Alright folks, gather ’round and listen up ’cause I got a treat for all you woodworking fanatics out there! Today, I’m gonna spill the beans on the top five tried-and-true ways to snag your first 100 woodworking customers.
You know, those fine folks who appreciate the beauty of a well-crafted piece of wood like nobody else. Now, I ain’t no fancy-schmancy expert, but let me tell ya, these methods have worked wonders for me over the years. They’re like the secret sauce that’ll take your woodworking game to a whole new level.
So grab your chisels, sharpen those saws, and let’s dive right in, shall we? This here’s gonna be one helluva ride, my friends. Trust me, you don’t wanna miss it!
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In this video from Cutting It Close, he’s going to go over how he got his first hundred customers when he was first starting out in the woodworking world.
These were not online customers, not Etsy or Shopify, but true feet on the ground, guerrilla marketing, shaking hands. How he got those first hundred customers really established his business, and since then, he has served over 150,000 customers over the last eight years.
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Those first hundred customers established the baseline and allowed him to grow to what he is today.
So, what does he mean by the first hundred customers? He’s not talking about friends and family because he assumes that they have already exhausted all of those options.
He assumes that they have already gone to every family member and asked them if they would like to buy something and gone to every friend and asked them as well.
He either learned that friends and family are very hard to deal with or he absolutely loves making stuff for friends and family.
That brings him to tip number one on how to get your first hundred customers, which is through going to Chamber of Commerce meetings, Lions Club meetings, Rotary Club meetings, meetings where business people meet.
He knows that most business owners have money, so he assumed that he should go to the places where business people meet and give out business cards.
He would go to these chamber meetings or Rotary Club meetings or whatever meeting is in your community and hand out business cards, trying to turn up anything.
Eventually, he would come across a business owner that would need something done and he would get a job from them.
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Another way he got customers was through insurance agents.
He went and talked to a couple of insurance agents, one that he met at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. He learned that insurance agents needed stuff to donate to silent auctions and benefit auctions.
So, he ended up working with a few insurance agents who did auctions a few times a year, and he would make something for them to donate.
This way, not only did the insurance agent get marketing by having their donation displayed, but he also got exposure by having his business card attached to the donation. It was a win-win situation for both parties.
He also utilized Facebook groups to attract customers. He reached out to people in groups who loved barbecuing and people who loved sports teams.
He would offer to make custom items, such as cutting boards or serving trays, with sports team logos engraved on them.
These people would go crazy over them, even though it was technically illegal to do so. However, he was a small fish in a big pond, so the odds of getting caught were slim.
Another way he attracted customers was by partnering with local print shops. He talked to the owners of print shops and offered to fulfill their unique and custom orders.
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This way, the print shops had someone reliable to work with and he got more exposure and potential customers. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Lastly, he participated in barbecue cook-offs. He would offer to make awards or cutting boards for the cook-offs and in return, he gained exposure to barbecue enthusiasts who loved his products.
This helped him grow his network and attract more customers.
In conclusion, he learned that business hasn’t changed much despite the internet. He believes that shaking hands, kissing babies, and getting out there to talk to people and give away business cards is still very important, especially when starting out.
It helps people get to know you and your skills, and if you’re really good but not well-known, it’s essential to put yourself out there.
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