THE Most Important Part Of
Competing In The Custom Framing Industry
Many factors are important in a successful small business and you must have all of them to be successful in today’s business world. Good customer service, fair but profitable pricing, and a well-directed marketing plan are all part of success in framing. If I had to identify one specific requirement for ongoing success in custom framing, I would say it is great design talent. Why? Because it is the one aspect of your business that cannot be easily replicated by your competition and it is the best way to become profitable. A custom framing business that features a team of great designers who translate the needs of their clients into truly creative results are able to attract new customers and retain the ones they have.
Great design ability doesn’t just happen. It develops continually through hard work, education and experimentation. It is an established part of the culture of the business. Great design teams learn from each other and challenge themselves to improve every month.
“Great design sets you apart in your market.”
Successful design orientated shops also understand that their talent must be shown to be understood by their clients. These shops create amazing displays which showcase their talent. These samples go beyond the overall design because they are also used to feature subtle design and production techniques which can be used to help clients visualize the concepts being recommended to them.
A great designer needs proper samples of their talent to inspire and help their clients understand why a certain design will be fantastic for their project. Visualization is vital to how the human brain makes buying decisions – words are not helpful in making these decisions.
So if I were starting a new custom framing business in today’s industry, I would hire amazing designers who understand how to translate the needs of their clients into incredible projects. I would fill my showroom with inspiring pieces that feature all the design techniques that my designers will use in working with my clients. I would foster ongoing education and feedback about the designs the team is creating and offer as much education as possible to the team so they can continue to develop their abilities.
Amazing designers create demand and allow you to grow average ticket and profits. Yes, many other aspects of your business are important, but great design is the one that sets you apart in your market.
