Vinyl Signs – The basics

[Neil Kelly]

A Customer

[magpie]

Thanks Neil, got any to spare?

[Neil Kelly]

Sorry I coudnt resist that
😆

finding customers isnt the problem its knowing what to do with them thats the skill.

If no one else jumps in on this one when ive got more time il try to give you some more info.
why do you ask are you about to make the jump into signspace.

[jon vital]

A modicum of basic design skill. Something 75% of sign companies don’t seem to have.

[Phill Fenton]

Membership of the UK sign group. Highly reccomended 😀

You need to define more clearly the tye of business you are intending to start. This will determine your minimum requirements.

For a vinyl sign maker you will need decent design software and a cutter. You also need a workspace and a bench

[Robert Lambie]

ill reply to this a little later when i get a moment.

cheapest most important thing i have is my squeegee…
couldnt and wouldnt be without it.. 😉

[Innocent]

don’t forget your trusty scalpel, wouldn’t be without it

[John Singh]

As Phill says you need to tell us a little about the road you wish to travel down.

Are you after setting up with a small vinyl plotter?
Or do you wish to go straight into digital?

For most people starting up, money (or a shortage of) dictates a lot on which way to travel.

John

[magpie]

Hi Neil, yep I’m in the process of weighing up if signspace is the way for me to go. I have
another thread here https://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?p=27515#27515
which should give an idea of where I’m coming from.

This leads into Johns question of where I wish to go? In an ideal world I’d stick with digital
(its what I know) however capital costs and no customer base for signage of any kind makes
me wary of heading there straight away.

So I guess a vinyl plotter route may be the way to go, but I need more info/background
first. I can see that after the cutter, vinyls are going to be one of the biggest costs
when setting up, because many customers always seem to want what you haven’t already got 😡

Phill as for joinging here, I need to speak with Business Link etc before setting up, to make
sure I don’t disqualify myself from any set up grants/incentives etc.
If I do set up then
a cheque will be winging it way here post haste.

Mike that looks very informative, I haven’t had chance to study yet, too busy typing so far 😛

Rob/Neil any thoughts you can offer I’d welcome.

Jon/Innocent I think I have both, just can’t remember which one I shouldn’t stick
in my front pocket 😕

Thanks PeterC

[Graham.Scanlan]

dont forget your supplier of vinyl 😛

no vinyl no cutty

[jon vital]

I don’t think you need to outlay a large amount on vinyl stock to start with. Just get the base colours and order anything else when you need it.

[Andrew Ward]

Ive been in the trade 10 years, but started my own Business 7months ago

Heres what i brought so far:
2.8ghz P4 PC running Sign lab6 Expert & Photoshop7
Scanner
Printer
Roland Cutter 24″
Laptop….i take this with me when i go out to see customers also acts as a back up if the main PC dies.
Digital Camera
Van (transport)
I buy Vinyl as and when i need it, but i do stock a basic range of colours and aplication tape.
Customers (well i dont buy them, but u will need them)

Im lucky in some ways that i already had a good customer base before i started.

Thats the basics, i guess that lot comes in around £10-£20K

Hope that helps?

[magpie]

Cheers Wardie & Jon

BTW what falls into that base range of colours?

[Lorraine Buchan]

Just get black and white to start add any other colours as and when required. Get a swatch book for your supplier. Garunteed you’ll buy a red and the first customer wanting red wont like the one you’ve choosen (:)