OK, here goes nuttin' ........... honey!
I do not feel that Kathy's shop interior or her signage or her competence at framing and the design thereof are the main factors in her not-so-good financial position right now. Some of the problem may, I say, MAY be her location, I haven't visited her shop nor the neighborhood and can't judge anything about the location above what Kathy has told us.
I have preached to the choir for years now that you can be the very BEST framer in your area and go broke IF you can't get people through that hole in the front of your shop wall!! As Jay said, if you can't get them in the door, you can't do business with them!! Plain and simple!!
I have told Kathy this in numerous conversations with her over the past couple of years so I don't think she'll mind me sharing. Her negative thinking on each fluctuation of her business SUCKS!! There just isn't any room in our heads for constructive mental composition (creating an attitude that will be conducive to creative thinking/planning) when there are all these little negative thoughts taking up space. You can say what you will about positive thinking and attitude but I am here to tell you that it works and, alot like your relationship with God, can do wonders if you are sincere and heartfelt about it and make it a part of your waking life.
There may be some other contributing factors to Kathy's situation such as poor money management, poor business acumen, believing that she is a better framer than she actually is, but I am convinced in MY mind that none of these apply to Kathy.
This location problem that so many allude to has a simple answer to it but it also has some tough boulders to move out of that field before it is ready to plow and plant.
1. Move to a better location.
So what makes a "better" location?? Is Bob Carter in a position in Phoenix to judge for Kathy in Denver what a "better" location may be?? Am I qualified to make a judgement here in Florida?? Sure we can all tell her what makes up a "better" location but, on the 4th and 10 play, can we decide for her?? I think not. I could cite other framers who have what some consider a qualified POOR location and they are making a business of it. Two that come to mind are Betty Neuman working out in the country on her farm and Mark Greene who had his shop buried in a little burp of a town that you couldn't even find on the map let alone get any kind of driving directions that made any sense! (Try finding Wamac on a map of I*******!) It's not even a word, it's an acronym for Washington, Marion, and Clinton counties!!
2. Deal with the present situation.
So Kathy is nearly broke, and doesn't want to quit, and can't move, and here we are sports fans, sittin' and watchin' the half time show and wondering what will happen next. Oh, the game isn't over yet so Kathy can't just pick up her toys and go home! She has some more plays to run only she isn't aware what those plays are at this time. WE are her playmakers!!
She has had a pretty rough first half and isn't feeling good about herself or her game plan. She got kicked in the teeth a few times and was thrown for a loss here and there but she isn't a quitter or she would have already taken that easy road and we would be talking about dog farts or well hung skwirrels!
So let's look at how to get people through her door. Kathy, (I am going to address you directly now) how many of your customers have been in your shop in the last month? Since the start of the year?
How many have only been in once?
How many new customers are you drawing in? From what source? Are you asking each new customer, "Where did you hear about my shop?"?
Do you do active marketing on your own wherever you go?
Do you look at the framing in other businesses and make any suggestions about what you can do for them?
Do you ever just walk into a store and introduce yourself and hand them a business card with an invitation to try out your services?
Do you keep your ears open for a chance to promote your framing in some unlikely places like church or the local neighborhood?
Are you attending C of C meetings and marketing your business with other business people?
Do you wander into stores or look around and offer your services to them for framing when you have an opportunity?
Have you sent out notes or promotions geared just to your customers and worded them to reflect your gratitude for their business?
Are you marketing your services to targeted groups? Right now is the prime time to be approaching high schools with graduation promotions. Bridal framing is now. Mother's Day is too late but Father's Day is coming up.
Get some wedding announcements and frame them and hang them in your shop. Get at least one bridal portrait and hang it in your shop. Hang a graduation certificate or a graduation announcement with the school colors reflected in the matting and a tassle and a photo of a graduate in your shop.
What is Denver noted for? Hang a shadowbox with some Broncos memorbilia in it in your shop. If you need some ideas other than the ones that I already have posted, I will be honored to post some photos for you to give you some ideas.
Find out if there is an advertising media that actually WORKS for you in YOUR area and use it. You said that the coupon mailers were bringing in customers. Funnel some advertising dollars from news ads or anywhere else to use that mailer more often. If it brings in 2 new customers, at least you have paid for the advertising. And you never will be able to know how many others have that little "seed" planted in their minds just from seeing your coupon.
Attitude adjustment, yes, well that is a high hill of sand isn't it? You know most of my thoughts on attitude by now. My punchline to most negative attitude is, "Don't give up, give in, or feel sorry about your situation. Do something about it!!" You'll find that, when you throw a pity party, you hardly ever get alot of people showing up for the party. Some will take this as a cruel statement but I think that you understand where I am coming from and what I mean as I have talked to you about it in the past.
I have a little cartoon hanging above my desk here at work that shows a big heron type bird with a frog in its beak and the frog is reaching around that bird's beak and has a death grip on its neck! The hand scrawled caption is, "Don't Ever Give Up!" That has been on my wall for the past 16 years. It is more important to me than my business license!
Now I am going to take a nice lunch break and relax and care for myself for a few minutes. That is another important point that keeps me going when times are rough. I am fully at peace with myself, I really like myself and have respect for who I am. And that shows to everyone who comes in my shop. If you allow your financial problems to override your daily life, your attitude will show it, your approach to others will be affected by it, your face will be a mirror of your frustrations! I don't intend to wax philosophy here but you have to come to terms with YOU as a person and as a part of a much bigger plan for you than you have for your business.
I can't wish you any more luck than I have in the past since you and I have so much in common in our lives.
But I do wish you peace.
Framerguy