Marketing with a Customer Survey
If it's presented in a thoughtful, personal way, a "How are we doing?" survey can be a very effective marketing device. February 1, 2011

Marketing avec une enquête client
Présenté de manière réfléchie et personnalisée, un sondage « Comment nous comportons-nous ? » peut s'avérer un outil marketing très efficace. 1er février 2011

Marketing and Selling Outsourced Cabinets
Here's an insightful discussion of the practical aspects of outsourcing cabinet parts for the small shop, in light of customer perceptions of the value of the end product. November 23, 2008

Whether to Give Clients your Drawings
Here's an extended discussion about appropriate policies for control of shop drawings and design layouts. May 26, 2010

Sales and Marketing Advice
Here's a long and thoughtful thread about how to create and implement an effective marketing and sales strategy — online and elsewhere. March 22, 2013

Shooting Digital Photos of your Work
A long discussion of cameras, lighting, and photo techniques for taking the shots for your website and print portfolio. August 23, 2006

Defining "Custom Cabinets"
What is a "custom" cabinet, and what do terms like "semi-custom" and "stock cabinet" mean? Pros discuss the dividing line between craftsmanship and mass production. December 28, 2005

Marketing and Advertising Ideas
More thoughts on how to get your name and business in front of the public. March 11, 2009


Developing Sales Skills
Overcoming fear of sales, and implementing a sales strategy for your woodworking business - June 18, 1998

Market Research for a Business Plan
Thoughts and advice on how to investigate the market for the products of a proposed new cabinet business. October 14, 2009

Ethics of Working with Interior Designers
Another long discussion about a perennial sore point for woodworking professionals: transparency and fair dealing in the relationship with designers. April 18, 2015

Motivating and Guiding a Commission Sales Rep
This thread starts with a question about how to structure a contract with a commission salesperson, then expands into a broader discussion of effective sales and marketing strategies. February 6, 2010

Win the Estimating Game
Understanding Costs Means Profit. November 5, 2002

Choosing a Business Name
Catchy? Unique? Descriptive? At the front of the alphabet? Company owners discuss the value of a good business monicker. February 17, 2006

Cost of Estimates
Getting paid for time spent on a job before you know it's yours. April 18, 2004

Marketing Cabinet Design Work
Ideas for marketing drawing services to shops in need. July 28, 2004

Recycled barn wood
Processing and marketing reclaimed lumber. September 23, 2003

Kitchen Projects: Required Deposits
The policy of demanding a deposit gets fouled up when contractors are involved. December 26, 2004

The "Sustainable" Chain of Custody
How can a small shop get certification that its wood is sustainably produced, all the way back to the source? June 30, 2009

Showroom Strategies for a Furniture Maker
A successful niche furniture maker looks for ways to broaden his appeal in his local market. October 3, 2011

Competitive pricing
Establishing a pricing system that will bring you plenty of jobs and profit. November 22, 2001

The Last Word on Marketing
Everyone's looking for that one book called "How to Effectively Market Cabinets for The Least Cost and Effort". Until it comes out, here's another Knowledge Base thread with some pretty good ideas. August 13, 2007

Working Exclusively for One Client
When a client suggests an exclusive arrangement, it's wise to think carefully about the potential downside. March 18, 2006

Value-added pricing: Why? -- Because you're worth it!
We all fear "those guys in their garages, doing work for cheap." But we really have nothing to fear at all.

Iwf 2010
Reports from 2010 years IWF show in Atlanta prompt the question: are big woodworking machinery shows a thing of the past? April 4, 2011

Focusing on Profitable Work
Shop owners brainstorm about keeping their companies targeted on the work they do best and make the most money on. November 5, 2007

Direct-Mail Marketing for Local Woodworkers
Direct mail definitely works if you do it right. Here are some success stories and tips. November 19, 2006

Cabinetmaker Business Website Design and Content
Advice on how to craft a woodworking business website that will interest customers and rank well in search engine results. May 30, 2011

Marketing Porch Furniture
A woodworker has a large overstock of wooden porch swings left over when a big buyer backed out. Here, others critique his online marketing presentation as he tries to move the surplus. January 10, 2008

