Sawmill Demo

[WV Sawmiller]

Ted,

  Thanks. My Flea market visits have all mostly been advertising. Sometimes I barely sell enough crafts (Tomato stakes, bird houses, crates, benches, etc.) to pay the lot rent but months, and yes - sometimes years later, I get a call from someone to come saw a whack of logs or a special order of lumber or such.

  Last year was the first time I took the mill. It was a good attention getter. This was the first time I operated it and learned from the process. The first day I was too close to other vendors and the sawdust was a problem. Yesterday I was isolated but highly visible in a perfect spot I had requested the week before. (The owner is a former customer.) The logistics is a problem with sawing. Saturday my son brought his logs so I could load my tools and still had a little room for crafts and could tow the mill. Yesterday I had 3 trips involved because I had to take the trailer and logs over Saturday evening and left them. Then took the mill yesterday and had to bring the trailer home and go back and get the mill. I had offered free or cheap sawing for people in the area if they'd bring their logs and I'd saw them there. That is still a future option I'll offer and do if the opportunity arises.

  The crafts draw people's attention. I like talking to people and put up pictures of bluebirds entering one of my birdhouses and pictures of the babies. I even have a flyer stapled to the top that says "Blue Lives Matter. Buy your bluebird a home."

  I always give out business cards and they get passed along to friends and such. A guy came up 2 weeks ago and said he had met me and lost my card, had torn his house apart looking for it, remembered the area I said I lived and finally just drove up and asked till he found a neighbor who knew me and gave him directions to my place. He ordered his wood and I cut and he returned and got it. He swears and I believe he will be back.

  I have taken my toilet box/seat which draws attention and people laugh, sit on it and get a picture and such but they remember and I've generated composting toilet sales that way.

  You need to get people's attention. Yesterday's venue draws more rural folks which is perfect for my business. Many mill owners come and talk and compare notes but some of them have sent business my way too. Its not for everyone but it matches my personality very well.

  I offer workshops to schools, scouts, 4-H groups, church groups, etc. I have done them for the USDA/forestry department, etc. Those are more educational in nature but do some advertising and one customer who is now a good friend and sometimes log provider came from that. I can take a few crafts for display to show what is possible but not really to sell as such events.

[Crossroads]

Are you saying that your mill has a speech impediment? :D

🤔 I actually thought about that as I was writing it lol