Moving business need advice

[StarSign]

Hey don't knock browsing at the General!!! "Shrimp Ramen, huh. So you single?"

 

[The Blind Signman]

I've had my building for sale and I close today. I am renting until July 5. I'm moving my primary residence 30 minutes away to a 50k town. Right now I'm in a 6k town.

I've decided to rent an office/shop in the town I will live in which is the 50k town. I know I'm going to lose most of my business where I am but I do have quite a bit of business in the larger town already and some good connections so I'm not too concerned. I've been getting a lot of "angry-ish" phone calls from people asking me what's going on and I just tell them that I'm not going out of business, just selling the building. I did not want to tell everyone that I am moving to another town until I knew for sure that my building was sold - what happens if the sale had fell through and it sits for 2 more years on the market? I had considered renting office space in this smaller town but that's a lot of travel and does it really pay to stay in a small town vs. going somewhere larger?

So, I'll have to make some kind of announcement but I'm not sure what to say. I feel like I'm going to piss a lot of people off, which is OK, I have thick skin. The school Booster club asked me yesterday but I could not say anything so I feel like I lied. Do you think it's necessary for me to tell everyone my life story or do I go about it more like, I'm no longer going to have a physical location in Kiel but will be doing deliveries weekly? I just started a couple apparel stores up and I now I feel kinda crappy about doing that and not giving them the option to go elsewhere.

 

[The Blind Signman]

thank god i started in 86 ..been there for 19 years (major city) (2011) ...sold the building and buisiness .... florida in 2012...took over another "existing" shop and its great!

 

[Stacey K]

Hey don't knock browsing at the General!!! "Shrimp Ramen, huh. So you single?"

LMAO!

I have a microwave and you know how to make Ramen! It's a date!

 

[Stacey K]

An update! You were all correct...

Nobody cares.

Literally - nobody cares. I sent an email out to over 100 clients and 4 people responded back LOL It goes out on FB later today and the only people that will care are the people who want one sticker or one shirt.

2 people said congrats
1 person wants me to make a online apparel store
1 person said thanks for the note, can we order bla bla bla

 

[Johnny Best]

If you sent out a letter about your new boyfriend in the big city you are moving to, you would get a better feedback.

 

[JBurton]

1 person said thanks for the note, can we order $ $ $

FTFY?

 

[Stacey K]

UPDATE!

Well, I did it! I moved all my sh*t over the weekend to my house. A LOT OF WORK. So far - I LOVE IT!!! I got more done yesterday and today than I might get done in 4 days at my old shop. No interruptions!!!

Guy just came and moved my internet to the basement this afternoon so need to hook up my printer but it's plugged in and no error messages. If I had not taken out the maintenance cartridge...that would have been VERY BAD.

Not all set up yet but adding a work table and will cut sign boards in the garage...a little tight but I got rid of A LOT of crap I never used anyway. Will get an exhaust fan for the printer also.

Thanks everyone for your help - IT'S ONLY BEEN 2 DAYS AND BEST DECISION I EVER MADE - getting rid of a walk-in storefront!!!!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

UPDATE!

Well, I did it! I moved all my sh*t over the weekend to my house. A LOT OF WORK. So far - I LOVE IT!!! I got more done yesterday and today than I might get done in 4 days at my old shop. No interruptions!!!

Guy just came and moved my internet to the basement this afternoon so need to hook up my printer but it's plugged in and no error messages. If I had not taken out the maintenance cartridge...that would have been VERY BAD.

Not all set up yet but adding a work table and will cut sign boards in the garage...a little tight but I got rid of A LOT of crap I never used anyway. Will get an exhaust fan for the printer also.

Thanks everyone for your help - IT'S ONLY BEEN 2 DAYS AND BEST DECISION I EVER MADE - getting rid of a walk-in storefront!!!!

So happy for you! Setup looks great. It's a night and day difference in productivity working from home VS a shop. Less interruptions, no commute time, no extra time wasted maintaining a whole other property, not to mention paying only one set of utilities... until you buy a second home in FL....

 

[REFLEXUSA]

for a second there i forgot this was a sign site, was begining to think images of Loveline were giving me flashbacks again!!!
Oh yeah dont forget the exhaust fan, i've been chemically saturated for too long!!
Congrats from San Diego, we will always save a place for you!!

 

[Stacey K]

So happy for you! Setup looks great. It's a night and day difference in productivity working from home VS a shop. Less interruptions, no commute time, no extra time wasted maintaining a whole other property, not to mention paying only one set of utilities... until you buy a second home in FL....

