All of the discussion I have read say to find a niche for your furniture / cabinetmaking business. How do you find/develop your niche ? I have done part time cabinet & built-in work and am working to eventually go full time. My thoughts are to continue doing whatever work comes along, and find the type of work that I do best, ie. built-ins, home offices, free standing furniture, reproductions, etc. I would like to hear from those that have a niche and how you got to that place. Thanks.
Robert
Replies
Robert,
This is really too big a subject to cover in a forum like this. But I would say that there are 2 different ways to "find your niche":
1. By trying to look objectively at the market and see what you could supply that is missing or scarce. This way of thinking is completely market-driven. For instance, you might see that there is a demand in your area for "high-end" yacht outfitters, and you then gear up to go after that market.
2. By looking at your own business history and trying to understand exactly what it is you are selling. It is not usually obvious, and it is very difficult to be impartially objective about it. If a third party for example, would survey all of your clients and ask them why they chose you and not someone else, the picture that would begin to appear from their answwers would go a long way to defining what it is that you are really selling.
Over many years I developed a very identifiable line of furniture and kitchens. But at some point I realized that what I was selling has much more to do with the experience the client has in his interaction with us. So we started to put more and more emphasis on this. As I said, very big topic, but exptremely important if you are in for the long haul.
keep us posted,
DR
I suppose one approach would be to provide a particular service with your product such as getting work done when promised, not so much what you are building, but how you deal with your client, and make this your "niche". I hear so many complaints that contractors or cabinet shops will not return phone calls to even make the initial visit to a client. But I guess this in due in part to the amount of construction in my area. I would like to build the reputation of the guy that is dependable and does the work on time, but maybe everone starts out with those intentions. Your comment regarding yacht outfitters may be on the mark, as I am close to a lot of boating, I need to investigate that area. Thanks for the response.
Robert
From a non-woodworking perspective, (Management consulting/training)
Market niches emerge (or are discovered) with a combination of sufficient un-met needs and your expertise to meet the need.
Say for example that there is an un-met need for custom spiral staircases (all the widows are adding widow's peaks to their houses - common on New England Coastlines and old whaling villages).
You happen to have the skills to do thorough site surveys, and appropriate mfg capabilty such that your products "just" drop into place (you're better, faster etc. than anyone in your area).
One "happy" widow tells two friends, they each tell two friends.... next thing you know you are filling the spiral staircase niche.
It happened to me back when I worked in a big corporation. I became an "Expert" with a tool called Microsoft Project (for planning projects). Next thing I know, I'm getting calls from people all over the corporation, people I'd never met, to help with their MS Project issues and questions, and project planning questions as well. (then I started a business doing basically the same thing)
There was so much "pent up" demand that I could have done that job full time (to the dismay of my boss).
Of course, the next thing that happens is that you become the Niche "owner" and can use that to your advantage (like in your marketing)..."We've done more widow's peak staircases than anyone, buy with confidence..."
There are several good books on market niches. I'll see if I can track down some titles. Don't buy any. Go to the local library. Read through the "good parts" (if your library does not have them, they can often do inter-library loan) (if you do buy, get them used at Amazon - often pennies on the dollar)... (Management books quickly go out of favor for the next new thing so the old ideas become cheap quickly)
Good Luck,
Mark
FYI, I'm in the process of selling my mgmt consulting firm and am looking for my next niche - sadly there are tons and tons of woodworking firms in New England and my skills are such that I don't think I offer anything more or better than the people who have been doing it for years... :-(
I am, I think, the best at getting gorilla glue on my fingers - but that won't pay the bills :-)
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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When you come up with good method to get the Gorilla Glue OFF your fingers, there may be a niche market for you!
Mark,
Your new niche may be how to remove the glue from your fiongers - lol.
Doug
You never know what people will find funny and yours and others comments on that little foot note surprised me.Believe me, if I knew how to get poly glue off after it's dried, I'd be worth a few bucks (and my hands would be cleaner :-)...Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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Mark,
First, my apologies to Brian: I didn't see your response before I posted mine.
Mark, my response, while seemingly tongue-in-cheek, was really meant to emphasize a point: niches are like new ideas, they can be created by filling a need not unlike finding a solvent to remove poly glue from your fingers. Sometimes the best ideas come from simple observations. Said another, "don't overlook the obvious".
