to think about it's," is that I shouldn't fight with my customers. I shouldn't force my ideas on my customers. Sure, there are ways to show them more interesting designs than a simple black frame, but at the end of the day, if they want the black frame instead of the closed-corner-frame-with-fabric-mat-and-fillet-and-museum-glass, give them the darn black frame and close the sale!

I completely agree. WE have to listen to our customers and give them what they want. If you can't offer that, they won't come in the door. I don't force my ideas on customers, and I never start the sale with "What did you have in mind for this?" Never. I ask about the art, where it came from, about their decor, and then I make suggestions for framing. But often I am interrupted with their ideas about what they want. So I show them what they want with a couple of variations and close the sale. As Jared and others pointed out at PPFA, our best design salesman are our gallery walls. They are selling the upscale designs better all of our sales efforts.

Of course since Las Vegas I have a list a mile long of what we want to add to the gallery. A long list and little time. But no excuses. One a week would do it.

 

[Kirstie]

I am not suggesting any possible way to differentiate yourself, just asking in hope to clear this aspect and get you thinking and hopefully embracing the changes, whichever those may be. Although of little relevance to you, in my case changes come with producing new frame designs, new techniques, new finishes, and even producing new "objects", other than frames, finding new ways to sell within my present market and expend into new markets beyond framers' world. What about you?

If you are talking about niche, here is what makes our shop different:

1. We offer do-it-yourself as well as custom framing. This makes us VERY different and it works for us.
2.We offer arts and crafts style art, and it sells because we have a lot of arts and crafts style homes in the area. We do our best to find Craftsman style frames as well, even if they are relatively inexpensive stained oaks.
3. We have an open floor plan with work tables and the CMC in the main room. Customers tell us they like this. They like seeing the action.
4. We stock at lot of length so we can offer fast turnaround and good prices.
5. We have enormous sample walls, one 50' long. Although we encourage the purchase of in-stock moulding, our customers tell us that one of the reasons they come to us is our selection.
6. Our shop is not intimidating. We demystify framing. Customers take samples off the wall; there is no behind the counter area because the design tables are in the middle of the room.
7. Need more? Look here.

Cornel, I truly believe that in order to survive and prosper long term, you have to be different, you have to have some sort of a niche.

 

[Kirstie]

Jay, your gains are impressive. What drastic changes are bringing these about? If wish I knew if you had a web site because I would love to poke about and figure out what you are up to!

 

[Framerguy]

Kirstie has some very good ideas on the passive side of setting up your business to attract customers! That is a very small word but it can be the turning point in those customers who wander in, have no clue what they are looking for, and almost immediately become intimidated by the "strange" environment of an art gallery (or frame shop), and make a move to leave. An unorganized gallery with stacks and piles of framed art standing against the walls, and all over the floor will give an impression of a flea market type of atmosphere, one that many shoppers automatically steer away from for obvious reasons.

On the active side of attracting customers, we also have some very basic common sense habits that we follow when shoppers enter our business site.

• We ALWAYS greet each and every customer! No matter what we are doing we look up, smile, and make eye contact with them if possible. Just a simple "Hi, how are you today?" will many times take the edge off entering a business environment in which the customer hadn't yet been introduced
• We give them a chance to catch their breath, take a quick look around to orient themselves to our layout, and begin their browsing, usually in the aisle closest to the door
• We ask them if this is their first trip into our gallery if we don't recognize them when they enter. If it is their first trip, I usually smile and tell them something to the effect of, "Well, you are really going to have some fun here!!!" That plants the seed of curiosity in their minds as to what is actually in this building! And it sets them at ease if they are a bit anxious about where they are and the newness of all the displays. I immediately follow up with "You qualify for our 25¢ tour, all of which is fully refundable with your first purchase." which usually generates at least a smile and further puts them at ease.
• We explain our art to them, our pricing and its location on each art piece, and the different types of art found in our gallery and any other general detail that we feel will make their shopping easier for them
• Further we tell them that we can clip any canvas into a readymade frame for them to see how the art will look framed. We make it sound like that is normal for viewing and not necessarily a step in the potential sale of the art/frame
• Then we back off for awhile. We tell them that, if they have questions, they can ask any of us and we introduce ourselves with that comment, "If you have any questions, my name is Tom and you can ask me anything that is puzzling you about the merchandise. I will be right over there behind the customer counter working and you won't disturb me at all if you need help."
• While we are"working", we are also very attentive to what is being said and what is being pulled from the art racks for viewing. That gives us clues to use for further interaction with those people when we go back to check on them. I will stand behind my customer counter appearing to work on invoices or on the computer and, all the while, I am taking in any overheard conversation and comments about the art or the gallery or their needs for their home and if "that piece would work in the bath"
• After they have covered roughly half of our gallery, I go and check on their progress, ask if they have any questions about the art, and try to find out if they have anything specific in mind for their home. I also introduce them to the custom framing side of our business and indicate how we can custom frame any purchase if they don't like or prefer a readymade frame for their art. Our gallery started out as a retail only gallery and the custom framing was added when I started working for them over 2 years ago. Since that time the custom framing has increased their total sales by a healthy six figures and is an important part of their total annual gross income. So we put much emphasis on promoting that portion of the gallery but we inject these areas in degrees so we don't "overdose" the customer with too much information all at once!

