Non-technical Question - Building Your Business

[gskidmark]

This may not be the place for this but I'll throw it out there anyway.

I'd like to hear from the business owners out there. If you were starting out today, how would you go about it? What niches would you target? Who are your customers and how do you reach them? Tell us about your marketing.

Thanks.
Gary

[Litografa]

Hi, Gary,
If you want more information - please provide more details. Where your business will be located? Big city, small city, outside city? State?
Which laser do you want purchase - US/Europe/Taiwan made or Chinese? Working table size? Power? As I understood by default we speak about CO2?
For start you can read some articles on our site http://www.litografa.lt/index.php?support

I am in laser marketing since 1997 and have sold over 500 lasers. Really, you will love this business For 12 years only 3-4 peoples closed their laser businesses and in all cases reasons were outside companies

[gskidmark]

I am located in New Jersey, USA. Mostly suburban area. There are about 600,000 people within 20 minutes of my location.

I was looking at a 60W Chinese machine but haven't made any final decisions yet. I want a larger table so I can create custom signs.

The areas I am planning on targeting are:

• pet memorials on granite and marble
• decorative signage-cabin and beach house signs
• custom house number signs

I plan on using the Internet and eBay to find my customers. My concern is the amount of time it may take to get a steady stream of income so I would like to get some suggestions on more "bread and butter" type items that could get moving quickly.

There are so many options, I'd like to get some opinions on what is a good product line to start with.

• CerMark
• ADA signs
• acrylic awards
• AlumaMark
• rubber stamps

Thanks.
Gary

[Litografa]

Location is perfect )

1) This is IMHO, some of forum members (owners of glass tube lasers) will beat me
You must more clearly decide about your future business:
- high quality engraving - GCC (Pinnacle), Epilog, ULS (a;; this lasers named SYNRAD later in this post) with power not more 40 Wt
- engraving and cutting - GCC Spirit GX, GE with tube 40-60 Watts, chinese lasers with 60-80 Wt tube and table not more than 60x90 cm.
- cutting - chinese lasers (named GLASS later in this post) with power more than 100 Wt and table 120x60 cm.
It's difficult (practically impossible) have universal laser. My advice buy laser for high quality engraving from the beginning and as second step - buy separate laser for cutting.

2) About possible jobs:
- pet memorials on granite and marble - perfect with SYNRAD, not reccomended with GLASS (but best way buy from me impact engraver )
- decorative signage-cabin and beach house signs - will be perfect with both SYNRAD and GLASS
- custom house number signs - will be perfect with both SYNRAD and GLASS

3) Not bad idea use Internet and eBay but my first advice to all my customer is do following.
- print full color business card or make A5 black/white very simple advertising flyer
- set 30 miles circle around you location
- find local post offices serving this area
- visit each post office, find persons who deliver post to postbox, ask them distribute your cards/flyers for extra $20-30 (it works well in Eastern Europe but may be you need official payment to post account in USA )
- business cards - for private houses - ideas ENGRAVING ON GIFTS, HOME DECORATIONS, SOUVENIRS, WE ARE NOT FAR FROM YOU, VISIT US AND HAVE 5% DISCOUNT.
flyers - for offices - idea - WE ARE CLOSE TO YOU, WE CAN VISIT YOU, BUSINESS GIFTS, STAMPS, INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, CUTTING

4) Showroom
First of all think about showroom. Ability show samples "live" is vital. Private customers will visit your office very often for urgent engraving. While you will engrave order, they must spend this time looking on other your possibilities. We have some sample CDR files on our site http://www.litografa.lt/index.php?aid=240
They are on Russian, Polish, Lithuanian languages but you can change lettering into English.
Peoples love wood engraving - visit nearest Walmart for different kitchen items from wood and use them as samples after engraving

5) Agents
There is good possibility to catch jobs - use local signshops and printshops as agents. What our customers use - they make from PVC displays 60x60 cm with engraving samples and provide for free to agents.

6) Suppliers
Choose main and two supporting suppliers of materials. JDS is perfect (do not forget say to Scott about my reference ). But better have 2-3 supporting companies with next day delivery to you (Johnson Plastics, Laserbits and somebody else). Ask them for catalogs and samples.

7) Internet site
Where are you located, contact info. Samples of laser works. If you will do stamps - better show on site pictures of stamp furniture and size of stamps print.

8) Other materials
* CerMark - good for SYNRAD, possible quality problems with GLASS. Try to keep them always on stock.
* ADA signs - not familiar very well, as this is not popular in Europe
* acrylic awards - good for SYNRAD, possible quality problems with GLASS. JDS have good choice, but also contact with Huang Acrylics and Acrylic Ideas Factory. Make a set of 20-30 designs and try to keep them ALWAYS on stock in 40-50 pcs quantity. All other designs you can have as one sample for showing and order them from supplier with next day delivery is necessary.
* AlumaMark - good for SYNRAD, possible quality problems with GLASS. Do not forget about guilliotine shear and corner cutter. Most popular is Satin Silver, Satin Gold. All other not so popular.
* rubber stamps - good for SYNRAD, possible quality problems with GLASS. Millenium Marking is reliable supplier. Take care on rubber - usual rubber smell extremely strong . Stamps ARE GOOD!! Everyday you have $10-15 cash

3M films for laser engraving - good for SYNRAD, impossible with GLASS. Security applications, not removable stickers. Difficult find customers BUT if you will find - you will have stabile income for years.

When you will have laser, will understand better laser possibilities, will have free time - take yellow pages, start from A and ask "What I can offer to this business?"
Auto - auto stickers, panels for car tuning, non-removable stickers, stencils and etc.
Box -cutting of cardboard for packagins, die-cut forms and etc.

Regards
Victor