Your sign is expensive!

[Lynn Normington]

supposing the grahics were £250.00 for a decorator, gas /heating enineer, plumber, builder they would have the graphics paid for with half a job so why do they say things like that to us it makes me cross as they are not saying but implying we are less skilled or proffesional than them 😛 call any of them out and say good bye to a lot of money

Lynn

[John Singh]

Good bit of maths Sar you should be at number 11 :lol1:

As with a lot of things pricing in sign making is not an exact science

“How much would it be for a sign mate?” is not an exact science either

John 😀

[Robert Lambie]

im half cut i think mate…. :lol1: its friday….
just ask them what they pay for flyers…. then how long they last andwho sees them?
ask them what they pay for advertisments in a local nespaper…. then how long they last and who sees them?
then ask them how long they recon thsy will own ther van driving all over the country being spotted by anyone and evryone that can see a nice/original design?
the rest will speak for itself. best of luck mate 😀

[Jill Marie Welsh]

If I could, I would have a trapdoor to Hell installed in my office.
The second someone gave me that crap I would flip the switch.
I get sick of it too.
People who lay out big bux for a huge building and are too cheap to get a decent sign.
Guys who spend $1000 on a race car part yet bitch about the cost of lettering.
etc etc etc
ALWAYS say in response “You will make more money from this sign than I will!”
love….Jill

[Lynn Normington]

quote :

“You will make more money from this sign than I will!”

I will remember this one jill well said

Lynn 😀

[Chris Hooper]

Rob have to admit to be being in the state as you when I wrote it.
Jill – I luv the “you will make more money from this sign” Trap door idea even better.
Lynn – well said – It was a plumber who got me going on this.
John – if I was at number 11 – I give all sign makers a 50% refund on tax. (backdated)

However just as an end note to this.. what if we could charge as other media do by the number of people seeing the advert or sign.
Let me see………

One Van and 19million times the van is seen over three years at say the same rate as say a regional newspaper advert = £57,000 per van…………see you all in the Cayman Islands!

Seriously though its worth checking out the web site address I mentioned … it leads you to a 3M online tool (MOVIE) for calculating advertising effectiveness of vehicle graphics. May be a good tool if you are pitching for a bigger job or just to give you an idea on how many times a van with graphics could be seen in your area.

[Andrew Butler]

Makes my blood boil when customers suggest you are expensive.

You spend years learning your craft, dedicate your self to your work, don’t know about you guys but every sign writer and sign maker I Know pride themselves on the quality of the work they produce. the knowledge needed to produce such work should not be undervalued. We as a profession are highly skilled and should be rewarded accordingly. Now I know my company manufacture banners and sell them on at a highly competitive price, but this is driven by that particular market, signs and vehicle graphics however is a completely separate issue. We do produce signs and signwrite vehicles and I refuse to undersell myself, example from this week, guy walks into my shop (kitchen fitter) with a rough sketch of his van and how he would like it lettered. It was very basic design on 208 Sprinter, I quoted him £250.00, only to be told I was expensive. He went on to tell me the best quote he had was £68.00, YES £68.00, and produced a quote from this company as proof.

The company in question has only been trading for three months, so I told him if he got them to do the work then fine, but my price is £250.00.
And I would not be surprised if he would have problems i.e. inferior materials and poor fitting, and when he does have problems they are no longer in business.

This is part of the problem COWBOY firms providing inferior and shoddy work at STUPID prices.

Sorry guys had to rant its been bugging me all week, good news tho, went on to show this guy my portfolio and he agreed to me doing the work, one in the eye for the cowboy.

Thanks for listening I’m going for a lye down.

Andy 😀

[Simon Clayton]

quote zanady:

I quoted him £250.00, only to be told I was expensive. He went on to tell me the best quote he had was £68.00, YES £68.00, and produced a quote from this company as proof.

The company in question has only been trading for three months, so I told him if he got them to do the work then fine, but my price is £250.00.
And I would not be surprised if he would have problems i.e. inferior materials and poor fitting, and when he does have problems they are no longer in business.

