posted
Gee, last March I got a email from Nancy Bennette. A guy in Seattle was looking to see about getting a sign painted on the block wall of his new brewery. Yada, Yada, Yada, I gave him a quote, plus he was going to also have his logo painted on a interior wall etc. Never heard back from the guy, so a few months later I looked up his brewing company. He got a plain DiBond sign out front and a cut round sign on the inside. I could have also done that work. I wondered why he didn't know I could not only paint the sign, but that I also build signs. I may have to create a handout. New customers that don't know me, can't concieve the pallette of services that I offer. Made me kinda sad, but I might feel better if I could be a bad girl and shot holes in his sign with using a .338 Winchester Magmun. Then I could send him a bill for "Sign Improvement Services".
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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I don't know how many times I've had people come in my shop and ask, "Do you do banners"? or "Can you letter a boat?" or "You ever do any lighted signs?" or "Do you do signs like you put out in front of a business?" or...."?
I've even lost a few jobs, over the years; and later, the "customer" says,"I'm sorry, I didn't know you did ........."
posted
I just love it when you quote it to their specs. They probably freak out when they get a few quotes. Then only go back and ask the lowest price one for something very basic, produce that one, never asking the other quotes for a new quote. Sometimes I will do a vinyl, flat sign quote as an option.
Diane
-------------------- Balch Signs 1045 Raymond Rd Malta, NY 12020 518 885-9899 signs@balchsigns.com http://www.balchsigns.com Posts: 1695 | From: MaltaNY | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
I should have done that Diane. Next time,,,,,And behind door number two, We have a dememsional, hand crafted sign. You could trade away your wall sign or take a chance at door Number three." He picks door number three,,,It's the Sign Police,,(Sirens Ringing) ,,,Ordinace ASHO1234 requires all signs to be first inspected by a OUR Trained Inspector before instalation. Your signs will be on-hold for at least 2 years while we inspect other signs of which we know nothing about. Kinda like that,,,,,,
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
I got a few jobs some years ago, by quoting twice - cheapy and horrible with low cost poor quality materials, in case they wanted that avenue (and I told them why it was cheap), then a better quality design in 3D with premium materials.
It was clear they were price shopping, and the secretary didn't know what to do with the quote, so gave the bunch of replies to her boss.
He phoned me, asked me to come in, and with a desk full of curled fax paper replies in front of him, said "I like your style of thinking - let's go with the good design..."
(I had also posted a colour version in, a week before the date quotes were wanted - my reply was the only colour and non curly one - this was when emails were uncommon)
Every now and then, when asked to "put this business card on the car/truck/whatever, I'll do that, bnut deliberately make it look a tad worse, then also do a significantly better version, and the result has always been " Never mind what we asked for, Let's go with what YOU just suggested..."
My two biggest customers came that way - and to date, neither one asks for a quote: Just do it!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
Boy oh boy, have I been down that road for sure. Gives me a case of the BTDT's. I could go on all night about this topic, let's just say it this way, I'm glad to be semi-retired and doing only wholesale neon now. Thank you, you are welcome!
-------------------- Donald Miner ABCO Wholesale Neon 1168 Red Hill Creek Dobson, NC Posts: 842 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
Follow up, follow up, follow up..... If I could, would you?
It always amazed me in doing new car dealer showroom windows that thirty days later, they bragged about how much more lot traffic they had and then in three months, they would scrape it off and marvel at how they could watch the trees and birds again. Would they call me back? No way. Bozos need to be sold every time, again and again. I guess they thought birds bought cars.
I did an very accurate traffic measurement six times for one dealer for six different campaigns. Traffic over the next thirty days increased an average of 108%, with one being 90 and the most at 120%. After 30 days it always dropped off with 35 mph traffic driving by. I studied this because I was the General Manager of the store and it was saving me thousands in radio, newsprint and TV ad costs. Now tell me signs in fluoro enamel that poke you in the eye do not work. Still....I had to go back and follow up, follow up and follow up to get the next sale.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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