Genesis Engraving, LLC

I think one of the great hurdles in the path of a home-based business is convincing people that you ARE a business. I’m not quite sure what it is about a home based business that causes customers to think that the terms of the business relationship have somehow changed.

Though there are fewer and fewer as the years pass, a number of businesses operate via the house-call. Businesses that operate this way have my sympathy as the price of fuel continues to rise. Insurance agents and financial representatives are two that come to mind. These are often businesses that have made a reputation of doing business at their customers’ dining room tables. These representatives are expected, by tradition, to travel to their customers’ door to close the deal.

One industry that has the exact opposite reputation is retail.  Though the advent of “party” companies (i.e. Pampered Chef, Party Lite, even Tupperware!) has created a new way of doing retail business, the majority of retail companies have a storefront location where business takes place. Customers visit the store, make their purchase (or place their order), pay, and either take the product home or pick it up when it comes in.

Home based retail operations, I’ve found, are treated differently. For some reason, there is an expectation that home-based retailers will drive to a customer’s house to sell and/or deliver a product. There is an expectation that every price is negotiable. There is an expectation that payment is not necessarily expected when services are rendered. There is an even greater expectation that the operator is working under the table, so sales tax isn’t really necessary. There is an expectation that you’re always open (after all, you’re always home). These expectations are difficult to overcome. It’s amazing how, operating from home, businesses somehow need to re-explain how the retail industry works.

I chose to operate my business from home for a number of reasons. I did not have the capital to pay the often insane rent of a storefront location. I did not require the square footage associated with some stores. I wanted to be at home with my boys as they grow up. Like many home-based businesses, I wanted to keep overhead low for the sake of my customers. There is a laundry list of reasons to work at home.

Unfortunately, there is also a long list of stereotypes to overcome as a result of my decision. A great start, I’ve found, is to list your incorporation as a part of your business name. If you’re an LLC, include it in the name. It shows that you’ve filed your business with the proper channels and you are held accountable. Another great idea is to put that sales tax license out, even at home. Show people you are accountable and that you collect tax.  Join professional associations, put yourself out there. Keep business hours. Do everything a traditional retail store would do. The minute you give in to the stereotypes, you damage not only your own business, but the business of every other home-based operation out there.

You ARE a business… never forget that.

This is a somewhat unusual topic, but it is relevant nonetheless. It never fails to amaze me that the first comment most people offer about my work is that it belongs at a craft show. I think the wood-burning especially has a “crafty” feel to it. At first, I didn’t want to focus on shows because of the additional overhead and inventory involved. After countless customers, family and friends pushing me, though, I felt I had to give it a shot.

For those who are not familiar with the larger shows, allow me to explain. They are often “juried” shows, which means there is a panel of judges (jurors) that evaluate each applicant to make sure that their craftsmanship “fits” their particular show. Applications are accompanied by products photos, descriptions and pricing in an effort to further judge each crafter for authenticity and quality. Applications also typically require a photo of each crafter and their booth from a previous show. My only assumption is that this is to avoid admitting a “first-timer” to their show by requiring proof that I’ve done it before. This concept makes no sense to me, but fortunately I’ve done shows before so I can send a photo, even though my booth would now look nothing like that.

After spending time and money to apply, I typically wait, only to find that craft shows don’t want me. The beauty of it is, they offer no explanation, no advice on how to better present my case, no hope for the future, just a flat “No.” This, also, is ridiculous. In an industry that takes pride on judging participants, they could offer some help for future applications so that crafters know where to improve in the future.

After the current round of rejections this summer, I can only assume that the industry is biased against laser engraving. Maybe the fact that I am capable of “mass-production” (albeit with a limited capacity) scares them into thinking I will not bring authentic products. Maybe they think I will bring 1000 of one product rather than a collection of unique products, though having gone to most of these shows and seeing the number of crafters who only make one eerily similar product over and over again, I don’t think this is it. Perhaps it is the fact that I use a machine to create my craft, but lots of people use power equipment in production. Maybe I’m just not good enough, but I would love to know for sure.

