[TheForge] RE: making a living

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

Bob,

One of the things that has helped me the most is my Yellow page ad. Yes, it 
is expensive but it brings in the work till you can get your name around. I 
have one ad in my town and another ad in another town about 20 miles away 
that is growing fast.

It your are competing again ornamental iron people in the book you need to 
word your ad where you are different but can do what they do too. I know I 
know we may not want to do ornamental but it helps pay the bills, plus their 
profit margins seem to be higher than ours. I tell people the different is I 
can do what they do but they can't do what I do.

Become friends with an engineering firm in town, especially a new one, you 
help spread the word about them and they will spread the word about you. I 
pass out their card as well as mine.

RETURN all phone calls, the two best sentences I hear or no one else return 
my phone call and I didn't know anybody did what you(blacksmith)do. Most 
think it is lost art.LoL

Join local historical society, they go wild over us.

Everyone you talk could be a customer I've swapped ironwork for haircuts, etc.

Charge enough, Dan Tull's wife tells him when he thinks he is charging enough 
to DOUBT it.

Mike Ivey            NOMMA      Alex Bealer
Savannah River Forge