If I were you, I’d show them your invoices and let them see for themselves what you paid for eggs and other ingredients a few months ago, and what it costs now. The key is to give them a “why” along with a “what.” Both you and your competitors are being affected by the increase in prices, Grace. Some of the bigger companies may be able to eat the increase for a little while longer, but they’re using the same stuff you are, and eventually it’s going to come home to roost for everybody.
In situations like these a price increase is almost always handed down to the consumer. Seems to me you’ve got two choices. You can either raise your prices a little bit and explain why, or go broke!
- Dave
Dear Dave,
I run a small upholstery business out of a shop in my garage. I’d like to expand to a bigger facility. Would it be a good idea to sell my property and buy a place where I could have a bigger shop built?
- Carol
Dear Carol,
I think I’d rent for a while before I jumped into the real estate market. You don’t need a fancy office for the kind of work you’re talking about. You just need more room.
Chances are you can find something simple that’s nothing more than work and storage space for a few hundred a month. I’d stick with that until the business really gets rocking and your revenue can justify a bigger place. Here’s the deal, Carol. It’s going to turn into a nightmare if you get too big too fast, and one fine day realize you can’t produce enough to make the business work! That won’t be good for anybody!