Is What I Say Important To You??

[kimt]

I was just reading a post on another forum and i am quite interested in getting a response from as many people as i can. This is the short version or question if you like.

Do you think that me telling you that i have no space for storage etc as i am a stay at home Mum who does this in her home would put you off purchasing something from me?

For example my work is mostly done on a, you like it, you put in an order for it and then i get your chosen fabric sent from the UK, then i make it and send it to you. This process sometimes taking up to 4 weeks. It is done this way because i truthfully do not have the room to store ready made pieces in all of the sizes and fabrics that i offer.

I just want your views on this? Am i going about this the wrong way? Is it losing me potential sales by telling customers too much that they do not need to know. I thought it was a great topic and would help me if i knew what peoples ideas are on this.

Don't get me wrong i do get plenty of sales, my customers are fully aware of how i do things but could i get more if i worded this in a different manner but to mean the same thing as i can not do my work any other way?

Thanks in advance for your views. From Kim

[LeelaCosgrove]

Meh.

Too many people are caught up in trying to do what they think will bring in sales (and encouraging others to do the same) - rather than just being themselves and trusting that will be enough.

Who cares if you WOULD make a few extra sales if you DIDN'T say those things? Odds are - those people would be the kind of people you wouldn't enjoy working with anyway.

I say - stuff TRYING to make money. Be awesome at what you do and be YOURSELF ... everything else will work itself out.

Besides, it's just too EXHAUSTING trying to be someone you're not! That's the whole reason I left corporate life!

[kimt]

Well thats it Leela,

I kind of thought the down to earth approach, tell it like it is approach is the best way to go but i am just not so sure of that now. Because i do understand that people would be apprehensive to pay for something when it is not even something yet ( well until i make it anyway)

[LeelaCosgrove]

Apprehensive?

Dude - that's called couture!!!

Everything else is buy off the rack!

People pay THOUSANDS of dollars more for made to order than for mass produced ...

[peppie]

My own thought is that you do of course need to research your target market to see if they would be willing to wait say 4 weeks extra to get something. But on the other hand (as Leela so aptly puts it) you don't want to waist your time and grow old prematurely worrying about what people think of you (or your approach to them).

There is a very good way of thinking in business at present to say that you will get on better (after your initial market research) by simply being yourself. As you work your business in a way that reflects your personal abilities and confidence then people are more likely to trust you to deliver. If you try to be something else you come across as somehow false and possibly a fraud!

[paul]

I think you can describe the process without getting into the detail of why your process is as it is.

There are any number of reasons a business would choose to order on demand rather than hold stock. Most businesses would strive for this model to work so as to not have to hold stock at all.

So just tell them how long it takes. If the relationship develops and you find you want to explain further about your situation then go ahead.

The point is, if it takes X weeks to produce your product, and your customer wants it in X-2 weeks, explaining why it takes X weeks will not get the customer their product any quicker. So they will either go away or they will wait.

[Rhia]

The beauty of having your own business is that you CAN dictate your terms. I too work from a home office a great deal of the time as I am a mum with a small baby. lol I totally get the space thing...

I think that to most people it won't put them off buying from you and most people will actually applaud your effort. If you are worried about it however just tell them what they need to know ie. The process of buying from you. Be confident when you outline your process and most people will not even question it. :-)

[gtgc]

Hi Kim

I'm with Leela on this one. (I have to say that, since I was a little not with Leela on my last topic...;-) But, I digress.

One of the easiest ways to find out whether what you're saying is important to your customers is to pop round to the other side of your workspace, and become a customer.

Just from what you've said about your process, I'd have thought every step would add more to your uniqueness and appeal from a customer perspective.

Remember though, that you can't be all things to all people. So pick the people you want to sell to, and tell them the things they want to hear.

Clearly, you're not in the mass market, and your offer is unique, appealing and most importantly, totally credible to a wealthier clientele precisely because of your process.

The synergy is perfect. ie because you're producing one-off design concepts that reflect the tastes and desires of each individual customer, the time spent on consultation, design, approval, and bespoke production is the proof point.

Imagine your customers telling their friends (ie your future prospects) about you, as they admire your installed work. "I've found this lady who only does one-off designs, you know, stuff you won't find in stores. Of course, it takes a few weeks, she imports her own fabrics you know, but that's why it looks so good - it's wonderfully made - and it's me!"

I smell profit Kim. Lots of it. So my advice is: recognise the power of your process, make it a key part of your proposition. And charge more because of it.

Cheers

[Hugh Thyer]

Personally I wouldn't be happy if you told me I had to wait longer because you've got a small house and kids, so you can't store the materials.

People dont like waiting. We live in a society of instant gratification. Once we make up our minds we want something we want it now!

Having said that, sometimes a longer wait can be a real positive. Look at Morgan cars where people wait years and years. Its this wait that makes them exclusive.

So instead of explaining your predicament, maybe tell people that the fabrics are so exclusive that they're only ever produced on order. Or tell them that the range of fabrics is so large and varied that nobody ever has them in stock, so part of the tradition of working with them is the lengthy wait ordering them. I guess you could call it a 'reassuring wait'.

This way you can turn the negative into a positive point of difference.

[Renee Barber]

Hi Kim

Hmmm, I don't normally like waiting for things, BUT if it's something I really want, and it's custom-made, I don't mind.

For instance, we could've purchased a new car off the lot, but we wanted one with a sunroof, GPS, a specific colour, leather interior (of a specific colour), etcetera so we were willing to wait.

I think the fact that you specialise in custom products means that people will, by necessity, have to wait. So, basically, your attention to detail, pride in your product and even the posh origins of your materials create your unique selling proposition (USP).

Embrace it and your customers will too! :-)