The main point is that we aggressively pursue each customer in such a manner that they feel we are not pressuring them to BUY, BUY, BUY!!! They WILL buy when they find that piece that reaches out and grabs their heart. I think that, in our fervor to sell as much as we can, we lose sight of the fact that we must please that customer first in order to sell anything to them that they don't already feel that they really need! There is a fine line between helping a customer, checking on their progress through the gallery, and handling any of their questions or concerns and that of being overbearing in your attitude and making the customer feel like you are constantly lurking in the corner to make that final "pounce on the mouse as it spies the cheese"!! (so to speak.)

I guess we try to make the customer feel at home in our business and we try to engage them in some sort of meaningful conversation that will relate to their needs for art or framing. We try to always give our customers something to take with them also. Be it a business card, a copy of a recent article written on the gallery, or something relating to an artist or some question they asked about framing or hanging, we try to have a prepared handout ready for them as they leave.

There is nothing more uninviting in the shopping experience than to enter a store, maybe get a "Hi" out of the employees and then you are on your own from that point on!! Just go into any Wally World and you will see what I mean, the greeter that hands you a cart may be the only person who has any communication with you throughout the store! And, if you can't find what you are looking for, just try to get some help from anyone!! We take that Wal-Mart model and aggressively attempt to do everything exactly opposite the way we are usually treated in their store. I have no complaints with the checkout people or the department personnel as they are usually friendly and can help you. But there is no personal touch there and I usually feel like I had to do all the work just to spend my money there!!

In our gallery, we cater to our clients no matter what they drive or how they are dressed, we try to make their visit a memorable one. If someone is coughing, we offer them a bottle of spring water. If someone is sniffling, we carry a box of tissues over to them, smile, and say something like, "I know what it's like when you can't find a tissue when you need one." They appreciate that kind of specialized attention to the smallest things.

Everything I have mentioned here has to do with how you treat the customer. I never mentioned price, the actual selling ritual, or anything that would directly contribute to swiping a credit card for the final sale. I am talking about making the customer feel comfortable, seeing that all their needs are attended to while in the gallery, and ensuring that their visit with you is a pleasant one and one that they will remember and talk about with their friends. The environment in our gallery is quite different than many of the other art galleries and frame shops that I have visited and we have the luxury of close interaction with most of our clients. Sometimes that isn't possible in a very large store but we sort of have a captive audience while they are browsing our gallery and we can pick and choose when and how we interact with them and for how long.

Common sense good manners and a little concern for others' welfare goes a long way to making consistent customers and sometimes good friends out of total strangers. That little extra step that one takes to make another feel comfortable or to please them may also be the deciding factor to a very lucrative sale.

It's not so much being different as it is being real, in my opinion. How would you like to be treated if you were the customer in your business??

 

[Bob Carter]

Here is my 30 cents approach

But, may I preface that with saying I always read Cornel with pleasure. Not that I agree with everything, but that he always makes me think it through. Too many dismiss him when they ought to quit figuring ways to disagree, but look for areas of agreement-or better ideas that can be co-opted

Very, very few of us stake a marketable objective and then market to that end.

