Tips and Advice: Starting Up a Woodworking Business

At this time of economic uncertainty it can be particularly daunting to start-up a new woodworking business; you may go into the commercial world with the best of intentions but in today’s society you need more than good intentions to be a success.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to give your business the edge over the competition; so if you are starting up a woodworking business, what follows are some tips and advice which can point you in the right direction towards making your new venture a success.

A Solid Business Plan

First and foremost your business plan needs to be as solid as the wood you will be working with, otherwise you will quickly find your business struggling. While it is good to have a keen interest in what you are working with, this is not a hobby and before you begin operations you need to set yourself clear targets like:

• What will your speciality be?
• Who are your target market(s) and what potential is there for expansion?
• Where would you like the company to be in 12 months?
• What you intend to do with any profits?

Researching the Competition

Along with your business plan, you must research the local competition. Have a look at their prices and offers and what they sell that you don’t – and vice versa. Use this information to inform your sales techniques and be shrewd when it comes to promoting your products to prospective customers.

Effectively Promoting your Business

One of the best promotion methods – particularly if you are waiting to begin working – is to make the most of online platforms like social media. Twitter and Facebook are highly-effective and free-to-use means of getting your brand name out there; set up pages for your business, with information about who you are and what you can offer and follow as many people as possible or get friends and family to share your pages with the aim of exposing your name to as many possible customers as possible.

Investing in Technology

Finally, a great way to give your woodworking startup an advantage over others is to invest in tech and machinery. Woodworking machinery like the ones supplied by Biesse UK can effectively and quickly increase your productivity, rather than laboriously carrying out your manufacture by hand. A machine can produce your products at a much higher rate, with high-quality precision and no potential for human error. While the initial expense for these may be substantial in some cases, what you make back over time will be more than worth it.