Submitted by CHAD on 9/28/99. ( AZB513@GATEWAY.COM ) 208.255.198.54
my father retired from taxidermy ten years ago and now i want to start my own taxidermy business.what i want to know is how can i get higet his old customers back and new ones.
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This response submitted by George Roof on 9/28/99. ( georoof@aol.com ) 152.163.189.1
Chad,
I envy you dad for his ability TO retire. I'm not sure how to go about that. As for your question, a line from Field of Dreams may sound melodramatic, but it's true.
I'm taking for granted you're trained already. (If not, get that way first.) Build you shop and make it twice the size you need. Make it organized, well lit, and keep it imaculately CLEAN. Provide the very best work you're capable of and improve on it every time. Advertise by DON'T undercut other taxidermists prices in your area. If you work isn't as expensive as theirs, customers may imply it's not WORTH what theirs is. Build a friendship with those taxidermists. It's always a compliment when another taxidermist treats you as a peer instead of a threat. It's even better when you need a pair of 14mm bear eyes in a hurry and you only have 12's. Never badmouth your competitors, it lowers you in the eyes of the public. Take as much time with your customers kids or his friends, or even his wife to convince them that taxidermy is not a good ole boy industry where we all cuss, pass gas, and tell dirty jokes. Give repeat customers a small discount. Educate customers to proper field care and poses that will accent their trophies. If and WHEN you screw up, quickly admit it and make it right. One dissatisfied customer will take away more customers than all the Yellow Page ads will ever get you back. And finally, never, EVER turn down a customers job because it isn't your specialty. Contract it out if necessary, learn it if not. Once you refer a customer to someone else, they are no longer your customers.
This response submitted by Mark on 9/28/99. ( fishguy@scc.net ) 209.32.143.69
Dear Chad, I am kind of in the same situation as you only my father hasn't retired yet. I have basically grown up in my dads taxidermy shop since I was 9. My dad will be a hard act to follow. He has been doing taxidermy for almost 40 years and knows every aspect of the trade. The best advice I can give you is you have to be as good a business man as you are a taxidermist. Put out a clean product and give them their moneys worth. It is hard to follow in a fathers footsteps but I am trying myself. My father tells me to not worry about what the guy down the road is doing but hey I like talking to all the guys on here and learned alot from them. My dad is kind of a old school type taxidermist and I try to keep up on the latest techniques. Good luck for sucess, Mark
This response submitted by JACK BAKER on 10/12/99. ( ) 167.192.80.31
GEORGE ROOF THAT IS THE BEST ADVISE I'VE HEARD OF. WISH THERE WERE MORE
PEOPLE OUT THERE LISTENING TO IT. YOUR COUSYOMERS AND THERE FAMILY AND
FRIENDS ARE YOUR BUSINESS. LEARN, BE USER FRIENDLY AND NETWORK.
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