We are in desperate need of new garage doors.  I had already received a couple in-person quotes, but wanted to call around and see if we could do better.  So a called XYZ Garage Doors and the first thing I asked was "Do you give quotes over the phone."  She said yes, but it would be very general and I really needed to talk to Jim, or Bob, or Jim Bob the garage door guru.  We went back and forth like this for several minutes before she finally transferred me over to Jim Bob.  I proceeded to ask him the same question.  He then proceeded to try and convice me that I needed to have him come out and give me a quote.  Again more back and forth and then I found a way to get him off the phone.  (You know the old, "I need to talk to my husband." line.)
This little exchange got me to thinking about sales and different types of customers.  I understand the old sales adage of "You must get in front of the customer, so you can make the sale."  And I guess along with this is the concept that  you don't want to tip your hand, by giving out your prices before you've met them face to face and had a chance to do your song and dance.  

But, I  completely reject this concept.  There are many types of customers and some of these are price shoppers.  They call and ask you what you charge for a specific item.   This customer may have already recieved a couple quotes, and is just trying to see if they are getting a good bargin.  Maybe they weren't happy with anyone who came out to see them, and they are fishing around to see if you would be a better choice.  Sometimes they are just trying to figure out if they can even afford to have custom treatments made.  Others, are working out their budget, and where best to spend their money.

I have heard many workrooms say they won't give quotes out on the phone.  There are just too many variables involved in a custom treatment.  The customer may not know what they want.  I disagree completely.   It is the rare customer who has absolutely no idea what they want.  Most have some idea that they want a shade, a valance, or maybe panels.  Some just want a cushion or bedding.  Why not give the customer a ball park on the phone.  It's just another way to prequalify the customer and save you wasted time and energy  on someone who isn't in your budget or isn't ready to buy.  
What about all those variables in a window treatment.  Well if you have a well thought out price list you have pretty much covered every variation and can easily tell your customer how much you charge by the foot, by the width or by the inch.  Your lining charges don't vary by that much and anyone who's been in business for a while should know that a simple single width window panel probably takes about 3 yards.  Fabric does come in a range, but you can easily tell the customer that fabric ranges in price from a high-low end to a high-high end.  Again you can give a ball park for how much fabric you need.  Add an extra width to make up for any large repeats.  Tell them how much you charge per width for labor, or that you charge XX per square foot for a roman shade.  Give that customer all the tools they need to decide if they are ready to buy and can even afford what they want. 

Don't try to hem and haw and convice the customer you must come out and see them before you can give them any type of price.  It's a waste of your time and of the customer's.  Mostly because they probably aren't the right customer for you.  
Customers also don't like the hard sell.  Ask anyone what their opinion of the Sham Wow commercial is. A perfect example of a hard sell.  They probably hate it.  If customers like someone coming in to their home and giving them the hard sell there,  wouldn't be a FTC "Cooling off rule" giving them three days to cancel if they change their mind. 

So go ahead and give that price shopper  a quick phone or email quote.   Who knows it may turn into a job in the future.  It has for me.

I did it again.  I lowered my price.  Even though it was right there staring at me in black and white.  In the price list I wrote.  In the column where I updated the price based on my time studies.  I did it because the customer was really nice.  Because she kept talking about budgets.  Because, my phone hasn't rung in 2 weeks.  Because, she had two twins, aged 3 not really taking the nap they were supposed to.  Because, she was so nice.  Because, she runs in the same social circles I do. Because I really wanted the job.  Because my price seemed so high.  Even though it was a big cushion.  A big cushion with funky sides.  A cushion that would need some extra things. Even though I hate making cushions, and no matter how hard I try they always take forever.
Even though I just met with my accountant who I think, thinks I should get a "real job".  Because, my husband and I live in a nice house, but struggle to find the money to make repairs.  Even though I just spent 3 days putting my tax stuff together and I'm so frustrated by how little money I made for all the work I did last year.  
Crap, I did it again. I hate it when I do that.

