JudyL Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 Mary Beth: Can you tell me more about the MO-Kan group? I just looked at your pictures and it looks to me like you're doing great but . . you can come spend time with me any time you'd like . . not that I'm an expert by any means but I am pretty close! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingupastorm Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 I think the bottom line on the price for quilting is the quality of work. Yes people can send their tops off and get a queen sized quilt done for $40................................but what are they getting for that? There even might be some people out there that will do a beautiful job at that price. That said I feel like I do good quality work. I ask customers to look at my quilt photos and decide for themselves if they like my style. If they do not then I tell them to find someone whose style they like. I would rather just work on my own quilts and have a handful of paying customers than a mob knocking down my door looking for cheap quilting. I figure one good paying customer is worth the same as 4 that want a bargain basement price. I am finding that I am getting more and more refferals from people that I have quilted for. In the beginning I set my prices high and then gave everyone a discount off of those prices. As my quality improved the discounts got smaller and are now pretty much rare the customes have become used to the price and do not blink. Now I am careful to ask people in advance how much they want to spend to have their quilt done. Once I know what they are willing to spend I can suggest options for them. I have some people that say they do not care and they usually do have a top dollar amount. Often now I figure out what that is and then work from there. Like the friend that told me she wanted her top done ..................... we finally agreed on a price and I have the freedom to quilt her quilt however I want. Others can spend very little and I will offer them some allover designs at those prices or even an allover meander and they are fine with it. Even when I do an allover design I take great care and do my very best work. I tie in all my thread tails and if I make a mistake I rip it out and fix it. Figure they might show someone my work and I only want the best example of it out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylUribe Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Wow, that group does sound great. I LOVE the mentor idea. Thanks so much for sharing. A good time to mention; If you had help from a Longarm quilter when you started or wish you had; pay it forward. It will reward you in ways you never imagined! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Last Stitch Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 MaryBeth, I am who you think you are. I too have very much approciated Mo-Kan and the support I received as I was starting out. We have to stick together. It just burns me when I here about the $40-any size- and the quilter provides the batting people out there. There was someone near me doing the $40 thing that passes away as I was getting into the business and I took several calls from people that were floored by my prices. Then I had a couple that brought me their stuff in spite if the cost. They left thrilled with my work and I haven't heard much about price since then. My rule on pricing comes from Linda Taylor (I worship the ground she walks on-but that is a different story). Linda says if you are booked out 6 months then you NEED to raise you prices. Part timers that includes YOU. Your time and mine is worth it. I am a part timer and the time I spend quilting is taken from my wife and kids. If I am not compensated for it i am not going to do it. Sorry just my little soap box. People wouldn't think of commisioning an artist and not compensating them well for doing a painting. That is what I do-but i use thread instead of paint. MaryBeth, Good luck-don't compromise, if you quilt-they will come. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Qualify, qualify, qualify. The more you know about your customer, the better answers you will have to educate, encourage, endear them to you, and enrich their quilting experience. Most of the time sales is not about price but personality. Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Seems to be the cure for lack of customers is to mention it here. My phone went crazy today and I now have several bookings. Weird huh. Still I am not complaining. Whatever positive thoughts came my way have doen their job. Thanks folks, and don't drop your prices Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERRY Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 OH Mary Beth: I'm so sorry I didn't mean to imply that you were judging her, I never though you were, just meant how you could judge the conversation & the possible reasons she may have for saying that your prices where to high. I charge the same as you do, & wish I could charge more, but until I get so good that folks come from all over just to have me quilt for them, I'll charge the same as everyone else. P.S. do you know how much it costs to have your 35 mm camera fixed, those guys charge $50.00 per-hour, The part that fell off only cost $4 bucks, , not to mention getting your T.V. repaired, you have to pay $25. just to leave it at the shop, before the guy even looks at it. & then find out it costs more the fix than it dose to buy a new one, & you don't get your $25. back either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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