Budget Alternatives to Teak A search for "poor man's Teak" evolves into a discussion of customers, their tastes and motivations. December 30, 2005
Marketing and Selling Outsourced Cabinets Here's an insightful discussion of the practical aspects of outsourcing cabinet parts for the small shop, in light of customer perceptions of the value of the end product. November 23, 2008
Establishing a Change-Order Policy An extended discussion of one of the peskiest issues in custom woodworking: managing customers who want to change their minds. February 6, 2007
Interior Designer Referral Fees Referral fees charged by "interior designers" are a frequent source of misunderstanding. April 20, 2007
Whether to Build a Big Order of Slab Doors A long and informative discussion of the risks inherent in constructing cabinet doors as glued slabs made up of solid wood boards. November 14, 2014
Recovering from an Estimating Mistake If a rookie salesman accidentally sells a job way, way under cost, can the shop owner back out of the deal? There's more than one side to that question. October 25, 2006
Defining "Custom Cabinets" What is a "custom" cabinet, and what do terms like "semi-custom" and "stock cabinet" mean? Pros discuss the dividing line between craftsmanship and mass production. December 28, 2005
Developing Sales Skills Overcoming fear of sales, and implementing a sales strategy for your woodworking business - June 18, 1998
When a "Designer" Hands You Sketchy Drawings Advice on structuring the process when a "designer" supplies you with vague, half-baked sketches and asks you to take on the job. November 14, 2014
Accepting Less than the Agreed Price Learning from experience: a cabinetmaker gets paid less than he is owed because of supposed defects the customer perceives in the product as delivered. September 29, 2014
Talking Dollars with Sales Prospects Finding out what a customer really wants, and what they really can afford, involves some psychology — but the effort can pay off. December 9, 2013
Gauging Customer Interest What makes cabinet customers get cold feet, or take forever to make up their mind? Cabinetmakers discuss sales methods and customer psychology. June 23, 2006
Recycled barn wood Processing and marketing reclaimed lumber. September 23, 2003
Etiquette for Dealing with Customers A discussion about how a hardworking cabinetmaker can learn the social skills for interacting with customers from other walks of life. July 12, 2012
Responding to Cold Sales Calls How should a busy shop owner relate to salespeople who drop in unannounced and uninvited? February 26, 2012
Setting Up a Tag-Team Sales Force A cabinetmaker considers whether to hire one salesman to generate leads, another to estimate, bid, and close. March 12, 2009
What to Say When the Job's Too Small For a busy shop, "small" jobs can be an unprofitable, time-wasting distraction. But what's the best way to treat those potential customers? April 20, 2007
Closing Sales at a Home Show Home shows are a good place for generating leads. But how do you make the sale? February 13, 2013
Naming Cabinet Styles How do you describe the cabinet styles you offer to customers in simple, understandable, and attractive language? September 30, 2010
Outsourcing Design Work – Why or Why Not? A CAD artist who wants to draw for others on a contract basis gets feedback about the usefulness and value of that proposed service. February 8, 2008
Establishing a shop rate When adding an employee to your business, how do you adjust the shop rate? June 24, 2001
Managing On-Site Work Knowing how to handle yourself and your employees on a job site is critical to winning future referrals. 1998.
Informal Bids and Business Ethics When the bidding process is a little loosey-goosey, confusion about the relationships can trigger conflicts. Here's a case example. August 7, 2006
Referral Etiquette When you refer a client to another specialty contractor to handle part of a project, whose job is it? November 30, 2009
Qualifying Husband-and-Wife Customers Intuition, psychology, and interpersonal techniques can help you sort out the worthwhile leads from the dead ends. July 20, 2011
Whether to Work for the Competition Does it make sense for a large, capable shop to run some complex parts for smaller shops that lack those technical skills? February 6, 2010
Selling Furniture Through A Retail Store Woodworkers discuss reasonable terms of the deal when showing furniture at a retailer's showroom. Markups on already made pieces, prices for custom orders, and simple referrals each involve their own reasonable market value. June 23, 2006
Fair Pay for a Sales Rep This thread on sales force compensation has some ballpark numbers attached. August 13, 2007
Getting Ballpark Budget Info from Clients Prospective customers are reluctant to tell you how much money they are willing to spend, even though that affects what quality of goods you can offer them. Here are ideas for working around their reticence. March 12, 2009
A Selling System, part two Part two of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.