 The other day I called one of my suppliers to ask them to fax me a price list for one of their product lines. I was already irritated to be making this call, as I had expected to receive the list with the product catalog I had asked them to mail to me. (It wasn't.) And, I had called the day before, to ask that the list be faxed to me. Which was not done. (And yes, I checked to make sure there was paper in the fax. )
So now I was making my second (actually 3rd) call on the same topic, and I was completely annoyed, because I'm busy enough, without having to make 3 calls about the same thing.
When I called, I ended up having a conversation with customer service, that went something like this.
Me - "I asked to have the price list for --- faxed to me."
Customer Service - "The prices are all on line."
Me - "I know they are all on line, but I still want a physical price list to look at."
Customer Service - "We are in the process of updating it."
Me - "Well are the prices in the current list still good?"
Customer Service - "Yes. you can get them online."
Me - "Well can you fax or send it to me?"
Customer Service - "Can I email it."
Me - "Sure."

Now, I'm not sure why I was given a hard time about this issue. Maybe, they pay a lot of money for the website and want to you use it. Maybe, the new price list is coming out next week. Maybe, they hate faxing. All I know, is that they could have saved themselves, and me, five minutes of phone time, and an article about customer service, if the sales person had simply said, "I'm sorry we didn't get that to you would email be okay instead?"
Which, finally, brings me to the point of this article.
How easy are you to work with? We often complain about difficult customers, but are YOU a difficult business to work with? When clients ask you a question, do you quickly answer, or say, "I'll get right back to you." Or, do you dance around the topic and finally ask why they want to know? Can you easily justify your prices to a customer who is cost conscious? Such as, "I charge $30.00 a foot for a box pleat valance." Or, do you hem and haw and then make something up?
If someone asks you if you can work with them, do you tell them, "Look me up on the Internet and give me a call." Or, do you give them a card and ask if it's okay to call them to set up an appointment.
Do you take a week to get back to your clients' calls and emails? Do you touch base with them periodically throughout the project? Or, do you collect their money and not call them until 8 weeks later when it's time to schedule the install?
As much as you may want to just sit around and sew, without clients, we can't have a business. Without good customer service we can't have a good business. Don't make it difficult to do business with yourself.

Here are a couple tips to make yourself an easy company to work with.
* Make yourself easy to find on the web and through the phone.
* Be able to easily justify your prices and stick to them.
* Answer your clients' questions quickly and precisely, or tell them you will research it and get back to them. Then do that.
* Keep your clients in the loop throughout the project. Don't ignore your clients until the last minute.
* Address client problems quickly and nicely.
* Be knowledgeable about your business and your products.
* Give your customers what they want, and if you can't help them, try to find a reasonable solution.
* If something isn't right for a project, explain to your clients why, and help find an alternative. Don't just say no, I can't do that.
* Be pleasant and cheerful.
* Always apologize when you make a mistake.

 In cooking it's called mise en place, a French phrase that means "everything in place." This crucial cooking term suggests you gather all your ingredients before you start cooking a dish. This accomplishes two goals. First, it assures you have everything you need to finish your dish. Second, it makes the cooking process go faster and smoother because you aren't running around looking for ingredients while your white sauce burns away.
I think this is a great concept, that can be applied to your sewing projects. By collecting and checking all your "ingredients" fabric, thread, cording, wood, etc., before you've begun any project, you can make it go much smoother and much faster.
How often do you have to stop to wind up new bobbins, while sewing 10 yards of cording? Or realize you are out of lining 1/2 way through panel #3? Instead why not institute mise en place in your workroom. Before starting any project, wind a bunch of bobbins in several colors. Clear off your table, gather your scissors and pins and check your lining amount. Then look over the face fabric for flaws.
If you've prepared everything you need before sewing, all you will need to do is roll out the fabric and get to work. No stopping to call all the local workrooms to ask if you can buy three yards of lining and no rethreading the machine mid job.
Just quick easy sewing. Or, the perfect white sauce.

