David,

I would second that idea and take it one step further for those that have sandcarving capabilities.

I do engraving for many of our local frame shops. Their customers have really taken a liking to our sandcarving. We have provided display samples for the shops showing text and a graphic etched in the lower portion of the protective glass of picture frames. We typically do a colorfill that will contrast with the picture and tie in well with frame.

We also provide shops with three 3"x5" pieces of glass with the same etched text. One of them is color-filled with black, the second with silver and the final one with gold. This allows them to set each color on top of the customer's picture to determine the best contrast and location for their information.

As usual, customers like things that are a little different from the same ol', same ol'. The shop owners also feel like they are offering a unique, new service to their customers.

Kudos to you both. If I do 100 engraved plates a month, 30 of them are from framers. And if you REALLY want to lock up their business, offer "while you wait" engraving for them. As most of the time when they need a plate, they have the matte cut, and cannot proceede with the framing until the plate is cut, engraved, and mounted.

Justin

Justin,

I offer while-u-wait engraving. In fact, I have a few people who are still waiting :-)

Just kidding.

Fast turnaround is a selling point, and in this fast-food society, it's become expected.

Framing shops will often defer to me for a plate size and base their cutouts on that size. That approach gives both businesses a chance to "do their thing" under a minimum of pressure.

Of course, I can (and do) operate under the full-court-press (hyper rush) though I charge more for that.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA

That's the best look, when the plate is inset in the matting.

Justin

Lynn, I can't stress enough the fact that few people can visualize a finished product, so display items that have lasering already done. As mentioned, it is a cost of doing business. Nothing is in our showroom that isn't engraved, lasered, sandblasted etc.

When we product something that catches our eye, we know it is something that needs to be in the showroom, so we make a duplicate. We have lots of clients that comment that they know so & so, and ask why we have their item. We explain that we liked it so much we felt it was worthy of display, so we duplicated it. It is an achievement for our clients to see if what they purchase will end up displayed!

I've been told that if a client can't feel it, and see it, then they won't buy it. I don't think that statement is completely true, because we do a lot of sales out of catalogs also, but I do know that if in doubt, the sale is always made when a client can see what we mean when we are talking about, for example, their copy on green brass with a gold border - like this one right here, shown in the showroom. That closes the deal.

You don't have to do it all at once - a few a week builds up. And as you place, take one out or rearrange and people think you have all new stock! And just a tip - leave the date off your duplicate so your showroom doesn't quickly get dated. All dates should be current or non-existent.

Good luck with your displays -
Cindy

Justin,

Here's one of the shops I do work for. They've been written up in their industry's trade mags a few times.

Very creative.

www.customtimeframes.com

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA

When I started out, I filled the showroom with everything I could find, and wasted alot of money doing it. Make sure your showroom is a reflection of what your customers are buying. If you have 10 different business card holders on display, and you sell 1 in 2 years, replace the display with a larger variety of items you regularly sell, like pens if that's the case.

In my case, I'm very well known for my clocks, therefore, I have an entire wall of them. And in turn sell 15 to 20 a month.

Justin

I agree. No one has a big enough showroom to show all that could be displayed in our industry. I display what I sell the most of, and everything else is either just displayed with one sampling of an item, or is in a catalog. I would rather display plaques, which I sell a lot of, rather than a whole wall of trophies, which I sell maybe 50 a year of. We have a large display for our wedding items, a large plaque display, a business item area and a large industrial engraving/plastic engraving area. There are companion pieces to each area also.
One thing I've heard from many clients is that they love being able to "see" what is there, so overcrowding doesn't do a good job selling items. Nice, simple, displays seem to work best for us. Add some greenery, nice display shelving, good lighting and keep your showroom spotless and current.

Cindy

David, is there an example of one of the frames, or otherwise, on their webpage of something you have engraved?

Thanks

John

Hi Lynn

I am currently in Texas and have just recently visited All American Awards ( Roy Brewer ). I have also visited Award 4 U in Tallahassee ( Sam Varn)
Both businesses had an extensive array of displayed plaques, tropies, promotional and gift items.
My quest was to jump start my new business, and the advice I received was that you do not have to display EVERYTHING....but a good sample of what you can do. The rest can be done via catalog.
With the understanding that I am new also, I hope this help.

Chuck Burke
Pacific LaZer Works
Woodinville WA.

John,

If you look at their pic gallery under, "Tarantula" and "Collector Firearms" you'll see the frames contain engraving plates, but there's no detail in the photo. It's there, but you can't see the wording or typeface etc.

Under "Special Services" there's a listing for imaged tiles, which are a combination of my wife's photography and my sublimation.

I've worked with this company for years. Chances are, if you see engraving, sublimation or lasered plates, I've supplied them.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA

LJ,

Your comments about engraving showroom samples is some very sound advice. I was guilty, in the early stages of my business, of not wanting to "waste" my inventory by engraving it as samples. Boy, have I come full circle on that concept.

Customers have no visual concept of what an item will look like engraved. By engraving your items you will actually get your customers in and out more quickly. They will typically take the foundation of what is engraved on the sample, tweek it a bit and be on their way.

On the subject of single-piece, customer-owned engraving, why don't you at least quote them a price that makes it worth your while to disrupt your production? By doing that, you will at least capture the worthwhile portion of that business.

Just guessing here, but the time it takes to initiate the job with the customer, take down their specs, and figure the quote is already a disruption from production. And given the value these jobs would need to be to justify the break from high volume work, the majority of them will likely be refused anyway, so why bother?

Sei

Chuck,

Now you could get me in serious trouble with this post. My wife gets more than a little irritated when I get the credit for her gorgeous showroom. She will be quick to tell you and me both that it is *her* showroom. Here's hoping you'll edit your post replacing "Roy' with "Shirley."

kidding mostly, but Shirley has created one of the nicest medium sized showrooms in this part of the country and anyone traveling through Arlington TX should visit.

To all,

How could I be so, callous, so cruel, so.. so... so.....blatantly mistaken about All American Awards in Arlington Texas.... my career in this idustry is over before I start...sigh...I am doomed. I must jump out of the basement window......

SHIRLEY Brewer, has in fact created a magnificent showroom and when I visited I found myself to be most welcomed by this very professional and open woman and her family. It was like my own little tradeshow....

Chuck

Chuck,

Atta Boy! Now I'll hopefully be allowed back in the house!