Help Me Kick Off My Business Please

[rogersry]

Hey all you leatherworker,

I am an amateur leatherworker out of Utah and I have mostly done stuff for my self however I would like to start a leather working business, if you could please give me a shoutout on whatever social media you guys have, just tell them to go follow R2leathetworks on Instagram or etsy! Thank you guys so much!

Rylee

[Sturme]

make a few small usable items, and get some business cards made. Make sure you have an email address and phone # on them. I have found out that my pinwheel coin purse is a great opener for people when they see me use it, so use your personal items to your advantage. People will notice.

when someone asks you, make sure to give them a card. also getting an etsy account is a help to start selling online. make sure to drop a few cards off at some bike shops, tattoo shops (people like tats and wallets that match). Basically network your business with some local places and let word of mouth spread. then branch from there. if your pretty new to leathercraft then market your advantages and items your familiar with to the places people will use them. making a business card holder out of leather is a nice presentation of your work with your cards also.

[dirtclod]

I don't think you find many people that will send their customers to you. When if their like me they need the business they get from their customers. But i could be a 100% wrong. In the real world you need to build your own customer base.

[needles]

tottally agree with dirtclod..... the other part is most people in business will only use their name recommending someone else when they know their service and products are not going to put their own business name at risk........ years to build one minute to wreck.... sort of thing.......

show your work and start selling it, your customer base and confidence will build......sometimes it can happen quickly but mostly it.takes time I'm afraid....

[camano ridge]

Rylee, as stated above you are asking us to send our customers to you. There are a couple of things that concern me about your post. Even if you made things that I don't I would hesitate to send people to you. You have just joined Leatherworker.net. You have not posted any of your work. We have no idea what your experience level is. You ask us to send people to you, however you don't tell us what type of products you make. When I go to etsy and look up you shop the only thing that comes up is Rylee Rogers profile and you just joined Etsy March 30 2014. You have no products posted.

Build a presence on this forum, get some critiques , post some products for sale on etsy. I think you have a ways to go before you start asking for customers and for referrals.

By the way your shop name is misspelled in your post it should be R2leatherworks.

Edited March 30, 2014 by camano ridge

[Leatherbaron]

Only way to get known is to get 5000 business cards made and plaster them all over your town , leave them at the Barbers , hardware store, if you have a coffee leave one at the table when you leave etc etc

[Neillo]

I think now with the recent influx of people asking to support leather businesses and kickstarts, we're probably at the top of search rankings when someone types in "leatherwork kickstarter" or whatnot.

Hopefully we don't get too many more of these kind of threads, the mods have already locked at least one of these threads for getting out of control. I'm a leather hobbyist so it doesn't bother me too much; but I know there are plenty of people on here that depend on it to make a living and have worked hard to make great products and generate a reputation and customer base; But asking the competition to promote you is like apple walking into microsoft and asking if they can put and ad for the new iMac on their website, and for free...

Not intending any offense, I just don't want to see new members alienate themselves and therefore deprive themselves of such a great site with such a wealth of knowledge from people who love leatherwork so much.

Best of luck with your business,

-Neillo

Edited June 3, 2014 by Neillo

[Kenne]

I think the info that Sturme gave you would be a good start for anyone.

As far as the customers, as you can tell, your on your own.

I started with a yard sale my wife was having. I set up a table with cards and some small items.

Then went to several craft shows and so on.

Good luck, and mostly ENJOY

[BDAZ]

First and foremost a leather business is a business first and then about leather. If you don't know how to manage a business, then it's just a hobby that will cost you money. My advice is find a local business mentor. Check with the local chamber of commerce, as they often have incubator programs or even a local university or community college.

Being in a leather business is about making products that will sell at a profit. Costing a product is critical and often things that are fun to make as a hobby won't work in a business model.

Since you provide almost no information on your profile, I'm not going to waste anymore time on this thread, but there are various ways of finding a niche in your local markets.

Cya!

Bob

[Kenne]

Well its 12:01 am. Another 16 hour day and just turned out the lights in the shop to meet order demands and then start on another PA. Rifle Case. I am sorry I have not had the time to fill out more info for everyone but sometimes business before pleasure. I will make sure as soon as I can I will be online filling out all the needed info. I guess its all in a name.

