I can't speak for anyone else but my reason for not having a website or facebook page is a sum of small reasons.

I am a one man operation, with no desire to be an employer. I prefer to be the one and only person responsible for the product that comes out of my shop. That's not to say I don't see value in having a shop with employees, there are many days when things would be easier with an extra pair of hands. It is just my own preference. My strength is in technical ability, not managing others so I try to stick to what Im best at.

Another reason is I am busy enough with word of mouth. I have had a website somewhat prepped and ready to go with the intent of fine tuning and going live on the day my work load slows down. That day hasn't come yet.

Lastly, time. Spare time is not something I have. Time to manage a site, keep it current and professional. All the spare time I have is spent on THR and I dont want to give that up haha!

All in all there's no doubt having an online presence would open many doors for my business, and I am sure down the road I will finish my website and get it online, but for now paying bills and focusing on the customers I have is higher on the priority list.

I am interested to hear other businesses opinions on this topic.

Cheers.
-Landon Zabloski

Here at Albright's I'm in charge of managing the social media accounts and I know it's hard. We're not a very big supplier employee wise and it can get overwhelming trying to do sales, website, and social media. I couldn't imagine a one man shop trying to run all the aspects of their business plus managing a web presence. I still get overwhelmed some days trying to come up with content to draw in business.

Plus, as Landon said, many shops receive a lot of word-of-mouth business. We get frequent calls asking for referrals to upholstery shops in our area. In a tech age, the upholstery business still seems to thrive with old school business techniques (at least from what I've seen).

I would have to agree with both responses above. For me, its too hard and time consuming to constantly refresh and post new pictures. Even on instagram it seems to be a pain in the butt.
Word of mouth is all I need here, plus i have a few bigger companies use me for all their upholstery work.

no better advertiser than word of mouth.
advertising too much turns into a time waster with tire kickers who don't really want to spend any money on upholstery, but they don't mind wasting an hour of your time.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I definitely agree that nothing beats word-of-mouth. However, I would counter with the following points:

1. I'm not suggesting that a website should take the place of word-of-mouth advertising. But it could serve as an added bonus. After all, not everyone knows or has someone to ask.

2. Having a website doesn't need to be complicated. You can have someone create a website for you and just let it be. No need to update with every new project. It's passive advertising. When someone does a Google search for "auto upholstery" in your hometown, your website will pop up.

3. Social media is definitely more involved, and is therefore not for everyone. But a lot of people (myself included) do waste time on Facebook and Instagram every day. If that's the case, updating a business account once or twice a week should be pretty simple.

The old school business techniques still work, and they probably always will. But there is a new generation of customer emerging that lives online. Auto shops that aim to stay in business 10 - 15 years from now would do well to meet them where they're at.

couldn't agree more with Landon Zabloski !!!!!!!!!!!! pretty much same as me in uk.
im not on fakebook but the best advertising that I have ever done is using the forum www.rodsnsods.co.uk its dead easy for me to do a blog with pics and is going out to the customers I want ........ the knock on effect is fantastic when someone on there has never heard of me but sees the blog so they call me , get booked in , I do there car and pics go on blog for the next newbie to see.
I works so well for me I bought the domain www.trimshop.co.uk that links straight to that page

When I started at my uncle's shop 10 years ago. He had a very basic website that was done by his friend. A few years ago I decided that it really needed an update. It was graphically a mess, to be honest it looked like a geocities site from 15 years ago. I'm pretty good with computers so it was natural for me to do it. I believe that a small business like this has to have a smaller web footprint, meaning that it should feel like a couple page ad in a magazine, not full a catalog. And should not have to have constant updates. Every year or so for an update, I also see if it needs an overhaul to change with the times to not seem dated.
What I did was make a few notes on what information we wanted to put on there. Basically our location, hours, services we offer, a gallery of completed projects, and how we differ from the competition.

We don't have a business Facebook page. While I do have a personal page and have referred people on car groups that have asked where to get work done, I refer them to the site. To do a Facebook page would require more work. I'd have to post once a day/week. To be honest the content I would post wouldn't be very interesting. The regular day to day posts would be boring. People like to see fun projects getting completed, not basic repairs done to work trucks. I can see if you have a shop that just does those fun and interesting restorations having to have a Facebook page.

I am in agreement with these statements. I am booked out almost a year myself and just no tech savvy. I wonder if maybe a website or Facebook page documenting a customers progress where they can send their friends to look would work. Kinda like a shop visit without the hassle lol

This is all really great insight, thanks guys.