Naming the Business
Should you put your personal name in your company name? February 17, 2011

Marketing and Selling for Commercial Work
Face-to-face contact management is the way to get commercial jobs. February 10, 2009

Moving Into Commercial Work
Cabinetmakers discuss the ins and outs of pursuing, landing, and executing commercial work. November 4, 2007

What is value added?
Forum participants give technical and personal definitions. April 2, 2002

Closing Sales at a Home Show
Home shows are a good place for generating leads. But how do you make the sale? February 13, 2013

Is this customer worth the hassle?
The project was complete and paid for in full. Then, the customer requested a "free" change to it. June 7, 2000

Defining "Quality" in Custom Cabinet Work
Pleasing customers is about matching their expectations, not your own. Cabinet shop pros discuss how to succeed with custom work in a competitive market. August 29, 2005

Sharing Photos of Completed Work
Should a contractor share professional photography he has paid to have done with the owner of the project being photograped? And on what terms? The issues can be complicated. September 3, 2014

Naming Cabinet Styles
How do you describe the cabinet styles you offer to customers in simple, understandable, and attractive language? September 30, 2010

Marketing High-End Cabinets
Cabinetmakers share ideas for attracting big-ticket clients. February 10, 2004

Six Simple Marketing Steps
Wood marketing tips from Forest Service expert Steve Bratkovich, with feedback from sawmill owners and lumber dealers. July 26, 2005

Middle-Man Muddle
what's the proper way to structure your relationship with someone who's your go-between with the end customer? August 29, 2005

Appropriate job deposits
What percentage of the price on a job is it okay to ask for up front? September 2, 2002

Managing On-Site Work
Knowing how to handle yourself and your employees on a job site is critical to winning future referrals. 1998.

"Green" Cabinetry
Environmentally-friendly or non-toxic cabinet work has become an important market niche. In this thread, cabinetmakers discuss the ins and outs of meeting customer expectations for "green" cabinets. September 4, 2005

Naming a Business
More brainstorming about how to come up with a suitable, memorable, and unique company name. November 19, 2006

The Web as a customer interface
Shop owners share their ideas on the Internet's usefulness from a marketing and customer service standpoint. September 6, 2000

Setting up a milling business
How much land, what equipment is needed, and in what order, for a startup sawmill. April 24, 2002

Whether to Work for the Competition
Does it make sense for a large, capable shop to run some complex parts for smaller shops that lack those technical skills? February 6, 2010

Marketing Frameless Cabinets
How to play up the advantages of Euro-style cabinet systems. January 21, 2007

Website Hosting Options
Woodworkers discuss various ways to put up a quick and simple website for marketing purposes. October 2, 2007

Direct Mail: An Effective Marketing Tool -- for Custom Woodworkers
Small- to mid-sized shops can use this mode of marketing to their advantage. 1998.

Are Home Shows Worth It?
Cabinetmakers discuss whether a presence at local home shows is a worthwhile part of a marketing program. August 7, 2008

Indoor Photography Skills
If you want to get good at taking pro-quality photos of your cabinetry in place, here's a quick rundown of what you might need to learn. March 3, 2009

Finishing Prices
Calculating pricing for finishing services

Do Phone-Book Ads Work?
Forum-goers say networking and an Internet presence pull in far more leads than their Yellow Pages ads, these days. October 3, 2006

Creating a High-Traffic Wood-Shop Website
Tips on how to make your company website draw traffic and rate high on search engines. June 28, 2007

"Finder's Fee" for Designers
Yet another discussion of the ethical and practical business issues involved when a designer is in the middle of your relationship to a customer. April 19, 2015

Making decent money
Advice on making a living in the business of contemporary craft woodwork. June 6, 2001

Selling Furniture at a Street Craft Fair
A craft fair is no place to sell pricey furniture. However, they do offer opportunity for some. August 3, 2009

A Selling System, part two
Part two of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.