I don’t usually vent like this in a public forum, but I do it for a reason. For those out there who see laser engraved products and think “I should buy a laser and go to craft shows”, rethink your logic, because shows are reluctant to admit engraved products.  If you use your laser in a different capacity (cutting parts, etc.) you might have a better case, but straight engraving doesn’t seem to get the job done.

I try to keep the subject matter of the blog as generic as possible because I don’t want to inundate my visitors with promotion and solicitation. This post, however, is a little different. Genesis Engraving has recently expanded the scope of services offered, and I wanted to take this opportunity to spread the word.

A natural sidebar of the engraving industry is the process of converting graphics from raster (JPG, TIFF, BMP, etc.) to vector. Raster graphics are your standard image, photograph or drawing. Vector graphics, by contrast, are a mathematical representation of points which collectively create an image. Vector graphics can be resized to fit any scale without losing resolution. Why is this important? When a customer is seeking to have an engraving of their logo but they only have the logo as it appears on their business card or t-shirt, the ability to create a vector graphic becomes essential.

Genesis Engraving will now offer two new services. For a flat fee of either $25 or $50, we will vectorize your logo or graphic, depending on the difficulty. This can be a bargain service when you are attempting to create new business cards or promotional materials. Printers and other end-user applications will often charge $60/hour for the same service, often with a minimum of one hour. You’ve already saved by sending your graphic our way. We will provide the graphic in multiple formats, including Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Adobe Photoshop (.psd), Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and Encapsulated Post Script (.eps). Other formats, such as AutoCAD are available as well, depending on what you’re looking for.

The second service is an extension of the vector graphics. Genesis Engraving will now offer basic graphic design services as well. Fortunately, another likely sidebar of engraving is the ability to manipulate and create graphics. We have had customers seeking this service in the past, so we’ve expanded our repertoire. If you have any basic needs, from business cards and flyers to brochures and catalogs, we can help. If you’re looking for graphic work designing your website, we can help, though we aren’t web geeks, so you’ll have to have somebody code the website to make it fly. We work with Inksplash Designs for that service, so we’ve got you covered.

Again, I apologize that this isn’t a useful informational post, but it is important that we get the word out. Pages for these services will likely be added to the site soon, but we haven’t gone there yet. In the meantime, give us a call to discuss your options.

I’d like to take this opportunity to write on both a personal and a professional level. If you’re in a custom retail industry, then you know that sample products are everything. Pictures can help, but there is nothing like putting a sample product in front of your customer. As you are putting together your samples, you know you need the best photos of the best subjects to make it work.

So where do you find your sample subjects? There are a number of places to look. Stock photography sites are great, but is it really worth paying for the high-resolution photos to promote your company? You can turn to famous photographs or pieces of art, but you have to be careful how you use them. In addition, I’ve found that with each “famous” sample comes the question “How much for the sample?” This is an even more dangerous line to take, because selling that copywritten image can land you in a heap of trouble.

I’ve found that it’s best to have a high-quality camera and a knowledge of what works for your company. Start seeing the ordinary as an opportunity to promote the business. Landscapes, beautiful scenery and people are only a photograph away. Remember, if you take the photo,  you own the photo. Use it to promote your livelihood.

Personally, I’ve found that having twin boys alleviates the problem almost immediately. The Genesis family grew by two last week, and already I’m seeing the next models for the business. Keep an eye on the site in the coming weeks for plenty of samples featuring photos of my boys!

Aren’t they beautiful?

When I sat down to draw up a business plan, I had to examine the seasonal aspect of a custom gift business. I fully expected (and hoped for) the Christmas rush, but what I never would have expected was the rush at Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Having previous experience with a similar company, I found that these two holidays are a great sales boost. The question is, which holiday comes out on top?

