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I feel like I can paint with the best of them. And I think getting the "good" jobs is just a matter of numbers. The more people who call the better chance to sell an upscale sign. Especially if your look, samples and all reflect an upscale image. The big thing I've always been stumped about is getting the phone to ring. I've tried postcards, the chamber, selling custom work to a "key" client for less and the yellow pages. Nothing seems to work. What do you guys do to get the phone to ring?
-------------------- Jon Harl 5731 Meridian Ave. San Jose,CA 95118
jonharl@comcast.net Posts: 99 | From: San Jose, California | Registered: Jan 2004
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you gotta go round a beg soem work,, talk to ppl one on one,, and be around a lot,, be ready to do a good job on time,, and then work will start your way..
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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We have been most fortunate for many years in that we never had to wait for the phone to ring. We kept busy and then some.
This year has been somewhat different. A last minute cancellation of a job which would have kept us busy for two months changed everything. We've had to scramble for work for the first time in ages.
I'm trying to keep a cool head and make the situation work in our favor rather than panic and do us harm instead.
We've spent a lot of time sprucing things up at our shop and grounds to make an even sharper image.
We've spent more time on each job we have had to grandly exceed our customer's expectations and in the process put some first rate work out there which will get noticed. Each finished project is like a small pebble thrown into a pond... the ripples go outward and eventually will be felt everywhere.
We entered some of our best recent work in key competitions and picked up some pristigeous awards in the process. We recieved some great local coverage of these awards in the local media which has raised our profile.
We redid our website which showcases our work to its best advantage.
We are in the process of joining some regional associations which should allow us to network with some key players in the regions we wish to establish our market in.
We redid our portfolio to showcase our work to its best advantage.
I am also doing up some sample designs targeted at specific businesses and making a few cold calls.
It takes time.
And I'm waiting for the calls...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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My phone hasn't stopped since I booked my tickets!
Seriously, it takes years to get established. I used to cold call places that looked like they needed signs.
New shops etc opening. Old shops renovating etc. Nobody there? Slide your card under the door. You'll be suprised with the results. A lot of people leave the signwriting contract 'till the last minute!
Check out the signage around town that looks like it needs refreshing or replacing. Sometimes a simple wash down surfices, but it gets you in the door!
Put your name and phone number on everything possible that you do. Careful not to intrude on the work tho.
Finally, persist. If you are good enough you will finaly carve a niche in the available market for yourself.
Good luck!
[ August 04, 2005, 03:17 AM: Message edited by: Jon Butterworth ]
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Jon, You've been there a long time and are well established and should be known. You live in an area where everyone else is new all the time and they don't recognise you. What if you had an "in" with a design firm and a realtor that handles lotsa commercial stuff that recommended you? An inside push might work better???
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6720 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Do some "spec" proposals...Pick a client you'd like to have...identify a signage need...draw up and propose a "knock 'em dead" solution...offer some kind of incentive for their speedy acceptance...don't make it too material...they'll think your desperate...follow up diligently...do an extra good job when they give you the PO...deposit check in bank...repeat as necessary.
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John, I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating.
I belong to the local Chamber, and it usually brings in zip. Very inactive group in this area.
BUT... I also belong to a Referral Networking group and it has been fantastic for generating new business over the past 2plus years, in what is a new market for me. It is beginning to be less effective within the group itself now, but the referrals outside of the group are worthwhile. I am putting a link to it here so you can look at it. Referral Network This is NOT a barter group. Keep away from them.
See if there are any in your area. I think there is a national group named "TIPS", but I'm not sure how effective it is.
Edit: One more thing I must note. Location, location, location!!! We just moved onto one of the main streets in town in a prominent location across from the Post Office. Business has increased at least 400%. Probably better than when we were established in Baltimore for 26 years. What a difference.
[ August 04, 2005, 09:33 AM: Message edited by: Gene Golden ]
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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Like the others mentioned, you have to be proactive in your approach. A yellow page ad mostly brings price shoppers and tire kickers, but not much real business. The occasional mailer doesn't produce squat if you don't follow up with at least a phone call to the potential client. One approach we decided to take is to start with a simple visit or a phone call and learn about the potential client. Figure out what they do and what type of work they may need. We also try to get a contact name, phone number and/or email address. From there we will either send an email or brochure briefly describing the service we offer. A week or two later, we will follow up again with another phone call. If the client is interested in our product, we set up an appointment and invite them to our showroom where they can experience first hand the products and services we have to offer. Another approach is just good old fashioned door to door canvassing. We have a part timer that does nothing but knock on doors and drop off brochures. Our third approach really has me excited. It is joining a builders exchange that has a plan room. A plan room is basically an office that manages building plans for architects and builders. They are the clearing house for these companies and they allow access to the plans for vendors who wish to bid on upcoming projects. Although, we just joined our local plan room, we already found leads to many projects and sold one project for about $1000. That 1 job almost covers the membership dues for the year. The types of signage that are listed in the plan rooms could be anything from temporary construction site signage to standard ADA room signs and directories and custom built, electric pylon signs. Ask me again in 3 months how I feel about this plan room thing and I may tell you something different. But for now, the potential appears to be unlimited.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Used to be that if I wanted more calls all I had to do was throw away some pounce patterns and those same customers that had not called in years would call back, sometimes within days, to reorder signs that I had already done.
