Anyone market their sawing service, lumber, online?

loudsam · February 21, 2006, 01:43:26 AM

I was just curious, :P because I have a couple of ideas myself, if anyone advertises their sawing business or mill products online? I've got an idea, not offering sawing online, but rather, lumber for a very targeted market. Anybody doing something like that? For instance, I knew about the tractor I just bought from reading an Ad online on TractorHouse.com. I think one of the reasons, other than the fact she's probably just honest, that I'm getting such 1st rate service from the tractor dealer, is because she hopes to do more business online. It would be really interesting to know if anyone on this forum is advertising online! ;D

Swede · February 21, 2006, 06:32:42 AM

Don´t know if this is what You´re looking for loudsam :

http://www.maskinochtryckluft.se/ (Go to Amerika-Sågen) ;)

Swede.

Cedarman · February 21, 2006, 06:53:09 AM

We have had a website for 5 or 6 years. Have been extremely successful with it. We even do a lot of business with a multinational corp that would never have found us if we did not have a web site. And I would never have known what kind of product they needed. Our site is www.cedarusa.com

loudsam · February 21, 2006, 08:36:34 AM

Cedarman, your sites excellent! That's truly great that you are doing business online and having success! I saved the site and I'm going to look it over good this morning.

Swede, what in the world is the site your link goes to? Looks interesting but I can't read it???

I'm sure that if a person would think about the market he wants to target that he could do well with a website. We live in a great age, where these things are possible!

jpgreen · February 21, 2006, 08:56:09 AM

LS Doug...

THe internet is your oyster.. ;D

Even allows a backwoods (or backwards) N Californian Hillbilly like me to earn a living.. :D

Jeff B does web programing doesn't he? WHy don't you give him a holler, and have him make a website for your new business.. 8)

Tom · February 21, 2006, 09:02:00 AM

My opinion is that a person should spend more time developing his business locally than trying to reach the multitudes. If you want to sell boards then UPS can transport a "high dollar" package for you. Custom sawing though is more akin to having a lawn service. There isn't much future in hauling your lawnmower from Wisconsin to Indiana and still expect to have a business when you return.

My website is for fun. It's a place that my customers can go to show off their endeavors. Tomssaw . It's not a place were deliberate selling takes place. It is a good support device for continued customer interest.

Have you looked at the "Find a Forester-Sawmill" link on the forum? that is the kind of advertising that should be used on the Internet. A post in the "Services" section of the Forum's commerce board is a pretty good idea too.

My experience is that a well developed local network will keep you so busy that you may not have time to consider "work" that is outside of a day's round-trip travel. I've done it and have been put up in cabins and homes, but those types of jobs aren't everyday, nor are they anymore lucrative than those that you will find within 50 miles of your house. That is, if you have a decent population center close by. A sawmill in the middle of the Sahara might have a time finding customers.

You should also be aware of the possibility of your "company" receiving bad publicity from other Internet companies who are selling their wares on-line. We just had a bout, last year, of a couple of guys who were not being straight up with their products. Some business owners begin to think that they know more than it's apparent that they do and begin to make their own rules. If you are going to sell to the "remote" public, you need to become very comfortable with accepted grading rules and verbiage that will not lead an honest or neophyte customer astray. The selling of specialty wood products is a smaller and closer knit group than most think. One who is unscrupulous, even accidentally, will find himself confronted in public on the very same network he is trying to use for advertising.

jpgreen · February 21, 2006, 09:12:31 AM

Quote from: Tom on February 21, 2006, 09:02:00 AM"That is, if you have a decent population center close by. A sawmill in the middle of the Sahara might have a time finding customers.

-that be my problem.. :

Tom · February 21, 2006, 09:20:19 AM

Have you considered how many potential customers you may have in a 50 mile radius? A one hundred mile circle can hold a lot of people, even if they live in the woods.

TexasTimbers · February 21, 2006, 09:37:02 AM

loudsam,

The internet is perfectly suited to reach "targeted" markets to which you are referring. For instance, most woodturners buy at least a portion, and some even buy all of their blanks from online sources.
If you are thinking of marketing smaller pieces you couldn't ask for a better bang for the buck in my opinion.
Furthermore, ALOT of big, heavy boards are sent across this big vast planet everyday. Alot of people are going to make purchases online even though they can find what they need pretty much in their backyard. Still, some people are not going to buy anything online at all but they are the minority. If we did a poll here on the forum asking members who have made purchases and who hasn't, you'd see the overwhelming majority have made purchases and continue to do so. Woodworkers or whomever you are after are no different.
For anyone not to allow this semi-passive form of sales not work for them is not taking full advantage of what is available. There's just no reason why you can't develop this worldwide market, if your product is suited to it, without taking away from yur local one. If it is profitable it will justify the extra time you invest or the extra help you hopefully may nedd one day to help process orders.
I have some ideas too and hope to have a website set up within the next 50 years! In fact I have been PMing a couple of members here online asking advice too.
FWIW, IMHO, you gotta do it! 8)

jpgreen · February 21, 2006, 09:48:40 AM

Tom-

There are enough people in the county and adjacent counties for a small mill operation, but just barely. I may be wrong, but there are other mills in the area, and they are not doing much at all. I think they mainley bought their mill for themselves, or found out it was to much work, and didn't go after it.

