Help Becoming a new Frame shop owner

[5th corner]

Hi,

Sam here.

Have been trying to purchase a business for a year now and are finally almost there. 2 weeks to go.

I am relocating it 2km down the road.

I need to get some sort of letter together to give to the sellers that they can encourage their customers to keep trading with me. Condition of the contract solicitor had me include. Good idea but a hard thing to do if that sort of thing is not high on your "I am an expert at this" list.

Does anyone have a letter they have used in this situation or open to suggestion in some of the points one should cover in this letter which will be sent to clients.

Maybe a what to say and what not to say to give me some ideas.

Should it be short or long. Should one offer a discount.

Thanks for any ideas in advance.

 

[danny boy]

Sam I am excited about your new venture.

I am not so sure about the questions but know someone will be along shortly with a few ideas. Good luck now...

 

[j Paul]

I would think that such a letter from the prior owners to the customer base should make assurance to those customers that they (the seller) feel that they have found the best person to take over the shop. Let them sing your glory!

And then maybe a personal note from you inviting them into the shop and extending a limited time offer. Have a party/grand opening/meet & greet.

 

[osgood]

Sam,
Are you going to move the business immediately, or carry on in the current location for a while until the current customers get to know you?

 

[5th corner]

Hi Again,

Yes relocating emediatly. Probably not the best solution but land evaluation put the rent way up, demolition clause involved which could have been removed if staying and trouble with the landlord and price of business was high in relation to figures on paper. So all of that considered went with cheaper rent and relocation. In anycase it is done and all ahead.

Will do a mail out and letter box drop but back to the thread topic I have to write this letter. One of our fellow grumblers has given me a letter that I can use and modify and was much appreciated in this difficult transition. I will submit it today and they hopefully will come back with a good final letter to send out.

You guys could continue this thread with a dos and don'ts list or ideas maybe to help other framers starting out and of course I would love to learn what I should or should not have included.

Thanks so much for the help.

 

[Finest Fabric]

I have been framing for a while but bought my current shop from the original owner who had it over 30 years. It was (and still is) a completely amicable transaction. At the time, we had jointly contacted the local papers, who ran articles about the "passing of the torch". We also independently drafted "transition" letters extolling the virtues of the change which we had printed 2up on the same sheet. We mailed this out to the client base and also included it as an insert in the local chamber of commerce newsletter.

Hopefully your situation is amicable as well. It is in the best interest for both the buyer and seller to see the business continue - so try to work together on this if you can.

If you want to see what we wrote, PM me with your e-mail & I'll shoot it out to you.

BTW - 4 years after the fact I've kept all of the previous owners clients and of course added many of my own.

-Bryan