Doug
Congratulation on selling your business and good luck with your next endeavor.
"Mark, my response, while seemingly tongue-in-cheek, was really meant to emphasize a point: niches are like new ideas, they can be created by filling a need not unlike finding a solvent to remove poly glue from your fingers. Sometimes the best ideas come from simple observations. Said another, "don't overlook the obvious".Right on..."Congratulation on selling your business and good luck with your next endeavor."It isn't sold yet... We just put it on the market. Takes 1.5 to 2 years typically... Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
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Mark,
look for your niche by doing some research on where you want to live next, while waiting for the business to sell. after getting locales together, reseatch thema nd the woodworking firms, needs and such and then make your choice.
Good luck
1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
basically a door to finding your niche is to have discussions with people in the industry.
example;
yesterday I was conversing with a guy who manages a production finishing/cab making company.
In talking to him about finishing ect i told him my plans of what I want to get into.
he told me it sounds good because people cant find craftsmen to do that anymore..everything has gone cnc and mass production... and people who want unique small items cant seem to find people who will do it for them.also custom finishers are a dieing breed and are not being replaced b/c of the production shops cost wise cant offer custom colors/finishes ..so there youhe says he cant even talk to the clients because his company leaves that up to the sales people...so from that conversation I realized..My idea has some merrit and can be persuedPeople that I want to do work for want the personel touch...but it also add some questions ffor me to further reasearch such as how do it reach the clients I want to work for.. ect....all this from a simple light conversation on the soccer field yesterday with another parent.
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All,
Some of us are meant to carve out our niche in life; the rest of us are just a bunch of chiselers.
Cheers,
Ray
LOL!Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
View Image
Jointer.. I really liked THAT one.. LOL...
What sort of thing exactly are you looking at Ron?
Small custom cabinets or finishing or both or something else?
You got me curious.......
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
Hey Adam good to here from ya where you been,
Im looking at small custom vanities, w/ matching medicine cabs.....
Custom valances to match existing furniture
Custom fireplace mantles. Here most of them are sold in premade kits just go to the yard and order the parts.
Bookshelves/ cabs computer desks custom made for home offices,
Game stations ,TV cabs built for kids rooms for their PS 2's ,X boxes plus game controller/ game storage ect....
Also doing repairs.. Most contractors around here would rather replace a entire vanity then build a door and stain to match a existing vanity.
Heres a example, I got one comeing up where I am going to build a complete free standing 6 ft X 8 ft closet for a childs room. They have a older home that dont have closets in the bedroom. It will be furniture quality. Made out of oak ply and solid oak. Stained to suit the customer.
It'll have clothes storage (hangers) drawers like a dresser and TV and game storage with some shelving on side. Possibly some toy storage /shelving on top.
Basically doing the smaller jobs that the bigger guys wont/dont do.
I also started recently, spray finishing exterior doors in place. With my LVLP its a piece of cake using a water base finish ( ext. poly) with a crosslinker added It makes it more water resistant and scratch resistant ( according to the maufacturer 5-7 times more). B/C its w/b I can put as much as 4 coats in a day on...includeing a sealer.
I guess you can say Im sort of a handymans version of a woodworker. As compared to full carpenter to a handyman
Since I'll be retired the small jobs would be perfect b/c they will be used to supplement my retirement...
Ill be able to give my price and if they want me to build it great if not well Im going fishing :>)
My retirement wont be dependant on what Ill pull down.
I wont work either cheap or for a lesser price. Ill bid the work for what I think it'll take to do it..time /materials plus profit.
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Edited 6/14/2005 10:25 am ET by Sancho Ron
Hey Ron
Been a while. I am working my tail off, sooooo much going on at the same time.
Booked for 6 months solid and more to look at as well. Make hay while the sun shines sorta thing.
We have major cabinet supply problems here. A few big outfits supply most of the bathroom stuff and are mostly behind on orders.
I almost went into making some myself at one point, but things changed etc and it never went past that. So damn busy now I wouldnt even consider it.
You are right about the things the larger outfits cant or wont do. I looked at a small job 3 days ago. Make and install 2 shelves in a kitchen, repaint the bath cabinet doors a drawer fronts.
I will get the shelves made in white melamine to match and install. Paint the cabinet myself.
They would have a hell of a job getting it done otherwise.
