WHEN BUSINESS IS DOWN PUT

YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

Had an interesting e-mail from Terry Gouley of Ice Masters, Midland, TX recently. Like everyone in the industry today, Terry’s business has been fairly slow but he took a bold step in his promotion program and the results provide us with a valuable lesson.

For the last eight years, Terry has traded a sculpture for a spot at the annual Univision Bridal and Quinceanera Show (Univision is the local Spanish station).

He generally supplies a simple sculpture – a clam shell or vase – drops it off with a few business cards and returns later for the breakdown.

This year he decided to display his best work and managed to blend one of his popular designs with the Show’s logo and he also showed photographs of a couple of his more expensive carvings.

He stayed around for the Show, too, armed with order forms and an appointment book.  Guess what ? The extra effort paid off handsomely. Sales at the Show included a ‘15’ on a pedestal for $425 (which included a $75 discount as a Show Special), an Eiffel Tower at $900, and four firm appointments at his studio for the following week. More than 150 cards were picked up which promises more activity in the following weeks.

This says it all. You have to keep your sales efforts alive and kicking even though it’s a tough decision to make when there is not much happening in the marketplace. Terry’s decision to attend the Show in person was obviously the right one. Way to go Terry.

Some might remember the little flyer entitled, ‘Three Short Lessons in Business Finance’ put out by Iceculture a year or so ago. It spells out exactly what happens when you cut prices yet want to maintain your same dollar profit, and it also explains exactly what you have to go through to recover from an unpaid account and start making profit again.

And on the back cover, there is a story which backs up the decision Terry made to attend that Bridal Show.

We still have copies available. Send an e-mail to advice@adviceinice.com and include your physical mailing address and we will forward you a copy.