These BLOGS are sponsored by my businesses.
“Misty Hollow
Carving” was launched in
October 2008
Misty Hollow Digital Images were
launched on September 26, 2012.
“Crop Circles’ Web Site” where all
my images are available.
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Taking Steps to Survive a Nasty Recession as a Small
Business
Recently I stated to a group of small
business people I stated that one of my Goals for 2013 was “to survive the Recession”. It was kind of a broad overall statement that
is not measureable in some folk’s mind.
How can it be a Goal?
Some have stated that they wish to double
their income in the next year.
Fantastic! Good on them!
However with shrinking orders at times the
small business that is struggling to keep going is a reality. Recession bites
deeply into the pocket books of the little guy.
I started my business just before the
Recession hit. I saw the potential success of my business and did very well for
a period of time before the bottom came out of my bucket. The year after launching ‘Misty Hollow’ the
crunch came.
I was doing the same things that I did before
the crunch came and nothing was working.
I did more of the same ‘harder’ and ‘faster’ but that didn’t work
either.
It was then that I asked the magic question that
I had asked before I began ‘Misty Hollow’.
The question was, “What can I do with what I have?” And “If what I have done is not working, what
can I change to make it more appealing for my potential customers?”
A secret shared with me by a customer recently,
as she stopped by my weekly table presentation at the Mall, was invaluable. The
secret shared with me was, “So what do you have new on your table today? I love
the things that you make. You are so creative.
What do you have new today?”
The first reaction could be from the small
business owner, “What’s wrong with the old?
Do you know how much time I have put into this product!?” But I didn’t give that inner feeling away.
I listened.
These are all potential customers coming. And
all these potential customers have felt the pinch the same way that ‘Misty
Hollow’ has felt it. But they have
stopped by to be inspired and tempted to buy. They do have a special season of
gifting coming up, anniversaries and weddings, and they will need a unique gift
of some sort. This moment that they drop
by is an opportunity to seed their imagination.
So my first ‘Recession Beater’ is ‘Something
New’! I need to take time to create,
carve, and build ‘Something New’. I
cannot stop making the stuff that sold well before but I can make less of it
when the stock is built up. In fact my
times when sales are low is a time to build up what may be needed later.
Another customer gave me a huge hint that I
really needed to hear. After she asked the
price of the carved feather and I had told her that the feathers were between
$80 and $150 each. She then made a statement that was vital for me to hear… if
I was listening. She asked/stated… “Do
you have anything less expensive? I
really want to buy one from you but I cannot afford that much money right now.
Things are very tight for us!”
My answer was quick and just for her… but
maybe more for me as well… “Yes I will have one soon. In fact it will be just
for you within the next two weeks. I can
carve feathers that are not as expensive.
When you drop by again I will have something for you!”
The feathers will not be as thin or take as
long to do… but they will be beautiful.
As a small business owner, creator and
operator I have a very short turnaround time. I can have something made new or made
to order within two days… not two months, two years, of a lifetime! It can happen now! “Immediate” is a great step to breaking the
Recession Blues.
If some of you have followed my adventures by
way of this Blog over the past three months you will remember that I was
challenged by a new friend of mine to do something very different from my carving. I was asked to work on a 100 year old statue
of Jesus – for a local Catholic Church.
The statue was painted white. Now
they were looking for someone that would be willing to bring back the original
colours of 100 years ago.
This was a very new idea for me. It was a
whole new direction. It was not what ‘Misty Hollow Carving’ is all about. It was not what I started out to do in the
first place. It was very great challenge
that would take a lot of time and effort to do it right. There was also a great
risk involved in that ‘Misty Hollow’ could potentially screw it up and earn a
huge black mark against its reputation!!!
Fast forward from three months ago… the Jesus
Statue looks better than it did in 1903.
The congregation is thrilled with what they see. And yesterday I began work
on Jesus’ Mother – Mary. Mary is a whole
new challenge in that the detail is greater than on Jesus. And when Mary is looking great I will begin working
on Joseph.
“Change is good”. That is one of my Recession Proofing steps to
earn that Goal for 2013.
‘Misty Hollow Carving’, the original name for
my business, is now better known as ‘Misty Hollow’. ‘Misty Hollow’ is bigger than a Carving Shop
in a mysterious village somewhere… it is a vibrant business that will survive a
nasty old Recession – with flying colours.
Gotta run now. I have a New Feather to carve today… and some
new “Tatted Lace – Button Angels” to get done as well. One is headed to England
and the others to parts of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New York, and North
Carolina!
Recession = Busy, not Dead!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
For your inspection
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