@Chris Vining You may not have a traditional website / social media page, but you're definitely making great use of the internet to promote your work. Your approach is really unique. Very targeted and efficient.

@Jesse Durkee I think you're spot on. A basic 3 - 4 page website is all most repair shops need. Basically, a place where potential customers can read your list of services and know what hours you're open. Very basic stuff.

@Howard Bailey Hahaha, anything to cut down on distracting shop visits -- right??

I wonder about the cost aspect. I know there are a lot of snakes out there charging exorbitant fees to business owners for very basic websites that require no coding at all. That's probably a barrier as well.

We stay busy with no advertising we are listed with Google and we have a Facebook but 98% of are customers come from word of mouth.

We are somewhat active on Facebook and Instagram. We had a very EXPENSIVE website built and so far we have only generated one customer from it!!! I feel like the money would have been better spent on a radio add or boosting Facebook and Instagram posts.

i think its safe to say that we all go straight to google when it comes to wanting some info ,
but there is this new word "FAKE NEWS" !!!!!!!! so whats stopping you having a website built full of fake info , photos stole from other trim sites and google , fake testimonial's from mr smith saying "fantastic work and service ......bla......bla......bla ?????

so google to me is still king and they do you the best FREE service out there with info about your company , maps how to get to you , link to website and contact numbers as well as being able to upload pictures .
so recently ive been asking customers to leave me a review on google reviews which is real plus the customer can put there own pics u as well .

if you haven't updated your details on google I strongly recommend you do it as its got 2 great things going for it ................................EASY and FREE .;)

just google custom coachtrrimming to see what I mean

I am a one person shop....I do it all. I do have a Facebook but don't keep up with so I don't add to my work load with a website. My kids are the extra hands only in the summer. Mine is by word of mouth or they are at one of the other shops in this tiny shopping center I'm in. I have only had mine open for a year, so with that said I don't stay booked up but I would love ideas on how to keep them coming in. I know my work is good, I just get a lot of "that's expensive" or "I can do it myself cheaper" or they just waste my time thinking of getting it done

@Bob Roush Your website looks great. Very professional. However, I do think most repair shops can get away with something more simple (and less expensive).

@Chris Vining Yes! Yes! Yes! Google reviews, as well as sites like Yelp, are really important to stay on top of. They're free and can draw in lots of business.

I only do custom work so my customers are different than a repair facility. My problem with websites/Facebook is the keyboard warrior who wants you to drop everything for an immediate quote, then provide bad online reviews when they find out they DO NOT have a clue how much time it takes to HAND MAKE every panel for a car, where panels never existed, and oh yea, I don't work for free. My customers are all referred by a past customer in one way or another. I am greatful that I have more work than I can do, and great customers that still want unique and different. They also want to SEE my shop with their own eyes, they want to talk to me in person , they want to know that I will treat their car with the utmost respect and care. Some of my customers are completing a life long journey to get that custom or classic car done after many years/decades of sacrifice, no website will give the comfort a working mans handshake will. No image on the web will replace looking into the eyes of your craftsman, knowing they share your passion. All of that being said, I do have instagram, and try to remember to use it. I love connecting with like minded professionals and seeing what everyone else is up to, and who knows....maybe someday I will gather a customer from it, if not, it's still fun as time allows.

A brief introduction to my company: The company has existed for over 50 years and is the last of 5 that there was in our region for years (next saddler is 30 miles away). Nevertheless the company stood briefly before the ruin for various reasons. Although we have always delivered good work. In 2015 I bought 50% of the company. With this money we relaunched the company. We have renovated the workshop and I have undertaken the scheduling and all organizational tasks. In addition, we have started at strategic places in the advertising plaque, for which I do not have to pay money ... You do not believe how many gas station owners need a upholsterer ;) A proverb in Germany says "one hand washes the other"
We also started to use the social media. A homepage is however still in the structure and we have only a "web business card" linked to Insta and Facebook.
I can not say which of these things is decisive, but we are just as successful as never before. Each year, our sales grow by 50%. If you have a workshop size that is enough for you and deserves so much, you will be satisfied. But I think that without the social media a good growth is not possible. And all those who keep the mouth to mouth for the best advertising ... What is Facebook and Co? Then take a look in the cafe. How many talk? And how many have a mobile in the hand? I think the social media is mouth to mouth of the 21 century.
I have a quote from Pericles at the wall of my office is to avoid falling back into the old habits remind me every day:

"It is not a question of predicting the future, but of being prepared for the future"

Social media prepare work just like the work in the workshop, and frequently I'm annoyed and I am glad for every evening when my mobile is quiet. But the social media has helped me one of the greatest successes / developments... It has led me to YOU! A treasure of thousands of years of professional experience! How awesome ist that?!

ditto!

