Joe Diaz
New Member
This is totally a personal opinion, but I believe the best way to enter the sign business, the way that will more likely result in success, is to first try working for an established sign business.
Now hear me out on this… What better way to learn about the sign business, then by getting some on the job training from established professionals while receiving a steady paycheck. I think you’ll get more questions answered in the first week of work then you could in two months trying to figure it out on your own or by visiting a sign forum.
Now again I’m going to point out that this is strictly an opinion, and this doesn’t apply to everyone. Keep in mind I’m trying to be helpful here: I’ve seen a lot of guys take the whole “start out as a hobby that I’m hoping will take off one day” approach, and for a few it might work, but I think for the majority it ends in failure. If you want to see a good example of this in effect, check out eBay, and search for vinyl plotter, (or better yet sticker plotter
). Meanwhile, while you’re trying to get this “hobby” to work out for you, you’re saturating the market and I’m just guessing here, but while starting out you will need to do anything and everything to stay competitive, by lowering prices, using cheaper materials, and selling designs for free. Where as this might temporarily help you, it hurts everyone else, and in the long run damage your own image. People are beginning to expect us to offer dirt cheep prices, and free designs… and they’re expecting everyone’s sign to fail within the first year due to cheep products being used in the place of high performance materials. People began to think that sign makers are a bunch of guys and gals that do this sort of thing as a hobby and now nobody take the whole sign community seriously anymore.
Now in saying all that, I also would like to point out that I’m not upset or anything, just stating observations. But you have to realize why some on here might be upset, especially after asking for some on here to do what we should be getting paid to do, to figure out for you… for free. Without offering anything to us in advance.
So don’t be upset… just understand
Whereas I can’t give you advice on what to name your business (which by the way if your entering a business that revolves around a person’s creative talent, you should really be able to figure out your businesses name on your own), I can give you the advice to try working for an existing sign business first. It’s really the best advice I can give. Then when you are confident in your skills will you be able to successfully go out on your own.
Again… just opinions here.
Now hear me out on this… What better way to learn about the sign business, then by getting some on the job training from established professionals while receiving a steady paycheck. I think you’ll get more questions answered in the first week of work then you could in two months trying to figure it out on your own or by visiting a sign forum.
Now again I’m going to point out that this is strictly an opinion, and this doesn’t apply to everyone. Keep in mind I’m trying to be helpful here: I’ve seen a lot of guys take the whole “start out as a hobby that I’m hoping will take off one day” approach, and for a few it might work, but I think for the majority it ends in failure. If you want to see a good example of this in effect, check out eBay, and search for vinyl plotter, (or better yet sticker plotter
). Meanwhile, while you’re trying to get this “hobby” to work out for you, you’re saturating the market and I’m just guessing here, but while starting out you will need to do anything and everything to stay competitive, by lowering prices, using cheaper materials, and selling designs for free. Where as this might temporarily help you, it hurts everyone else, and in the long run damage your own image. People are beginning to expect us to offer dirt cheep prices, and free designs… and they’re expecting everyone’s sign to fail within the first year due to cheep products being used in the place of high performance materials. People began to think that sign makers are a bunch of guys and gals that do this sort of thing as a hobby and now nobody take the whole sign community seriously anymore. Now in saying all that, I also would like to point out that I’m not upset or anything, just stating observations. But you have to realize why some on here might be upset, especially after asking for some on here to do what we should be getting paid to do, to figure out for you… for free. Without offering anything to us in advance.
So don’t be upset… just understand
Whereas I can’t give you advice on what to name your business (which by the way if your entering a business that revolves around a person’s creative talent, you should really be able to figure out your businesses name on your own), I can give you the advice to try working for an existing sign business first. It’s really the best advice I can give. Then when you are confident in your skills will you be able to successfully go out on your own.
Again… just opinions here.
