I was just catching up on my Signcraft reading and saw an article on page 14 of the March/April 2004 issue that really hit home.
I wish I had this article by John Hodgins in poster size to put on the wall, the exact page straight from the magazine.
It is tactfully worded and doesn't affend. I have always thought of posting something on the wall of the shop to help explain the difference between the shops who want to give the customer his/her monies worth and the fly by nights interested in just kicking out signs. I have been working on improving my layouts and color combinations for 20 years now and know I still have a ways to go. But I wish there was a way to educate the public on how important good layout and color is along with price. Not just price. It takes so long to explain it to each individual. Most people are just looking at price today in everything. Quality, craftmanship and service doesn't seem to matter.
I have to get a new furnace for the shop, one customer told me not to use the guy I hired to do the job. Said he heard the guy was expensive. Well, this guy has gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep this old furnace running for me for several years now. He has came after 7pm a couple times and didn't charge extra for after hours. He discussed all options with me and said he would not sell a cheap made furnace. I can't afford the absolute best, but I can't afford the cheapest either. (problems in the long run when cheaping out). I didn't want to just look at price, there are more variables that should be looked at when buying anything.
O.k. done carrying on for today. Back to work.
Pam
-------------------- Pam Eddy Niles, MI ple@qtm.net Posts: 460 | From: Michigan | Registered: Dec 2000
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posted
maybe you could get a sign shop to make up that poster for you... nah, just take it to Kinkos!
...sorry, just being a sarcastic goof again.
what I really wanted to say is that is a great idea. I've been thinking alot about the same thing lately.
I am way way way overloaded with work & need to turn my prices up another notch just to create a little more personal time until I figure out how to find more hours in the day.
I also am doing some shop improvements that include better defining the client area (chaining them away from following me to my design station anymore) I will be posting samples & some signs for my own purposes & now I'm logging off to go check out page 14.
[ March 31, 2004, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: Doug Allan ]
posted
Pam, I was a tad nervous about raisin' my prices and wondered if I would cull-out too many customers.
Seems tho', that I've gotten "mo' bettah" customers! Turns out, there's a LOT of people who do NOT want the cheapest, or even the mid-grade, but actually WANT the most expensive!!
Gee, I love it when people "pump premium"!!
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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if I pretend that I'm net worth a million bucks- but want to continue working because that's not all that much money any more anyway,
and if someone comes to my door who has no clue I'm worth a million bucks and tries to chisel me, then I can be very kind, sweet, professional and non caring if I get the work or not, I can come from a place of explaining the value of my service and then, if I don't make a good profit I need not explain anything else,
because whether I have the million in the bank- or on the books- or not working for no profit IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
Nobody I ever worked for for nothing has come back and brought me something really profitable. Well, almost nobody, I've been at this for 26 years in a small scale but every day way, and I can't remember everybody and everything. Instead, they sent me others who wanted bargains.
I am talented in many ways. If I have free time, (I have lists of what I would do if that should happen) I can spend that time planning, scheming, playing. All those things can also be profitable, if I have more than just a minute with them. Making signs at no profit, just to get the work, is not worthy of our talents. It devalues all of us, and has us spinning our wheels, running our valuable life hours in neutral, and does not allow us to branch out in our thoughts about how to do what we do in all the ways our creative brains can conceive..
-------------------- Myra A. Grozinger Signs Limited Winston-Salem, NC
signslimited@triad.rr.com Posts: 1244 | From: Winston-Salem, NC USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
very wise words Myra, I'm needing to hear these words of wisdom today. too many late nights lately, sems like I charge enough... but everyone still wants more then I can do & I still don't say no... guess enough isn'tenough... I have to start charging too much if I really want a life.
posted
Myra... I'm going to print that and keep it. If only that could be hammered into the conciousness of everyone in this business. Thank you!
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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A month or two ago I was ready to close up shop and get a job back in advertising. But thanks to some very kind and encouraging words from the wonderful folks in this community, I decided to give it another year. I immediately slid my shop workload and market scales in my estimate program to 75. I also raised both my production and design rates. My thought was "Hey, I was going to quit anyway. Might as well see how far I can push it." Well, as of today, I have over 20 very significant jobs in house. All due within the month. All approved without so much as a peep from the client about cost. Believe me, I'm far from gouging people. AND, I'm far from making what I used to in advertising. Point is, I'm VERY happy right now. I think the decision to tough it out was the right one. I love what I'm doing and if things comntinue this way (please, God!) it may actually be a profitable year. Can't ask for much more than that.
Again, thanks to everyone who supported me in my time of conflict.
Mark
-------------------- Mark Rogan The Great Barrington Sign Company 2 Stilwell Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230 mark@gbsignco.com
"Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of fonts" Posts: 332 | From: Great Barrington, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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