Marketability of Small Wood Craft Items
Suggestions for a small start-up woodworker about simple items that might sell well. March 28, 2015

Marketing in the Store Fixture Market
Advice on how to get the attention of buyers in the retail store industry — and on how to satisfy the customer once you make a sale. October 19, 2014

Advertising alternatives
What are the best-bang-for-buck advertising venues for woodworkers? November 7, 2000

Marketing and Sales for Commercial Millwork
Commercial work can bring headaches and heartburn. But if you're willing to risk that, how do you position yourself for that market? February 17, 2011

Marketing Your Business
Assessing the value of various types of advertising and marketing tools. 1998.

Teaching Woodworking in a Real Shop
A woodworker is considering teaching shop class in his own shop, but the insurance and legal risks are discouraging. October 3, 2011

A Selling System, part four
Part four of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.

Marketing for Furniture Makers
For furniture makers, word of mouth and cultivation of personal relationships are the best way to build an exclusive high-end clientele. But advertising and web marketing can also attract custom furniture buyers. October 19, 2014

Showroom Location
Cabinet and furniture makers discuss the value of a good showroom location, and the role of a showroom in the overall marketing strategy. December 20, 2005

Google AdWords and Sales
Cabinetmakers report on their results from using Google ads to attract serious customers. March 26, 2009

Lead Generation - Knowing Your Customer -- It's the Key to Quality Leads
You really can’t generate profitable leads if you don’t know what you’re looking for -1998

Are Yellow Pages Ads Worthwhile?
Woodworking business owners share stories about results (or lack thereof) from Yellow Pages listings. May 20, 2009

A Selling System, part five
Part five of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.

Charging for estimates
Is it ever done in a cabinet shop, and if so, how? October 2, 2001

Should I Advertise?
The whys and wherefores of marketing for owners of woodworking businesses. 1998

A Selling System, part one
Part one of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.

A Selling System, part three
Part three of five, from Custom Woodworking Business magazine, on developing a customer base through a carefully planned and executed sales approach. 1998.

Work diversity -- Good or bad?
Should a new business take on everything from cabinetmaking to house construction? June 6, 2001

Effects of environmental awareness?
Lumber processors discuss the market effects of buyer awareness of environmental issues. August 23, 2000

Rights to photograph work
Who owns the photographs of work done under someone else's employ? March 23, 2002

What's a "Green" Cabinet?
Cabinetmakers discuss what makes kitchen cabinets environmentally friendly, and whether customers will pay for that. September 8, 2008

Cost of an employee
Figuring in taxes, worker's comp and more. October 30, 2003

Should I Supply Cabinets for a Countertop Display?
Cabinetmakers mull over the idea of supplying a countertop dealer with cabinets for a showroom. December 9, 2007

Marketing Strategies -- to Help You Move Beyond Referrals
Referrals are fine, but don't ignore other ways of finding business. 1998.

Straight line rip lumber
Is the added time and waste worth what customers will pay? September 23, 2003

Contracts versus cost-plus
Some jobs are impossible to estimate. But don't walk away until you've proposed working on a 'cost-plus' basis. 1998.

Retail/wholesale pricing
Setting prices based on your market. June 6, 2001

Advice for a start-up shop
Ideas for winning clients. March 20, 2001

Job estimating: How-to
A primer for woodworkers on doing accurate job estimates. June 7, 2000

Website Critique
A cabinetmaker gets a bushel of helpful suggestions to make his new website more effective as a marketing presentation. March 21, 2012

Internet Click-Ad Tips
Advice on getting referrals to your website using click-through advertising, and on what kind of results you can expect. August 13, 2007

Marketing Tips for the One-Man Cabinet Shop
Advice on getting your name in front of potential buyers, including builder, designers, and architects. June 30, 2008

Taking it to the Bank
One in a series, looking at the relationships between woodworking companies and the businesses they deal with. 1998.

Are Showrooms Worth It?
Pros and cons of adding a showroom to your shop. April 10, 2005

Is a Website Valuable for a Woodworking Business?
Woodworkers tell how having a website has helped their businesses. November 26, 2007

Marketing to Professional Designers
Can a furnituremaker succeed by selling primarily (or even only) through professional designers and architects? The question sparks a thoughtful discussion in Woodweb's Business Forum. July 2, 2005

Yellow Pages Advertising
Is a Yellow Pages ad worth running? Business owners share experiences and anecdotes. July 24, 2005

Naming Your Company
That pesky question that plagues every start-up business — what do I call this thing? February 12, 2009

Cabinetry Warranties
Cabinetmakers discuss their warranty policies. June 15, 2009

The 'PDQ Rule' for Custom Work
Follow this simple rule to assure your custom manufacturing business's profitability. 1998.