P.s. Mise en place is a great idea when working with your clients too. There's a reason I tell my clients their job won't be done for 4 to 6 weeks until after I've received all the materials. If something is on back order or worse has been discontinued then the client and you, are less inclined to be upset if the job hasn't started yet. Your aren't pushing back an install, but instead are are sticking to your word that you will begin after all the supplies have been received.
Of course it's up to you to order them in a timely manner, and it's great if you can keep your customer in the loop as to the ordering and receipt of fabric date. This opens the line of communications and eliminates problems before they begin. So get those orders in quickly and check the stock of your fabric, hardware and other supplies, and let your clients know you are on top of all their ingredients. It will be much easier for you to set a firm time frame for completion of your projects while keeping you and your clients happy. And if you like to cook, well fed.

 I think one of the funniest shows on TV today is The Big Bang Theory. On a recent episode, Sheldon a genius with limited social skills was stuck trying to solve a certain scientific problem. After staring at it for three days and nights he decided to work as a waiter at a restaurant to try and see the problem from a new perspective. It worked and he had a major breakthrough.
Have you ever been stuck on what to do for a particular design? Or maybe you are trying to finish a project and for the last hour you've done nothing but, stare at it, walked around the room, fiddled with the radio, had a cup of coffee and then stared at it some more.
Well you don't have to work at a restaurant to break through your mental log jam. Instead try some of these techinques to help free your creativity.

Have a cup of coffee and relax on the couch. Sometimes just the act of relaxing your body and your mind can release your creativity.

Take a nap. This is my very favorite activity. There really is something to be said for the old phrase, "sleep on it." How many times have you gone to bed wrestling with a particular problem and woke up with the solution.

Surf the web. You may not find the exact answer you're looking for, but it may give you some good inspiration.

Watch tv. Watching someone else try to struggle through their problems may make yours seem easy to solve. Or, it may just be that an hour of HGTV inspires your to look at your problem from another angle.

Look through some magazines. These are great sources of inspiration to break through a creative breakthrough. Sometimes even just a color or part of a picture may give you the inspiration you need.

Go for a walk. Look at the world around you while you walk. Architecture, landscaping, flowers and nature are all a wonderful source of inspiration.
Exercise. Gets those endorphins going and increases blood flow to the brain. Besides who's mind doesn't wander while exercising, it's a great way to mull over the issues.

Take the dog for a walk. Even if you don't get a creative burst the dog will be happy.

Go for a Sunday drive. I know gas cost's a small fortune these days, but how fun is it to fly down the highway on a beautiful day with the windows open and your favorite music on the radio. Another great place to mull over issues.

Go shopping. Go to your favorite home store or Home repair store or clothing. Inspiration is every where there.

Take a bath. You'll be clean and your mind will be relaxed and open to new ideas.

Play a game with your kids. They'll love you for it and maybe they will have a good perspective on the problem. It's amazing what even the little ones can come up with.

Go to bed. See take a nap. Another of my favorites.

Have a glass of wine. This won't immediately get you back on track, but you'll be relaxed and sleepy and maybe in the morning you'll have an answer.

Work on a different project. Sometimes just walking away and working on something new can help you come up with the right solution on creative idea.

Make something for yourself. You deserve it and you can be the most creative when you're working on your own projects, opening the creative juices for those other projects. Posted by The Needle and The Thread 0 comments

