Mat: Mat Makin Things

When thinking about how he got started Mat muses that he didn’t even actually consider himself a business, he considered himself a hobby woodworker. How it really took off was when the local CrossFit gym wanted a CrossFit pile of blocks. Mat took on the project and then requests just kept coming in. Eventually the offerings expanded as requests for tables and benches came in. That’s how it really spiraled, as Mat says, it all started from a box.   When Mat first started, he didn’t have a brand, but he had a connection through his social media and got a branding iron shipped out to him.    In terms of growth Mat says that he feels his story is similar to a lot of wood businesses as he’s just been scaling as the work comes in. If someone wants something and he has the tools to do it, he takes on the job, or if it’s time to invest in a certain tool he hasn’t worked with or when he takes on something he’s never done but has the capacity for, he’ll take the project and then do some trial and error prototypes before the finished product goes to the customer. 

Organic Social Media Marketing

Mat started his Instagram handle to hopefully get the word out about his business and products but the growth that it has gone through shocks Mat. He is very grateful to everyone who follows him.   Originally he started it because he didn’t know how to create a website, and he didn’t want to give out his personal cell number to a bunch of people. Mat figured the quickest and simplest way to show his products and show what he can do for people was to start an Instagram page and then post his stuff on there. If they liked what they saw, then they could just DM him.   Mat really enjoys building furniture and the larger builds out of his shop currently are locally based. The business comes from word of mouth and for right now that’s enough for Mat. A very clever thing that he has done however, is when he does a build he creates the plans in a sketching app and then sells the build plans through Etsy.   Another avenue for organic marketing and lead generation is Etsy, but Mat does it in a unique way. Steve asks who Mat’s clients are and Mat notes that while the clients for his physical builds are local, his overall client base is worldwide thanks to the electronic builds.   In terms of the internet and the connection that it fosters and promotes, Mat and Steve both agree it is an incredible tool. Another excellent part of the digital side of the Woopreneur sphere is the community. Mat notes that the community is a big part of it for him, the feeling that you are a part of something bigger. 

The Future for Mat Makin’ Things

“Right now, I think I’m where I want to be, I think just word of mouth and building these furniture pieces, but where I would like to see it eventually [would be] having a website where I post my products all the time and people reaching out to have builds done.”    Mat would also like to devote more time to the digital design rendering aspect of the business he’s been exploring and would like to create some official quote terms.   Steve and Mat discuss the logistics of timing and pricing and the appropriate way to value work, time, products and overhead. Mat notes that for him it was difficult since he genuinely loves building, but the realization that if he raised his prices and charged closer to what he was truly worth he could put that money back into the business and not only learn to make more things, but also invest in better equipment and create even higher-end products.

Steve’s Marketing Advice Segment

When asked what sort of marketing advice Steve could provide, Mat explains that he doesn’t consider himself technically savvy, but he is interested in getting a website for easier branding and to not be entirely reliant on Etsy. Additionally, he would like to have the ability to do certain engravings for repetitive items that can be made a dozen at a time, while also having the local furniture side of things as well.    After a bit more discussion about the specifics of what Mat intends for his website, Steve advises him to be 100% certain about who he is and what his business is about before building a website. He goes on to say that the way Mat intends to communicate himself to potential customers will dictate how the website looks and what happens next. 

Buyer Persona’s are Key

Steve also suggests that Mat should think about his current customers and how they engage with him, and then take it one step further and directly ask them what they would like to see on a website, and how would they engage with it. Steve explains that a big part of having a website is deciding what kind of content is going to go on it. Since Mat wants to reach more local customers, Steve adds that he should tell stories and create more content marketing focused on his local environment.   Steve notes that many people create websites and barely touch them, but they feel they need to have a website to feel legitimate, while the more important thing is to begin collecting email addresses, names, and phone numbers of Mat’s thousands of followers. Having that many followers does not necessarily translate to that number of leads or customers, and getting information down onto a spreadsheet will help ensure that he gets the most benefit from engagement.   Steve then circles back to the type of content for Mat’s future website and explains that it comes down to personality. He suggests that Mat should decide whether he is more of a storyteller, a writer, or whether he wants to have a lower level of interaction. Steve explains that it is vital for Woodpreneurs to know themselves, their strengths and weaknesses before deciding what kind of website they are going to make.  

Website and Community Management

After some discussion about the finer points of managing a website alongside a full time job, Steve references a discussion with another client where he advised them to release products in the form of collections. This allows the maker to create a run of items, and make their exact specifications limited, partly to drive up demand, and partly to ensure that they did not need to create the exact same thing over and over again. Steve explains that he calls this approach the bakery method, and it helps to create a bit of FOMO for customers while also taking advantage of the sometimes limited nature of materials. Mat notes that this is especially good advice for him as he has limited space to work from as he is working out of his garage, and doesn’t have the space to keep large amounts of stock.    After some discussion about working to become the most popular woodworker in his town, Steve asks Mat what parting advice he would offer to podcast listeners.    Mat explains that above all you should never stop working and developing your business. He’s been listening to the Woodpreneur Podcast for a long time now and he notes that so many people who have been featured on it have all said how they have left their corporate job to pursue their dreams, and now he’s standing in that position himself. It will take hard work and time, but it is possible to develop a business and wind up selling products and appearing on a podcast that will inspire countless other Woodpreneurs.   Instagram: @matmakinthings Etsy: Mat Makin’ Things This episode of The Woodpreneur Podcast is proudly sponsored by Uneedainc, go to https://www.sandpaper.com for more info.