How to Find And Get Customers (Even Though You Don't Want To Sell)

Most business owners do not enjoy selling their products and services, so it is natural that they want to avoid it as much as possible.
Unfortunately, no matter how much you try to avoid it, at some point in your business' life cycle, you will have to sell something. You can't avoid selling, but that doesn't mean you can't make it more enjoyable for yourself.
Here are some suggested ways for you to find and maintain customers.
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Learn more about Parent Manufacturing here: www.parentmfg....

[@antshark]

Great video! Love hearing the stories on how machine shop owners started out. I myself being a small machine shop owner know how difficult it can be.

[@kennethparent2936]

Thank you for watching! Yes, it can be difficult but totally worth it

[@denissevilla8217]

Love seeing great people saying how hard it is but how well they feel by doing it. It inspired someone like me who hasn’t start yet but is looking to start soon. Thank you for this great content

[@jeffreyfine558]

Loved the customization going the extra mile to make clients happy. Nice family.

[@Kangen23]

Thank you, I have been doing this for part time. I really want to move to full time.

[@phillhuddleston9445]

As a job shop with any company that you get work from that has their own machine shop it is almost a guarantee that you are getting the difficult work that they have a hard time doing. In thirty years of machining I have cut several types of threads but have yet to cut a buttress thread.

[@nategoodwin3329]

Buttress threads in stainless have resulted in a few headaches. 😆 I appreciate you sharing that.

[@LeftFootRacing_405]

Great video, Ken!!! Keep up the great work you're doing. Love your story, brother.

[@kennethparent2936]

Thank you sir! I hope to be working with you soon😉

[@aydenwhite2771]

Shop tour please! Electricity, rigging, machine setup , growth, etc.

[@kennethparent2936]

Of course man. All in good time! Hopefully I can get into rigging soon. And I'll be upgrading my electricity as well so I can go into that.

[@sdccnc3558]

dont let customers fool you, if you cant make a profit on your work then dont bother doing it. let some other company take the loser job. i know its scary first but you need to have a back bone if you want to run the business successfully.

[@kennethparent2936]

I don't now if you're saying I don't have a backbone or not......but that's ok!😂 I have gotten to the point where I know if I am going to make money on it or not. My customers will actually come in more often then not much higher then I would have quoted or take my quote and add to it, because they want me to make money and be happy working with them. I haven't lost complete trust in humanity yet. Plus, this way is easier one me and leaves me with more time to run parts, instead of spending so much time quoting.

[@AG-wi5bn]

Thanks Ken great video gave me some ideas how I could drum up work. So my next question is what are you using for measuring techniques? You said you had scrapped those stainless parts out are you using basic measuring tools or do you have a cmm? For example how would you measure size and if there was any lead error on your threads? If they supplied a go no go gage that would be one thing but if your just working off a print as you well know just because your math and program are correct doesn't mean your machine is going to give you that?

[@kennethparent2936]

Hey AG, thanks for that. I Had gauges from the company, but one part would be good but thenext wouldnt, and it was ust a mess. Other then that its a height gage, calipers, mics, and gauges. Haent had a problem since those parts.

[@HuskyMachining]

hey, my machining shop happens to be in my garage too! Those acrylic gopro holder fall apart if they touch coolant, I keep meaning to make my own out of 6061 like edge precision did. I dig these videos! its nice to see how other 1 man shops do it and sometimes get burnt making parts for too cheap (I have definitely have underbid one a job or 2 in the last few years and it sucks). 99% of my work has been threw online places like XOM but one of these days I get a direct customer.... one of these days

[@HuskyMachining]

p.s. do you have your own youtube channel? I like your style and would watch more videas from ya

[@anthonymangia8890]

How'd you get linked up with Xom? I heard they don't partner with garage shops.

[@HuskyMachining]

@@anthonymangia8890 I guess it must be because I started working with them the 2nd or 3rd year they started. All I had back then was a tormach 770. That's weird as I thought that was Xoms thing, local small buisness owners... I know a few top notch shops that are 1 or 2 guys/gals in 600-1500sqft

[@anthonymangia8890]

@@HuskyMachining Oh cool. Imma have to contact them before I buy a machine just to make sure. Cause the end goal for my wife and I is to work from home. No employer, no employees.