Direct Mail Marketing
Pros consider the costs and benefits of mass mailings to attract business. December 20, 2005

websites
Should your business have its own website? Pros share experiences and discuss the worth of a web presence. June 12, 2005

16 Marketing Ideas
A cabinetmaker asks for marketing ideas, and gets a baker's dozen and then some. December 26, 2006

Direct response marketing and testing
How to assess the effectiveness of advertising/marketing programs, particularly direct response marketing - 1998

Adding a Salesperson
The owner of a growing shop mulls adding a salesman and reaches an interesting decision. February 25, 2005

How to Turn Away Work
How to tactfully decline a job that you think may involve trouble or unpleasantness. February 16, 2012

E-mail Marketing Versus Phone Contact
E-mailing is quick and cheap, but the telephone may be more effective.August 7, 2008

Finding -- and Fine Tuning - your Niche
How to find the type of work you can do best, and most profitably. 1998.

Should I Change the Company Name?
What's in a name? A woodworker ponders whether naming the company after himself was a wise choice — and ends up sticking with it. October 11, 2012

CNC Sign Making as a Side Business
For a well-equipped CNC shop, routing wood signs for signmakers who mostly do other types of sign is a viable business niche. March 11, 2009

Technology to Help Photograph Your Work
An Apple iPad is a handy way to take and post photos of your work. June 16, 2014

Wholesale Markets for Craft Items
You can find wholesale buyers for wood craft items, but the margins are very tight. January 7, 2007

Marketing to Outlying Rural Customers
Suggestions for a local lumberyard on website improvements and personal contact efforts to boost awareness of products and services. September 3, 2014

Getting Commercial Millwork Jobs Without Being the Low Bidder
For various reasons, low bidders occasionally drop out of the game before the work starts. So, if you bid enough jobs, you'll get a few at your price. September 6, 2012

Marketing with Social Media
Thoughts about how your Facebook and Twitter presence can elevate your business profile. February 27, 2013

Selling work despite long lead times
September 26, 2000

Working for a Home Theater Company
A cabinetmaker got an offer to build all the cabinets for a home theater company. Here are the tips he received on how to size up the opportunity — and make the most of it. October 18, 2005

Contributing Cabinets for a Granite Supplier's Showroom
Should you supply free cabinets for a countertop company's showroom in hopes of getting good referrals? Cabinetmakers are skeptical. September 30, 2010

Applying UV-Cured Coatings to Flooring
Commercial pre-finished flooring comes with a UV-cured urethane finish, but that's an advanced process best left to the specialists. June 17, 2010

Is Facebook Good Marketing for a Woodshop?
Cabinet shop owners talk about the traffic and sales value of maintaining a presence on Facebook. April 22, 2014

Troubleshooting a Web Hosting Snafu
Advice on how to insulate your website hosting and domain name registration from problems with your hosting service provider. March 28, 2015

Cost of Web Hosting
Are you paying too much for website hosting? April 13, 2010

Is "Green" Certification Worth It?
Cabinetmakers mull over the process and price tag involved in getting formal recognition as a "green" woodshop. January 13, 2009

“Value added” manufacturing -- five approaches
New ways to improve your product and marketing. March 19, 2001

Getting Government Contracts
Advice on putting your company in a position to do work for the Federal government. March 12, 2009

Networking and Lead Generation
Woodworkers describe how they cultivate the relationships that bring them work. October 11, 2012

Countertop Materials: What Does the Market Want?
Countertop and cabinet contractors discuss the current popularity of stone, solid surfacing, laminate, concrete, and green recycled composites as of mid-2009. February 14, 2010

Website Setup for a Portfolio of Completed Work
Here's some advice on putting up a website to display photos of projects you've done. April 24, 2013