We open the doors and hope for the best

Those very, very few that actually do create successful models are the exception, indeed

So, for the rest of the 85% in the middle (7-8% don't need help; 7-8% won't listen anyway) we muddle

Dermot correctly suggests that we cannot please everyone; cannot be all things to all people. But, if we take his favorite example, Dell (and I agree), and look at their catalogs. You will see the items dominately displayed are the lowest priced options in the marketplace. Complete systems under $500,often peppered with Free this and Free that, screaming with Savings Stories

But, flip a few pages and you can spend tons o' money on as sophisticated a system as 99% of us may ever need

So, lets use Dell as a model of successful marketing

What is our equivalent of the under $500 system; and with that equivalent of our Free options? What are your equivalents of for "add-ons"? What is your equivalent for the page 7 options, the page 10 options and so forth

Cornell rightly asks what will you do differently

Perhaps doing something excruciatingly successful is different

Maybe looking at Best Practices might be different enough

Bottom Line: Most of us are doing the same thing as we did 10 yrs ago, 15 yrs ago. Perhaps doing things comtemporarily is different enough

 

[Not your average framer]

Cornel is talking a lot of sense here, but I wonder how much realise just how different he is asking us to become!

The fact is that the mainstream part of the market which was the safest option is rapidly becoming a dangerous place to be. In the UK we don't have many BB's, but we are still in a very competitive market place and we are on the threshold of perhaps the most talked about coming recession of all time.

You can be sure that the big outfits are getting ready for whatever is ahead. Their emphasis will be on survival and market share. Profits will fall and margins will be squeezed for everyone and lots of others are going to be damaged by the big guys objectives. Expect to see that those who are offering something REALLY DIFFERENT with real style and class still looking good when we finally come out the other side.

The safest sectors in our market will probably be highly specialised smaller areas in the market. As usual most of us, who don't like making changes or taking risks will carry on as before and hope for the best.

 

[Luddite]

It's a bell curve. The vast majority of consumers want fairly mundane, middle-of-the-road merchandise and design, and they are perfectly happy with that. They don't crave the unique to the point where they are willing to pay $180 for an 5x7 photo frame.

But they do exist...I do find them...They are looking for art that is VERY different,therefore I have a bit of a "niche" I fit into........L.R,

 

[Pat Murphey]

The plain fact is that higher end framing does not have to negatively affect what you are doing now. It can supplement your current sales and increase your bottom line, giving you an additional buffer in down business cycles.

There are two ingredients that you must have for high end framing to work. You must have traffic and invest in samples, both corners and framed display samples. An you must be able to allow time for those customers to see that you are "their" source. If you are a "destination" shop, time may the most difficult ingredient. I was very fortunate to be located in a reputable Antique Center that draws customers from a wide area including New York (50 miles away). My local "destination" business is no longer enough to stay open as many of my competitors have sadly discovered. As a result of an impressive selection of Munn foot long chop samples and years of investment in antique reproduction closed corner samples, and my willingness to display framed art in expensive frames, I have developed a following of customers that, having seen my displays, see me as the place to go for a good frame.

Cornel is right that his, and his competitor's frames, can be a great direction for a shop to go. My point is that the best starting point is to view it as a supplement to your current business. The investment required can feed upon itself until you find that this "making more money with less work" can be fun.

 

[Dermot.]

Like most I read Bob post very carefully ………and have learned greatly from them, I have also disagreed greatly with him on occasions………….

And as some of you are aware I take a very keen interest in Dell which I believe is possibly the greatest or one of the greatest US companies ever to arrive on the global stage.

But lets be very careful about how we look at Dell, the catalogue sales (consumer sales) for Dell represent only about 7% of sales if it is even that,

In fact for most of last year in Europe and parts of the US, they did not use catalogues in any great way……….this was not cost cutting, for in the grand scale of things catalogues represent only a drop in the ocean of Dell’s advertising budget……………it was a sales strategy…………not sure what, but some marketing person reckoned it was better to give that catalogues a rest for awhile

They are now reintroducing the catalogues in Europe and the US, but look carefully, they no longer pitch the least expensive products ………..on most catalogue offers you can now down grade or up grade……….!!!!!! What are you getting!!!!! options……not dogma.

What makes Dell different on their overall sales strategy is that they do what they do very well……………….OK I can hear the horror stories coming …………..but given the scale of Dell’s sales they have by percentage more happy customers than any other computer company in the world…….

What Dell do they do it to their very best……the same should apply for a picture framing business……………pick your target market and do it to your very best, you will have your core business that way and anything else will be cream.

BTW Dell have many business units which for the most part are run as separate businesses, their consumer business is just one of these categories.

I will bet the farm that Bob has his sales categories I guess about 5 to 7 that make up the core of his business and that he does them extremely well…….

