Did the Cost of Living go down overnight?

[Locals Find!]

I am sorry I have to complain here and I am sure many of you have already done so. So I apologize in advance.

I am a Sign Broker. I don't do a lot of things in house.

However, I don't give away product. I admit to lowering my prices on 1 or 2 items to get the phone ring. Base model stuff.

Now I have a guy telling me that in order to get his business he wants me to lower a price of a 4x8 10 mil coroplast sign w/ a Full color Full Bleed laminated digital print to only $5.00 over my actual cost. Then he wants me to do the install and take down when the property sells for the price of just the install.

In return he will give me his real estate sign business in a few week :ROFLMAO: and let me sell him business cards that I only make a few dollars off and only even advertise to get the phone to ring.

If this is what you guys go through everyday no wonder some of you are so negative and blasted me about those few low ball products of mine.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

The property taxes are lowering because the real estate over charged and inflated values so the Government could get more on taxes well since our fake economy hit the fan, real estate, developers, construction and all those connected well they been dropping cost down just to get work ... while the rest have been raising prices.

When a customer says they will pay X amount only, smile and raise your cost, you may not get the work but you won't lose your shirt. and you be open for business for your next customer.

 

[John Butto]

what is the price...

What is the price of a 4x8 10 mil coroplast sign w/ a Full color Full Bleed laminated digital print in your area. I wonder how much profit the person who makes the sign for you is making. In some places $5 will not even get you a pack of cigarettes and delivering the sign will burn your profit again with gasoline.

 

[SignManiac]

Over the years, realtors have mastered the art of cheap and beating down sign prices. It became possible due to all of the inexperienced start up sign companies desperate to sell their first jobs on price alone. The problem is, when you lower your price to get the job, you have now set a dangerous precedent and lowered the bar. You will have a hard time raising prices in the future. That same customer you just gave a great deal to is going to always expect to pay that price. He's also going to tell all of his buddies what that particular sign cost so don't count on them paying more than their buddy did.

This is what has caused the downward spiral and devaluation of the sign industry today. What once sold for $10.00 per square foot, now sells for $2.00 a square foot. A few smart business minded sign professionals will be able to get the proper price but the vast majority in the business today will soon find it's not best way to make a living today. Sure the work can sometimes be easy but it's not a qet rich quick business anymore.

 

[Locals Find!]

Without giving away any trade info I can say I priced the sign out, with sign, posts, installation, and art at $434.60.

He came back with only wanting to pay $350.00 Install and take down w/ tax.

I told him I would produce the sign at $315 w/ the 7 foot u-posts and he could install it himself. Prices quoted to him on the actual estimate I originally quoted.

I would throw him a bone on the art as I already had the logo I designed it and was already paid on that and the rest was arial text. Nothing complicated by any means.

 

[Gene@mpls]

A few smart business minded sign professionals will be able to get the proper price but the vast majority in the business today will soon find it's not best way to make a living today. Sure the work can sometimes be easy but it's not a qet rich quick business anymore.

Thank Dog I made my fortune before the downturn. :ROFLMAO:

 

[OldPaint]

if you was SMART..........when the guy said he was in REAL ESTATE, you shoulda just hung up!!!!hahahahahahahaha.
i lived in sarasota, in the real estate BOOM years...........and i got burned a couple of times by these jerks. one thing to remember about these people:
they dont HAVE MONEY, till the property SELLS. so they will try anything to get stuff done for little or no money............because they work on OTHER PEOPLES MONEY......NOT THEIRS!!!!!

 

[Firefox]

if you was SMART..........when the guy said he was in REAL ESTATE, you shoulda just hung up!!!!hahahahahahahaha.
i lived in sarasota, in the real estate BOOM years...........and i got burned a couple of times by these jerks. one thing to remember about these people:
they dont HAVE MONEY, till the property SELLS. so they will try anything to get stuff done for little or no money............because they work on OTHER PEOPLES MONEY......NOT THEIRS!!!!!

I never thought of it that way but you are right... they are just like politicians!

Always get paid up front with politicians!

Otherwise if they lose the election or escrow falls through you are screwed!

 

[chopper]

if you was SMART..........when the guy said he was in REAL ESTATE, you shoulda just hung up!!!!hahahahahahahaha.
i lived in sarasota, in the real estate BOOM years...........and i got burned a couple of times by these jerks. one thing to remember about these people:
they dont HAVE MONEY, till the property SELLS. so they will try anything to get stuff done for little or no money............because they work on OTHER PEOPLES MONEY......NOT THEIRS!!!!!

as odd as this may seem I find myself agreeing with op again....
I think this is twice now .... kinda scary.
//chopper

 

[Brandon708]

He came back with only wanting to pay $350.00 Install and take down w/ tax.