 I am currently on my 4th wood stapler in my business. I started out with a very inexpensive hand stapler. When that broke, I upgraded to a better hand stapler. Then I moved to an electric. After a couple of years, sick and tired of playing with the electric I finally invested in an air compressor and top notch staple gun. If I think about it, I probably could have bought the air compressor and staple gun with the money I spent on all the other staple guns. The air compressor is so easy to use, I wish I had bought it years ago.
Sometimes it may seem like we are saving money by not investing in the better equipment, but are we really? There comes a point when it makes more sense financially to spend the money on equipment that will really help your business, then to struggle along with the wrong tools or machines.
If you are still sewing your panel hems by hand, because you think you can't afford a blind hemmer machine, do a little cost analysis. Ask a friend who owns a blind hemmer to keep track of how long it takes them to sew in their bottom hems on a single or double width drapery. Now do the same with a similar panel that you are sewing by hand. I bet there's a huge difference in time. Time you could be spending working on new projects or marketing for new clients.
Most of the time people stumble along with the wrong tools because they feel they don't have the money to pay for something. Or, they are afraid to make the investment and commitment.
If money is the problem it's time to look at where your cash flow is going and how you can reinvest some of it back into your business.
To help you evaluate where best to spend your money and how much it's really going to cost you, start with this project.
Take your computer or a piece of paper and make four columns. In the first column list all the equipment you currently are using. Sewing machines, sergers, staplers, tables, saws, computers, cell phones, fax machines etc. If you are feeling particularly ambitious add in smaller hand tools that could stand to be upgraded.
In the second column you are going to evaluate your equipment. Write down poor, good, best. In the next column is your wish list. If any of your equipment is listed as poor or only good, write down what type of equipment you would like to replace it with. For example, if you have a hand stapler in column one write air gun in the last column. Are you still working with a home straight stitch? Write down industrial. At the bottom of the list write down any other equipment you want, but don't currently have.
In the final column rank all the new equipment by number. Number 1 is what you most need to help your business run more efficiently. Number 10 is what would be nice to have, but not crucial.
Once you've completed this project look at the equipment you most need. (I say need rather than want, because upgrading your equipment is something your business NEEDS to move ahead.) Do a little research into the cost of the top item on your list. Then set a deadline for when you want to buy it and after every job or once a month start putting money away to purchase it.
When you finally get that new equipment you're going to love it so much you'll wish you bought it years ago.

How to know it's time to invest in new equipment:
1. You're still using dial up on your computer.
2. You can sew by hand faster than your sewing machine can straight stich.
3. You are still sewing all your panel hems by hand.
4. The stapler you're using is not electric or air.
5. Your kids play ping pong on your table on your off hours.
6. You just pinned 4 widths of pinch pleat panels by hand.
7. The ink for your fax machine costs more than the machine itself.
8. Your phone is still attached to the handset by a cord.
9. Your answering machine has your children's voices on it and they are in college now.
10. You are still cutting wood with a hand held miter saw and miter box.
11. You've never used a serger.
If you don't know what to look for when buying new or used equipment, here's an article about just that thing.

 The other day I was searching online for the website of one of my favorite fabric companies. I couldn't find anything and eventually discovered they didn't have one. Now this isn't some brand new little business. This company has been around for a while and is quite popular in the industry. I was a little astounded that they had not yet set up a website.

This blog is full of my opinions, backed by what I like to think is some rational explanations. Well here's another of my opinions.
I think every business should have a website.
That doesn't mean you have to run right out and spend $500.00 to have someone build you one, but it does mean that you should have some sort of presence on the Internet. That presence can be as simple as 4 pages built through Go Daddy's free web builder that has your contact info and a couple pieces of free photo art.

Here's why I think having a website is so crucial for your business.

1. It makes you seem more professional. Would you do business with someone who didn't even have a business card? Probably not. You'd question whether they were a true business or just some dude down the street trying to make some money. Think of a website as the new business card. It provides your business with professional image.

2. It gives your business a feeling of being in touch with the modern world. When you don't have a website your business gives the impression of being a little dusty, old and out-of-date.

3. It provides you with a showroom without having to buy a building. Companies without a website have less of a feeling of permanence. Few workrooms have a retail/showroom location that customers can pop in and out of. A large majority of us work out of our homes. A website gives you an online showroom or even an online retail store. People can freely visit your new showroom and find out information about your business.

