getting new customers

[kustomizer]

I am thinking we may have lost the OP.
No response to this mornings PM
Sent a message to his website
Not much more I can do

 

[dkmc]

I really hope that's not true because it sounds like you handed him a nice Christmas gift.

I am thinking we may have lost the OP.
No response to this mornings PM
Sent a message to his website
Not much more I can do

 

[boosted]

I really hope that's not true because it sounds like you handed him a nice Christmas gift.

Folks get busy. Hopefully he resurfaces quickly.

Why do I find that this type of thing is what happens every time I try to help someone out? Might be indicative of why they tend to struggle finding work. I can think of one person (not claiming this is the OP) who just expects opportunities to show up as soon as he announces he will grace the universe with some availability.

Oh well, always hoping for the best. Perhaps OP was meeting with customers all day, and hasn't made time for PM yet.

 

[kustomizer]

Folks get busy. Hopefully he resurfaces quickly.

Why do I find that this type of thing is what happens every time I try to help someone out? Might be indicative of why they tend to struggle finding work. I can think of one person (not claiming this is the OP) who just expects opportunities to show up as soon as he announces he will grace the universe with some availability.

Oh well, always hoping for the best. Perhaps OP was meeting with customers all day, and hasn't made time for PM yet.

Too busy to spend hours BSing on forums,

tell me its not so

 

[kustomizer]

I really hope that's not true because it sounds like you handed him a nice Christmas gift.

He contacted by via email asking me to send the info I left in his PM.

I went ahead and forwarded it to him.

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

Hello,
I own a small CNC machine shop in south Florida. Our company specializes in prototyping and short runs. we have two lathes (one with live tooling) a Vf2 and a UMC 750. We are looking to get new customers as we are very slow in work at the moment. We have tried being a supplier for Xometry but the rates they want to pay don't add up.
Any advise on how we can gain new customers ?
we recently got a new website made EGM Manufacturing

any advise/tips will help.

The website is a must have.
A few other things that worked for me:
At least one day a month, I got in my car with a stack of business cards and some bottled water and I drove to every industrial park I could find within 2 hours.
I always came back with work. Always.
Business cards are a tremendously LONG LIVED form of advertising.

What industries do you serve?
Grab the 21st century equivalent of the yellow pages and look for things like food processing equipment, dairy, etc and they're always looking for a shop.
How about the local speed shop or boat dock. People love to go FAST and are looking for parts.

Pounding the shoe leather still works.

Also, the local tool guys, machine tool sales, steel/materials sales people always know who's looking for a good shop.

 

[CITIZEN F16]

A business card is quickly lost or misplaced. But a scratch pad of 50 "business cards" has a much better chance of sticking around awhile. Example: Many, many years ago, I made a cold call to a smaller screw machine shop 25 miles away. I asked if I could send my company info, and I did. I sent a letter of introduction, a business card, and 2 small 4 x 5" scratch pads (each page is a business card). Lo and behold, nearly 8 years later I got a call from the owner asking if I would be interested in visiting them to discus some work possibilities. She said she had one of my scratch pads on her desk....which I completely forgot about sending. They were good for about an 8 year run, always paid COD, easy work. It lasted until they closed.
So, sometimes it takes time for things to happen. I really never expected to hear from them.

That wouldn't work on me, because I don't trust my memory, I burn through scratch pads like they are going out of style. I have photographic proof. My screen background is a picture of a cat that passed away who was sitting on my desk while I was sanding the tits off some parts. There is a scratch pad from Thinbit on the desk also, that thing got used up quick. I have to take multiple medications so I always write on a scratch pad when I took them, usually big printing with a sharpie.

For the record I have never thrown away a coffee cup, there are plenty of them scattered about with various items in them. Also from vendors I have received hats, T-shirts, pens, rulers, machinist scales, small screw driver set, calendars, refrigerator magnets, scratch pads, I either still have it or tossed it when it became useless.

 

[kustomizer]

I think he was attacked , decided he didn't need treated as such, I have no direct, never mind it doesn't matter, it happens here a lot

he like many others may have turned into a valuable asset

New doesn't have to be useless, less important machinery, never mind, I am confused...pissed...lost

have a fine evening

 

[dkmc]

WTF
Got any "sweetheart" contacts in UPstate NY? I won't disappoint.