Why Finishers Use Samples with Customers Customers don't have the vocabulary to describe finishes, or to understand how you describe them. That's why a signed sample is your best assurance of a clear agreement. August 29, 2011
Advertising alternatives What are the best-bang-for-buck advertising venues for woodworkers? November 7, 2000
Marketing Your Business Assessing the value of various types of advertising and marketing tools. 1998.
A Selling System, part four Part four of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.
Understanding Lien Waivers A customer who's a stickler for legalistic paperwork could be trouble. But lien waivers are routine and trivial in many situations. April 4, 2011
Showroom Location Cabinet and furniture makers discuss the value of a good showroom location, and the role of a showroom in the overall marketing strategy. December 20, 2005
A Salesperson's Role Shop owners discuss what a salesperson brings to a company, and whether the owner of a small company should just perform that work himself. October 11, 2007
A Selling System, part five Part five of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.
Cost of Door Samples A discussion about whether to give potential customers a sample of your cabinet doors — or how to charge for that. November 3, 2011
Should I Advertise? The whys and wherefores of marketing for owners of woodworking businesses. 1998
A Selling System, part one Part one of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.
A Selling System, part three Part three of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.
Structuring and Documenting the Sales Process With some customers, selling the job is a long, drawn-out process involving many detours and a lot of back-tracking. How do you keep that process organized, and remember what has been said and promised? It starts with a spiral notebook. February 16, 2012
Competition for Installation Contracts A cabinetmaker complains that his installation sub started working directly for the builder. The story sets off a discussion on fair competition in the new-construction market. November 11, 2005
Laptops for Sales Presentations Some cabinetmakers get good results by bringing a laptop computer with them to client meetings. April 20, 2007
Haggling Over Prices How to respond when a high-end custom client wants to beat down your price for custom work. October 25, 2006
Marketing to Professional Designers Can a furnituremaker succeed by selling primarily (or even only) through professional designers and architects? The question sparks a thoughtful discussion in Woodweb's Business Forum. July 2, 2005
Sales Negotiations and Customer Reputations Thoughts on how to handle negotiating before the sale when a customer has a reputation for late payment or non-payment.December 24, 2012
Instead of a Showroom If you don't have space for a cabinet showroom, try these techniques instead. May 6, 2007
Transition from Free Estimate to Paid Design A conversation about communication: how do you let a client know that it's now time in the sales process to start paying for any further design work? February 16, 2012
Training a New Salesman A cabinetmaker who has just hired his first salesman gets advice on how to orient and train the new hire. August 13, 2007
How to Turn Away Work How to tactfully decline a job that you think may involve trouble or unpleasantness. February 16, 2012
The Power of Discount Pricing Here's an interesting conversation about what sort of discount offer will actually motivated an impulse purchase. September 27, 2012
Whether to Take a "Hot Job" Shop owners discuss the temptations — and risks — inherent in that one big-money, high-profile job that could put some fat loot in your pocket (but could also disrupt your whole business). April 21, 2011
Cold Calls One cabinetmaker describes how he succeeded with a determined program of cold sales calling. June 4, 2012
Reversing the Bid Process In certain unusual circumstances, it's the general contractor who suggests a price and the sub who gets to okay the deal, or not. August 13, 2007
Onsite sawing prices Further discussion of how people charge for onsite, rough sawmilling services. January 24, 2001