4. The Internet is also the new business pages. I'm not talking about the online Yellow Pages that you have to pay for. Instead the entire world wide web is like a giant Yellow Pages just waiting to be opened. I can't recall the last time I even opened my paper Yellow Pages. Whenever I need a phone number or even the hours of a company, I turn to the Internet. Don't you want to be the company customers find.

5. Searching for a company on the Internet is easier than the yellow pages. Suppose you are at one of your children's swim meets and you get to talking with the woman next to you. You tell her what you do and your business name. She's interested, but not right now. A couple of months later she is trying to find your information, but she's a little unsure of your exact business name. Because of this she can't find you in the Yellow Pages. So instead she turns to an online search engine and puts in your name and what she thinks is your business name. Viola, after only a couple of minutes she has all your information and your phone number to call you.

6. The Internet is a little like a giant file cabinet for all your information and accolades. What do you do when you've won an award, or had an article about your business in the newspaper. Maybe you just installed a fabulous treatment and want to show potential customers what you can do. Your website is the perfect spot to showcase all your accomplishments in one place. You can show potential customers how fabulous you are in a variety of ways all at once.

7. A website provides you with lots of cross marketing. Once you have a website you can put that address on anything and everything you use for marketing. Car magnets, your business cards, post cards, brochures even your signature line for your emails. By doing this, you are using more than one avenue of marketing for possible customers. Not just that brochure or business card, but a chance to find out more about you on your website.

8. My final argument is that if you don't create a website you are going to get left behind by your competitors who do. The Internet isn't going anywhere, and it is only going to continue to become a larger presence in all our lives. Take my younger sister as an example. She' approximately 7 years younger than me and works as a computer engineer. Not only does she spend all day on the computer, but she is rarely without a laptop or her Blackberry. She's connected to the Internet pretty much all day long. She looks up businesses, directions, Facebook and dating sites. She texts, sends emails and types up documents on her computers and phone. Now she is in her early thirties. If she and her friends are this connected to the Internet, I can only imagine what those who are even younger than her will be doing online.

Don't let competiors who might be younger or more tech savvy than you beat you at your business. Create a website today and be the one the customers call first.

 Running a drapery workroom is a fun and creative business. You get to play around with fabric, and satisfy both the creative and logical side of your brain. But, sometimes I think we get wrapped up in the details of sewing and forget that, ultimately we are running a business. And without customers there would be no business.
It would be wonderful if we could have all our customers with unlimited budgets who let us put whatever we wanted on their windows. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead there are many levels of customers. Some want some nice basic drapes to cover their living room windows. These customers aren't looking for interlining or trim or micro-cord, just some nice not off-the-rack drapes. Other customers are very budget conscious and want to buy their own fabric and just want someone to sew it for them. And there are those few who want and can afford the works.
So why not sell to all these different customers. Don't become the workroom who always says "I won't." I won't make a valance without micro cording all of it. I won't sell a customer just one pillow. I won't make drapes unless they have interlining. Customers don't' want to hear what you "won't" do. They want to hear what you will do. And not every customer is looking for micro cord and interlining. Yes, the treatment may look much better with it, but is it going to look terrible without it? I doubt it. Remember you're selling one aspect of their home. They are looking at the decoration of their whole home.
Let's not forget what the customer does want. Your customer may like a very simple look and doesn't want micro cord or interlining. So why give yourself extra work adding it, when it isn't something they want.
Obviously you can run your business any way you want, but realize that you are running a business. Do you really want to turn work away because a lower end customer doesn't necessarily fit into your workroom "rules" for sewing?
If you can find all your customers at the highest end of the spectrum great, but if your business is struggling maybe it's time to re-reveiw your policies and maybe, even who you are turning away as a customer. After all, that little pillow and simple living room drapes, could be a referral to the customer who wants the works and can pay for it.

 I'm going on record right now and say "I think every drapery workroom should have a written price list." And not just any old list, but a clear concise and complete list that reflects your buisness practices and costs.

I know many workrooms like to fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to pricing. One of the many arguments I've heard, is that we are making custom products so everything has to be priced out differently. I've also heard that some cusomters require more work than others so the charges will be different.