I have always felt that the US way of offering thousand of frame samples is counter productive for most framing shops, a better way might be to have 3 to 5 possibly 7 categories of activity………this could be all framing or framing and other related services……..that way you could be razor sharp about what you do which means you would provide an exceptional service to your customers.

Defining your categories will not be an easy job, I have been working on that for my own small business for three months now and I’m still struggling to get it right………it is easy to lump everything together but when you start to refine things then the fun starts, you have to dig deep and bare your business soul……….

Last year I started the process of driving my business online, and to categorise the sales areas better………..I got my website back up and such as it is it has driven over 50% of this years business……..the two thing that came into play here was that I was communicating with my customers better and I was defining the area of my business they should be looking at, I stopped trying to be all things to all people, last Friday I turned down about Euro €28,000 or US$40,000 of potential business because I no longer consider that product a suitable sales category for my business, I think I grew up big time as a business person last Friday…I did something different last Friday than what most small Irish businesses would have done in my case…….I said NO…..

“Never let it be said you cannot teach an old dog new tricks”

 

[Bob Carter]

Dermot-I,too, admire Dell's marketing and must admit that in the last two years have purchased 4 CPU's. Consequently, I get bombarded with the mailers

I will have to watch closely because if they have switched their focus, I have not noticed it yet. The typical Sunday NP supplement will shout "As Low as $449.00" and includes "Free Shipping" or "Free printer" or such.

And, it works for me in spades

Now, in fairness, I have never ended up with that $449 pkg; always get a bigger monitor (Let's say Museum glass in our analogy) or expanded memory (let's say another mat) or one of the several options so skillfully worked into the sales presentation

And, here is the beauty: They always convince me that more than I need that option, they make me want it. And, to boot, it is always "Mr Carter, that extra gazibilator is only $30 more"

How often do we when we are adding a filet or mat or upgrade glass that we "pour" it on at full price? When maybe a "Jim Miller" price consideration might make an easy upgrade. Remember that before the filet, you had priced this at a most satisfactory level of gross profit. Pretty much anything added is gravy after costs. Do you think that if a 12 oz soda at Wendy's (another favorite marketer of mine) should sell for $1.29 then how can they give you 4 oz more (plus more supersize th efries) for 40 cents more?

Dermot is correct about thos old dogs, but we have to want to learn a few tricks before we can actually learn them

 

[Whynot]

Thank you, Dermot.
Your postings at this topic are the most inspiring I could have hoped for because they truly bring a different light to the topic of chaning, that hated topic that made me look like Grumbler's most hated Doom and Gloom flag waiver. Now I only hope that others will understand and appreciate your wisdom the way I do and don't shut both of us up in order to get a few more days or weeks of relaxation and day dreaming.
Thank you again.

Bob, don't be jealous at Dermot. You are my all time favorite poster anyway

 

[Whynot]

I have always felt that the US way of offering thousand of frame samples is counter productive for most framing shops, a better way might be to have 3 to 5 possibly 7 categories of activity………this could be all framing or framing and other related services……..that way you could be razor sharp about what you do which means you would provide an exceptional service to your customers.

Defining your categories will not be an easy job, I have been working on that for my own small business for three months now and I’m still struggling to get it right………it is easy to lump everything together but when you start to refine things then the fun starts, you have to dig deep and bare your business soul……….

Last year I started the process of driving my business online, and to categorise the sales areas better………..I got my website back up and such as it is it has driven over 50% of this years business……..the two thing that came into play here was that I was communicating with my customers better and I was defining the area of my business they should be looking at, I stopped trying to be all things to all people, last Friday I turned down about Euro €28,000 or US$40,000 of potential business because I no longer consider that product a suitable sales category for my business, I think I grew up big time as a business person last Friday…I did something different last Friday than what most small Irish businesses would have done in my case…….I said NO…..

“Never let it be said you cannot teach an old dog new tricks”

this is the cream on the cake!

 

[Whynot]

I have always felt that the US way of offering thousand of frame samples is counter productive for most framing shops, a better way might be to have 3 to 5 possibly 7 categories of activity………this could be all framing or framing and other related services……..that way you could be razor sharp about what you do which means you would provide an exceptional service to your customers.

Defining your categories will not be an easy job, I have been working on that for my own small business for three months now and I’m still struggling to get it right………it is easy to lump everything together but when you start to refine things then the fun starts, you have to dig deep and bare your business soul……….

