You’ve probably heard the phrase before. Be careful what you wish for. Because you may actually get it. And then some…
Be Careful What You Wish For
When we first started this business, we got really excited when a Wufoo came in. Wufoo is the program that allows us to capture contact forms from potential customers. It allows them to stay within the website and request information from us. It’s pretty handy really. We receive a notification on our phone that one has come in. Then, we look at our email for the detailed request.
If we were lucky, we would receive a few each month. During that time, we sold our products from our booth at local shows. Our custom metal work business was in its infancy.
Fast forward to today. Our turnaround is a month out. And, it’s hard to keep up with that pace. Wufoo contacts average a rate of 10 to 12 per week. And, we find it hard to take time off.
How Do You Change That?
We’ve actually gotten better at saying “no”. If we know that there is a better solution for a customer, we’ll steer them in a different direction. Early on, we’d try to make each and every request work into a sale. People tell us to raise our prices. We’re happy with where prices are at right now.
No More Shows
Last year, we did only one show. It’s a local annual show and was the first one we ever did. A little sentimental value there. This year, we’ve decided not to do any shows. Everything is custom work except for the two businesses in Bend that carry our work – Bendy Dog and Red Pine Cone Boutique. Our focus and business changed dramatically last year!
The Future
We’re not exactly sure how long we will continue to do this business. There is definitely a need for it based on the comments and orders we receive. We really do enjoy it. Just not sure how long we can physically do it. As long as we can and we still enjoy ourselves, Sunriver Metal Works is here to serve you. Just let us know if we can steel your idea!