Problem is it is amazing how a low populated, or economicly poor county effects business. There just isn't a lot going on, no matter how much a guy may think there might be.

Most of my income comes from outside the area, but there is always a way to make a buck locally, you just have to work harder for it. Much harder. I'm always working at it, and the mill is going to help. It's a combination of things you have to do and then they all add up.

More and more people are moving up to get out of the cities, but some have a BIG suprise when the find living in the woods can be difficult. Lot of people are off- the- grid as we are, and I designed a DC generator that puts out 35 amps for 6 hours on less than 1 gallon of diesel. You can charge a full blown large solar system, or just a couple of Wal Mart batteries and cheap converter, and power most everything you need. Now that's something that I think will sell up here. Inexpensive too, and will last years and years..

loudsam · February 21, 2006, 10:01:01 AM

I see what Tom's saying, as far as the sawmilling service goes. But, I'm more thinking of a "finished", (to some extent), wood product, that requires sawmilling and finishing, but then is used for a part or parts in an overall bigger project. For this finished product, I think the only way to have enough business would be online. In other words, I think doing business online would be outstanding, as long as your market is targeted.

As a for instance, the tractor I recently bought I first found out about online. I made the dealership understand that the business I gave them was generated by their online advertising, (even though they are only 55 miles from me), and it's unbelievable how much she is going out of her way to have that tractor in A1 shape before delivery. I know alot of that is because she wants a good REP for more online business. Good marketing sense.

Kedwards · February 21, 2006, 10:12:09 AM

Tom,

Most of my business is generated locally as a direct result of my website. I get a few out of state responses but nothing significant. Most people like to peruse the website in the privacy of their home without interference and then the can make a decision to contact me or not.

SawmillNC

TexasTimbers · February 21, 2006, 10:13:30 AM

I too agree Tom has valid points. My take on what he said wasn't "Don't do it" rather it was "why not make sure you are achieving your full potential locally before you exert the energy trying to check out the greener pastures...." and also that there are pitfalls and risks most people may not consider. I agree with him totally about that. And I'm sure he will correct me if I have para-phrased incorrectly ;) I'm just giving my own interpretation of how I took his good advice.

I just think that even "while" you are developing your local market, the online potential for those who are so inclined to spend the extra energy/time/money has a risk vs reward ratio that is too favorable to pass up. There are alot of online failures, but if you approach it realistically with a view toward long-term goals, being smart with your advertising dollars online, and an actual business plan even if it's on a napkin, then it makes for me it makes sense to have a go

.

TexasTimbers · February 21, 2006, 10:18:16 AM

Kedwards,

I've contacted you in the past asking a few questions as you may remeber but I don't think I ever told you how much I like your website. So, I'm just thought I'd tell you

I really like your website!

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jpgreen · February 21, 2006, 10:22:10 AM

Tom most certainly has valid points.

I remember when this whole internet thing started to take place, and I thought to myself soon, there will be a computer in every home, and everyone will shop online. I was right.

-And eventhough many people are not comfortable buying online, they all SHOP online, if they are linked to the internet.

It's to easy and to convenient not to. The internet is powerful, and changing the way our enconomy is working even on a global basis. Where it all shakes out is still unknown.

Now, if we could get fuel back down, to get shipping back down, we would see a real growth in the economy, because shipping can put a real dent in online sales. Sometimes the only dent.. :

loudsam · February 21, 2006, 10:43:17 AM

Quote from: Kedwards on February 21, 2006, 10:12:09 AM
Tom,

Most of my business is generated locally as a direct result of my website. I get a few out of state responses but nothing significant. Most people like to peruse the website in the privacy of their home without interference and then the can make a decision to contact me or not.

SawmillNC

Kedwards, I think you "hit the nail on the head". Online, you can shop around for what and where you want something, without someone breathing down your neck trying to sell you something. Plus, you can alot of times find the best price, and find things you might not be able to find locally.

crtreedude · February 21, 2006, 10:59:10 AM

Well, for us - our business is almost exclusively from our website. But, we aren't selling lumber most of the time, though I get a lot of contacts regarding this as well.

Kedwards · February 21, 2006, 12:16:16 PM

Thanks Kevjay. I appreciate the compliment.

Daren · February 21, 2006, 12:31:32 PM

I was in the middle of typing a really long, complete answer and I hit some button that blew my whole post up. I am not going through it all again, because I have stuff I sold on the net to get boxed up before UPS shows up. But for a small operation the web has kept the lights on around here MANY months. I have $30 total invested in my site (I know it looks like it too :

), but I have taken out $45 newspaper ads and not gotten ONE call. For me it is great to do business at 4:30 a.m. when I get up or 9:00 in my boxers via e-mail. I may expand more later.

