posted
December, January, and February are typically fairly slow months in the sign business...which (in my view) makes for a great opportunity. Here are some helpful suggestions for taking full advantage.
-------------------- Jon Aston MARKETING PARTNERS "Strategy, Marketing and Business Development" Tel 705-719-9209 Posts: 1724 | From: Barrie, ON, CANADA | Registered: Sep 2000
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I've been looking forward to that slowdown to complete a lot of improvements in the physical infrastructure of the business, but that article is a good reminder to look harder at the intangible infrastructure as well. Thanks, that is good advice!
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I have been thinking about having a mini-meet (about 20 people) with a concentration on glue chipped signs.
I have a customer that owns a local Best Western and also is a big collector of old time stuff or new stuff that looks like old. He has it all over his walls in his resturant that is attached to the hotel.
I was going to ask him if he would donate 5 rooms to the first 5 people that registered and would make a glue chipped panel for him.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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I would really enjoy learning more about the fine art of glue chipping. Keep me posted on your Micro Meet palns and I'll see if I can possibly make it over that way. Sounds like it would be a fun get-a-way.
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The work around here does'nt slow down in the winter . . .just the sign painter
When it's just TOOOO cold and I have nothing small to do in the heatable paint room, and I can't get the bays above 25, I like to hibernate with cappuccino and good movies, lol, at like 9am when it's going to be 20 all day....Otherwise I'll have to break down and do book keeping, paperwork, housework . . . .
Winter only lasts one or two days like that here... the rest of the time "really cold" is like lows in the 20's at night and in the high 30's during the day . . .and that only on & off over about 8 weeks . . . Average Central Alabama winter day: 40o
UH!! Why come you don't ax what we're gonna do Jun-Jul-Aug ...when it's like 95+ stroke weather EVERYday and 1000% humidity???
-------------------- 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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Laura, I would be interested also if you have a mini meet on glue chipping.
My winter plans are:
Cleaning the shop and reorganizing are at the top of my list this winter. Learning how to use the Estimate software I bought in Indy this summer. (and haven't had a chance to use)
Dusting off, and using the sandblasting cabinet I bought myself for Xmas last year and haven't had much time to use.
And, I guess, learning how to budget my time better. Think I will get it all done in those three months? Ha
Pam
-------------------- Pam Eddy Niles, MI ple@qtm.net Posts: 460 | From: Michigan | Registered: Dec 2000
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I know what I am gonna be doing in Dec, Jan, and Feb.
Dec. is gonna be cajoling all my customers into paying up before the end of the month.
Jan. and Feb. is gonna be spending their money on Dos Equis and Ron Bacardi Blanco!!!!
As far as planning for future stuff...been doing that all my life...time to concentrate on NOW!!!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
There's no reason you can't follow this advice next summer!
-------------------- Jon Aston MARKETING PARTNERS "Strategy, Marketing and Business Development" Tel 705-719-9209 Posts: 1724 | From: Barrie, ON, CANADA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Down time is always a great time to plan ahead. Generally when we get a slow time I let the crew decide how much they want to work. If we are just off a major job where we worked a bunch of overtime they appreciate the flexible time.
For me it's a time to work on the business. That's when I redo the web-site, organize the studio better and work on things like our own signage and the grounds around the studio/shop.
It's valuable time, even though the pace doesn't have to be nearly as frantic as the busy times. We just went through 10 weeks of "between job time" and got a TON of things done which position us better than ever before. I just which there had been another two weks before we had headed into the next job... but then again the banker probably thought otherwise.
My head sure appreciated the relaxing pace of the last weeks!
-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: 8739 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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I usually end up getting a part time job (I like the break from work but not the break from $$) but this year I'm going to try and batten down the hatches and ride it out. Thanks for the advice Jon - the suggestions made sense!
-------------------- signs Posts: 535 | From: pa | Registered: Dec 1998
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ANY "down time" is always a good time to try new techniques in sign making.As none of us has fully arrived at the top of our potential. Practice Practice Practice
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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What do I have planned for Dec-Jan-Feb? BASKETBALL!BASKETBALL!BASKETBALL! and MORE BASKETBALL! I coach an Elementary boys team, and an assistant coach for Jr. High Boys (my state champs last year), my wife coaches Sr. High Girls, and my 9 yr. old son is playing Upwards basketball. 4 different schedules.
My regular work slows down to a crawl- which I guess prevents it from interfering with roundball.
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1736 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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I find that clients cram to get their expenses in before the end of the year and the overflow of work keeps me going well in January and sometimes February. Kinda nice to get cheques in advance of the job. Sure does cut into snowmobiling time though!!!(LOL)
-------------------- Happy Signing...... Marty
M.F. (Marty) Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4 306-789-9567 happyad@sasktel.net www.happyad.ca
Get Happy & Get Noticed! Posts: 773 | From: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: Jan 1999
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I will have at least one Kerry victory party a week. well, it's what popped into my mind immediately, I couldn't help it.
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Now - seriously, the rest of the time will in all probability just be like all the other times I scheduled and planned for down time, and it simply never really comes.
I do so hope for those contingencies while I am working too many hours in spite of trying to do the work efficiently. I turn down work I don't want to do hoping to create time, but I don't really ever get there.
I have had slow times, of course. After all it's been 26 or more years now that I have had this little business. It's nust not slow very often, because I have a solid base of people who count on me..
When it happens the scenario plays out like this: I actually notice it's slow, worry a day or two about that I might finally have been exposed as a fraud to everybody, scratch around, catch up on bookwork..clean up some.. Then I say to myself how very equally stressful this type of situation is to the normal way of life when I am way overworked. Then I wake up and say, what's my worry, I'm doing OK. I need to celebrate it and get to some of those things I have made lists for that are headed by: "When I have some spare time....." and then, you guessed it, I'm swamped again.
-------------------- 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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Mike O and I are going to go paint murals in Dave Grundy's apartment in Mexico......Dave the beers on you and I'll bring the one shot or two or three lol
-------------------- Mario G. Lafreniere (Fergie) J&N Signs Winter did show up! Posts: 1257 | From: Chapleau, Ontario | Registered: Jun 1999
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Neil...When you are in Cancun...Do yourself a HUGE favour and take the ferry over to Isla Mujeres....
It is the most wonderful island that you will ever see. (Newfie excepted of course!!!! )
If you want a bit of info on Isla Mujeres...E-mail me.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Hey Mario...Forgot to say...If you and the wife need to get away from the snow in Chapleau sometime in January or February you are more than welcome to stay with us for a week.
Humble accomodations..only have 3 bed/3 bath/one with jacuzzi, pool, right on the beach, internet, beer and liquor about 5 minutes walk away. Tons of great restaurants. Sorry...no walk-in cooler though!!!!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home