This is part of the problem COWBOY firms providing inferior and shoddy work at STUPID prices.

😀

Good point Andy, but the trouble is a lot of these firms keep going.. One shop near me, was doing poor cheap work, (so i’ve been told), it took him 9 years to fold, thats a lot of work he’s taken from other sign makers in the area..

That’s a good little program, think that could help convince some clients

Simon

[monty]

mate tell them where to go, i wouldn’t even bother trying to bargain with them or justify yourself, those type of people dont pay anyway. dont waste your time. Think of the power, time cutting applying, designing etc put that energy into someone who is glad to pay for your skill.

[Phill Fenton]

We were asked to quote to do four vans for a company. They had designed the layout themselves and it involved a combination of digital printing and computer cut vinyl. In addition, their logo had been created in photoshop and could only be reproduced by printing and cutting. The two sides and rear also had printed images that would have to be wrapped into the vans contours. Consequently I knew the job would be quite a time consuming exercise.

Because the company was owned by friends of the family, I pitched in with a keen price which I knew was fair to both sides.

I was asked to re-examine my price as they had been quoted cheaper prices elsewhere – but given that we were “friends” they would prefer us to do the work.

I pointed out that we would ensure the digital prints were done using outdoor durable print methods with clear lamination and suggested they check that our rivals would be doing the same.

I wasn’t prepared to do these vans for any less. I honestly beleived the other companies had underpriced the job and just because they had made a mistake with their pricing, didn’t mean I should.

We didn’t get the work and it bugs me no end.

I’m secretly hoping that their graphics fade very quickly :lol1:

[Roy Roffey]

i think every sign maker has one, picture the scene:

Two guys who worked together for 15 years start up rival businesses,
ones average vehicle job cost lets say around £180, the other cost £90.

this is the boat I’m in at the moment, i personally think charging £180 for a van is around the norm, but said friend seems to believe that doing a van for £90 is fair and that I’m a robbin bast*** !!!

This begs the question what end of the market do you want to be in ?? if customers are willing to go to a cheaper sign maker thinking your trying to rip them off then your better off without them.

and lets face it will they be around in say 12 months time when there vinyl has gone to s**t and they want there job re-doing.

now that’s MY rant over with – I’m going to crack open a nice cool can of fosters

[Phil Halling]

Good signage is rarely cheap, Cheap signage is never good!

[David McDonald]

quote phil the fitter:

Good signage is rarely cheap, Cheap signage is never good!

We offer 2 types of service

1. A QUICK, QUALITY service that isn’t CHEAP
2. A CHEAP, QUICK service that isn’t QUALITY

Macky D

[Phil Halling]

Well I hate to admit it but I think we’ve all been guilty of doing that :lol1:

[George Zerbino]

What about the CHEAP, QUALITY service that isn’t QUICK?

[Bill Dewison]

Fast and cost-effective signage does have its place though, if you have a very fast turnover on a low cost product, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re some form of cowboy or that the quality will be garbage.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m an advocate of good quality signs at a price that reflects the workmanship and time that has gone into them, but at the same time, small signage, mass produced banners, even vans can be done in a very short time period and although they don’t command the same prices as the quality lines, they can still remain quality output and yeild the same profit margin for the time spent.

Now that I’ve got all that out, can I just have a mental moment with a ‘Smeeeeeeeeeeeeee’… I’m being far too level headed for my own good *hair*

Back in the world of the Oh Sensible One… I’ve found with a retail shop I get alot from both sides. I can spend a good day or so designing a van or a window graphic, another day cutting and applying it and get a decent amount of money for my trouble. But in the same two days, I can sell alot over the counter in small signs, number plates and more often than not, just cut vinyl that will bring me in the same amount of money. The pace of work is slightly more hectic when you rely on the retail side, even more so when its trade work, but the financial rewards are equal and you don’t necessarily have to compromise quality.

Arugh… Smmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Ahhh, thats better. 😀

Cheers, Dewi

[Roy Roffey]

thought i was seeing double then!!!!!!!!