Daren
http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/

KnotBB · February 21, 2006, 12:32:36 PM

The internet is a powerful tool if used properly. And in MHO if we as sellers don't use it today we're missing out on a great opportunity.

I was living in Klamath Falls, Oregon and came across a local sucess story that really impressed me about internet marketing. K Falls is a rurual town with a market area of less than 40,00 people. 120 miles one way and 80 miles another to a larger town. I was looking for some hardwood for a home project and was refered to this place the had all sorts of "special" woods. Tracked down the address (quite a chore) and found a door with a hand printed piece of paper with the company name scotch taped to it. Walked in and see bare walls, no furniture and a few pieces of wood leaned up against the wall. A lady comes out from the back and asks if she can help. Refers me to "the warehouse" across town (about a mile) on a dead end street.
I found a smallish metal building surrounded by a cyclone fence that didn't even have a front door. Had to walk through a truck gate and go in the back. Walked past some half sawed logs, a yellow 12" portable planer on a small tippy table and find the building is filled with small quantites of all sorts of exotics and some "normal" woods, most were vertically stacked. A part time, wood ignorant, college student asked what I was looking for and showed me what I wanted to see. Toward the back of the lot was a small manual Woodmizer. There might have been a small forklift somewhere but no kiln was in evidence. I think all his lumber was air dried. Check these links:

http://stores.ebay.com/Cook-Woods

or

www.cookwoods.com

The owner used to make fishing tackle boxes out of figured maple and his customers wanted to know where he got the wood so he started selling figured wood. His business generates over $300,000 per year in sales with over 90% from the internet. Last I knew he was in the process of building a "real" saw mill so he wouldn't have to stand outside and saw (it gets cold in K Falls). I have no idea what he was going to use for a saw in the new building. His wood comes to him in log form is from out of the area and involves shipping. He mentioned he brought Koa in from Hawaii, sawed it and wound up selling much of it back to Hawaii. He takes thousands of pictures a year to display on the internet. He doesn't sell mbdf, he sells individual pieces of wood.
There was maybe 4 people total working, himself, his wife, one part time college student and maybe one other. That may have changed with the new mill.
He has two college degrees and a commercial pilot license and could never really find what he wanted to do. He has been to a NHW grading school. His story was written up in the local newspaper a couple of years ago. I was throughly impressed.

loudsam · February 21, 2006, 12:35:07 PM

That IS a good looking site. Very good pictures and tells alot about what your doing! ;D

beenthere · February 21, 2006, 12:52:10 PM

knotbb
Your experience reminds me of our trip out West a year ago, and we stopped in a very small 'one-horse' town with a cafe for a needed stop. The town reminded one of the old westerns where a few horses would be ridden down the only street any moment. While getting a cup of coffee, my wife spied a sign in a window across the street that had the word 'quilt' in it and she never misses one. While I gassed up, she visited the shop and when going in found 8 ladies hustling around with many, many bolts of quilt material everywhere. It was a huge store, and all of them were working there. When asked, they explained that theirs was an on-line business. Was somewhere in Wyoming east of Jackson hole, I believe. Three Sisters, OR was another western town that during their off, non-tourist season, appeared to do a lot of online business.

Cedarman · February 21, 2006, 01:09:38 PM

As an example of what the internet can do. As of this moment we are loading a semi with 13,000 plus feet of cedar. I am getting my asking price also. It is simply 6x6 and 1 1/8 x 6 mostly 8 feet long. Appearance is the important part on 6x6 and 1 1/8 must have one good face. This is the 8th or 9 th load we have shipped to this customer in the last 3 or 4 years. This is an easy product to make.

The kicker is. This customer is in south central part of Missouri. There is 100 times more cedar there than around southern In. So why do they buy from me? I give a consistent product, but mostly because the Missouri mills will not saw the cedar to his specifications. Now that is just the mills they have talked to.

The interenet is totally responcible.

Another example is that I sell 24,000 pounds of cedar sawdust every 1 1/2 months at nice price per pound to a huge company. Never, ever would have happened without the internet. This deal came about because someone in this big multinational company directed one of their employees to find some cedar sawdust for a new product they were wanting to make.

Whether you go locally or national, your job is to market your products to those who want them and are willing to pay what you want.

It is also amazing how many local people find me on the internet even though I advertise in the local papers.

TexasTimbers · February 21, 2006, 01:15:29 PM

I gotta get my website up!

Larry · February 21, 2006, 01:16:58 PM

Ebay works great as a advertising medium to drive off Ebay specialty wood sales.

I've under estimated the power of Craigs list. Free adds and I've had excellent results for wood sales and services. Put this AD in little over a week ago and it paid off the next day.

Want ads in the newspaper have never done much, and still waiting for the first hit on "Find a Sawyer". Have a playtime website that generates quite a bit of traffic but little revenue. I'm sure it would be different if I designed it as a selling tool.

Word of mouth works good. Came home a few days ago to find a whack of black locust laid out by the mill. Note taped to my door to call this guy about cutting his logs...never met the guy...he said he got my name from a friend of his.