Business Development: Let's Talk Pricing, Part 3

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Last Updated: Thursday, 14 May 2015 12:36

Business Development: Let's Talk Pricing, Part 3  -  by Teddy Wright, Education Director

Custom Work:
Customer #2: I love personal gifts, but have no creative skills at all. I can't paint a stick figure.

Everyone is always looking for a unique gift, so why not do custom work for your customers? Personalization is highly valued, but some people do not like to make the gift themselves. This is a wonderful target market because they will pay you for your time and service.

Here are several ways to offer custom work:

• Have a shelf with five or six samples. Make the samples a style that any of your staff could replicate such as: a hand print plate designed like a flower, wedding plate that just needs the family name, a baby plate for you to add the birth date, and weight. The customer selects the sample, you add the details and it is ready in just a few days.
• Have samples that are pre-painted in a variety of colors and styles for example a Special Day plate, birthday plate, wedding signature plate. Sell the finished item with a Pebeo pen for signing at the party. Perfect custom gift!
• Hire a local artist to paint on commission basis. This frees your time for marketing or other business activities. By hiring someone else you are not tied to doing all of the work.
• Use your existing samples for double duty. On your sample, put a sign that says: “You paint it - $19.00, we paint it - $29.00”. The point is to provide a service and up charge for the person that just will not sit down and paint.
• Gifts to go – bundle items together for a fun gift to go. Group together a cup, bowl and plate wrapped in cellophane for fun on the run. How about dog bowl and some treats. Be creative and have gifts to go.

The point of custom work is to appeal to the customer that always wants it done for them. We love the crafters and hobbyists, but the money from the “Do It For Me” group is just as green and spends the same. You may as well be the one to make the sale.

Stay tuned next month where we will be discussing: Pre-Schools and Schools.