The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

Better Business

Why Are Detroit Books So Hard to Find?

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One of the questions that we often hear auto trimmers ask is: “Why are Detroit Books so hard to find?” Seeing as upholstery shops need them to order original automotive fabrics and suppliers rely on them to market their goods, it seems almost counter intuitive that they’re not so readily available. We decided to contact Detroit Body Products, which publishes the Detroit … [Read more...] about Why Are Detroit Books So Hard to Find?

Making the Leap to Custom Interiors

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Making the leap from doing ordinary auto upholstery repairs and installations to focusing solely on custom interiors can be scary. There's no one right way to do it and there are bound to be obstacle any way you choose. We can, however, learn from each others' experiences. Take, for example, Ace Eckleberry of ACE Custom Upholstery & Rod Shop in Fairfield, Illinois. He … [Read more...] about Making the Leap to Custom Interiors

How Much Do You Charge Per Hour?

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Hotrod & Restoration magazine recently published its annual automotive industry statistics. The nationwide survey, which gathers data from all sectors of the custom and restoration industry, highlights valuable information that our shops can use to better understand the market – such as average shop sales revenues and busiest months of the year. What stands out the most, … [Read more...] about How Much Do You Charge Per Hour?

Billboard Advertising for Less than $100

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I recently found out that advertising my auto upholstery shop on a park bench would cost about $500 a month. I was so shocked that I didn’t even bother asking how much a traditional billboard would cost. Then I remembered a clever trick that I saw on a trip to Las Vegas last year. Businesses hired box trucks to drive up and down the strip with giant company ads on them. … [Read more...] about Billboard Advertising for Less than $100

Offering Auto Trim Gift Certificates

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Tis the season for auto upholstery? Sure, why not?  With Christmas quickly approaching, I’ve had several customers call my shop inquiring about repair or upgrade services to gift a loved one. On the surface this seems like the perfect gift, but I’ve noticed that after only a few minutes of talking with them, the reality of the situation changes their tone and the customers seem … [Read more...] about Offering Auto Trim Gift Certificates