LOL, as artist we do tend to over anaylze things wanting to make sure everything is right and then when we think it's right we find something else lol. My counsel on this issue would be to just discern the attitude of your customers by knowing how they do business. I would be both two who ever I'm doing business with. I would market my products as big business to large companies and I would also be local as needed. It's almost like politicing lol. Think about that lol.
"Big Biz" vs "Mom and Pop" - which is better?
Let's say you have a business that is slightly larger than "in your garage", but not a HUGE print shop. Maybe 4 employees... You have a nice show room of modest size and do all your work in-house.
Do you think it is better to present yourself as:
A) A division of a much larger company, or a location of a "franchise"
-or-
B) Mom and pop operation
Just to elimanate any variables, in both cases you are the same quoting/order entry process, computer saavy employees, invoice by email, etc.
The difference would be the way you present your actual business identity.
"Mike's Screen Printing" on a nice, but clearly homemade sign
-or-
"Horizon Screen Printing" then in small letters "A division of Beck Enterprises"
Just making stuff up here...not the actual name of my business! lol
I guess I can see this going both ways...
You might expect the "corporation" to have better quality? More resources? But then you also have the possible concern about "small fish in the big pond", even though the shop is relatively small.
Why do I ask?
Getting into the business as we speak. Hoping to close on a shop by the end of the month (keeping my fingers crossed).
We have the experience (past business) and resources to create a top notch corporate identity that would make the shop, business cards, letter head, website, etc all look like we are a small piece of a larger corporate entity.
From my experience on the other side of the counter...I worked with several apparrel companies buying merchandise for our last business. I deal with true mom and pop shops that outsource all their work, all the way up to large print shops that made the merchandise for the local pro sports teams. I felt I was treated differently in each shop based on my sales volume relative to their other customers. However, it was a trade off. I may have been a small fish at the big shop, but they could turn around an order in 24 hours if I needed it. But I certainly wasn't going to cut any "great deals". On the flip side, the small shop would "work with me more", but I had to be patient because they had fewer resources.
Would customers shy away from a mom and pop shop? "Franchise shop"? By the way, I'm not talking about an ACTUAL franchise, just the well polished look/feel of one.
Just looking for your thoughts...I look into things to much and over analyze sometimes...
Do you think it is better to present yourself as:
A) A division of a much larger company, or a location of a "franchise"
-or-
B) Mom and pop operation
Just to elimanate any variables, in both cases you are the same quoting/order entry process, computer saavy employees, invoice by email, etc.
The difference would be the way you present your actual business identity.
"Mike's Screen Printing" on a nice, but clearly homemade sign
-or-
"Horizon Screen Printing" then in small letters "A division of Beck Enterprises"
Just making stuff up here...not the actual name of my business! lol
I guess I can see this going both ways...
You might expect the "corporation" to have better quality? More resources? But then you also have the possible concern about "small fish in the big pond", even though the shop is relatively small.
Why do I ask?
Getting into the business as we speak. Hoping to close on a shop by the end of the month (keeping my fingers crossed).
We have the experience (past business) and resources to create a top notch corporate identity that would make the shop, business cards, letter head, website, etc all look like we are a small piece of a larger corporate entity.
From my experience on the other side of the counter...I worked with several apparrel companies buying merchandise for our last business. I deal with true mom and pop shops that outsource all their work, all the way up to large print shops that made the merchandise for the local pro sports teams. I felt I was treated differently in each shop based on my sales volume relative to their other customers. However, it was a trade off. I may have been a small fish at the big shop, but they could turn around an order in 24 hours if I needed it. But I certainly wasn't going to cut any "great deals". On the flip side, the small shop would "work with me more", but I had to be patient because they had fewer resources.
Would customers shy away from a mom and pop shop? "Franchise shop"? By the way, I'm not talking about an ACTUAL franchise, just the well polished look/feel of one.
Just looking for your thoughts...I look into things to much and over analyze sometimes...
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
LOL, as artist we do tend to over anaylze things wanting to make sure everything is right and then when we think it's right we find something else lol. My counsel on this issue would be to just discern the attitude of your customers by knowing how they do business. I would be both two who ever I'm doing business with. I would market my products as big business to large companies and I would also be local as needed. It's almost like politicing lol. Think about that lol.
Good point about the dual approach. That covers how you appraoch them personally, but what about the store itself? Signs? Business cards? Stuff like that. Do you have a fancy phone system that says "Press 1 for ___", or so you have the basic phone line with a standard voice mail.
What is interesting, is the "big business" techonology that was out of reach of the small businesses 5-10 years ago, is readily available now.
For example, one phone number that rings in multiple places. Cheap/free feature on most phones. This was a HUGE deal 10 years ago.
Voice mail notification by e-mail on your phone. Free with our phone system. 10 years ago...you phone gets email?!?
which ever direction you go in, it's all about how you brand and present your company. Remember, perception is reality.
Why can't you be a bit of both? Both is your presentation and customer service it wouldn't hurt you a bit if you take the best of both worlds and combine them to get something great. So for example you could take the presentation, quality and turnaround of the big guys and meld it the customer service, attention for detail and friendliness of the little guys. There is absolutely no reason as to why you can't present yourself and your company in a professional manner and still treat them as you would anybody if you were a small store.
Different strokes for different folks...as the saying goes, there are merits to being portrayed as a small mom & pop and being portrayed as a huge concern, to me it really depends on the city your in (size) and the clientele your trying to attract.
To me....mom & pop means personal service and quality, and huge business (a division of) means we can take on any task you have even if it a 10k shirt order you need next week, but the mom & pop also says to me more down to earth pricing, and huge says lots of overhead so costs are higher.
It's all a matter of perception in your potential customers eyes.
JMHO
To me....mom & pop means personal service and quality, and huge business (a division of) means we can take on any task you have even if it a 10k shirt order you need next week, but the mom & pop also says to me more down to earth pricing, and huge says lots of overhead so costs are higher.
It's all a matter of perception in your potential customers eyes.
JMHO
From a service and interaction standpoint, I agree, you can be both. But the presentation of your business is going to be one of the other. (I believe)Why can't you be a bit of both? Both is your presentation and customer service it wouldn't hurt you a bit if you take the best of both worlds and combine them to get something great. So for example you could take the presentation, quality and turnaround of the big guys and meld it the customer service, attention for detail and friendliness of the little guys. There is absolutely no reason as to why you can't present yourself and your company in a professional manner and still treat them as you would anybody if you were a small store.
Do you have a professionally designed AND manufactured, illumanated sign out front? Do you have glossy product catalogs with a professional layout - that are YOURS, not from a vendor? This screams corporate...not mom and pop. Know what I mean?
As far as business presentation I always believe you should look and sound as professional as you can all the time. That doesn't mean you have to pretend you're a division of a larger corporation if you're not, it just means you put your best foot forward and do the most you can when it comes to signage, business cards etc. Especially when you're in a field like garment decoration, the look of your logo and other graphics and brochures matters. It may be the first indication someone could get of what sort of decorator you'll be.
Professional is always better, in my opinion.
Professional is always better, in my opinion.
Just be yourself and be real to your customers. There is nothing more annoying than to go to biz with the wrong impression. On the other side there are no reasons for a mom and pop home biz not to be professional. The bottom line is not who or how you pretend to be but who you really are and efficiency should not be measured by the size of your sign.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
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