Father’s Day, from a sales perspective, has been the dominant holiday of the two for a couple of reasons. First, Moms and Wives are traditionally great shoppers. They seem to put that extra effort into seeking out the appropriate gift for the Dad in their lives.  The custom gift business benefits from that. What better way to dress up that old photo for Dad than to burn it onto wood?!? Second, I’ve always believed Dads are easier to shop for, so an engraved gift offers just enough sentimentality without getting cheesy. You can’t lose with gifts like these.

Mother’s Day is at a bit of a disadvantage in my opinion. First of all, us Dads are often the ones shopping and, let’s face it, we don’t always bring home the most creative and thoughtful gifts, though not for a lack of trying.  Second, Mom’s celebrate their day “first” on the calendar, which offers its own issues. I firmly believe that if Dads had their day as both a warm-up and a reminder, Moms would likely benefit. Speaking from a lifetime of procrastination and forgetfulness, a warm-up day on the calendar that butters me up is far more likely to motivate my shopping prowess.

On the whole, though, these holidays are a great opportunity to seek out a unique gift that is different in every way. Moms will love the effort and emotion tied to the photo you’ve immortalized so elegantly. Dads will love the thought and process involved in burning such tremendous detail into everyday materials.

Why am I writing this now? It’s important to think ahead and be ready. I just filled my first Father’s Day order of the year and I have another project in the works. Moms are on the ball this year. I figured I should be as well.

Well, it’s a new year. The Christmas season is over, which means sales have slowed. I doubt there are many custom retailers out there that don’t report a drop in sales (and momentum) from December into January and February. The good news is, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are just around the corner along with Graduation season and a mess of other gift giving occasions. After developing a rhythm of being so very busy in December, the question is how do you handle the illusion of all this free time? Your machines  may have been running 20-hour days through the holidays, but what about now?

If you’re able to maintain 20-hour running days even after the holidays, then I admire the level of business you’ve attained. For many startups, though, there is a question of what to do now that things have slowed down. I have a few ideas:

Marketing - Prepare your ads for the upcoming year. With each new year comes a new advertising budget. Use your dollars wisely and prepare your quarter, half and full page ads for the next couple months. As you determine the best avenues for your dollars, you have the artwork ready instead of using valuable production time when you are busy again. Likewise, look into your branding materials for any necessary changes. Brochures, business cards, postcards and flyers might need a quick adjustment to make them relevant for the new year. Don’t sit on your hands, use them to get ahead.

Product Development - If you’re a crafter, this is an excellent time to prepare for the busy summer months. Applications are due soon, which means you need to look into your new product lines and displays. Take the time to nail one new product. Avoid the scramble before the show and have your production files ready to roll.

Shop improvements - If you’re handy, this might be the time to tackle shop clean up and renovation. Plus, you’ve got a bundle of cash from Christmas, right? Why not use it to dress your business for success?!?  Even if you’re not handy, you can always find somebody who will handle the repairs and improvements in your stead.

The bottom line is, don’t be sucked into the illusion of free time. Gift seasons train us to be alert and ready at all times to work on any project that comes our way. There is no reason you can’t apply that same work ethic to behind-the-scenes projects during the “off-season”.

One of the beautiful aspects of laser engraving is the versatility offered by each machine. Whether you’re operating a 20-watt desktop system or a 150-watt 52″x100″ table, each machine is capable of creating a tremendous wow factor. One of the more overwhelming crafts to undertake with any laser is carving. Carving can be overwhelming to achieve, depending on your experience with graphics and the power of your laser. Carving can also overwhelm your customer if done properly.

I have had the distinct pleasure of utilizing a 150-watt laser in the past from Kern Electronics. The table size was, in fact, 52″x 100″ which created endless possibilities to utilize both the power and the size of the machine. Carving was one of my favorite hobbies in what little spare time I had. The primary difference in carving, from a technical perspective, is in the graphics. The machine still moves lightning fast on the X-axis and slowly down the Y-axis. Rather than working with a dithered black and white image, though, the carving files were typically straight grayscale images. The Kern laser is capable of interpreting seemingly endless shades of gray, which made for truly unique projects. Having 150 watts of power made the projects move a little faster as well.