Getting Government Contracts Advice on putting your company in a position to do work for the Federal government. March 12, 2009
Listing Prices on Your Website Should you display price information for pieces you display on your website? Business owners discuss the pros and cons. July 2, 2005
Opening a Showroom In today's market, a retail showroom location may be a liability, not an asset, according to some. November 11, 2005
Folding Blueprint Table Cabinetmakers discuss folding table options for the stuff they bring along when they measure a job. December 31, 2012
Getting Appliances for a Kitchen Showroom If you're creating a classy showroom, appliance makers and other vendors may be happy to provide you with products to include. June 5, 2006
Bail or Stick? A few communication lapses in the 3-way among a cabinetmaker, a designer, and the customer have given the cab guy itchy feet. This discussion delves deep into how and why jobs go wrong, how to handle communication, and when it's wisest to walk away. February 19, 2008
How to Work a Local Home Show Detailed advice on how to set up and operate your booth in a local home show in order to sell enough work to make the investment worth it (and then some). October 18, 2011
Professional Dress for Woodworkers What's the right dress and grooming strategy for a woodworker who wants to make a good impression on customers? October 13, 2010
Producing Sketches for Sales Meetings Woodworkers discuss hand and computer techniques for creating quick visualizations of proposals for clients. April 20, 2007
Pricing and Closing During a First Sales Call This thread presents good arguments for being prepared to present a firm quote and close the deal during your first meeting with a customer. August 28, 2010
Processing Credit Card Sales Here's a detailed thread about various ways to manage the process if you choose to accept payment by credit card. January 2, 2012
Handing Back the Check Advice on backing out of a bad deal before it gets worse, while you still can. September 29, 2014
Bidding Against Big-Box Home Centers For custom work, you may be able to match a home center's cost and offer more and better features. July 5, 2011
Practical Showroom Advice A showroom can boost your woodworking business, but don't go hog-wild — sometimes less can be more. October 25, 2006
Profitability analysis Forum participants provide their ideas on the reasons for low profits earned by a particular shop. November 13, 2000
By-the-Foot Price Guesstimates as a Sales Technique Nobody can really price by the foot without more information. But suggesting a range of by-the-foot prices, depending on the details, can be a way to help start a sales conversation. September 6, 2012
How to Say No You know those private eye stories that start, "I knew she was trouble the minute she walked in my door..."? Beware, brother, beware! August 29, 2005
Pricing custom cabinets Examples of woodworkers' different pricing methods for kitchen cabinets. December 6, 2000
Pricing Cabinet Installation Work Pros discuss their differing approaches to charging for kitchen and bath cabinet installation work. January 24, 2005
Sustainable forestry How sustainable forestry relates to the woodworker and consumer demands. June 3, 2003
Whether to Charge a Design Fee Charging for design work makes sense from the cabinetmaker's point of view, but it can be a deal-breaker for clients. August 7, 2008
Whether to Release Drawings Before Having a Contract A contractor and a customer are in a Mexican standoff over the drawings for a kitchen contract. The discussion digs deep into the balance of power in sales and marketing. July 13, 2011
From Installer to Cabinet Shop Can a successful installer start a successful cabinet shop, by focusing on sales? This question starts a wide-ranging discussion of how cabinet shops succeed. November 28, 2011
Finding Software for Design and Visualization It's hard to find one application that will quickly create design visualizations for a customer during a sales meeting, but also generate good designs suitable for construction in the shop. This thread offers some insight into software capabilities and some nice example drawings. December 28, 2010 ......