Who Can Make Money Building Custom Furniture?
To succeed in business as a custom furnituremaker requires a rare combination of skills and talents. August 3, 2009

Listing Prices on Your Website
Should you display price information for pieces you display on your website? Business owners discuss the pros and cons. July 2, 2005

Marketing a woodworking start-up
Some ideas for spreading the word about a new woodworking business. June 7, 2000

Aromatic cedar for closet lining
A discussion of drying and machining, aromatic red cedar for closet lining. Includes ideas on marketing the finished product. March 4, 2000

Market for persimmon?
Once popular in the manufacture of golf clubs, the demand for persimmon has slowed. March 2, 2000

Outside-the-Box Marketing Ideas
Here's a list of creative marketing ideas from a seasoned cabinetmaker. March 3, 2010

Advertising Success Stories
Cabinetmakers describe advertising strategies that have worked for them. May 22, 2007

Am I charging enough for work?
A woodworker wonders where his profits are. June 7, 2000

Supplying Countertops for Another Business' Showroom
If a butcher-block countertop maker provides tops for a cabinetmaker's showroom cabinets, what should the business terms be? November 23, 2012

Gene's value-added hints
A bit of wisdom on adding value to your wood products, from Professor Gene Wengert. April 2, 2002

Finding a Use for Low-Grade Poplar
A sawmiller has buyers for his clear poplar, but needs an outlet for the knotty material that's left over. April 24, 2014

Getting Appliances for a Kitchen Showroom
If you're creating a classy showroom, appliance makers and other vendors may be happy to provide you with products to include. June 5, 2006

Expanding your Market for Furniture
When a cabinet shop starts to make furniture, how can they widen their niche? April 11, 2008

Starting a one-man shop
Advice on planning a new cabinet business. January 28, 2002

Whether to Hand Out Business Cards
Some say yes, and some say absolutely. Just do it. February 26, 2012

Five value-added approaches
Professor Gene Wengert presents ideas on adding value to your wood products. April 2, 2002

Showcasing Furniture
Furniture shows are a mixed bag — and the Internet offers other venues for showing off your work. March 16, 2015

Valuing and pricing old lumber
Lumber pricing is like everything else: Whatever the market will bear.

AWI: A boon to sales?
The effects of AWI membership on sales are discussed. June 7, 2000

Getting Information on Federal Contract Jobs
Don't sign up with any kind of middleman — the Federal contracting process is open to everyone. October 2, 2007

Marketing with a Project Blog
A cabinetmaker describes how he creates and updates a blog for each client's project to help garner referrals and publicity. April 22, 2014

Experiences shipping lumber
Determining the costs and problems of shipping lumber through UPS or other service. January 16, 2002

Website Domain-Name Ownership
A shop owner's website designer went out of business, and now it seems that he doesn't own his site's domain name. What does he do now?November 11, 2005

Thoughtful Gifts for Clients
Cutting boards or butcher blocks made from shop scraps make a nice gift for a valued customer. March 28, 2010

Budgeting for Advertising, Marketing, and Sales
Here's a long discussion of marketing strategies and advertising budgets. December 21, 2010

Paying Designers
Cabinetmakers discuss their relationships with designers. April 4, 2011

Photographing Your Work -- Professional Vs Amateur
Should you hire a professional, or take the photos yourself?

Photographing Kitchens Professionally
Recommendations on creating high-quality shots of your work. April 2, 2004

Photography Fees
Need professional photography done? Want to reproduce an already-published photo? Bottom line: good photography is expensive. June 3, 2007

Price sawmilling by the cut?
Pricing by the hour, the board foot and the cut. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 12, 2003

How Much Money Do I Need? - Part 2
A hard look at the financial end of starting your own woodworking business - June 18, 2000

How to Work a Local Home Show
Detailed advice on how to set up and operate your booth in a local home show in order to sell enough work to make the investment worth it (and then some). October 18, 2011

Professional Dress for Woodworkers
What's the right dress and grooming strategy for a woodworker who wants to make a good impression on customers? October 13, 2010