Thanks for being right! LOL You told me time and time again to do it!

 

[caribmike]

UPDATE!

Well, I did it! I moved all my sh*t over the weekend to my house. A LOT OF WORK. So far - I LOVE IT!!! I got more done yesterday and today than I might get done in 4 days at my old shop. No interruptions!!!

Guy just came and moved my internet to the basement this afternoon so need to hook up my printer but it's plugged in and no error messages. If I had not taken out the maintenance cartridge...that would have been VERY BAD.

Not all set up yet but adding a work table and will cut sign boards in the garage...a little tight but I got rid of A LOT of crap I never used anyway. Will get an exhaust fan for the printer also.

Thanks everyone for your help - IT'S ONLY BEEN 2 DAYS AND BEST DECISION I EVER MADE - getting rid of a walk-in storefront!!!!

Moving my biz to my house was the BEST move I ever made. Congratulations. Printing is a digital business no need for a store front.

 

[Stacey K]

So far things are going very well!

One issue I'm having is delivery...I have some businesses who are making it very difficult for me to deliver their items because they don't have an office either. They want to pick them up at my house. I tell them no. I suspect most of it is due to them not wanting to make a commitment to a specific time. Some of it is they are being nosey and want to see where I live.

An example is a guy wanted last minute tshirts, which I did but I said I wasn't going to be in his home area today (needs by tomorrow am). He said he would pick them up, I told him I could meet him. Oh boy - he did not like that at all, he argued that he can just pop in at my house sometime today - I said no, I can't have customers at my house. I texted him early today and said everything is ready, what time are you thinking? He would not give me a straight answer. I just got off the phone with him and said, "You must have some idea, one hour, 3 hours? Now I have an appointment at 1:00, I need to have a window so I can meet you." - He said he just didn't know, and how long would I be home today. (I don't know...I f*cking live here so???) I said I work 8-4 so I'm not waiting around for a text until 8pm, you must have some idea. Is there somewhere else I can drop them off? He agreed to that.

He's not the only one. I've had a few to several people insist on coming to my house vs. me delivering. They would rather spend 40 minutes driving to my house than me delivering for free? Once I tell them I have to meet them they seem disappointed...maybe they miss talking to me at the shop? IDK I'm doing about 10-40 deliveries a week so I can't have 10 men per day at my house...I will look like a lady of the noon hour.

As far as I know, I was the only business in the area that even had after hours pick-up or offers delivery of smaller items so I suspect it's a bit inconvenient. Maybe they just need to get used it?

 

[Boudica]

So far things are going very well!

One issue I'm having is delivery...I have some businesses who are making it very difficult for me to deliver their items because they don't have an office either. They want to pick them up at my house. I tell them no. I suspect most of it is due to them not wanting to make a commitment to a specific time. Some of it is they are being nosey and want to see where I live.

An example is a guy wanted last minute tshirts, which I did but I said I wasn't going to be in his home area today (needs by tomorrow am). He said he would pick them up, I told him I could meet him. Oh boy - he did not like that at all, he argued that he can just pop in at my house sometime today - I said no, I can't have customers at my house. I texted him early today and said everything is ready, what time are you thinking? He would not give me a straight answer. I just got off the phone with him and said, "You must have some idea, one hour, 3 hours? Now I have an appointment at 1:00, I need to have a window so I can meet you." - He said he just didn't know, and how long would I be home today. (I don't know...I f*cking live here so???) I said I work 8-4 so I'm not waiting around for a text until 8pm, you must have some idea. Is there somewhere else I can drop them off? He agreed to that.

He's not the only one. I've had a few to several people insist on coming to my house vs. me delivering. They would rather spend 40 minutes driving to my house than me delivering for free? Once I tell them I have to meet them they seem disappointed...maybe they miss talking to me at the shop? IDK I'm doing about 10-40 deliveries a week so I can't have 10 men per day at my house...I will look like a lady of the noon hour.

As far as I know, I was the only business in the area that even had after hours pick-up or offers delivery of smaller items so I suspect it's a bit inconvenient. Maybe they just need to get used it?

Oof! That would definitely be one big drawback to running your business out of your home. I didn't even think about that.
...I guess they will have to get used to it. Darn, sit back and wait for it to show up. Such a big ask!
It's a better change to ask of them than the alternative!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

If it's a large item I deliver it personally, small items I ship. No other options.

 

[caribmike]

Customers come to my home office/shop all the time. They love it and most wish they could do that too.