Newbie needs help - Engraving Etc. Forum

From:	Tricia	4 Apr 2007
To:	ALL	1 of 36

6539.1
I have glanced over topics here, and have finally found the help I need. I found this forum thru the Engravers Journal, I am just starting out, adding a trophy shop to my existing business of picture framing and gifts.The local shop went out of business this past week, they were in my strip shopping center,and I want to capture the business before it leaves town!! SO any advice and/or help with goood suppliers, etc,and education would be most appreciated. Looking right now to outsource some jobs until I get set up with equipment and samples....anyone interested near triad NC?? Thanks and keep up the great advice. I have already learned lots. Tricia Framed Impressions Art2impress

From:	PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY)	4 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	2 of 36

6539.2 In reply to 6539.1

Where is triad NC?

Kernersville??

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Mark
In the Great Northwest!

EDITED: 4 Apr 2007 by PENINSULATROPHY

From:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	4 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	4 of 36

6539.4 In reply to 6539.1

Tricia,

Welcome. You will find all the help you need here.

My FIRST question is why did they go out of business?

My SECOND question is, is there an opportunity for you to buy their inventory, equipment etc while you get your feet under you? ( This question is only valid based on the answer to question one)

Do a search on the forum for the following: PDU, Marco Group, JDS Industries, Johnson plastics, Tropar.

You will find threads and links to all of those companies which are all suppliers to the industry. You will also be able to do your research into thos e companies by doing the search.

Good Luck, welcome to the forum......we are here to help.

EDITED: 4 Apr 2007 by C_BURKE

From:	PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY)	4 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	5 of 36

6539.5 In reply to 6539.3

There are at least two other Trophy/Awards Stores in Kernersville......are you sure you want to get into the business??

Tri-City Awards and Superstar........ "Framed Impressions and Awards"

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Mark
In the Great Northwest!

From:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	4 Apr 2007
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	6 of 36

6539.6 In reply to 6539.4
The problem with that search is that the software requires at least four letters. Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem) When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

From:	Carl (CSEWELL)	4 Apr 2007
To:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	7 of 36

6539.7 In reply to 6539.6
quote: The problem with that search is that the software requires at least four letters. Harvey; I've done several searches lately using "PDU" and "JDS" (3 characters, correct?) and they appear to work. Or am I being misled? Carl Guntersville Laser Engraving Guntersville, AL http://www.GuntersvilleLaser.com
EDITED: 4 Apr 2007 by CSEWELL

From:	PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY)	4 Apr 2007
To:	Carl (CSEWELL)	8 of 36

6539.8 In reply to 6539.7
Nope: "One or all of your search keywords were invalid. Search keywords must be no shorter than 3 characters, no longer than 84 characters and must not appear in the MySQL stopword list" .... ... .. . Mark In the Great Northwest!

From:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	4 Apr 2007
To:	PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY)	9 of 36

6539.9 In reply to 6539.8
I guess that Eric got it down to 3 letters. I was never informed of this. Three letters is a good thing. Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem) When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

From:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	4 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	10 of 36

6539.10 In reply to 6539.1
Tricia, I'm glad you found us. Engraving is a perfect tie-in for your picture framing and gifts. Were you using engraving in the business (through other souces) before you decided to bring the process in-house? David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri DGL Engraving Port Hueneme, CA

From:	Engravin' Dave (DATAKES)	5 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	11 of 36

6539.11 In reply to 6539.1

Tricia,

Attempt to find out what the pricing practices were for the failed business. That very well could have been their demise. Learn from their mistakes.

Being in a strip shopping center, were they more award or gift oriented?

I would recommend that the best tie in for your business would be plaques, engraved plates and select gift items. If you get into the trophy aspect of the business you are going to begin confusing your customer base. New customers aren't going to know what exactly the focus of your business is.

It is good to offer complimentary products and services, but don't make the mistake of trying to be all things to all people.

EDITED: 5 Apr 2007 by DGL

From:	Jerry (JERRYERVIN)	5 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	12 of 36

6539.12 In reply to 6539.1

I also am a North Carolina Custom Framer adding engraving to my business.

