The Framers Forum

Hi Lianne,

Welcome to the forum. Don't worry if your not mad like the rest of us, as training can be given.

As you have said about the drop in sales due to the recession, it's a bit tough when starting up, but there's a lot of knowledge, experience and friendship to be had here which I hope you will find a help.

The recession Is affecting most, if not all of us. I try to make good use of my scraps and left overs, (I see them as something for nothing) and try to use them to put some tempting bargains in the window. The resulting extra sales may improve an otherwise slow day and can at times gain new regular customers too.

Mark

Thank you,

We are keeping a much closer eye on scrap materials, and getting as much use out of them as possible. We weren't, in my opinion anyway, being quite as strict with ourselves as we should have been before, and I dread to think how much money we could have saved if we'd have thought about it more.

We're also giving up our CMC rental. It's a lovely thing to have, and I hope we can take it up again in the future, but if we're trying to cut overheads it's silly to think we can carry on with it! We're also looking at downsizing the workshop too. We had a look at the unit next door this morning, which is empy and half the size of where we are now. It'll be a tight squeeze but the rent is cheaper, and hopefully if things do get better we can expand into a proper retail unit rather than keeping shop and workshop together.

Now, all we need is a sudden rush of customers and we're good to go!!

Li