In today's market you'd better be *making* that phone ring on the other end - calling your existing customers, selling them more and more expensive signs and solutions. Give them a call every quarter or every time you get new equipment or run across something interesting that they might can use. Your best "new" customers are your "old" ones. Also, you would do well to go back thru your records and sort of do a profile of who orders what and when and plot it on a calendar. After you establish a pattern, call them a month in advance to remind them of the event or season and let them know you want their business. Nothing beats the proactive approach.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Yeah scheduling a trip out of town always works for me, even if I have no intentions of actually going anywhere.
If you have a certain type of work you've done on a regular basis but lately there haven't been any bites, make plans to drop that type of work completely and sure enough, somebody's gonna call wanting it.
You just need some exposure and in today's market the best exposure is face to face with live people. People in general are tired of "impersonal" interactions like receiving advertising in their mailboxes or voicemail you have to navigate only to get stuck on hold. They actually welcome getting to speak with a living breathing person.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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A few years back we wanted to do alot of Banners, so in the Yellow Pages I had an ad for "Rent-A-Banner". It worked well. People would call and want to know if we had one that would say Midnite Madness Sale or something that would be specific,....they would ask for all kinds of things. We did however offer 4 different banners for rent, but of course we got to quote on all of the others,....many turned into jobs and new customers.
The phone works the other way as well (calling out). You may be surprised by the amount of work that can be "drummed up" with a few calls saying you were going to be in there area or just flat out asking for an order.
-------------------- Rich Stebbing RichSigns Rohnert Park CA 707-795-5588 Posts: 755 | From: Rohnert Park, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Jon, have to go with Sacks on this one, you've been in area long enough to have garnered top billing slot, so to speak. It wouldn't take much on those lines to help in quest for more recoginition. I'd try direct sales if nothing else is working...of course for me, a simple gone fishing sign in window of shop filled it up to point I couldn't have gone fishing even if I had wanted to...go figure!!!
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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Like others have said: Plan a trip. Toss out patterns. Get rid of all your special-mixed paint. Clean out old computer files. Get pregnant. (well maybe not)
Ok, here are a few real suggestions: Letter or re-letter your vehicle. Do a window splash in town and sign your name and # to it. Spruce up your sign or re-make it totally. Get involved with your local fire department or Chamber of Commerce.
Hope this helps! My phone only rings when I'm in the bathroom. Love....jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Yeah it does take a long time to get established. It seems like you're on the right track with the chamber, etc. Try some of the other suggestions, but keep your head up and as other's stated book a flight or throw away some patterns and they'll come around like washing your car to make it rain.
Seriously, you need some luck, and I'm sending some your way, so brace yourself for the onslaught!
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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Number one thing is to make sure your work is outstanding. Go out and take a few pictures of signs that look like total crap. The do a redesign and show a potential client the value of a professional image. The old adage still holds true, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Not knowing the competition in your area, make it your goal to become a status symbol. Some customers get off on bragging about how much money they paid for their sign or paid your company because everyone knows you charge top dollar. Its not always a good thing to be known as the cheap guy. When people are willing to turn over their hard earned dollars to you they are essentially saying they respect you as a professional. Try to build up that image of a professioal.
Last but not least. Don't be afraid to say no to a job that won't benefit your reputation. You would be surprised at what you can get away with if you stick to your guns. Its only human nature that somebody will at least try to get the edge on you. You can let them or you can say no and often they will say okay and agree to your original asking price.
A good example: I recently designed a new sign for the local fire department. The cheif who I originally spoke with is away on a month long vacation but want the sign project to get started right away. The person who he left in charge while he was away called to see if I had a quote ready. I said the design was ready but no sense in quoting it until they decided on the design. She said she would come by to look it over.
I showed her my work and she immediately wanted to change everything on it. She showed me another shops design and it was four line of large text on a rectangle background. She asked if I could make mine look like the other one and I no it would be impossible. She asked how come and I said in a very serious voice that it was an awful waste of money and violated every design law ever written or taught.
She asked how come and I said well if you have the time I will spend the day explaining to you what negative and positive space are and what some fonts are not effective and the eye perceives certain graphics and text in order of priority and yada yada yada. I told her I have over thirty years of experience as a professional designer and will not compromise my work or the clients whens I know what will work the best in their interest. Well she said ok if you wont budge on the design then give me a price so we can get started.
See, sometimes you just have to let them know who is in charge. I promise I won't tell them the proper way to put out a fire.
Part of the point I'm trying to make here is that your attitude and confidence play an important roll in being able to sell your work and yourself.
I dont propose being a smartazzz or arrogant but stand you ground professionally and you will get more of the jobs.
I will go head to head with my competition anytime and most always win the sale and most time my work if far more expensive. I've spent thirty years learning all this crap. You are in a position to learn it right from the start. Take advantage of the hard earned knowledge here and put it to work. You will be fine. Good luck and believe in you dream and enjoy your passion.
-------------------- Bob Stephens Skywatch Signs Zephyrhills, FL
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Jon, Forgot to mention in my e-mail... Try making a display that would kick ass if being presented at a Home Improvment Show or a Business Marketing Show or even Propritary Shows,for example...a computer show etc. Offer to make banners for show promoters as a fee for getting a booth spot. It may take a little thought and engineering but remember, the business people are also the public too.
CrazyJack
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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I got all upset one time because the phone "wouldn't ring" then a customer came by and told me he had been trying for a couple of days to reach me...only to get a busy signal...so he stopped by to place his order before I got too busy...I checked the phone and the reciever was cocked in the holder so the line was open.
Might try that...maybe someone will come in to check on you too!
Good Luck!
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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