Project and Product Photography for Cabinetmakers
A good professional photographer will give you the best results. But if you want to do it yourself, there are ways to improve your technique. January 26, 2008

Print Advertising Versus Direct Mail
Believers in direct mail say it hits the target harder and more accurately than general advertising. March 21, 2012

Boosting Website Traffic
To get a high search engine rank, you need to cultivate good links on your pages, and weed out all the bad ones.April 29, 2012

Pricing Furniture
Cost is a hard fact, but the market value of a unique furniture piece can be very subjective. October 28, 2008

Breaking Into a New Area
A woodworker who has just moved to a new town gets advice on marketing his business. June 29, 2008

Pricing and Marketing
It's been said before: don't set your prices too low. November 26, 2007

Business Networking and Surviving Slow Times
Cabinetmakers discuss ways to market your company during down times. January 13, 2009

Building a Business Plan
One in a series, looking at the relationships between woodworking companies and the businesses they deal with. 1998.

Price comparisons and why not
A magazine article shows the great variances in pricing work across the country, and illustrates the necessity of pricing each job based on local markets and shop expenses. March 23, 2002

Business Names and Trademark Infringement
You're both going to be hearing from Woody Harrelson... December 26, 2006

BNI for Woodworkers
Shop owners share impressions about Business Networks International. November 10, 2006

Bad checks and bad credit
How to protect yourself from, and deal with, bad checks and un-creditworthy customers. June 7, 2000

Practical Showroom Advice
A showroom can boost your woodworking business, but don't go hog-wild — sometimes less can be more. October 25, 2006

Photo Advertising on a Trailer
Legal and practical discussion: Should you use stock photos of cabinetry (that you did not make) as advertising on your company trailer? June 17, 2012

Hustling for Work
Tips on scouting for jobs to make ends meet during slow times. April 24, 2009

Business and Management Forum -- Marketing Ideas
Cabinetmakers discuss email marketing, Google ads, and other methods for bringing in new business. February 11, 2010

Building a Home Show Display
Pros share design and construction tips for a trade-show booth presentation. July 2, 2005

Blue Book Advertising
Some woodworking shops get good results from advertising in their local Blue Book. March 12, 2009

Pricing custom cabinets
Examples of woodworkers' different pricing methods for kitchen cabinets. December 6, 2000

Portable Display Panels for a Cabinet Showroom
Here's advice on a setup to mount cabinets for display that you can use in the showroom, or haul to trade shows. July 8, 2014

Sustainable forestry
How sustainable forestry relates to the woodworker and consumer demands. June 3, 2003

Marketing 101 for a Small Cabinet Shop
A two-man cabinet business builds a good product, but needs more customers. Here's a raft of advice on how to build name recognition and make personal contacts. November 29, 2014

Starting a cabinet business
Pros give pros and cons involved in starting a new cabinet business

How Much Money Do I Need? - Part 1
A hard look at the financial end of starting your own woodworking business - June 18, 2000 June 18, 2000

Taking Small Jobs as a Marketing Method
Can taking on small repair jobs or punch-list work help you get larger, more lucrative projects? September 15, 2011

Drumming Up Job Leads
Shop owners offer a double handful of ways to direct-market your work to qualified buyers. July 9, 2007

Prospects for a Handyman Business
There's a huge pent-up demand out there for all-purpose Mr. Fixit men. October 3, 2006

Presenting A Quote
There are reasons to sell the job face to face, in person. April 10, 2005

Advertising Signs on Your Vehicle
Target the market you want, and the leads will roll in. March 14, 2005

Offering Long Warranties
Should cabinetmakers back their product with a "lifetime" warranty? June 4, 2012

AdWords Campaigns: Do They Work?
Woodworking business owners discuss the results they've seen from Google AdWords campaigns. April 29, 2010

Getting Started
Three basic tips for getting a new woodworking business off to a healthy start. 1998.