There are quite a few of us lurking around out here and we are sharing info when we can.

If you will send me an e-mail jerry at cedarwoodgallery.com I can help you all that I can.

If you need engraving work done, I'm not too far away. I do some framing for a photographer in your area.

Jerry www.cedarwoodgallery.com

From:	Tricia	5 Apr 2007
To:	LaZerDude (C_BURKE)	13 of 36

6539.13 In reply to 6539.4
Thank you Chuck for your response. To question one, why did they go out, it was for very personal reasons that I cannot go into on the internet, however it was not for lack of business as I was one of their customers. Second question, I found out too late to purchase their equipment as they sold it to another existing business in another city, and it is gone. So I have to start from scratch. Thank you for the source list, I have requested catalogs from some of them already thru the Engravers Journal, however my delima right now is finding someone to outsource some immediate need work to until I can get set up..... Was hoping for someone not too far away, however they might see that as competition and not want to. So in rethinking that I may be better off using one of you guys!?!?! Let me read some other posts and get back to you , looks like they got off track of the subject here for a while. I am Framed Impressions Tricia Art2impress

From:	Tricia	5 Apr 2007
To:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	15 of 36

6539.15 In reply to 6539.10
HI David, Yes I was using this shop as they were right behind my shop downstairs. They were Tri-City trophy, and had a great business, just had a lot of personal things come up that made it impossible for them to continue in this field, not for lack of business, just the opposite, I think they lost some near the end because of their irregular hours and lack of interest. I am glad I found you all too, I have already learned a great deal, but still looking to outsource some immediate need work until I can get set up so as not to lose customers. Interested>? Tricia Art2impress

From:	PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY)	5 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	16 of 36

6539.16 In reply to 6539.14
Would be interesting to see if the equipment/inventory were for sale... in your case. When you say outsourcing are you asking for just the engraving portion or the whole trophy/awards process .... ... .. . Mark In the Great Northwest!
EDITED: 5 Apr 2007 by PENINSULATROPHY

From:	Tricia	5 Apr 2007
To:	Engravin' Dave (DATAKES)	17 of 36

6539.17 In reply to 6539.11
HI Dave, Thanks for your suggestions, however pricing was not their demise, it was personal reasons that I cannot go into online. They had a great business, had been downtown and moved near me about 6 months ago, and could have done more if they had kept regular hours. We are going to add this in with the frame shop at first, but may release where they were and keep it separate! They did it all from plaques to trophies to gifts, although I think the plaques and trophies were the main part of the biz. Thank you for your thoughts, Tricia Art2impress

From:	Tricia	5 Apr 2007
To:	PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY)	18 of 36

6539.18 In reply to 6539.16
OUtsourcing I am looking right now for is sublimination on some plaques that are 3 1/2" x 11 1/4" in a silver and bronze color, with cut out corners and a hole in each corner for a temporary display for an event held here each year, these are the sponsor plaques and it changes each year, so they don't pay the extra to have them engraved. Art2impress

From:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	5 Apr 2007
To:	Tricia	19 of 36

6539.19 In reply to 6539.15
Tricia, We have engravers in your area, who may be interested in becoming a behind-the-scenes provider of engraving, until you decide if bringing the technology in-house is desireable. Although I'm 3,000 miles away, if you'd like me to become such a source of engraving, I'm up for the task. Don't forget color graphics as a viable means of marking. I'm a sublimation enthusiast from way back and provide plates for a number of award and picture framing shops. Although I've branched out, my primary business model has been that of a behind-the-scenes artisan (secret weapon, if you will) for many of SoCal's engraving and awards outlets. That's as much of a sales pitch as you'll get from me. Probably makes more sense to work locally, but I'm here if you need me. :-) David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri DGL Engraving Port Hueneme, CA

From:	Tricia	6 Apr 2007
To:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	20 of 36

6539.20 In reply to 6539.19
Hi David, YOu say "We have engravers in your area, who may be interested in becoming a behind-the-scenes provider of engraving, until you decide if bringing the technology in-house is desireable." Who is "we"? Is there a club I need to join:-) Can you email me directly to Art2impress@aol.com ? Thanks Tricia Art2impress