Last year I started the process of driving my business online, and to categorise the sales areas better………..I got my website back up and such as it is it has driven over 50% of this years business……..the two thing that came into play here was that I was communicating with my customers better and I was defining the area of my business they should be looking at, I stopped trying to be all things to all people, last Friday I turned down about Euro €28,000 or US$40,000 of potential business because I no longer consider that product a suitable sales category for my business, I think I grew up big time as a business person last Friday…I did something different last Friday than what most small Irish businesses would have done in my case…….I said NO…..

“Never let it be said you cannot teach an old dog new tricks”

some more cream, please,...

 

[Bob Carter]

Hey Cornel-What makes this site compelling is the posts that make us think. Dermot, you and I have been accused of that (and much worse)

It is simply too easy to disagree on the surface; we have many experts on that

Peel a few layers off; that's where the really good fruit is

High end, middle of the road, opening price point?

They are in the marketplace-which segments you can attract and which you can excel-that is simply marketing. How many you can integrate successfully-that's called management

We all know that few of us are very good at doing both well

 

[Dermot.]

Bob

Dell now use the Inspiron brand principally for consumer sales (now the brand for both notebooks and desk tops for consumer sales)……….you are right they will always pitch one of them at the low Inspiron price…..the Inspiron is where you will always get the most up to date options and gizmos available for computers………….a great brand for those wanting the best and latest but at a reasonable price

However they do have for small business the new Vostro brand, this will have some of the bits on the Inspiron striped out and will be at a better price and will have a better warranty option…….a great brand for the small business person who wants a reliable no nonsense but functional computer

Then you go to the Latitude which is the mid to big business option, the Latitude brand has a very long road map (long life) for companies who want the same platform to run their computer on, you can still get parts for 10+ year old Latitude’s

Then you have the Alianware brand ………..it’s the gaming range from Dell……… http://www.alienware.com/ you could easily spend many thousands on one of these babies and still not be happy…

Just in notebooks you have above four very finely trimmed sales categories which make up about 25 to 35% of Dell’s sales………..you then get into servers, storage, services, “asset recovery service and recycling”……the last area is Jeans bit of Dell (I wish I could say publicly what she is doing this week but I cannot……but believe me I’m very proud of her)…………and it goes on and on……….Dell are now into computer management software……..email back up…..and much more……since Michel Dell came back on board……….the motor of Dell is turning at a very high rate…..

You are right about old dogs…………I’m very fortunate that I have always had a great thirst to improve my business skills…..

 

[Bob Carter]

So, let me get this straight

Dell actually trys to sell some of it's products to a price-conscious crowd (like maybe th eposter crowd?) and then they have a line of a more sophisticated line of computers for those willing (and needing more, like maybe Larson and Roma) and the, yet another area where "extreme" serious (like Cornel's ready mades) computers are available?

Can a model like that actually work? Is that akin to be all things to all people?

Or is it a seamless vertical integration to capture as much market as possible

Doesn't the Inspiron line chase away the mega-server crowd

Or do you think the same crowd that buys the super high end stuff my also have purchased an Inspiron for the kid's room or the student at college

But, that wouldn't work in our trade would it?

 

[Dermot.]

So, let me get this straight

Or do you think the same crowd that buys the super high end stuff my also have purchased an Inspiron for the kid's room or the student at college

Jean and myself use Latitude's........though I will swith to Vostro next time around...........the kids get Inspiron...

What I think Dell has done is very clearly defined the various categories they sell to…....Different sales and marketing teams in essence different and separate business, yes there would be a bit of cross over but with the data Dell have it is quickly remedied...

Remember Bob they sell more in a few hour worldwide than all of the framing shops in the US sell in a year

They can afford to sell to various categories in a very defined way….

Volkswagen have also done something very similar in Europe………..as have some of the other car companies, Nissan are starting to get this sort of selling right in Europe these days………mind you that only started to happen to Nissan when Renault (the French car maker) took them over…

 

[Grey Owl]

I been having an interesting conversation with one of my clients. (I don't like to think of them as customers, because customers are one time. With a client, I see my role as helping them with preserving and displaying their artwork, over the long term)

I tried to explain my take on the framing industry as the 3 categories of 1) fast food framers; 2) Casual dining framers; and 3) white table cloth framers;.

Fast food framers are like the fast food industry; you go there when you want something that you can get with little effort. It fills the bill, but you don't get much selection.