I think he was attacked , decided he didn't need treated as such, I have no direct, never mind it doesn't matter, it happens here a lot

he like many others may have turned into a valuable asset

New doesn't have to be useless, less important machinery, never mind, I am confused...pissed...lost

have a fine evening

 

[kustomizer]

WTF
Got any "sweetheart" contacts in UPstate NY? I won't disappoint.

The only one in that part of the country I know sells special bolt kits, the bolts and nuts have to be machined from hex stock, likely stressproof, the heads of the bolts are thicker than modern ones as are the nuts. They need cut threads, not rolled and cad plated so they look and feel like the ones made from the teens thru the 40's. I have not talked to him in a while and don't know how happy he is with his supplier but I can reach out to him if you like. His stuff is all smaller quantities but could keep a barfeeder busy a couple months a year I recon.

 

[DanASM]

The only one in that part of the country I know sells special bolt kits, the bolts and nuts have to be machined from hex stock, likely stressproof, the heads of the bolts are thicker than modern ones as are the nuts. They need cut threads, not rolled and cad plated so they look and feel like the ones made from the teens thru the 40's. I have not talked to him in a while and don't know how happy he is with his supplier but I can reach out to him if you like. His stuff is all smaller quantities but could keep a barfeeder busy a couple months a year I recon.

Not to highjack things but I run hex bolts all the time. Just the way you described. Upstate NY isnt too far from me.

If needed, I wouldnt mind taking a look at these. I did just get a 1.5" cap machine that doesnt have any jobs lined up for it yet. Might be a good situation, I hate how loud hex can get. I know guys who are deaf from running it for decades.

I am very busy and dont want to take work away from anyone. If needed get in touch. I wont disappear on you.

-Dan

 

[dkmc]

PM sent...

The only one in that part of the country I know sells special bolt kits, the bolts and nuts have to be machined from hex stock, likely stressproof, the heads of the bolts are thicker than modern ones as are the nuts. They need cut threads, not rolled and cad plated so they look and feel like the ones made from the teens thru the 40's. I have not talked to him in a while and don't know how happy he is with his supplier but I can reach out to him if you like. His stuff is all smaller quantities but could keep a barfeeder busy a couple months a year I recon.

 

[Plane Parts]

With this runaway inflation I don't think anyone would complain as long as you don't look like you are getting greedy. I have seen supplies on some repeat jobs up 30-40% in a year or less.

My aluminum is up 35%.

As for getting more work... A full tank of gas, nice clothes, and a briefcase set up with nice parts. Nothing I have tried works better than leaving something useful and cool, like a turning cube, with my name and number. Xometry is crap.

 

[Mcgyver]

Why do I find that this type of thing is what happens every time I try to help someone out? Might be indicative of why they tend to struggle finding work.

Right on. Look at the history; no please, no thank you.....low EQ types who don't have the basics down will struggle in business development.

 

[dkmc]

In some businesses maybe more that others, if your skin is so thin you can see thru it, your probably not going to be able to cope with all the nasty meanies out there in the big bad whirled. If the OP was offended by the review of his website, or maybe the critique of possible sub-par part pictures on it, I wish him luck in this business.

 

[CITIZEN F16]

In some businesses maybe more that others, if your skin is so thin you can see thru it, your probably not going to be able to cope with all the nasty meanies out there in the big bad whirled. If the OP was offended by the review of his website, or maybe the critique of possible sub-par part pictures on it, I wish him luck in this business.

Sorry I could not help myself commenting on the miss tracked knurls and chattery threads. I have noticed quite a few people over the years posting pictures of miss tracked knurls trying to impress potential customers. I suppose a lot of machinists don't know what a good knurl job looks like.

 

[dkmc]

I suspect a fair number of machinists do not realize there is a diameter requirement associated with proper knurl tracking 'round the circumference. I found that out years ago....and with some head scratching.

Sorry I could not help myself commenting on the miss tracked knurls and chattery threads. I have noticed quite a few people over the years posting pictures of miss tracked knurls trying to impress potential customers. I suppose a lot of machinists don't know what a good knurl job looks like.