I got a call last week from a guy wanting a shower installed. Said he couldnt even get someone to go and look. Heh heh heh.............I love it when that happens. Makes it much much easier for me.
Be the same for you no doubt. You woulda thought that the 'competition' would have got the idea by now wouldnt you?
Everything, 100% of it, depends on how you look at it.
DW
I think the competition is out for the bigger dollar work here. Plus if you figure the time/labor it really is harder for a big outfit to just come a replace damaged doors. Most of them here order the doors prefinished even if they make the vaniety for example.
Why take the time to build say 2 small cab doors and finish to match a existing finsh when they can buy a entire vanity demo old and install new in a afternoon?
The bigger guys are not set up to manufacture parts. They show the customer a catalogue of various vanietys and mantels ect let the client pick out the one they want and just go to a yard and buy the pieces prefinished and install.
But someone like me retired with virtually no overhead can build and finish the doors in afternoon.
So to find a "niche" there has to be a "need". thats where I come in. Ive never been a artistic person to design museum quality furniture...
I like building things for homes and I want to do something I enjoy.
There is also a niche for unique type of species of woods. For example I got the idea from another w/wing site about using mesquite (a southwest wood) for a kitchen and bath vaniety and even a bar ect. cant buy them in the stores around here. have to order the material from Ariz or Texas but it is beautiful when finished.
Mesquite has very much a old west flavor to it. So if I retire in Oregon I know enough people who own Ranches and Farms... Now the old west decor is huge out there... but No one I mean no one I know in Oregon has anything in mesquite so that is another niche market for me. It wont be cheap importing the wood... but if the product is a quality product the market will be there.
Ill email you the site with a very nice gallery so you will get a idea of what Im talking about.
great hearing from bro.....
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Old post but I HAD TO!
he says he cant even talk to the clients because his company leaves that up to the sales people...
I went through that ALOT.. I was just a SERVICE Tech....... Scum of the earth..... Sales did their thing.. We had to calm the customer down a bit... Tell them Sales tried but not the EXPERT.. WE were!
Then I'd show the customer the Picture of the salesman and tell him if he bother you again without callin' me first.. I'll go talk to him!
Somthing no one else has mentioned, are the other considerations - what skills do you have? what equipment do you have? How much money do you have or can get to invest in this project?
I am looking at something akin to what you are in, I am looking to take classes and seminars form the SBA while looking into liscensing, taxes, zoning and other issues. When I have the info on what I can do with what I have and can reasonably invest (equipment, supplies, advertising ..... ) I will then know where my scale is (Highboys, jewelry boxes, spiral stair cases, kitchen cabinets ...) I also know the types of woodworking I enjoy and will look at things I like and maybe have a hard time finding, or coem up with an innovation on an existing item or form and will then develop a business plan and see where that takes me.
A whole lot of non-woodworking is involved in something like this. You are the manager, labor, bookkeeper, marketing agent and so on. Do you have the computer programs needed to keep records accuratly?
The SBA estimates that 60% of all new small businesses go under in less than 2 years and that another 10 - 15% don't make it past 5 years. It is a chilling thought. That is why I am going to start part time and will not go full time until I either can't keep up with orders or will quit if it does not start getting better after 2 years. I am NOT quitting my day job until then - I will not gamble with my family's security.
You might check out Dan Ramseys book "The Woodworkers Guide to Pricing Your Work" He has some good advise in there and also discusses niches
Hope this helps
I have a fair amount of equipment and hand tools, as I have been doing side work off and on for the past 25 years. I have a separate shop and have obtained a home occupation lincense. I have attended a couple of seminars from SCORE, and am still developing my business plan. I have not yet done any type of advertising, and get work only through friends. I too would like to get a backlog of work to feel comfortable enough to go full time. I will look up the book you noted, Thanks.
Robert
How do you find/develop your niche ?
I just work wood for friends and fun.. Gives me something to do.. I'm ALWAYS offered money.. I decline...
I think if you look at most small business forks that succeed they have a 'passion' for what they do AND have something UNIQUE that folks want..
That may be just be sitting down with the customer and listinin' to them.. Most folks do NOT really listen (just ask a wife about that)..
and find the type of work that I do best, ie..... Helps to get the first real customer and do it 'perfect' for them and strive to do all the others the same way.. You will probably be broke for a few years but 'word gets around'.. You would be surprised...
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