I am lo sing my mine!!

You do not work in the shop over 40 hours a week? Good for you. I can NOT get my work done unless I work mostly near twice that. It has always been that way here, going on 36 years. Best way to stop price shoppers and slow down client list size is to raise the prices as high as you dare. Stick to your guns! I did go fishing this weekend, caught lots of rainbows but mostly small ones in little mountain streams near here. Still snow here up high.

 

Raise your prices from what? I guess it depends on area and somewhat on competitors but 400. should be low for a good deer shoulder mount anywhere in the country. In my area 600 is average, but it cost more to live in these mountain tourist towns, I think anyway. . Remember that PRECEPTION "IS" more important and worth more than reality. Most taxidermist never "get" that and/or apply it even if they do; to bad.

 

I too am part time and I told everyone that it would be 8 to 9 months. I get a few calls about when will it be ready? I feel your pain! You know, the ones that seem to call the most are the people that I know personally. Maybe it's just a Georgia thing? ???

 

It is kind of depressing when you work hard, work long and work well and then get phone calls like that. I don't think you can get rid of all of them. The first line on my contract says,"I understand that I have not been promised a completion date....." I'm convinced that I get more calls if I promise dates. They will press you for that date but I won't give it. All the work is still done in a year and most know that.

 

It must have something to do with the moon. I have had 2 calls like that this week. The one guy is a real arrogant pain in the a$$.

He had 2 rabbits and a fish at a taxidermists for 2 + years. He pulled them out and brought them to me. I told him 8-10 months and I could NOT guarantee any of it since its been sitting for 2 years prior.

I get the fish call a few months back. He starts freaking out on me because the skin mount fish I had was going to take longer to get back than a repro from a Florida fishing trip.

He just called last night inquiring about his rabbits and to ask how long it takes to have a skull cleaned. I guess some poor other guy has his skull and is taking longer than he would like....

Now I am dreading doing these rabbits by all means.....but if he calls one more time pushing me on a completion date I will be telling him to come and pick them up and NEVER come back.

 

Raise your prices from what? I guess it depends on area and somewhat on competitors but 400. should be low for a good deer shoulder mount anywhere in the country. In my area 600 is average, but it cost more to live in these mountain tourist towns, I think anyway. . Remember that PRECEPTION "IS" more important and worth more than reality. Most taxidermist never "get" that and/or apply it even if they do; to bad.

I do get weary of people pushing about price. Do I think that our price should be higher? yes. Are we raising are prices? yes. Do I think we are worth more than we charge? yes. However, we opened up full time in September in a new location in a new city. All of our prices are far above our competion and at the current time we get 350 for deer. We are just building a customer base here. If everyone around us charges 300, how can you start at 600? Is our deer worth 600, you bet it is. But, it will take a while to educate our customers why they've always paid 300 for a quality deer(most taxidermists here do have quality deer) and why they now need to pay 600. I know we will eventually get there, but we can't afford to start at that price in this area. There are about 50,000 people in a 20 min radius of the town we are located and about 8 taxidermists.

 

Sorry that you do not understand the word PRECEPTION. Its not about what actual value is or should be it is about what you and your customers perceive your product is worth. Here is a bad but good example: Is the hooker on the street corner that charges say 30. really worth less than the gal working the internet or high class hotel that charges $2000. ? Answer: NO. Then how come both are still busy? Preception portrayed by THEM and by their clients. This concept can be applied to ANY BUSINESS and is every day. IT is NOT about value it is about perceived value and how you present value to your client base.

 

Jimmy, How do you know so much about hookers and call girls? Especially high dollar dollies. Inquiring minds want to know..........

 

I read about it all in the National Enquirer.

 

James, the price difference is all location, just like in taxidermy. Back alley mounting....50 bucks Penthouse condo Two grand!!! Not that I could afford either one. Guess I should raise my prices.

 

Oh yeah.....it is just as bad with fish......."How is my fish coming along?" Well, it is dead, it stinks right now, has lost all of its color, and is in line with about 50 before it waiting for paint.

What do these folks want to hear?

"Well, we had a little talk last night, and Lulu says she wants to get a primer coat next week, followed by some color washes on July 4.

I once had a column on my website basically telling folks NOT to call me asking how their fish was.....that it was a waste of my time and theirs......that is was not coming back to life or anything......

They STILL ask!

 

Humans are basically a very impatient animal, and seem to want everything quick these days. I attribute that partially to fast foods, and fast food burger joints. We can get everything fast now, and we are used to it. How many times have you been to a grocery store, or walmart, and there was a long line that wasn't moving very fast? Did you leave the items you wanted to purchase in the buggy, and shop somewhere else, or wait in line? Everybody lives in the fast lane these days at home, work, and play.

If you give a time for completion of a mount, and you get it out early, most times the customer is all smiles, tickled to death. Now remember, they all have four, or fives buddies they hunt, and fish with who are either now also one of your customers, or will now be very shortly. All his buddies are going to get a call, "hey I just got my mount back from taxi, and it only took him three months not nine like he said". There you go, now all his buddies are going to expect the same turn around time on all his stuff, and are willing to bug you to get it.

There are also some who feel they own you because they left you a deposit on their mount, and can tell you to mount their stuff first. Some you just have to fire, and put on the bad list. Everyone who has ever done taxidermy has had to fight the same problems.

 

There was a post awhile ago like this, and the guy(I forget who it was) said he was going to start charging his customers everytime they called and bugged him about when things were going to be done. Probably not a good idea though!(LOL)

 

I wonder how many have never had to clean blood, hide paste, paint, or mixture of all every day from the shop phone from having calls on price checking, or just checking how my mount is coming along ?

 

Crap on your shop phone.............that is funny! You should see mine! Smells like fish, mache-caked buttons don't always work......blood, does not show up much on black phone.....epoxy? Ouch, that is the worst when it dries on the buttons. If I was smarter, I would get a headset. If I was even smarter, I would not answer the phone and get some work done!