[@kennethparent2936]

Haha! Look at that! Awesome man. Yeah, once I get a ill Ill have to do that. I haven't done any work for Xom. Their lathe test piece was about ridiculous to have to make. It required a sub spindle or you to make jaws that swallowed the shape of the part. Maybe when I get a mill or a lathe with a sub I will look into their work.

[@Prabhjotsingh-di2fo]

such a lovely video specially when the kids join the video

[@joeszabo4237]

Good vid Ken thanks!! I have a problem with asking for a target number from the customer. I'm sure there are some honest people out there, but I feel like they are low balling the number. Stay well Ken.

[@kennethparent2936]

Yeah, its hard. Its building that trust. And as long as they come in at the ballpark, it usually works out. I take a lot of time to build the relationship with customers to get to that point. As long as I make what I thin is fair in my rough pricing estimates, I don't really care what they get for the part. That would just get me all worked up an anxious thinking about that! I appreciate that you keep watching man.

[@TBJK07Jeep]

Keep up the good work Ken.

[@kennethparent2936]

Thank you sir

[@MansonMachineWorks]

Hey I was wondering how you’re powering that in the garage as well. Good videos. We’re foster parents and I have dreamt about what you’re doing. I would like to do a live tool lathe with a bar feeder.

[@kennethparent2936]

Hey man what a great idea! I ll go into that hopefully soon!

[@kennethparent2936]

Also, man it's so good to hear your fostering. It makes such a difference in the kids life if both parents are home. It's making up for lost time and really changes when you adopt as well. Keep it up man👍

[@MansonMachineWorks]

@@kennethparent2936 thanks man. It’s definitely a challenge. I look forward to your next video.

[@michaels5659]

How do u feel about going after ur customers competitors like they make the same product

[@jethrrod9382]

I think you briefly touched on it in a prior video, but what make of lathe are you running?

[@kennethparent2936]

Yes sir! This is an '03 Hyundai Hit 160M with a 6 inch chuck, a 3J Collet System, and live tooling, no y axis. Hopefully upgrading to a bigger chuck soon!

[@jethrrod9382]

@@kennethparent2936 sweet thanks, are you happy with it? All I’ve ever run was Okuma, Mazak and Takisawa. Looking for a cheaper alternative to get my own thing going.

[@kennethparent2936]

@@jethrrod9382 I am. The VDI isn't the best option but it still works and I can still do milling. It has its problems but any used machine is going to and youll have to learn to fix things as you go. That's why I didn't go with Mazak, due to parts cost. Really the best machine you can get is the one you can afford. Older Hyundai's are good, but are limited. I can't get a boring bar to bore past center without a special double holder, and the live tooling on isn't the most rigid. But I can hold .0005 all day once it gets warmed up, which is pretty good for a 20 year old machine.

[@funone8716]

Self employed 42 years, HATE quoting. Still quote too high or too low too often. Had just a couple jobs I had to bail on over the years.

[@kennethparent2936]

Yes sir! I am right there with you, but not for 42 years! Ive done the same. Keep at it!

[@funone8716]

@@kennethparent2936 Another big problem for me is material. The closest metal supplier is 45 miles away. I need a bar or 2 now and then. They won't deliver anything under $500, and at $500 they charge $120 for delivery. Larger shops that buy more get "free" delivery. They do not like the little guy or small shops. Not in my neck of the woods anyway. That forces me to deal with places like McMaster Carr, and pay higher prices for materials.

[@kennethparent2936]

@@funone8716 Hey man I know that. I don't get the good deals. Some times McMaster Carr is good, for like Delrin. Cheapest place I could find in quantity for a lathe. Also, Online Metals is a place I also order from when I have too.

[@angrydragonslayer]

I rarely had a problem with quoting (before a few more shops popped up that'd bid $50 on a part that needed 10 kg of hardened tool steel with EDM'd and ground surfaces) I had a problem with tolerances. Specifically customers demanding extra tolerances after i had already started. Not only did they want extra tolerances added, they also wanted the price lowered at the same time in most cases.

[@funone8716]

@@angrydragonslayer I wouldn't call them customers, not sure what you'd call them! I tell them that clearly I can't afford to play such games, and good luck finding someone that will.

[@BraxtonPoort-or6bn]

I think they pushed some work bros way