Casual dining framers are like most of the family owned, and some of the better chain restaurants. You generally get good value, and occasionally you get some really great surprises in how great they are.

The white table cloth framers are those that provide you with something really good. You expect perfection, and that is what you get, and you have a wonderful time getting it. Like many white table cloth restaurants, these are often family run by owners that really care --- and prices are not always that important; and you go back, because of how wonderful the experience is.

 

[Grey Owl]

I should have added that I classify the big box stores as the fast food framers.

 

[Bob Carter]

Hi Grey-i think your restaurant analogy is apropos; now, tell us if you can, how many family owned, white table cloth restaurants are flourishing?

How many do you go to?

When was the last time you went?

The number of really great family owned white tables restaurants is much smaller than successful small high end frame shops (Both a very small number, indeed)

While your analogy is valid, it isn't a very good outlook

Decry all we wish, but the formulaic system just seem to pack 'em in

 

[Pat Murphey]

It must be different up here in rural NJ. Except for the Fast Food guys and one chain, the restaurant businesses, from bottom to top in quality and price, are local family owned businesses. Some turn over and others have been around a long time. The turnovers are usually then picked up by new local entrepreneurs.

But, back to topic - Cornel's question is "What are you willing to change?" not what are those big guys doing. I answered for my shop in a previous post and I am very interested in what others have done, or are thinking of doing, to sustain profitability.

 

[Whynot]

One very concrete change that I am going to do is to introduce a parallele (hopefully complete) line of CC custom made frames that will be finished in imitation gold leaf of excellent quality instead of genuine gold leaf. With gold leaf price going through the roof, I have hints that more than some grumblers would welcome my decision because the price would reflect the material cost while the look will have very little to suffer if any at all. Metal leafing techniques had improved to the point where many would take Senelar's molding for real gold leaf or, if that is indeed gold lef, for metal leaf in my case, which speaks for the level of quality that can be achieved.

 

[Pat Murphey]

Probably not a bad idea, Cornel, The last three Abe Munn American Impressionist frames that I sold were Metal Leaf with light antiquing - they looked d***ed nice. The customers were very happy even with the 22k ones on display front and center.

 

[Paul N]

Cornel:

That would be a very wise decision. Especially now with gold approaching $1000 an ounce.

Many times when a customer loves a gold leaf frame but the price turns out to be prohibitive, I offer to have it made in metal leaf instead and the sale is successful 99% of the time.

 

[Rick Granick]

The number of really great family owned white tables restaurants is much smaller than successful small high end frame shops (Both a very small number, indeed)...Decry all we wish, but the formulaic system just seem to pack 'em in

This sounds just like the movie Big Night. Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub play Italian brothers trying to run a small, good-quality restaurant in 1950's New York. Although they have excellent food, an intimate atmosphere and personal service, it's a constant struggle. Across the street is a mass-appeal Italian joint with a brash, nightclub feel that serves mediocre food, but really packs in the crowds every night because they have what the masses want and understand. To the brothers, it's a triumph of style over substance, but guess which one makes money. Great movie, BTW.

Rick

 

[Paul N]

Rick:

I concur, a really great movie!! And great analogy.

 

[Kirstie]

I understand Grey's analogy, but I don't think it applies to the independent framing industry because in our shops we have the ability to commingle the categories just as Dell does in its catalogue. Grey says:

You expect perfection, and that is what you get, and you have a wonderful time getting it. Like many white table cloth restaurants, these are often family run by owners that really care --- and prices are not always that important; and you go back, because of how wonderful the experience is.

My customers have a wonderful experience AND they can save money by opting for value line or poster frames or ready mades, or DIY. Or they can order beautiful custom framing. They have fun, have all the selection they want, and get lots of enthusiastic help whether they are spending $50 or $500. or more. This not to say that a shop that offers only high end framing can't be successful--it can be wildly profitable. But there are all kinds of success in this business.

I recognize that by offering many lower price options and lots of selection that I may discourage a small percentage of the market from framing with me. Those people will trot off to the "exclusive" frame shops in more elite neighborhoods and won't get anything more than I can offer, but that's OK because by offering framing to a large economic cross section, we can make up the difference, and possibly more, in volume.

