Best Way to get new customers?

[Shaun.x729]

Sounds like you are trying to start a sign brokering business. Based upon your profile, you are entering the industry with nothing except..... you wanna try it.

It takes all kinds to make the world go round, but please let me ask you a few questions......

• Can you design..... or will that be farmed out, too ??
• Do you have all of your wholesalers lined up ??
• Do you intend to install anything at all ??
• Are you even allowed to work around electrical signs, let alone their installations ??
• How much time do you expect to put into this, since you are already finding it too hard to find your first customer ??

I like helping people, but what have you done so far, that has failed ?? No sense our beating ourselves up, with ideas you've already tried or can't or won't do.

​

I came back to signs 101 after I got a reminder email. I have actually been flat out busy. I advertise myself as a sign company. I just dont produce the goods inhouse. I was able to quit my job and I am now doing this full time. Bear in mind I install almost all my own jobs. So sometimes I will make a low margin on the signs but I bump it up to a decent level when I ad in my install rate. So far I have had great feedback.

You are welcome to look at my website graphicbrilliance.com

 

[Shaun.x729]

Your business plan is riddled with unrealistic expectations and question marks surrounding how the work gets done, by who, when and for how much. We do a fair amount of wholesale work for other local sign companies who lack the same equipment or expertise. I'd never in a million years do a job for them for 67% of what its really worth. Its well and good to acknowledge that you have no capital and don't want to "burden" yourself with overhead, but those things kind of come with the territory regardless of who is ultimately doing the work. Where will your office be? In your apartment? Will you be going to every single client's location to transact your business?

Well, that takes a car or truck and somewhere to call your office. That's overhead. That cuts into that 33% you expect to make off every job. That's also a very time consumptive way of doing business. All this eats into your time to design and manage your projects.

As soon as you stated your profitability expectations, I knew you hadn't done your homework or have the real world experience you claim.

I find it hard to believe that there are vendors up there desperate enough to take on your work and have you retain nearly all the profit.

Sorry, but the gift of gab and five years of working for others does not make a broker worthy of a 33% profit off every job you touch. You'll never compete with the established brick and mortar shops who have outside salespeople that already have a huge headstart on you. If you are only working production right now in a shop, I know this management stuff must look easy, but managing a business eats up an enormous amount of time and non-productive labor. Even with all the equipment in house, tax writeoffs, decades worth of expertise, etc. 33% profit is a pretty lofty goal when its all said and done.

Hi Thought I would reply to his. Just came back.

I am doing this full time. It works and I am exceptionally busy. I install all my own projects to compensate low margins on sign orders when that happens.
I work with two 1 man band suppliers who have very low overhead and understand what I am doing. I have been sending them consistent business and as a result have grown as well. To them I am the sales guy without the salary they have to pay. As such I am able to negotiate fair rates and also resell them at fair rates. I don't position myself as the cheapest alternative. In fact I am inline with some of the sign franchises. I focus on excellent customer service, speed and reliability. If I sell a 1,000 dollar project WITH installation ( think digitally printed graphics, frosted, interior letters ect) I stand to profit anywhere from 350 - 500. so my margins are healthy. I sell about 10 - 15 K a month. So not exactly huge volume but It pays me as an individual really well.

I appreciate your reply. It did make me rethink my strategy. I got 3M install training ( waiting to do the preferred installation exam)

 

[Shaun.x729]

In addition to my critical analysis of your business model, I offered several concrete ways to spur sales.

Our craft is one that is best sold by the visual appeal of jobs already completed, so you'll need to put a little portfolio together of jobs as you do them in as professional and appealing format as you can. Having project addresses is a great way to spur potential clients to seek out your work.

Stopping in at businesses with signs in distress near jobs you are delivering or installing is another good way. My typical intro is "Hi, I was next door putting up your neighbor's sign and noticed yours is looking a little tired." Or something to that effect. They can easily go look at what you just did for their neighbor and see what kind of quality you are capable of.

I guess a question I'd have that hasn't been asked yet is fairly obvious? Are you a good and/or experienced salesperson?

I think lots of people think they are good salespeople only to find themselves languishing in used car lots, bouncing from sales job to sales job, or failing to ever really sell much of anything no matter what the product is.

You'll find most folks here and in our craft itself are drawn to it from the creative side of themselves first and then we learn how to be good business people after many years of experience. We have artistic talents or skills that lend themselves to this type of work and its a rare one of us who is great at both the creative and the business end of things right from the start.

That being said, being really talented and hard working makes up for a whole lot of business prowess in this wonderful trade many of us have devoted our lives to. At least for a while until economic realities force us to become smart, efficient business minded people.

Its been a while since I have been here. I took your idea and put a twist on it. I look for companies that should have signs, have terrible signs or could do something cool. I take a front on picture of there retail store. I do a quick mock up in illustrator ( I do about 5 a day of these) and I email them/connect with them and ask if they want to do something like this.

I won a job to rebrand 4 dental offices using this method. And still drives about 75% of where all my sales come from. Its a grind though!!

 

[toucan_graphics]

Hello Everyone,

I have started a side business as a signage reseller. I worked on the project management side of things in a few sign companies in the past.

I was always closing inbound leads but never prospecting ( Not part of my role)

I am finding it very time consuming to build a prospecting list and cold calling to gain introductions.

Can I get your advice on what you did to get new customers from SCRATCH. Referrals cant help me here as I don't have any customers yet.

Thanks so much!

