The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Sewing Professionally => Topic started by: Nicola1968 on June 21, 2018, 19:53:11 PM
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:toast:
I delivered my first set of curtains today. Honestly, it was scary. I was comfortable that I'd done a good job but it was the first pair I'd every made professionally. The customer was absolutely thrilled with them, kept stroking them, couldn't believe how thick they were, how sumptuous. I really enjoyed making them but her reaction to them was great.
I also ordered business cards and magnets for the side of my car too.
Its very exciting but DH is deeply unhappy with the amount of money I'm spending. I'm ignoring his displeasure - I don't interfere in his business, keep outta mine (once you've sorted out my table top and serviced my sewing machine ...)
Nik
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Congratulations on your first, satisfied customer.
When you start making money, your husband will change his mind. :D
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Well done, it's impossible to start a new business without start-up costs.
If you try to do things on the cheap it always shows.
Hope this satisfied customers is the first of many.
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Well done! 0_0
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My dad always said 'you have to speculate to accumulate'. I imagine it with a Yorkshire accent but Dad was brought up in the East End.
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Well done, tell your hubby some friends of mine went into curtain making, the wife sewed them (no training) her hubby delivered and hung them. They finished up opening a shop, employing 3 women (part time) and made enough money to buy a pub as a pension pot. The lady was thrilled so you'll get more business through word of mouth than any other route
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Well done, tell your hubby some friends of mine went into curtain making, the wife sewed them (no training) her hubby delivered and hung them. They finished up opening a shop, employing 3 women (part time) and made enough money to buy a pub as a pension pot. The lady was thrilled so you'll get more business through word of mouth than any other route
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Congratulations and well done, I'm sure more business will follow. Yes you always have to spend money to begin with but hopefully you will soon make it back.
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Well done you! Hopefully much more work will follow, and your 'investment' will pay dividends.
:toast:
Jessie
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Well done @Nicola1968 . I hope you charged enough though. I did fall into the trap of getting lots of business through word of mouth which I suspected might be because I was undercharging. It is difficult to up your prices once your past and future customers have all discussed how 'reasonable' you are before even contacting you.
As for spending money, most new businesses are not expected to make any profit in the first couple of years. All goes on equipment and marketing.
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I charged a reasonable amount - it was "mates rates" because it was for a friend and I don't expect to do that for many people at all.
Nik
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I read somewhere that when charging "mates rates" you should show it as a discount on your standard price. This way the "mates" know why they are getting a discount and also know your standard price for passing on to anyone they recommend.
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I read somewhere that when charging "mates rates" you should show it as a discount on your standard price. This way the "mates" know why they are getting a discount and also know your standard price for passing on to anyone they recommend.
Now that is a very good idea. It shows friends what a good deal they've got and stops them telling others (because people want to think they are special :D ) I shall definitely do this in future.
Nik
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I also heard of someone who always gave people a 10% discount... so they felt they got a better deal. Of course, the start price reflected the intended discount...
Oh yes, those shops which ALWAYS have a sale on- they must do that too?
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Well done, Nicola. :) I took a soft furnishing course many years ago but was too scared to start up a business on my own. The teacher put me off when she spoke about making cutting errors on very expensive fabric. I just finished some black-out lined curtains for a bedroom in my rented property. They took me ages to complete.