Effective marketing doesn’t have to be expensive. In this episode, Will Sampson, editor of FDMC magazine and Woodworking Network, continues his interview with Christian Smedberg, marketing specialist for Weinig USA, about fundamental, low-cost, and no cost ways of marketing your business.
This episode of the Woodworking Network Podcast was sponsored by the Executive Briefing Conference, being held November 8-10, 2020, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
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Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Welcome to the Woodworking Network Podcast where we explore the business of woodworking and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
This episode is sponsored by the Executive Briefing Conference.
Today, we’ll be continuing my interview with Christian Smedberg, marketing specialist for Weinig USA, about the role marketing plays in a successful business and tips to improve your marketing. But first, let’s talk about “If you want to sell, learn how to buy.”
Most small shop woodworkers are so focused on making things that they rarely devote the attention they need to selling the products they make. And then, when they do turn their focus to selling, they don’t know where to start. In some cases, they even feel embarrassed or weird about asking people to buy their products.
First off, get over that!
Next, start to approach selling much in the same way you approach a new product. If you are making a piece of furniture or a cabinet, you first ask what it will be used for. What is the goal? Is it a cabinet to house silverware or glassware? That changes what it needs to do. Is it a chair for dining or relaxing? That changes the form to meet the function.
So, the first step in selling is learning how to buy. Why would someone buy the products you make? What need does your product fill? Most importantly, what are the benefits of your product to the buyer?
In woodworking, often we are selling products to consumers who don’t have a full understanding of what the product is, but they know what they want it to do. A kitchen buyer likely doesn’t appreciate all the differences in materials, box construction, or the qualities of different hardware and finishes. They just want the kitchen to be a beautiful, functional, and long lasting part of their home. Unless you spend the time to educate customers on the benefits of your products AS THEY SEE THEM, you’ll not achieve the selling success you want, unless those benefits are obvious to everyone.
The triumph of soft-closing hardware is a great example. When it first arrived on the scene, soft-close hardware was significantly more expensive, but it quickly dominated the scene. Why? Because one push of a drawer showed a potential customer the benefit of the technology. They didn’t need to know all the technical details of how it worked or what it was made out of. All they needed to know was the drawer wouldn’t slam shut with a loud bang, and it would close securely and easily. One try and they knew they wanted the benefits of that system.
Lots of woodworkers seemingly can’t be bothered to learn how to sell the benefits rather than the features of their products. They tell someone their boxes are made of ¾-inch formaldehyde-free plywood and expect the customer to know the benefits of that material. Instead, they could talk about environmental responsibility, and sturdy construction that will make the cabinet hold up for years of daily use.
You have to put yourself in the customer’s shoes. What are they really buying? Years ago, when I first visited the legendary Sam Maloof at his home in Southern California, he sat me down in one of his iconic chairs. And then he started quizzing me. “How does that feel? Are the arms in the right place? Is it comfortable for you?” Sam was a designer and craftsman, but he had a natural ability to understand the benefits of his products through the eyes of his customers and a sincere goal of exceeding their expectations. It’s a lot easier to sell when both you and your customers understand and appreciate the benefits.
Before we rejoin Christian Smedberg, let’s pause for a word from our sponsor, the Executive Briefing Conference. EBC is a superior opportunity to learn, be inspired, and have face-to-face interchanges with top leaders in the industry. The 2020 EBC will be held at the spectacular Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. In addition to top speakers and presentations, there also will be tours of Concepts in Millwork and The MiLL woodworking training facility. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to obtain business intelligence to improve your enterprise. You can learn more at executive-briefing-conference-dot-com.
Now let’s get back to our interview with Christian Smedberg with more pragmatic marketing tips for woodworking businesses.