Presenting A Quote There are reasons to sell the job face to face, in person. April 10, 2005
Pre-Qualifying Homeowners Thoughts on how to weed out the tire-kickers. (Remember, talk is only cheap if you call a buck a minute "cheap.") December 26, 2006
Make Your Time Count in Sales A seasoned pro remodeler and business adviser offers nine tips for getting the sale without wasting time. September 22, 2007
Sales Staff Expense Allowances Business owners discuss whether and how to reimburse salespeople for vehicle use, cell phones, laptops, et cetera. December 14, 2005
Estimating formula Methods of estimating how much to charge for your work. March 20, 2001
Working with Independent Sales Reps A discussion of the pros and cons of working with independent sales reps, including thoughts on the compensation schedule. September 29, 2010
Compensating Salespeople Beyond the "salary versus commission" debate: thoughts on how to align your sales force's success with yours. December 2, 2006
Selling Accessory Items Add-ons and doo-dads can make you a little money. Here are tips on presenting a smart selection. February 11, 2009
Ins and Outs of Commercial Bidding Commercial contracting is its own business world. Here, a cabinetmaker gets advice on how to approach his first formal commercial bid. November 26, 2007
Six Sigma Strikes Are the Six Sigma system requests that a customer makes appropriate? November 3, 2004
Wholesale, Commercial, and Retail Pricing Cabinetmakers discuss the idea of using a tiered pricing model to reflect volume, complexity, and customization of the job. July 12, 2012
Ethics of Working with Interior Designers Another long discussion about a perennial sore point for woodworking professionals: transparency and fair dealing in the relationship with designers. April 18, 2015
Selling Factory-Made and Custom Cabinet Lines When you offer both your own custom-made cabinetry and a less expensive line of factory cabs, pricing and selling strategies become complicated. Here's a long and thoughtful discussion. January 19, 2011
Motivating and Guiding a Commission Sales Rep This thread starts with a question about how to structure a contract with a commission salesperson, then expands into a broader discussion of effective sales and marketing strategies. February 6, 2010
Low-Bid Bottom-Feeder Blues but this discussion of commercial bidding, corner-cutting, and cut-throat competition is worth a look anyway. November 11, 2005
Furniture Manufacturer Direct Sales A furniture manufacturer gets some well-informed and thoughtful advice on how to structure a direct sales operation so as to survive tough market conditions that are destroying his multi-step dealer sales volume. December 27, 2008
Cost of Estimates Getting paid for time spent on a job before you know it's yours. April 18, 2004
Seeking Success in the Cabinetmaking Business This question from a struggling cabinetmaker provides a good opportunity for some education in the basics of business success. September 7, 2013
Moulding prices Pricing product in a small, start-up moulding manufacturing operation. October 9, 2002
Credit Cards, Profit, and Sales Here's a spirited and detailed discussion about whether a cabinet shop should accept credit cards as payment. May 15, 2011
Learning from an Under-Pricing Mistake When inexperience leads a good cabinetmaker to under-price a nice kitchen, he tries to make up for it on a time-and-materials island — but the ensuing sticker shock strains his relationship with the customer. Older hands point out the lessons he should draw from his mishap. December 2, 2006
Competitive pricing Establishing a pricing system that will bring you plenty of jobs and profit. November 22, 2001
When the Customer "Cherry Picks" Your Bid A cabinetmaker bids on a whole house project, but only gets part of the job. What's going on, and how should he respond? February 6, 2010
Working with "Designers" In the cabinetmaking and furniture trades, some "designers" bring little to the table beyond a back-of-a-napkin concept sketch. What's good business when handling those jobs? October 17, 2012
32mm manual vs NBM setups Will any efficiency be gained by adding high-tech equipment to a small shop? July 24, 2002
Talking Budget with a Client Most clients won't come right out and tell you how much they have to spend. But there are ways to find out what ballpark they're in. February 16, 2012
What is value added? Forum participants give technical and personal definitions. April 2, 2002
Subcontractor Payment Terms in Commercial Work Getting paid when you're low down on the food change can be a frustrating hassle and a runaround. Here's some general advice and a few relevant anecdotes. July 12, 2012