 

[brian..k]

I work at that white table cloth frame shop. The one that people in town refer to as "the expensive shop". The one where people only go to when they want to frame something special (see; celebrate a special occasion with a nice bottle of wine and a really good steak). But that isn't the question that Cornel asked. Are we willing to be different? Yes and we are. I can take absolutely no credit for the type of shop we are, unlike Kirstie who is an awesome businesswoman. We have every style of CC frame under the sun (including many of Cornel's samples). We do installations, restoration, on-site consultation, in-house gilding, French detailing etc. etc. etc.

So many covet the high end market. They want the prestige that comes from being that UBER shop with all the shinny gold frame samples on the wall (No more frames for you!). I'm here to tell you that it isn't an easy road. A shop like Kirstie's is a much better business model than a purely high end model. You think that if you put up 10, 20, 50, or even 100 CC sample and a few of Cornel's beautiful photo frames and bang your a high end shop. You either are a high end shop or you aren't. Period. If you want to be that kind of a shop then embrace it or focus your ideas somewhere else. Why do you think that the BBs are now going after the middle market? There's more of them than anyone else. Go for the middle and be competitive. If you want, keep those CC samples and make a few extra bucks every once in a while.

How are we changing? We bought a second store in December and are in the process of centralizing our production to one location (2 grosses are better than one). We are integrating as much new technology into both stores as possible. We are updating our purchasing practices and how we manage our work flow. With all that going on we are actually a disaster right now but I'm hoping 6 months from now we will be a well oiled framing machine.

 

[Kirstie]

Hey Brian,

I really wish you the greatest success in this new job. It sounds like you are making a difference already and are embracing the business. What more could an owner possibly want in a manager?

And the shops are in beautiful suburban upscale locations ripe for very high end framing. It will be fun to visit sometime and see how all of your work is turning out.

We're open 7 days and I'm there on Sunday if you ever want to drop by and see how the other half frames. We're doing OK, but I have my eye on the news and am concerned about all this talk of recession. People keep framing, but it seems that many are more cost conscious, so I'm really glad I added to the Value Line and brought in more lower priced mouldings in general--all with better margins. Still, it has to work on volume and who can predict volume in this economy?

I was explaining to an employee the simple fact that if we mark up a bargain frame XX times our true cost, then we make $X per foot. If we mark up a more expensive frame X times, we make $XX per foot. Keeping a balance between those value mouldings and the more moderate to semi-expensive mouldings is essential to staying in business and keeping a broad customer base. Closed corner seems to be dead at our shop right now and I am thinking of using the real estate for more useful purposes.

 

[Pat Murphey]

I left something out in my list of requirements to sell higher end. You have to have the nerve to grab that closed corner sample and place it around the customer's art. With customer's who have "good" art, originals or antiques, I make a point of "let me show you this...".

 

[Bob Carter]

Pat makes the most salient point of all

Salesmanship

To offer something with confidence and style

And then make adjustments to make the sale

The issue that gets lost in the fog is that "high end" need not be an "exclusive" option; but an integral component

When we do our competitive shopping, the one thing we constantly comment upon is the lack of salesmanship by the shops we visit

One hing everyone one of us ought to do differently is to become much better salespeople

 

[brian..k]

I left something out in my list of requirements to sell higher end. You have to have the nerve to grab that closed corner sample and place it around the customer's art. With customer's who have "good" art, originals or antiques, I make a point of "let me show you this...".

Pat is absolutely right here. Even that client that you don't think would spend that much money in a million years might be willing to spend the money on the perfect design. It never hurts to show someone a more expensive frame. Let them decide how much is to much. I think that the Museum Glass promotion opened many people's eyes to the fact that many clients don't have as much price resistance as we thought. If they'd spring for the glass, why not the frame?

 

[Whynot]

I'd have a true story to tell you, but I repress my itch because it may be seen as self serving and I hate to see you all loosing focus on my message and putting your magnifiers on me instead. It's abount one man business just like so many of you are, someone who never sold higher quality frames than Roma and LJ before, becoming one of my best clients ever practically overnight and lasting with no singns of wear for over fifteen months now in same top position. He's selling to the same clientele base he always had and, in all honesty, I wouldn't have offerd my frames to him if I had the initiative and new his business. But then, before I lived that experience, I was equally arogant and elitist as many of you are self destructive in assuming a low existence in service of sparing your customers' money. I've been offered a great marketing lesson and an excellent account all in one.

 

[Kirstie]

I left something out in my list of requirements to sell higher end. You have to have the nerve to grab that closed corner sample and place it around the customer's art. With customer's who have "good" art, originals or antiques, I make a point of "let me show you this...".