If it where me I would give him this deal. "Realtors Deal"

-4x8 10mm coro w/ 1 color
-Installed and taken down (within 10 mile radius)
-Leased u-channel posts
-Free Storage of sign (if you have space)

$400 w/ tax included. (tax shouldn't be that much since there is no tax on installations)


I would do this all day with realtors if I had the chance.

 

[Locals Find!]

If it where me I would give him this deal. "Realtors Deal"

-4x8 10mm coro w/ 1 color
-Installed and taken down (within 10 mile radius)
-Leased u-channel posts
-Free Storage of sign (if you have space)

$400 w/ tax included. (tax shouldn't be that much since there is no tax on installations)


I would do this all day with realtors if I had the chance.

I don't know if $400 for one color would fly in this market. However, that is a DAMN fine Idea. I could probably get $200 a pop on 1 color. I got plenty of room for stacking em.

I had proposed something similar to this to him to get the work at $350.00. Not much of a stretch from your idea. I am glad someone else also had a similar idea.

You just made my night. I may just go ahead and make this a permanent line. I could do that all day long here. Wouldn't hurt my bottom line.

 

[Brandon708]

I have had good success with realtors. Just make sure they pay 50/50. Most don't have a problem with that and most pay in full when they order.

Realtors are good for business because they know a lot of people. We get a lot of referrals from realtors. Commercial realtors are the best because they even refer the new business that just purchased the building! We have gotten tons of channel letter jobs from that.

 

[Locals Find!]

Most of my clients are realtors and I haven't had much trouble with any of them. With the exception of this one individual which really isn't trouble.

I have one office that gives me close to $1000 a work a month. I get 90% of his business on everything for the office. I do a lot of bulk mailing for him.

I like Realtors for the same reason you do. They know everyone and usually I can get paid upfront from there credit cards.

I have an online designer I use to setup offices with there pre designed templates where the agents just fill in the form and output there signs and other printed materials.

Gives me camera ready artwork every time and they just love it.

 

[Techman]

Realtors are good for business because they know a lot of people

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHHAAHHAHAAHAAHHAH rofl

 

[Wes Phifer]

Adtechia, you are having good luck with the BEPO deal? I was thinking about trying it.

 

[ProWraps]

i thought you were 1 of i7q979387qwe98r7q9we87r "Artist of Choice for the 106th Convention an Honor only 105 other have ever held" why are you outsourcing your jobs then complaining about them here?

you are the SH*T with your artwork. are you just SH*T with your biz skills? im just wondering.

realtors and race car drivers are A+++++. you really should build your biz around them.

clearly your skilz are a+plus, plus. you should for reals make a ton of moneys. for reals. you are artist choice for the 106th HONOR OF ONLY 105 OTHERS! dude capitalize brother! work that sh*t.

(bradster, please dont give me another infraction. serously bro, i put ***in the place of the bad parts of the bad words. you go girl. i even put +++ where i thought it was questionable.)

 

[Dave Drane]

Myself, I stay as far away from real estate agents, Women's hairdressers and accountants, lawyers and other proffessional people as I possibly can!

 

[Locals Find!]

Adtechia, you are having good luck with the BEPO deal? I was thinking about trying it.

That one is one I just stuck on there cause it was free. Its only useful to someone with camera ready artwork that kinda knows what they are doing.

I have another one I programmed using zetaprints.com backbone.

Link to website removed. Please observe our rules.

Forgot to mention that Zetaprints.com is a pay as you go service they give you access to the backbone for free but you pay when an order comes through. I suggest it for anyone in any graphics field. Two guys out of NZ run it. I love it and its only limited by your abilities. I have no monetary affiliation with them. I am simply a customer that uses and believes in there product.

 

[SignManiac]

Hey Adtech, with as much marketing as you're doing you might consider becoming a merchant member of this site. Food for thought.

 

[Locals Find!]

Hey Adtech, with as much marketing as you're doing you might consider becoming a merchant member of this site. Food for thought.

I honestly didn't set out to do any marketing. I really thought I was just sharing. If it appears that I am marketing. I guess I better become one just to keep on the right side of the powers that be that bring me this knowledge base.

Thanks for the input.