I don't disagree that making up a price list is probably one of the hardest things any drapery workroom has to do. It's difficult to determine how to price and even more difficult to make sure your prices reflect the amount of work you do. But, I don't feel that difficulty is an excuse for not having a price list.

And my number one argument for creating a price list is this:

How do you know you are making any money if you don't know what you are charging.

If you are randomly making up a price, copying prices from a large commercial workroom, or if you "Have the general outline of your prices in your head." There is no way those prices can possibly reflect the overhead and costs of your drapery workroom. And if your prices don't reflect your costs (weights, thread, needles, lining, buckram etc.) then there is no way to know if you are really making money.

A price list isn't a random collection of numbers it is a starting point for actually making money doing what you love. The price list should cover the bulk of things you make, including panels, different types of valances, shades, cushions, pillows and bedding etc. Obviously a price list can't cover every single thing we make, we are too customized, but it is an excellent starting point. If, for example, your customer wants euro pleat panels with banding on the leading edge and trim in between the two fabrics, you can refer to your price list and easily write them up an estimate. The estimate will include your price list's price for euro pleat panels, the cost of banding per foot, and the cost of trim per foot. You most likely won't have this listed in the price book as one single treatment, but you can find the information under the heading of panels and panel add-ons.

My second argument for creating a price list is:

How can you evaluate your prices and adjust them to cover your changing costs if you don't know what they are?

The cost of doing business increases every year. Drapery pins cost more, shipping prices are higher, thread and pins are more expensive. If you have no idea what you are charging on a regular basis there is no way to adjust your prices to reflect the increasing cost of doing business. When you have a set price list you can look at the cost of a panel and easily determine in the materials and time going into making them has stayed up-to-date. As a matter of fact, I would recommend looking at your prices every 6 months, to a year, and see if they continue to be relevant and if they need to be increased.

The third argument is:

You are more likely to charge your customers LESS if you don't have a price list to fall back on.

How many times have you written a quote and thought, "Hmmm this seems a little high," and adjusted it down. How many times have you had a customer hesitate over your estimate and you've lowered the price to make the sale.

If you have a price list to back you up, you'll know that you put a lot of time and energy into creating those prices and that is your very bottom price for making money. You are far less likely to low-ball yourself if the prices are already written out in black and white and they are well thought out, and fair. You can more easily tell your customer with confidence that you cannot change your labor price, but maybe we could adjust the design a little.


The fourth argument is for the workroom doing wholesale work:

Would you carry a line of fabric books or drapery hardware if you had to call the company every time you needed a price?

The same goes for designers/decorators and your workroom prices. If a designer has to try and reach you every time they need a price and then the price is different for a panel from one job to the next, they are more likely to go visit your competitors. After all would you sell fabric from a company that refused to give you a price book, made you call everytime you needed a price and then randomly changed the price because they deemed you a difficult customer?

Now, I am NOT advocating, not to give your designer a written estimate for the entire job (and a signed contract) before beginning work. What I am saying, is that your designers need a jumping off point for figuring pricing and a written price list can help them do that. Some designers like to make the sale on-site. They can't be expected to call you and hope you are in your workroom while they are in the customers home. Others want to turn their customer estimates around in a day. They should have something to work from.


My final argument for creating a price list is:

People talk.

It's that simple. Designers and homeowners talk. At some point someone is going to compare the price of their pinch pleat panels and they are going to realize that their is a discrepency between them. How upset would you be if you discovered the cable company charged you twice as much as your neighbor to install your cable? If you don't have a set price list you are going to end up making different charges for different customers and at some point someone is going to notice.

I know everyone is very busy. Your business pulls you in a hundred different directions, but if you have not yet created a price list you need to do it NOW. After all you are running a business and the core of that business is a making money. And what is a price list, but a way to charge so you can make that money.
If you need help getting started with a price list here's a link to a couple price list articles and a price list template.