What works for me is this:
During my daily driving - to work, the grocery store etc, I look for old run-down or homemade signs of current businesses in my area (or better yet) businesses with NO sign at all. Later, I visit these businesses (if they are open to the public) and browse to get an idea of what they are all about and talk to the decision maker. I introduce myself and make sure I show an interest in their business. During this initial conversation I don't try to sell them anything - I just get a feel for the potential customer.
If I believe they may be interested in my products I will mock up example sign ideas to show them.
This strategy gains several good prospects and I can usually convert 30% of them within 90-120 days and 60% within one year.

In fact, I JUST finished an install yesterday for a client using this method and my first contact with him was 45 days ago.

 

[Shaun.x729]

What works for me is this:
During my daily driving - to work, the grocery store etc, I look for old run-down or homemade signs of current businesses in my area (or better yet) businesses with NO sign at all. Later, I visit these businesses (if they are open to the public) and browse to get an idea of what they are all about and talk to the decision maker. I introduce myself and make sure I show an interest in their business. During this initial conversation I don't try to sell them anything - I just get a feel for the potential customer.
If I believe they may be interested in my products I will mock up example sign ideas to show them.
This strategy gains several good prospects and I can usually convert 30% of them within 90-120 days and 60% within one year.

In fact, I JUST finished an install yesterday for a client using this method and my first contact with him was 45 days ago.

Cool man. Doing something similiar!

 

[Ada]

I have never tried it myself but I have heard from other sign business owners that Business Networking Groups work wonders.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I am boots on the ground when it comes to getting new customers. Knocking doors is the tried and true method that always pays off.

Free Google is a Godsend. Paid adverts got me NOTHING.

I also flood my towns commercial real estate brokers with mailers.

 

[Alta42]

I came back to signs 101 after I got a reminder email. I have actually been flat out busy. I advertise myself as a sign company. I just dont produce the goods inhouse. I was able to quit my job and I am now doing this full time. Bear in mind I install almost all my own jobs. So sometimes I will make a low margin on the signs but I bump it up to a decent level when I ad in my install rate. So far I have had great feedback.

You are welcome to look at my website graphicbrilliance.com

I see you are in the Vancouver area? From what I understand there is a lot of new builds going on there! I'm in southern California (LA and San Diego) and have sold over a million last year (first year in sales) by driving to job sites and talking to the project managers and project engineers. They love someone stopping in, sometimes 2-3 times, and someone who cares. You may want to try that, but be sure to brush up on the building code as it pertains to signage. Good luck in your endeavors, it's a fun industry!

 

[mark galoob]

Print broker=. Scumbag of the earth. Find another profession and keep your dignity sir

 

[Shaun.x729]

Print broker=. Scumbag of the earth. Find another profession and keep your dignity sir

People with a bad attitude and give unintelligent replies = scum bag of the earth. Find another forum and keep your dignity sir.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Print broker=. Scumbag of the earth. Find another profession and keep your dignity sir

Why, even full fledged printshops sub work out if they are smart. Its not smart to do it all yourself and most times it's not smart to turn your clients over to a competition that is willing to do whatever it takes to gain all of their business.

 

[neato]

Congrats on your success! I think there is some hostility because you're being successful in this business without all the overhead and headache of owning a shop. To me, that's just smart.
I know of others doing the same thing. They do well with it.
Some of us are craftsmen, others are salesmen.

 

[cdoan337]

I joined a BNI group chapter in my area about month ago. I have picked up quite a few jobs with it. These groups are business owners like us and love what we have to offer them and more. I was overwhelmed at one point with just request. With your skills, you might need a partner/worker soon.

 

[jaylem]

As blunt as some of the other fellows here can be they've hit the nail on the head this is a difficult task
I had gone down this road myself and found that only doing design and sales didn't produce the amount of profit necessary to run my business.

I am an experienced and formally educated graphic designer. I also spent time a small in production building simple aigna and boat graphics at a local marina thar has an inhouse graphics deparyment.

when I started out on my own I had contacted other sign companies and worked out wholesale pricing and install rates. I found I wasn't making near the 30%. It was more like 15% on production and install. I was living off of the design revenue. I found that my prices were higher than average because the sign companies aren't being honest, they gave me the same discount they would give the end consumer.

Eventually I built a small building on the corner of my property and slowly started adding equipment and providing my own production. That gave me much more profit and control over the finished product. It also meant that I didn't need to find as many clients because my profit per client went up exponentially.

I found that it is best for us to focus on what we do well and let the someone else handle the rest. Understand your capabilities and work within them. Keep in mind it doesn't mean not to challenge your self.

Btw...i made a lot more money as a salesperson than as a sign maker. Sales is probably the most lucrative profession in the world. One of the key components to a successful career in sales is a support system which you don't have. If you truly enjoy the sales end of the industry u might want to try becoming the premium sales agent at a large sign company. If I didn't enjoy the actual crafting of the sign so much I would just do the sales.

 

[MGB_LE]

-snip-
Free Google is a Godsend.
-snip-

I manage wide format for our company and I'm always thinking of ways to get our name and capabilities out there without relying solely on our salespeople. Can you elaborate on what you mean by Free Google? For advertising your own business?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I manage wide format for our company and I'm always thinking of ways to get our name and capabilities out there without relying solely on our salespeople. Can you elaborate on what you mean by Free Google? For advertising your own business?

The free Google business listing you can get. I don't think I'd be in business without it. In my previous comment I said that the paid adverts got me nothing. Well, I don't think that's true anymore. I spend about $50-$100/ week on the paid listings and I've seen a very meaningful increase in business. I believe the paid adverts helped my "Free" listing move up in the ranks.