[Campchair]

Only way to get known is to get 5000 business cards made and plaster them all over your town , leave them at the Barbers , hardware store, if you have a coffee leave one at the table when you leave etc etc

That might work at your area, but I don't think that would work where I am based. I'm in the gun repair business, and I do leather items too, along with restoring fitted cases and specialized historical reproductions of shooting related leather items. I routinely hand out my business cards, but usually only to prospective customers I have already spoken with about a need they have. Cards are expensive, even if you print them 8 to sheet of Wal-Mart card stock on your printer. It takes time to cut them out so they look good, time better spent working on your craft, and the perforated stock for do-it-your-self cards is fairly pricy itself. The best use for your business card (in my very humble opinion,) is so the already interested potential customer can have an accurate source of your address, phone, Social Media site, website, etc, without having to look up or to try to remember your contact info. This is true even with Social Media. I can't count the times I used someone's card to enter the (correct and accurate) info in my electronic resources. I used to leave cards at a lot of places. I saw them used as notecards, to write grocery lists on, as scratch paper, and so on. I asked customers about how they heard of me, as I don't really advertise that much. I never could directly trace money coming in the door to me leaving a card somewhere. However, that being said, I ALWAYS include a card (or two..) with all invoices and jobs, and I can see lots of direct connections to where these were given out and a lot of repeat business. ("....can't remember the guy's name but I have his card here in my wallet....)

[BDAZ]

http://www.vistaprint.com

I just purchased 500 card for $14.95.

Cya!

Bob

Edited June 17, 2014 by BDAZ

[JLSleather]

Yeah, s'pose it's just the signs o' the times. Usedta be, feller got old enough he went to work. Even if he didn't 'feel like it'.

Nowadays, everybody is 'marketing' and 'networking'. All of it seems a bit "sensitive" to me.

Fella I never seen asked me at the saloon one night -- Hey, ya gotta dollar? to which I replied "yes, yes I do. Know why? Cuz I got a JOB". and then left him standin' there alone.

My Dad worked.

I worked.

My boys will work.

Anybody wanna ask me what I think YOU should do?

[DavidL]

That might work at your area, but I don't think that would work where I am based. I'm in the gun repair business, and I do leather items too, along with restoring fitted cases and specialized historical reproductions of shooting related leather items. I routinely hand out my business cards, but usually only to prospective customers I have already spoken with about a need they have. Cards are expensive, even if you print them 8 to sheet of Wal-Mart card stock on your printer. It takes time to cut them out so they look good, time better spent working on your craft, and the perforated stock for do-it-your-self cards is fairly pricy itself. The best use for your business card (in my very humble opinion,) is so the already interested potential customer can have an accurate source of your address, phone, Social Media site, website, etc, without having to look up or to try to remember your contact info. This is true even with Social Media. I can't count the times I used someone's card to enter the (correct and accurate) info in my electronic resources. I used to leave cards at a lot of places. I saw them used as notecards, to write grocery lists on, as scratch paper, and so on. I asked customers about how they heard of me, as I don't really advertise that much. I never could directly trace money coming in the door to me leaving a card somewhere. However, that being said, I ALWAYS include a card (or two..) with all invoices and jobs, and I can see lots of direct connections to where these were given out and a lot of repeat business. ("....can't remember the guy's name but I have his card here in my wallet....)

You can create surveys on your website or through newsletter updates.

First and foremost a leather business is a business first and then about leather. If you don't know how to manage a business, then it's just a hobby that will cost you money. My advice is find a local business mentor. Check with the local chamber of commerce, as they often have incubator programs or even a local university or community college.

Being in a leather business is about making products that will sell at a profit. Costing a product is critical and often things that are fun to make as a hobby won't work in a business model.

Since you provide almost no information on your profile, I'm not going to waste anymore time on this thread, but there are various ways of finding a niche in your local markets.

Cya!

Bob

In Canada they give out business grants for small business, they also have no interest loans for those who qualify. In the USA they may have something similar.

[WinterBear]

In Canada they give out business grants for small business, they also have no interest loans for those who qualify. In the USA they may have something similar.

I think we do have something similar through the SBDC: http://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-development-centers-sbdcs

[bluesman1951]

Cards and flyers have a big down side . A large part of them will hit the ground as litter . Who ever owns that property will not take kindly to the mess. First thing that happens is they pick one up and call your number saying come clean this stuff up . Just saying, sounds good but success is not likely .I have 30 years in business and would never consider this approach . You research areas with high tourist traffic and drop a line in the water and go fishing play by the rules or trouble will find your door .