How Do Market Your Work

[Tim McCoy]

After perusing the various threads about making money at blacksmithing I didn't see much about, how those of you who do this as a business, market your services/work. So, how about sharing some of the things/functions that you do that have generated clients . . . you gotta web thing going, or perhaps just do renfairs, or how about print media and giving presentations to the building trades - WHAT??

[Randy]

All depends on what you're making. What do you "specialize" in?

[Francis Trez Cole]

for me its word of mouth that is where I get most of my work. I have run phone book ad no call for a whole year. people find me on the internet more than most of my other options. still it comes down to word of mouth. General Contractors who know me and like my work are the best referrals. Architects only pull things out of King Architectural Metals design books so if what you want to do is cut and paste get them as your friends. The architects here push aluminium more than anything. I worked with one for three months and in the end his designer just pulled it out of a book they had some of the ironwork from the 1920's when the house was built and just cut it off the house and toasted in the dumpster. Sad

[mtforge]

I do reenactments, have a web site, wholesale accounts and advertise in reenactment papers/magazines. It is going to depend on your market or items you make as how to advertise yourself.

[Trip]

I do custom blacksmithing and welding, so I have made things from old time wood working tools, hand forged art, to welding on pick up trucks. Mostly I market off of Craigs List and word of mouth, but I also put business cards in different places, post fliers around towns, and will soon be putting my work in art galleries in the surrounding area.

[philip in china]

One thing that is a useful marketing tool is to get a distinctive touchmark and use it on everything. Mine is as per my avatar. I got it from Blackbird tools- they aren't expensive. If it gets you 1 referral it has paid for itself.

[Willis]

Most of mine is word of mouth. Since I live on the coast where oysters are a favoite, I'll make a few custom oyster knives and just give them to some of the local fishemen with the priviso that they pass on the word about who made them.

[rockstar.esq]

Tim,

In the Commercial Construction market the "in" is one of two ways. The first is to get in front of Architects and Interior Designers. These folks are very influential on the process. It's not uncommon for them to mandate a particular firm be used for some detail/ feature.

Another way is to participate in hard bids. This will mostly be things like bike racks, railings, enclosure gates, etc. The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) created specification numbers Metals are "5000". Architectural metals are 5500. In order to get that ball rolling you may need to contact General Contractors in your area. Asking to be put on their bid list will lead to them sending you invitations to bid. These are typically done via e-mail and direct you to websites / FTP servers where you can download drawings and specifications. Be advised that they don't typically "spoon feed" when it comes to showing you what they need. It differs from one GC to the next but generally you'll have about a week to get a number put together. Be selective since structural steel companies (division 5120) often include things like this in their bids as well. Most GC's want the work "Turnkey". They don't want to hire an installer - they want one contract to just complete everything about it.

I don't know if this is your billy-wick but if you make home and garden type things, I see iron work of varying quality at the better nurseries. People spend serious amounts of money on gardening.

[Curly]

One thing that is a useful marketing tool is to get a distinctive touchmark and use it on everything. Mine is as per my avatar. I got it from Blackbird tools- they aren't expensive. If it gets you 1 referral it has paid for itself.

 

Realise this is a year old thread, but Ive been thinking about this recently, touchmarks seems like a good idea and its nice to mark work you have created. However if for example I went around to a friends house, saw a lovely bit of ironwork with your touchmark on it, how would I know it came from you or your forge and therefore lead to a referral? No dig at your touchmark at all, just curious to see how well they work in that respect once your piece has left your hands.