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18" by 9" Car Door Magnets

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Having started in graphic design that included sign painting earlier than Jill
I can attest to the blow having lost all my production skills to the computer. It took
a while to figure out what was going on, and I refused to use one. I ended up in
construction (which paid a hell of a lot more by the way) than learning on one.
I worked at some really nice design firms and sign shops... I had design skills,
no doubt about it. But to unlearn it all was a bit too much... or so I thought.

You have to understand... we worked with our hands, it was painstakingly slow
and accurate with principles and standards to adhere to. If you screwed up, it
could take hours to fix.

We all have our own version of the sign business. We all have our own journey.
I only design. After years of resisting, I ended up taking on the computer... at
first it was quickie sticky vinyl, after a while, it was obvious that it was heading to
the lowest price... this was in 1996... so I ended up in architectural, then
environments. Working as an employee, I have designed work in nearly every
major theme park around the world, a lot of it hand lettered... it's just not me lettering
it. I also do mindless sign packages for industrial complexes and apartments that pay
very well. If I relied on my local area to support me, I would go broke. Our work is
all over the country.

I can always get a printer. I CAN get your kind of clients...can the opposite be said?
I can also design lackluster layouts all day long, can the same be said for new shops
sprouting up? Gimme a break, experience, skill and talent mean something. And that's
what some of us old farts think about... though this old phart digs young designers
and driven business people.

I get what Gino, Jill and others are saying is saying. We know this stuff because
we've done it, or seen other people do it and failed. I admire young sign makers who
make their own path, but at some point, that formula you are using will hit a wall and
you will have to decide where you are going to compromise or change.

To Jill, I understand your predicament, I think there is a way for you to make money
your way, but I also know the feeling of defeat. But you are 100% correct, do not lower
your prices... in fact, I think you should raise them. 30 years means something in this
business.
 

MikesSigns

New Member
12 x 24 $99 a pair, I kick in the extra third one (usually slightly smaller for tailgate) for additional $36. Dont do many anymore, lettering has been the way to go. I laugh at the contractor who doesn't want permanent letting. He shows up at the shop to show me his magnet and he cant pull it off the truck because its been there untouched for 4 years. DAHHHH
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
In order to stay on topic....

to the OP...
You want to be able to buy a new, better, faster computer... printer... laminator...
then...
afford insurance, retirement, college for the kids, a vacation once in a while...

Charge accordingly

Not every 100 buck sign job turns into millions. You are looking for customers
who will recommend you... Seems to me you'll get better customers by being known
for superior service, good design, quality product that you'll back up, than being known
as the cheapest signshop on the planet
 

JMPrinting

New Member
There was a guy up the road from me who didn't last long. He's still in business but couldn't afford a $500 per month space in town. He was selling 2 color magnets, horribly designed 12x24 for $40 a set and 18x24 for $65. I tend to be cheaper than most but if you're new its a learning curve. I used to sell 4x8 sheets of .080 single sided, one color for $200 when I started. I sell now for around 450
 

Jillbeans

New Member
Mt "competitor" was selling a double-sided alumalite 4x8 installed on painted posts for $250.
No way would I do that.
Most noticeable thing on it is of course the phone number. Ugly as hell.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
That makes 100% sense. Arizona is much of the same way, but this market has grown savvy I believe to the lowball alternatives vs paying for what you get. Thats why we charge $50 - $100 to design magnets, its also why our clients are willing to pay at least that. If we were in other less saturated markets I could see the price climbing significantly. I'm also understanding that your competing as a hand artist/sign crafter vs printers which is a losing battle in the instant gratification age.

This post chain has really got me thinking, maybe I should reevaluate what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. Maybe we are leaving too much on the table, maybe 2 projects paying well is better then 4, maybe I should just do the big projects and shut down more often throughout the year.

Fear of failure has always been a motivator of mine, I want to grow and be successful (my perception of success) but I also am not a cut throat business person so I wonder if I will be painted in to a similar corner at some point.


That's all I've been saying. You could be getting so much more, if you look closer at what you're doing. Let the other bottom feeders get your scraps. According to your numbers, you don't need $16. magnetics, not at all. If you were doing them just to keep a customer happy, just give them to them, cause sooner or later, someone is gonna scratch their head and say..... this doesn't add up.

If you are afraid your customers will leave you because of not offering little tidbits..... can the other lowlifes doing magnetics offer this other high end stuff you're talking about ??

I stopped doing mail boxes, license plates, t-shirts, street address signs years ago, cause you can go anywhere online or in the neighborhood and get them for next to nothing. I don't wanna compete with that, nor waste my time. Did we lose any business ?? Probably. I'll bet we lost around $500 a year, but do you realize how many hours I had back to do profitable things ??

Here ya go..... I can cut my grass at home for free. Takes me about 4.5 or so hours with trimming. It's calming, gets me outside and all kindsa other neat things, but I can pay someone to do it for 1/2 of our hourly wage at the shop. I work 1/2 an hour and get back 4 to 5 hours to do something else.... even if it's goof off.

Although it's just you and your brother, besides delegating time between the two of you, you hafta delegate what jobs to do and how they're done.
 
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