I’ve since moved on from that machine and settled into my 35-watt ULS machine which is still capable of carving, it just takes a bit longer. Don’t let the time commitment deter you from engaging in these unique projects. I’ve never had a customer say it wasn’t worth the extra money to add that special “wow” factor to a custom plaque. In fact, once customers see the capability, you may find yourself carving out a niche in the engraving industry.

So many products are made to be rubber stamped with the same old imagery. Don’t get me wrong, the traditional plaque and plate combination has earned its place in the industry, but every once in a while, your customer might want more. Carving adds a special touch that can separate your products from the competition. Whether you’re carving a simple logo or a 3-dimensional relief, the result will be the same.

Wow.

Carving that simple logo is a great place to start. Graphically, this requires the least additional preparation. Remembering that your laser reads grayscale images, prepare the logo in shades of gray. If your laser has a 3D setting, try it out first. Typically these settings have a more detailed view of grayscale images, allowing for more true detail. I’ve had tremendous success using the standard wood settings as well. Just ramp up your power or slow the speed (or both) and you’ll love the results.

It may take a little time to see your graphics in terms of carving, but it will come. The concept is easy. White is raised, black is recessed and everything in between is… well… in between. Once you get the hang of logos, try engraving an object. Existing statues are a great starting point for practice. Copyright law may keep you from selling the pieces when you’re done, but they’ll be great demo pieces. If you manage to nail down the process with statues, try a real photo. They’re very challenging, but the effect is tremendous.

The bottom line here is - don’t limit yourself or your machine. Remember, your laser tube is passing away whether you use it or not, you may as well have some fun in the meantime. Who knows? You might just carve out a special niche for your customers.

As any small business owner can tell you, one of the most difficult tasks out there is spreading the word about your company. It seems that as soon as you file the paperwork for your business, the cold calling department from every advertising venue receives a memo to start soliciting ad space. Calls come in from every phone book, newspaper, booster program and magazine in a 50 mile radius. Websites start contacting you about ad space. Search Engine Optimization specialists start calling and promising first page results on Google. Local networking groups start knocking on the door looking for members. Every business owner experiences this phenomenon at some point. The question is, which bait is the most tempting? Which luring tactic will return the greatest results? How do you spread the word without going broke? Because let’s face it, every organization has a great pitch, but buried somewhere in the promises is a price.

You have to start somewhere. Think about your target customers. Where are they located? What do they read? What do they listen to? What do they watch on TV? Where do they buy? Are they online shoppers? Are they looking for a physical location? Does your product need to be seen? Touched? Is black and white enough, or do you need color? Do you need sound? These questions can drive you crazy in no time flat. Unfortunately, though, you need to consider these factors when the telemarketers come knocking… and calling… and emailing. As difficult as it can be to listen to the pitch, there is an advertising medium that perfectly matches your business.

All of the “young” businesses have an especially daunting task. Your business plan should have involved an industry and market analysis. Your research has told you where to look for customers. You know where you think they should be coming from. But the truth of the matter is, only time will tell.

Pay attention to your customers. Ask how they found you. Don’t just take the money and run. Start a conversation. You’ll be astounded at the results. Not only will they tell you how they found you, they’ll often tell you how they “couldn’t find you until they tried ______.” These conversations can lead you down the right path in a hurry. They will tell you what is working, what is definitely NOT working, and what you should be trying instead.

In the beginning, don’t be afraid to try conventional means of grassroots advertising. Join your local Chamber of Commerce. Not only will it give your business an immediate air of legitimacy, it will provide you a support structure along with great networking opportunities. If you are fortunate (as I am) to have an active Chamber, join committees, attend functions and utilize the educational opportunities provided. The more you become a face in the community, the more your business will see the benefits. Plus, it can be fun! Find a local budget printer that can run business cards and simple ads. Put your business in the eye of the public. Don’t be afraid to do the annoying things, like stuffing car windshields and going door to door. If you want the word to spread fast, don’t sit around waiting for somebody to open the phone book. Get out and show them that they need you. Bumper stickers and car magnets are out there for a reason. Call the newspaper and put out a press release. Have a Grand Opening. Start a local buzz and watch it spread. Put your name on EVERYTHING you do so people know where to find you. These small steps can help ease the advertising budget because most of them are inexpensive. Grassroots efforts can provide you the customer base to do some real research so you know where to spend your advertising dollars.