I am attempting to keep up with instagram but half the time I forget to take the before and after pictures. I'm sure some can attest to when you've seen one patch job you've seen them all. Everyone wants to see the "cool" stuff and I don't get those often. I'm trying to keep up with updating my account, but the trees are usually bigger than the forest in my case. Word of mouth keeps me busy for the most part and where I am, it's good to know how to do more than one thing when it comes to cars.

Im a one man shop and manage my website and Facebook page as well as my Google presents. It can be done. Ive been slammed for 3 years. I've been on the web since 1999 one year after I started my own shop. I also now manage 3 saltwater tanks in my shop to raise live coral. :)

Gittr done.

Those are in my office/fish room. My daily inspiration!

My business is mostly aircraft and street rods and several years ago I built my own web site to mostly have a gallery of pictures I could refer my potential customers to. It worked quite well, especially for the airplane work. I have since then had a professional web designer re-do the site and it has paid for itself in short time. I can add of delete photos on the gallery anytime. I have a small 1 man shop myself, but being specialized, it still pays to have a web site. All my work is word of mouth and I have the smallest one line add in the local phone book so I save a great deal there. I don't need or want dealer work and the locals all know me around my community so I stay busy enough there as well.
This web site was basically taken from a generalized template so I'm sure if you decide to go that route you can have it built fairly cheap. Worth every penny, if you ask me.
www.recovery-shop.com

Nice website Jack! It has a simple, clean and professional look to it.

I believe trimmers should think of their websites and social media accounts as extensions of their brick and mortar shops. After all, most first impressions these days are made online.

If your website looks professional, people will take the next step of giving you a call or bringing their cars in for estimates. If your website looks shabby, they'll probably move on to the next guy.

Never seen fish tanks in a shop before. I bet it helps calm stress!

Yes it does calm the stress.

The Fish tank is a good idea!!

For me... I am a 1 man shop I do have a facebook page. I check it at least once every 7 or 8 months. I basically only have facebook to be able to show pictures to my parents friends. They keep asking me to make CD's or other random things so they can show their friends what their son does for a living. It's kind of funny. Even my insurance guy had no idea that someone could make a living customizing old cars.
" You want insurance for an automotive upholstery shop?? What is that?" -- Some people are just oblivious.

To the point. Finally after several years I am so busy, if I did any advertising I would never be able to keep up with demand. I don't even have a sign on my shop. That would only draw in $100 - $300 jobs. Don't get me wrong, when one of my established customers brings a $60 job I do it for them. But I know they are telling their buddies about me and I'll get the complete interior's. That's how I make a living. WORD OF MOUTH!!! The best advertising you can get.
When I started out I wanted to have employees and run a big shop. That's when advertising comes in handy. I no longer want that. I have found my niche, I'm comfortable I can pay my bills and have a little extra at the end of the month for ammo (hobby), I'm happy. I feel no need to stretch myself any further and take the risk of expanding and hiring people. I am glad that many of my fellow Hog ringers do, it's just not for me. In my situation advertising would only bring the customers that I don't want.. In my area there are very few people that have $$ and are on social media or on line (Most of them use still use flip phones). That's why I'm basically off line. I want the high dollar jobs (for my area). The rest really doesn't interest me.

We have been a small family business for over twenty years. My father started our company in 1994 after a 14 year job as an employee. My grandfather was a furniture upholsterer his whole career. So from personal experience, old tradition lingers long. Even in my personal life I resisted things like Facebook or twitter, but eventually relented to the obvious fact that this fad is not going away anytime soon. I finally came to the realization that we can't go on any longer without an online presence. So at this moment i am process of bringing our business into the next generation. I am also in the process of getting my bachelors in business administration ( at 33 yrs. old, man high school was long ago. Lol) , and I'm hoping to put this education toward our industry, be it an association, vocational or community college courses, the list goes on. We have a bright future ahead. Thanks for the rant. Lol

A friend of mine went to his high school reunion a while back, had a great time, hooked up with some people he hadn't seen in years and the whole deal. Everyone said you gotta get on facebook so we can keep in touch, which he did. After 6 months he told me " Now I remember why I stopped talking to those idiots and he is no longer on Facebook. LOL! I guess I'm old school but word of mouth is the best and cheapest forum of advertising

Facebook and Instagram used wisely are great FREE tools of advertising.