Like anything else, I think that you also have to have enough CC samples to create critical mass. Same with desk frames, as Rob's shops show us. If you don't look like you have a lot of something, you won't sell any of it.

 

[Jay H]

Yes Kirstie, the look of Rob's shop floored me too. It looked great and I loved the home made shelves. You could have bought them about a year an half ago when he closed that store. So 40 million photoframes aren't a silver bullet at all.

Just as CC frames or any other one or two services.

I'd like to hear Cornels story. If for nothing else insperation. But for every one of his, I'm sure we could name 20 shops that sell less than 2 a year.

Radical change is just bigger than this type of frame, that type of frame, great music in the gallery, lit candles, friendly smiles.............

 

[Kirstie]

Yes Kirstie, the look of Rob's shop floored me too. It looked great and I loved the home made shelves. You could have bought them about a year an half ago when he closed that store. So 40 million photoframes aren't a silver bullet at all.

Just as CC frames or any other one or two services.

I'd like to hear Cornels story. If for nothing else insperation. But for every one of his, I'm sure we could name 20 shops that sell less than 2 a year.

Radical change is just bigger than this type of frame, that type of frame, great music in the gallery, lit candles, friendly smiles.............

Agreed. I see it as more to do with budget and economics. A lot of small changes in this area can add up to significantly more profits. Big changes like opening or closing a store are another matter.

 

[Paul Cascio]

Okay Whynot, I'll bite. I thought you already told the story, but please tell us again. By the way, as I read your post, I couldn't help but recall one of the most famous framers of all time -- Jed Clampit. So, I have a suggestion. Can you re-tell it so it can be sung to the Beverly Hillbillies Theme. Sorta like this:



Come and listen to a story about a framer named Jed
A poor one-man frameshop, barely kept the termites fed,
Then one day he was nailin' some basswood,
And in through the door came somethin' really good.

Closed Corners that is, black with gold, and a bit of fillagree.

Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
So Cornell said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Closed Corners is the stuff you oughta sell"
So he changed his display and was saved from framing H***.

Sold Museum Glass too. To people with swimmin pools. Movie stars.

Well now its time to say good by to Jed and all his frames.
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
You're all invited back again to buy a frame, or three.
And to have a heapin helpin of high-end mentality.

Closed corners that is. Buy a few. Take a month off.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?.

 

[Jerry Ervin]

Paul,

 

[Paul N]

Yeah, I wish gold leaf frames were as indispensable as say, Oil, black gold, Texas tea, that is.

 

[Bogframe]

I guess it's time for me to weigh in.
When I first came to this shop 15 years ago, it was your typical NY shop-50 corner samples and a rack of Bainbridge paper mats.
I convinced the owner to move the saws downstairs and we expanded the sales floor 300%. I added the complete Bainbridge and Crescent mat lines and avoided selling paper mats like the plague. The next thing to do was to start educating the customers about conservation framing. All this boosted sales 300% over the previous year.
Now that everything was in place, I started whipping out samples of some of my little tricks, such as fillets, v-grooves (before CMCs made them commonplace), french mats, etc. Between the expanded repertoire and word of mouth, we really started to flourish.
All that having been said, here's what I suggest to set you apart from everyone else.
1. Put up samples of your out-of-the-ordinary talents.
2. Use museum glass in some of them. This shows off the difference well.
3. Be like a magician; have lots of rabbits to pull out of your hat.
4. Educate your customers. The more they know, the better for both of you.
5. Simple works-sometimes. When it doesn't, pull out stops.

 

[Whynot]

Paul Cascio,

Just as I was expecting, you missed the message completely and in compensation you made fun of what you didn't understand. The correct question in that case was "how can a regular framer turn into such a terrific CC frames seller in same location and practically with same customer base?". I did not tell that story, though you may think that you had read it. And that was the story you ought to hear.

[For your eyes only] You missed yet another opportunity to learn something that may have helped you teach your students a truly valuable lesson at your US Academy of framing. It appears that framers have took already enough many classes on how to make things that lately don't sell quite well, don't you agree? Perhaps it's about time to start teaching them how to sell those things they learned to make in US Academy of frames instead. With frame academicians like you are we don't longer wonder why framers are struggling to understand what's to be done to remain afloat and why the floor gets slippery under their feet.

 

[Paul Cascio]

Lighten up Francis. Let's hear the story.