Adding value to old pallets
Examples of how woodworkers have recycled pallets and other old wood into new products. June 5, 2002

USPs: Your key to selling success
How "unique selling propositions" can increase sales and focus your marketing efforts. - 1998

Marketing a Machinery Modification
A woodworker has perfected a great idea for improving an existing piece of equipment. How does he bring his idea to the market? October 3, 2011

Marketing to Builders
A local cabinetmaker gets advice on getting the attention of production builders. June 16, 2005

Understanding Web Statistics
Exposures, impressions, click-throughs and refferals, and how to measure them. April 18, 2003

Describing Loose Tenon Joinery to Customers
Domino joints have two mortises and a single floating tenon to connect them. But if you call that it a "loose" tenon, will customers misunderstand and think it's not strong? June 4, 2012

Searching for a sales rep
Increasing sales by adding the right marketing professional to your team. September 20, 2003

Should I charge more?
Cabinetmakers share their systems for determining pricing. August 29, 2001

Setting Yourself Apart from the Crowd
What makes a cabinetmaker's offerings special for high-end customers? February 12, 2009

Portable sawing rates
Methods for charging, plus more on the business of sawmilling. January 21, 2002

Making Stove Pellets from Shavings and Sawdust
A look at the technology for turning wood waste into wood-stove briquettes or pellets. Is it practical? January 25, 2010

Waste wood into profit
Sawyers turn wood otherwise destined for the landfill into a business. June 5, 2002

Promoting a new sawmill business
How to get the word out that you have a mill and you're sawing wood. January 16, 2002

Reclaimed or Salvaged Wood and "Green" Marketing
Is it worth marketing products made from windfalls, reclaimed urban trees, et cetera, as "sustainable" goods? July 28, 2008

Melamine Cabinet Boxes
Can melamine move in as plywood quality degrades? October 5, 2004

Opening a Showroom
In today's market, a retail showroom location may be a liability, not an asset, according to some. November 11, 2005

Démarrer une entreprise de fabrication de meubles
Les professionnels donnent les avantages et les inconvénients liés au démarrage d'une nouvelle entreprise de fabrication de meubles

Prix de finition
Calcul des prix des services de finition

Financial Success in Woodworking
Philosophies and turning points on the path to $100K a year. January 6, 2005

Career change: Computers to cabinets
Issues that could affect the success of a newly purchased woodworking business. July 29, 2003

Working Too Hard and Still Broke
A cabinetmaker asks for advice on getting out of the hole he's in, and gets a ton of good feedback. January 9, 2008

Six Sigma Strikes
Are the Six Sigma system requests that a customer makes appropriate? November 3, 2004

When a Job Goes Sour
Expectations were unclear, now the customer is unhappy. What to do? May 4, 2005

AWI certification
Is membership or certfication with AWI worth your while?July 29, 2003

Shifting to a Lower-Priced Cabinet Market Segment
A cabinetmaker gets feedback on the idea of targeting smaller and less expensive jobs. November 29, 2014

Whether to Go Out of Business
Facing slow times and scary financials, a cabinetmaker seeks advice on whether to call it quits — and if not, how to turn things around. July 27, 2008

Rewarding Employees for Job Leads
When an employee brings in a job lead, what's a reasonable finder's fee? March 14, 2005

Moulding prices
Pricing product in a small, start-up moulding manufacturing operation. October 9, 2002

When the Customer "Cherry Picks" Your Bid
A cabinetmaker bids on a whole house project, but only gets part of the job. What's going on, and how should he respond? February 6, 2010

Cabinet Refacing
Can it work as a business? Pros share business and tech tips. June 17, 2005

Mulligan Stew: Random Observations -- and Ideas on Management
A bunch of different stuff that owners and managers of woodworking business should think about. 1998.

Kitchen Remodel Rendering
Advice on software to create images showing how a new kitchen will look. April 14, 2005

From residential to commercial work
What risks are involved when moving into much larger scale jobs? June 4, 2003

Managing A Busy Spell
When you're over-booked, how do you handle new customers (and should you change your pricing)? April 10, 2005

Design fee and competing
Should you charge for designs and estimates? It depends on your business focus and your competitive environment. June 12, 2005

Was a Teenage Woodworker
Pros encourage a 14-year-old who wants to be in business to go for it. October 3, 2006

