$100,000 a Year

One company in particular that we spoke with was losing 4 orders per week to their competition. Since only one person in shop was able to estimate, it was taking days to get quotes to customers, therefore forcing their clients to seek, and eventually accept bids from competing companies. When this company finally analyzed their method and applied a dollar amount to loss, they estimated they were losing around $100,000 in revenue a year. Amazing right? What would 4 orders a week cost you? Or if you could accept 4 more orders a week, what would you do with extra profits? How does a company like this one miss out on a $100,000 opportunity? Simply put, insanity, Einstein definition.

It’s not Just Estimating

Companies are not just losing profits due to faulty estimates; they’re also losing profits due to a lack of follow up, or customer management. When sending estimates out to potential clients, how often do companies remember to follow up with them? With constant chaos that shop owners experience on a daily basis, this follow up process can become an aspect that is quickly forgotten, especially if current estimating system doesn’t include this integration. How much can a company increase their “win” rate for estimates by placing follow up calls to all customers with estimates outstanding? By using a powerful integrated estimating and business management software, like Cyrious, company’s are able to create reminders that will tell employees who to call, when to call, and why, automatically. It keeps all customer, contact, and order information together in one place and increases ability to save time and builds customer relationships essential to business growth and expansion.

Adapting to Change

By adapting to change, and accepting and harnessing technology, shop owners who use Cyrious Software have become more efficient and profitable.

Cyrious helps owners solve a variety of different frustrations. Whether you’re an owner who is frustrated with estimating because it takes up too much time or one that is annoyed that orders keep getting lost and misplaced, Cyrious has a solution. Cyrious helps put an end to lack of integration by providing power of multiple software systems in one (estimating, accounting, job tracking, customer management, etc.). No company is happy about losing customers due to late quotes or losing money because parts are omitted from estimates and orders. When owners understand amount of time and money a different method can save them, switch to powerful software like Cyrious is simple. Is it time for you to explore different methods to increase sales & profits, and make your business more manageable?

Ross: "Writers across country can be very helpful when bands come in from out of town." He also recommends that you "get on-air appearances for your artists who are on tour. Call people, tell them why your artist will be good for their station or their club." Taylor challenged him to give an example of how he talks to people on these calls. To much laughter, he said, "If I'm talking to a club, I always say artist plays 'good drinking music.'"

Laski: "There are different levels of publicity. At start, you call reviewers. As you move up in sales, you hire a publicist to work a release or a tour, and you make certain he is in proper genre of music. You can also call BMI or ASCAP publicist, who can be helpful in getting contacts in press."

On preparing marketing plans for artists:

Yeko: "It's helpful to list your goals, and steps you need to take to achieve them. This is a good idea even if you don't follow your plan exactly as it was written."

Ross: "Unfortunately, marketing plans require marketing money."

Laski: "Marketing plans are too time-consuming. We plan what we need to do as need arises. Too many factors change as you go along."

On touring:

Ross: "Outside of L.A., you can actually make some money."

Laski: "Touring is going to be a losing proposition at beginning of an artist's career, unless you can get tour support from a record label."

On making money for indie artists:

Laski: "We place songs on TV and film soundtracks. It not only makes some money for artists, it is excellent exposure."

Yeko: "We have had great success with film and TV placement of songs, but some of our artists have developed clothing items and merchandise that actually generate more income at shows than CD sales."

On artists looking for a magic formula for a breakthrough:

Yeko: "There is no shortcut to success other than hard work."

Ross: "When you get those e-mails from people offering to set-up showcases, or ones that tell you all about a great CD sampler they're sending out, run away. These are never a good deal."

On must-do lists for artists and managers:

Ross: "Whatever you receive from anyone, whether it's a writer, club owner, or someone at retail, thank them!"

Yeko: "Look into NACA, National Association for Campus Activities at www.naca.org. We've also had an artist who did an entire summer of playing shopping malls."

Ross: "When you send CDs to radio or press, remove shrinkwrap. And do not send a CD to radio without a proper 1-sheet." NOTE: you can download a PDF of a proper 1-sheet here: http://www.delvianrecords.com/onesheets/1S_Platinum_Radio.pdf

Oddly, most provocative statement of evening failed to draw any comment from audience or panelists. Taylor began program with a prediction that "In wake of industry changes such as Sony/BMG merger, indie record distribution may ultimately move from a single digit percentage to as much as 25 to 30 percent." Perhaps this is really a prelude to next LAMN or NARIP presentation.

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