I'm crossing my fingers that the folks I met last month will be back, as they indicated, and between them and the rest of the huge crowd we are expecting this time (Christmas shopping and all) there will be some real business transacted. We'll see what happens....8-[

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rituals-in-Metal-Stone-Inc/277927815585018 

If you go there you can see what I've been up to.

=d> =d>

c3s

I didnt see and engraving vise check one out when you can for burnishing and bezel setting stones, I learned how to set stones with a vise and a hammer! Scared the crap out of me the first few times.

Havent been on the bench for 30 years, great work with a high satisfaction level.

Happy Selling!

Uriah - yes, I've done quite a bit of platinum work in the past.

Chris - you know, I had an engravers block available to me over the past many years and have used it at times but with the GRS system my setting - bezel, channel, gypsy, etc. - is very stable and, to me, has been even easier to manipulate than when I used the block.

That aside, I have had my eyes open for a block just to have one for holding larger dimension pieces. In that regard I find them to be irreplaceable.

Did you pass out business cards or small fliers indicating a decent percentage discount for new customers so that they would, perhaps have some incentive to hold off and wait for you to open up?

Or, something similar for a single use discount a percentage off any item purchased or repair made?

(I recently went back to a B&M whose Grand Opening Party was almost 10 years ago. the reason I went there is I still had their Grand Opening Coupon for 15% off. Sure, they looked at me a little funny, but were glad to honor it in exchange for my business...)

Your hard work and determination will make your new business successful!

I hope you're right, Robert! I have to admit that, while it has been hard work and will continue to be, it's felt very gratifying...so far.

Thanks for the tips, also. I am about to do my little advertising blitz and I'll be incorporating ideas like these. I agree, that has many times been incentive for me to go into a new place and I know it works from running those kinds of specials in past businesses I've worked for. You have to give something away before you're going to get anything back - tried and true.

I have been away so long I had no idea they had a tool like that.

Best of luck.

I'll have to send you a photo of my wife's ring and see what you can do with it.

Stay tuned....