Charging for Design Work A shop owner spends many hours designing a proposal, then loses the job. Now he asks: how can I make sure I get paid for my time, next time? September 27, 2012
Kitchen Remodel Rendering Advice on software to create images showing how a new kitchen will look. April 14, 2005
Middle-Man Muddle what's the proper way to structure your relationship with someone who's your go-between with the end customer? August 29, 2005
Appropriate job deposits What percentage of the price on a job is it okay to ask for up front? September 2, 2002
What to Do When a Customer Bid-Shops You Pros give advice on handling the situation where a customer asks a cabinetmaker to price-compete with a low-ball bidder. (Note: The good guys won this one.) February 17, 2006
Managing A Busy Spell When you're over-booked, how do you handle new customers (and should you change your pricing)? April 10, 2005
Design fee and competing Should you charge for designs and estimates? It depends on your business focus and your competitive environment. June 12, 2005
Deposits and Design Fees Cabinetmakers describe how (and how much) they bill for design work. June 23, 2006
Shop Cost, Distributor Markup, Retailer Markup, and List Price A door manufacturer looking to work with distributors and retailers wants help figuring out how his production cost tracks through multiple markups to a realistic retail list price. April 21, 2011
"Finder's Fee" for Designers Yet another discussion of the ethical and practical business issues involved when a designer is in the middle of your relationship to a customer. April 19, 2015
Contracts and Collections Owning a woodworking business is great, provided you remember it is a business. How to contract carefully, and get paid. 1998.
Making decent money Advice on making a living in the business of contemporary craft woodwork. June 6, 2001
Giving "Ballpark" Estimates Most cabinetmakers agree: They'll buy you some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, but they won't give you a ballpark estimate. August 7, 2006
Contracts versus cost-plus Some jobs are impossible to estimate. But don't walk away until you've proposed working on a 'cost-plus' basis. 1998.
Itemizing Bids Pros discuss how much detail to provide in a bid breakdown. March 14, 2005
Selling small quantity custom profiles Dealing with customers who don't comprehend the work and cost involved in the manufacture of custom knives. June 6, 2001
Shipping Methods Furniture-maker gets advice on shipping pieces to distant customers. May 4, 2005
When to hire help? Considering all the financial aspects and adding up the figures--is it worth it to hire? February 7, 2001
Red Flags There are many ways to qualify customers. In this thread, shop owners discuss the tell-tale signs of a job you'd be wiser not to take. June 12, 2005
Raising Prices During Busy Times Shop owners discuss the strategy of using calibrated price increases to improve profits and cut their work backlog. August 12, 2014
Bidding on Big Commercial Jobs Advice about organization, level of detail, and covering yourself in working up and submitting a bid for a large commercial project.September 17, 2014
Business Plans Do's, don'ts, pros and cons on perhaps the most basic fundraising tools any business can possess. February 25, 2005
How To Charge For Design Getting paid for design work's not easy, but some markets will bear it. April 10, 2005
Building a Business Plan One in a series, looking at the relationships between woodworking companies and the businesses they deal with. 1998.
Price comparisons and why not A magazine article shows the great variances in pricing work across the country, and illustrates the necessity of pricing each job based on local markets and shop expenses. March 23, 2002
Possible yearly earnings What kind of sales volume does it take to support a six-figure salary in a two-man shop? May 9, 2001
Charging for Design Drawings Here's a long thread presenting some strongly held and well-articulated views on design drafting, bidding, sales, costs, and how to charge for design work. October 13, 2010
Fine Points of Linear-Foot Pricing Linear-foot estimating can play a role in sales and bidding, but it's only a starting point. Here's an extended discussion. August 31, 2010
Bidding Wars Heat Up In a tough economy, price undercutting can get extreme. Here, a cabinetmaker's anecdote sets off a long discussion of price competition and reality. August 11, 2009
Waste wood into profit Sawyers turn wood otherwise destined for the landfill into a business. June 5, 2002
Bidding Wars on a Nice Built-In Another lost-bid case study: Custom cabinetmakers discuss pricing and negotiating strategies for a custom Cherry entertainment center job. August 11, 2009