Shop Cost, Distributor Markup, Retailer Markup, and List Price
A door manufacturer looking to work with distributors and retailers wants help figuring out how his production cost tracks through multiple markups to a realistic retail list price. April 21, 2011

Reputation, References And Customer Feedback
How to improve what your customers are saying about you. April 10, 2005

Fortune Teller: Making More Money in the Wood Industry
Wood Doctor Gene Wengert makes some educated guesses about the near future in the wood products industry, and offers some advice about how wood-based businesses can profit from change. April 15, 2013

"Loss Leaders"
Should you take jobs you don't want in hopes of landing future work with the same customer? December 28, 2005

Charging Walk-Ins for Occasional Cuts on a Saw
Making one cut for somebody who walks into your shop isn't much of a money-maker. So what is it worth? December 28, 2014

Shavings for Sale
The always resourceful sawyer crowd discusses the packaging and marketing of wood chips. February 9, 2005

Determining pricing
Finding a balance between fair and greedy pricing. June 5, 2002

Is Joining the Cabinetmakers Association Worthwhile?
Some members say that active participation in the CMA has boosted their businesses. May 31, 2014

Advertising and Marketing
Solo craftsman gets advice on niche marketing. May 4, 2005

Marketing Historic Preservation Work
Architectural woodwork pros discuss how a specialist in historic preservation and restoration can find and develop good job leads. September 8, 2007

The Top 7 Mistakes Woodworkers Make When Starting A Business
A cabinet shop owner explains how to avoid the most common pitfalls of start-up businesses. September 27, 2005

Accounting for Referral Fees
Advice on how to figure "thank you" payments for referrals, and how to enter them into your bookkeeping system. March 25, 2008

Growing a business
Keeping your mind on what matters in a healthy business, with a nod to Paul Hawken. May 19, 2003

Profit Margins
Defining profit and determining how much you should expect. November 22, 2004

Potential of a One-Man Shop
Is it realistic to think a small shop owner can make a decent living? December 9, 2004

Ballparks, Estimates, Quotes and Bids -- The Fudge Factor
A newcomer to business gets advice on managing uncertainty in the cost of a job. March 14, 2005

Business Plans
Do's, don'ts, pros and cons on perhaps the most basic fundraising tools any business can possess. February 25, 2005

How To Charge For Design
Getting paid for design work's not easy, but some markets will bear it. April 10, 2005

Pricing to Create a Prototype
You're being promised (maybe) a large order of an unusual product. But what do you charge for developing and producing the first prototype?December 24, 2012

Possible yearly earnings
What kind of sales volume does it take to support a six-figure salary in a two-man shop? May 9, 2001

Pricing a Stump
Woodworkers get a good laugh out of chunks of hardwood log, sold in catalogs as two-hundred-dollar furniture. February 11, 2009

Best Ways to Advertise
How to get the word out that you're in business and available for work. November 22, 2004

Business Start-Up Advice
Woodworker asks about a business start-up kit, and gets an earful of wise advice.

Creating an installation division
Setting up a special division to install the product your company builds. July 9, 2002

Should I Cut Prices to Boost Sales?
Another take on the age-old question of whether a cabinet business should cut prices when sales are slow. August 12, 2007

Installation scheduling
When he can't keep up with the jobs the sales staff hands him, what's an installer to do? June 24, 2001

Taking a Business to the Next Level
A question about equipment investment turns into a thoughtful seminar on marketing, pricing, and finding your niche. November 10, 2005

Seeking Success in the Cabinetmaking Business
This question from a struggling cabinetmaker provides a good opportunity for some education in the basics of business success. September 7, 2013

Developing a Cabinet Business
Starting up without large equipment and finance resources. January 28, 2004

Expanding portable sawmill business
A hard look at the pros and cons of expanding a business. October 9, 2002

Table Leg Attachment and Veneer Details
This thread offers good analysis of table structure, veneering techniques for complex shapes, and the business problem of trying to compete with cheap manufactured goods as a custom furnituremaker. October 1, 2010

Comptabilisation des honoraires de référence
Conseils sur la manière de calculer les paiements de remerciement pour les recommandations et de les saisir dans votre système de comptabilité. 25 mars 2008

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