Your Opinion Please...

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JbNormandog

JbNormandog

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Posts
3,751
Loc
NJ
Hello,

A few doors down from me is an interior designer with a fairly large store. I have done some framing for her clients (mostly through her) in the past and we have been getting along fairly well.

Leaving the shop the other night I noticed she had big signs all over the place advertising HUGE ART SALE THIS WEEKEND.

Instead of feeling like my toes were getting stepped on I decided business is business and if that is what she has to do to bring in some extra people so be it.

Well to my surprise the first day of the sale she calls and asks for some general pricing for aprox sizes of some of the art. She said she was going to reccomend me to her customers to frame whatever sold.

I ran over some gift certificates for her to give away as an incentive and it worked.

A thousand dollar sale just left and now I am wondering should I give her a small percentage of any sales I get from her today?

I want to acknowledge that I apreciate her framing push for me but also don't want to cut too deeply into my wallet if I can avoid it. (last month was SLOW)

What would you do?

I don't think she is expecting anything but I believe when someone helps me I should do for them.

OK let her rip.
 
The best time to reward someone for doing something nice is when they don't expect it.

Instead of setting a precedent with a percentage of sales, maybe offer occasional extravagant gifts, like a dozen eggs or a free rental at Blockbuster.

Or maybe a gallon of gas.
 
I think your on the wrong forum...there are never opinions here, silly!


First off I think its wonderful you have such a great relationship with another business owner like that. I have a similiar situation here with a local company.

But I do not feel that you owe them a percentage of the sales, I think that could potentially bite you in the butt down the road.

Offer professional curtesies if she does framing with you. She was asking for advise and her suggesting clients go to you for framing is her way of thanking you for your professional knowledge. Your bringing certificates helps her out as well; maybe the client will purchase several pieces from her for that incentive.

I think you both have done well to be respectful of each other. A small thing I do here, that is very well received is that I drop off a dozen bagels now and then to my local glass and mirror place. They send customers to me for custom mirrors all the time, they also know that I will purchase the mirror from them in return. They give me a discount which I squimishly asked for and they were more surprised that they didn't think of it. Its a great mutual relationship.

Sure thank her in whatever way feels good, but offering her a % of sales takes too much from you and will always be expected. There are other ways to show appreciation
 
....and don't you have a new mouth to feed soon! Honey your going to need it, don't give it away lol
 
You guys are the best!

A nice gift, no cash or %.

I'm thinking of a combination of the above suggestions.

A gallon of gas, a dozen bagels and then I'll bite her on the butt.

Oh wait forget the bite, misread Steph's first post.

Thanks G!!!
 
If you give her that bottle of bubbles that Paul suggested, make sure the little loop wand thingy comes with it.

There's nothing more useless than a bottle of bubbles without the little loop wand thingy.

And don't let her play with it in the house.
 
Maybe you should open it for her and point it away so she can't sue you for the little loop wand thingy putting her eye out! And she might even offer to share it!
 
The gift certificates probably already increased her sales. Give her a discount on one of her frames when she doesn't expect it.
 
Homemade cookies or brownies.
Gift of some kind.
Surprise her with lunch one day.
No $ off if it wasn't negotiated beforehand.

And hooray for your $1000 sale. . .
 
Sometime about November 15th, during the one season you can take a slight hit, AND SHE COULD REALLY USE SOME HELP, give her a 10-15% off on her "personal" framing for the season.

If she is a successfull designer, she will have a few special clients that she will want to frame some small exquisit things for....

That will be your chance to "thank her for all she has done for you over the past year".

It doesn't neccessarily set a president... but it could encourage her to do even more the next year.
 
Originally posted by Meghan MacMillan:
Homemade cookies or brownies.
Gift of some kind.
Surprise her with lunch one day.
No $ off if it wasn't negotiated beforehand.

And hooray for your $1000 sale. . .
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Meghan, you're such a romantic....
thumbsup.gif
 
I second the motion of a dozen eggs your honor.

Food or adult beverages always are a good sign of appreciation.
 
Not everyone likes champagne or drinks (I don't).

What I would like to receive as a thank you would be flowers or a plant with a nice card. Chocolate is only good if your friend isn't dieting (or fat).
 
Well, if somebody on TG doesn't like Champagne, it doesn't mean the designer doesn't either!
What a ludicrous assumption.

Designers usually have refined taste.

Give her a hug! Maybe the person who doesn't like champagne hates hugs was well...
 
I have worked with a designer for 11 years. I give her a 15% discount if she brings the work in; and I send her a 15% commission if she sends the client in. And then her clients send their friends, but I don't send a commission for those. The designer always upsells and rarely has anything framed on the lower end; she knows what she wants and it doesn't take long to design her pieces; she picks up and pays promptly.
 
The designer always upsells and rarely has anything framed on the lower end; she knows what she wants and it doesn't take long to design her pieces; she picks up and pays promptly.
Click to expand...
Well to my surprise the first day of the sale she calls and asks for some general pricing for aprox sizes of some of the art. She said she was going to reccomend me to her customers to frame whatever sold.
Click to expand...
Now those are legitimate, professional designers.
 
Yes, Jo, those are indeed legitimate designers as opposed to many interior decorators who want to get by with the highest markup on the cheapest thing they can buy!!

We have 5 designers that we work with on a regular basis and all of them stop in periodically to see the new art that we have and get caught up on color offerings and available framing options. They get 10 off their purchases and 10% comission on their referrals to us. In return they will spend all of their art allotment in our gallery instead of shopping around because we treat them fairly and carry only quality originals for them to use in their client's homes.

I (and my boss) am a firm believer in doing as you would have done and we have a very loyal customer base as a result. We make about 4 or 5 runs to Birmingham or Auburn or Southern Georgia each month delivering large pieces of original art to homes and designers. Of course we have a delivery fee but we also have the means to deliver a 4'x8' fully framed original canvas and the clients are very appreciative of our delivery terms as it would cost another 15% or 20% to ship to the same area and there is no guarantee that the art will arrive undamaged.

And the comission checks to the designers is also an incentive to bring in more business, which they invariably do.

Framerguy
 
Personally I think a nice Champagne or wine is a very sophisticated gift to give. If they are not drinkers it will give them something to offer others they socialize with.


mmmmm a gift basket with champagne, cheeses and chocolate covered strawberries sounds good right now. When's lunch by the way????
 
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