The bottom line is, don’t sit back. Be proactive in spreading the word, then react to your feedback.

“If you’ve seen one plaque, you’ve seen them all.”

This was my line of thinking when I first entered the world of laser engraving. After reading the basic industry publications, I noticed there were a phenomenal number of plaque suppliers out there, and they were all selling the exact same thing?!? It was enough to have my head spinning. I wasn’t sure where to start or how to choose my supplier. Fortunately, I had the luxury of a boss who was willing to let me do some research. Through various local, online and advertised companies, I began to order plaques, comparing apples to apples. My line of thinking quickly began to change.

The truth is, there are a lot of companies out there producing a great variety of hardwood plaques. There is also a tremendous range of quality out there. Don’t get me wrong, “inexpensive” plaques have their place in our industry, but not in photo engraving. I have noticed that I can take five plaques, each made from the same species, each the same size, each with the same edgework, each with the same hanging features but from five different suppliers, engrave them on the same machine (in the same run) using the same settings and get five distinctly different finished products. In the beginning, I couldn’t fathom how this was possible, but I’m slowly starting to recognize the differences. These differences can decide whether or not I have a satisfied customer. I’d like to share some of the qualities I look for in a plaque:

Fewer seams are always better. It’s no surprise that plaque manufacturers glue boards together to achieve various widths. I have seen 6″x 8″ Red Alder plaques with as many as seven seams! This means the manufacturer is gluing as many as eight strips together to achieve a width of six inches! These plaques not only lack long-term stability, but the seams also interfere with a quality engraving. Try to find suppliers that achieve their widths using only two or three pieces.

Edgework matters. Certain suppliers are not able to achieve a smooth finish on their edgework. Splintered finishes can ruin the finished appearance of a product. And depending on the creative finishing tactics of the engraver, poorly finished edgework can actually collect paint or ink, leaving unwanted markings on the edges. Examine the edgework of your plaques and try to find suppliers who put care into more than just the engraving surface.

Finishing touches. Most suppliers put some sort of hanging “apparatus” on the back of their wood plaques. The key is to make sure they’ve covered their bases. Some suppliers simply put recessed holes, which can be dangerous if they’re even slightly off center. Always look for a quality keyhole slot and make sure it accepts a “typical” screw head your customer will be able to find.

These are only a few of the obvious factors. I understand we can’t all spend thousands of dollars finding the best plaque on the market, but we can make sure our current suppliers aren’t shipping an inferior product. Price matters, but never sacrifice quality.

I couldn’t design an entire website without using that line at least once. Well, this blog is somewhat of an experiment for me. I am not ashamed to say that I am a novice in the blogging world. If you have been through the website, you’ve learned that I am not the most formal writer the world wide web has encountered. I classify my writing style as “conversational”, which should make for easy reading.

So where am I going with this blog? Simply put, I would like to introduce a combination of industry-specific articles as well as a number of articles addressing the topics confronting small (and home-based) businesses today. I have a touch of experience in the corporate world, but the clear majority of my work experience has been in small business. I have witnessed (and had a hand in) the purchase of a business and the subsequent growth. I have been involved with a startup that failed. These experiences have all shaped my decisions and direction at Genesis Engraving. There are a number of lessons I have learned that I would love to share. There are some lessons I am still learning that I would love to discuss. This weblog gives me the opportunity to do so.

I am looking forward to getting things started. If you’re reading this “live”, then you’re witnessing the history of Genesis from the ground up. If I’m around long enough that this post is buried deep in the archives, I guess I’ve managed to learn my lesson. In either case, welcome to the blog.