Mike Jackson
New Member
When things started slowing down last fall, I wrote an article in SignCraft with ideas on re-jump starting our businesses. When times were really good, we probably had all the business we could handle and some of us became lazy. Customers came to our doors and jumped through our hoops to get to do business with us. As the budgets tightened and less customers are knocking at the doors and less phone calls coming in, I suggested it might be time to look at what we do and how we are doing it.
So, I wrote the article full of suggestions.
Sometimes I read other people's ariticles and wonder how many of their article suggestions they really do themselves? Sometimes the suggestions are easier to write than they are to actually implement. I am sure I am guilty of some of that, but I also do heed many of my own suggestions.
During the slow times of December and part of January, I spent a lot of time watching tutorials at Lynda.com (that was an article from a long time ago). Most of those were related to either Photoshop or Dreamweaver with emphasis on working on a better web site or web sites. I know I need to learn CSS in web design, so that's something I have to pursue. I had created several nice looking photo web sites, but I knew I needed to add some easier cart or buy now features. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get a handle on it. That effort helped me add the Paypal carts to the Golden Era Studios products.
I wrote an article in SC about trying to determine how long to stay with hardware and software that is working, but lagging behind the state of the art, then articles about actually upgrading and spending money at times when it is hard to do. I love this new computer!
Some of that first article mentioned trying to re-evaluate what it is we sell and how we sell it. I've been advertising my CDs in a single column in SC for quite a few years. That group of readers has seen the ads over and over. I ran them in other magazines off and on, but the expense is overwhelming for such a small operation. Advertising on this site is cheap by comparison. Hmmmmmmm. Did I wait too long to become a merchant?
Locally, the real estate market has always been a strong sector here in Jackson Hole. Traditionally, we always did a lot of work for them. During the last year, real estate market has taken a nose dive. Realtors are more cautious about spending money as buyers are taking longer to buy property and are looking for the bargains. We will continue to do business with the ones that need us, but the smart thing to do now is look around for the businesses that ARE doing well. I spoke with a lawyer last night when I was picking up my kid. He said business we really good in the slow economy. Hmmmmmm. I need to brainstorm how to access that market now. I hear thrift stores are having banner years recently.
When we first moved to Jackson Hole in 1986, we got pretty active in the Chamber's Howdy Pardner group and I joined the Rotary Club. We were out in the public all the time and meeting the lawyers, bankers, developers, and merchants face to face. Over the years, we've dropped some of that one-on-one contact with our customers, opting to do everything with emails and attachments. I am thinking it might be time to go back to what helped us get started in the early days.
Lastly, in an effort to sell our CD collections during tougher times, I added the option to buy them at a fairly substantial discount in bundles of three or four. While it might be a case of shameless self promotion in this post, it is also an example of me taking a look at what we sell, who we are selling it to, and how we are selling it.
I better get back to work.
Mike Jackson
Golden Era Studios
www.goldenstudios.com
www.mikejacksonphotography.com
So, I wrote the article full of suggestions.
Sometimes I read other people's ariticles and wonder how many of their article suggestions they really do themselves? Sometimes the suggestions are easier to write than they are to actually implement. I am sure I am guilty of some of that, but I also do heed many of my own suggestions.
During the slow times of December and part of January, I spent a lot of time watching tutorials at Lynda.com (that was an article from a long time ago). Most of those were related to either Photoshop or Dreamweaver with emphasis on working on a better web site or web sites. I know I need to learn CSS in web design, so that's something I have to pursue. I had created several nice looking photo web sites, but I knew I needed to add some easier cart or buy now features. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get a handle on it. That effort helped me add the Paypal carts to the Golden Era Studios products.
I wrote an article in SC about trying to determine how long to stay with hardware and software that is working, but lagging behind the state of the art, then articles about actually upgrading and spending money at times when it is hard to do. I love this new computer!
Some of that first article mentioned trying to re-evaluate what it is we sell and how we sell it. I've been advertising my CDs in a single column in SC for quite a few years. That group of readers has seen the ads over and over. I ran them in other magazines off and on, but the expense is overwhelming for such a small operation. Advertising on this site is cheap by comparison. Hmmmmmmm. Did I wait too long to become a merchant?
Locally, the real estate market has always been a strong sector here in Jackson Hole. Traditionally, we always did a lot of work for them. During the last year, real estate market has taken a nose dive. Realtors are more cautious about spending money as buyers are taking longer to buy property and are looking for the bargains. We will continue to do business with the ones that need us, but the smart thing to do now is look around for the businesses that ARE doing well. I spoke with a lawyer last night when I was picking up my kid. He said business we really good in the slow economy. Hmmmmmm. I need to brainstorm how to access that market now. I hear thrift stores are having banner years recently.
When we first moved to Jackson Hole in 1986, we got pretty active in the Chamber's Howdy Pardner group and I joined the Rotary Club. We were out in the public all the time and meeting the lawyers, bankers, developers, and merchants face to face. Over the years, we've dropped some of that one-on-one contact with our customers, opting to do everything with emails and attachments. I am thinking it might be time to go back to what helped us get started in the early days.
Lastly, in an effort to sell our CD collections during tougher times, I added the option to buy them at a fairly substantial discount in bundles of three or four. While it might be a case of shameless self promotion in this post, it is also an example of me taking a look at what we sell, who we are selling it to, and how we are selling it.
I better get back to work.
Mike Jackson
Golden Era Studios
www.goldenstudios.com
www.mikejacksonphotography.com
