I’ve been told by some of my TF friends that the business aspect of timber framing is the most difficult, and I surely have to agree. Given that, I though I‘d float some questions to you all out there that have been on my mind for some time.
1) When first starting out with your business, what marketing tool did you find to be most effective in getting the word out?
2) What factor has played a larger role in keeping a continuous flow of business for you, print/media advertising or “word-of-mouth”?
3) To my way of thinking, people don’t NEED a timber frame, and it’s a niche market within the construction industry, thus creating a much smaller pool of potential clients. Have you found it to be a common occurrence where you’ve lost jobs or found it necessary to lower bids in an effort to sway folks who pull out the, “Oh, I-could-just-get-Joe Shmoe-to-stick-frame-this-for-a-lot-less” card?
4) Have there been periods where you just finished your last project, there is nothing on the dockets, and you are wondering, “what the heck am I going to do now?”
5) Are there any measures that you have taken (or can take?) to assure the long term future success of your business?
6) Is finding clients who want a timber frame a constant year-to-year worry for you?
Thanks to any and all who want to contribute.
