Ben Gosden Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 fair doose mate, and yeah he does all bike frames he has had all the local bmx come round a few times and he has also done mountain bike frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 That isn't what he charges?? £50 was an exaggeration somebody made with the postage The price is not £55 You're either blind or stupid, so I'm hoping it's the first one, but if you actually read what I wrote you'll see that I said anyone who pays £55 + postage to get a trials frame and fork sprayed is a mug anyway. If you're going to try and call me out on stating facts (unless the info on the Facebook page is wrong of course...) then you're doing it wrong Mine cost £250 Just sayin'. Evidently you're way beyond a mug then. Spending more than many people spend on the frame itself just to make it another colour is ridiculous in the trials world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Anyone who gets his mate to advertise his business for him is not a business headed person. Non-business headed people cannot run businesses. People who can't run businesses are disorganised. Disorganised people will be shit with painting stuff and getting it posted back ASAP, sorting people out with shoddy work/refunds, and so on. Seriously, the dude is operating from a facebook page... He doesn't even have his own website, doesn't advertise his real name or anything. Does he honestly expect anyone other than his mates will take him seriously? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Gosden Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 To be honest, he enjoys what he does and knows that his prices are good so is trying to get his name out there a bit and at this stage it isnt really worth him setting up a website as HE DOESN'T GET ENOUGH CUSTOMERS. when he has a frequent flow of business and an average of customers monthly than yeah of course he will then put more effort in but he isnt willing to lose out and go all out straight away, in other words he is investing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 To be honest, he enjoys what he does and knows that his prices are good so is trying to get his name out there a bit and at this stage it isnt really worth him setting up a website as HE DOESN'T GET ENOUGH CUSTOMERS. when he has a frequent flow of business and an average of customers monthly than yeah of course he will then put more effort in but he isnt willing to lose out and go all out straight away, in other words he is investing. No, he is NOT investing. He's not investing enough time, money or effort into his product/service. He would do if he believed in his abilities. Why should I, as a potential customer, believe in his abilities if he's not willing to prove to me he believes in them himself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Gosden Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Through a website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Through a website? + taking decent pics of his work (i.e. the whole freakin' way we'd know he's any good) + thinking about decent grammar on his Facebook page You clearly don't think any of us know what we're talking about. I promise some of us do. It's funny how people get so defensive when people offer their advice for free, both as part of the target market of the business, and as professionals in various fields. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomturd Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Ben I think the point is that the facebook page seems a bit unprofessional because there's hardly any information there. I suggest you put some photos up on facebook, type up some stuff about what sets Birdy apart from someone doing it themselves (does he have access to specialist equipment? if he does put some pics up. Is the paint he uses better than the stuff in halfords?). Type up the process - as a customer what am I going to get for my money? Does he prep/strip the frame? How many coats? Where am I going to send my parts? How long does it take? Stuff like that, all needs to be up front Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Gosden Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yeah i know it does but the facebook page has been set up and is going have constant improvements, if and when he see's the need to create a website than im sure he will but at this point he feels it is pointless as information pics and methods of contact can all be found on this page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 I think he should listen to his customers (us). An hours worth of work making the changes Tom suggested above would mean he might actually get some customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yeah i know it does but the facebook page has been set up and is going have constant improvements, if and when he see's the need to create a website than im sure he will but at this point he feels it is pointless as information pics and methods of contact can all be found on this page. The point is that they shouldn't need to be 'found'. It's quite clear from this topic that plenty of people didn't find all the information they would like. Your friend (and you) can either get arsey about the fact that people are pointing out potential improvements, or you can take it on board as free advice. Just as a side note, when I give out advice to people daily (higher quality advice of course, because there's no point in me writing anything meaningful out for people who won't listen), it costs them a minimum of £56 an hour - I say that not as a 'look at me, I charge lots of money', but more as 'you could get the benefits of a group of people on this forum who could help you, and generally do when it feels like that help is appreciated'. Then again, you only get one chance at a first impression, and mine has left me with the fact I couldn't be arsed to help you out even if you changed your tune now. That lesson alone is worth a shit ton of money/likes/sales, so embrace it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Gosden Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 I do not know where the impression of me getting "arsy" has come from. I am taking all of this on board and finding it usefull but im saying we have most of this covered, he is just getting his name out there and growing his roots and just starting up you cannot expect him to have every last detail straight up and ready. I made this topic one for the main goal to get his name out abit more and secondly to here improvements. The first one we have made a dent on but the second we have just had complaints not tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) No, you've had a hell of a lot of tips and constructive comments, but you're interpreting them as if they're a personal insult and ignoring them. The brick wall picture seems really quite apt. Did you read my post? I didn't even give any negative criticism, purely constructive tips of a direction to head with the business. We're not all idiots who are having a go at you, we're trying to help your mate. You keep saying he's waiting to get his name about before he does all this stuff, but you're missing the point, that all this stuff is exactly what does get his name about, that's the whole point of it, that's the whole reason for doing this stuff. If I stumbled across that facebook page, I'd look at it, and it's lack of information, and I'd think "£35 to get some kid to spray my frame, I can just do it my self". If a friend then asked me if I knew anywhere that could paint some bits for them, it wouldn't even come to mind. Where as if it's a well laid out, professional looking page, with a few photos of the kit he uses, and a couple of examples of previous work, plus an explenation of why the professional processes will give a better, longer lasting finish, then I might come across it and go "Oh, that's pretty cheap for a properly done paint job", then if a friend asked, I might remember thinking that and go look him up. As you say, we can't expect him to have every detail ready, but he could at least use what he has got at his disposal to it's best possible means. It gives the wrong impression to the customers. If he can't be arsed to put the effort into the detail of a facebook page, then how are we supposed to believe he's going to put the effort and detail in needed to give a good paint finish. You say his dad's done it professionally, well in the nicest way possible, so what? My dad's a bloody good carpenter/joiner/boat-builder, doesn't mean if I set-up a boat building company I'd expect people to trust the quality of my products with no proof, and they'd be right not to, because there's no way I could build a boat at a speed that would make it economical to sell it. If he wants peoples business, he needs to offer them the information before the question's even occurred to them, not wait for them to ask. Having read this thread and his facebook page, If I was interested in using him, I'd still like to know: Prep work: how's it done? Media blasting? By hand? By himself? externally? chemically? If it's not media blasting, can he offer that for an extra cost? Painting: What type of paint's he using? what sort of spray set-up is he using? Does he post cure it? does he do any post processing on it or is it just gun finish? Any pictures of previous work? Postage: Can he arrange it, or is it up to the customer to send it to him? ect.... He just needs a few well written lines to highlight the advantage of using him over just going to halfords and getting some paint to try yourself. (PS, for the record, I'm not interested in using him, because he's not local, and I've seen no real advantage over just going to any local paint-shop, or without knowing if he's using professional processes, if he's even doing anything I couldn't do in my shed. That is besides the fact I don't care how my bike looks as long as it works). Edited June 6, 2012 by RobinJI 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Gosden Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Thanks, you've pretty much summed up all the advice i have been given and added to it. And as for your last comment fair doose i know alot of riders have that moto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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