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anthony smith
New Member
Site looks good
Lots of do it yourself types will
love it
hope you do well
Prices are right on line for most high production shops
and especially on line business
wish you well
let us know how it all turns out
we have never had much luck with
the online end of the sign business
but looks like you are going in the
right direction
Lots of do it yourself types will
love it
hope you do well
Prices are right on line for most high production shops
and especially on line business
wish you well
let us know how it all turns out
we have never had much luck with
the online end of the sign business
but looks like you are going in the
right direction
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
As I already posted folks ...
You can carry on about the business model or the prices till the cows come home ... but all of that is just off topic.
You can carry on about the business model or the prices till the cows come home ... but all of that is just off topic.
Service Sign Co
New Member
Jon Aston
New Member
BTW...
I don't think esigns (or others like them...which is pretty much a given) will hurt most real sign companies. They might even be doing real sign companies a favor...weeding out the chaff.
People who value effective design (among other things...like personal, consultative service...quality installation, etc) will pay professionals.
I don't think esigns (or others like them...which is pretty much a given) will hurt most real sign companies. They might even be doing real sign companies a favor...weeding out the chaff.
People who value effective design (among other things...like personal, consultative service...quality installation, etc) will pay professionals.
TheSnowman
New Member
Yup. Agreed.
Service Sign Co
New Member
Ya got 5 minutes
The Big Squeegee
Long Time Member
Welcome from OK
I did not get far with it. I quit when prompted for a download. Good luck.
I did not get far with it. I quit when prompted for a download. Good luck.
cdiesel
New Member
Sorry, Fred..
It will probably attract of lot of el cheapo do it yourselfers, and the prices are okay for wholesaling (which is what this is equal to), except that you're retailing. Just wait until customers call asking questions, how you do this, the color was blue on my screen, but printed purple?!? The $6.95 shipping is way too cheap, too. If I ordered 50 banners, are you going to ship them for $6.95?
I'm all about competition. Good competition, that is. Many of the other members here are competitors of one another, but most of us are committed to furthering our abilities, helping others, and improving the industry in general. While there are some customers who are too cheap for our time, and will probably love a site like this, and there are many who truly value design/execution/consultation, there are many more who will call us expecting full sign shop service, and the esigns price. There are still more that just look at price only, and we won't even have a chance to prove ourselves to them because we're priced 5x what esigns sells for. It's one thing to be $10 higher than the guy down the street, but customers will think you're crazy when you quote a banner @ $5 a foot after seeing this site.
Now I'll have my
!
It will probably attract of lot of el cheapo do it yourselfers, and the prices are okay for wholesaling (which is what this is equal to), except that you're retailing. Just wait until customers call asking questions, how you do this, the color was blue on my screen, but printed purple?!? The $6.95 shipping is way too cheap, too. If I ordered 50 banners, are you going to ship them for $6.95?
I'm all about competition. Good competition, that is. Many of the other members here are competitors of one another, but most of us are committed to furthering our abilities, helping others, and improving the industry in general. While there are some customers who are too cheap for our time, and will probably love a site like this, and there are many who truly value design/execution/consultation, there are many more who will call us expecting full sign shop service, and the esigns price. There are still more that just look at price only, and we won't even have a chance to prove ourselves to them because we're priced 5x what esigns sells for. It's one thing to be $10 higher than the guy down the street, but customers will think you're crazy when you quote a banner @ $5 a foot after seeing this site.
Now I'll have my
!
Jon Aston
New Member
Chris, I think you're right.
"Competition" like esigns (or local lowballers, for that matter) may well force real sign shops to justify their prices more often, to more customers. I guess where we differ in opinion, a little, is that (however frustrating) I still think that's good for you. No business can afford to become too complacent. The marketplace is dynamic and, to remain successful, you need to be too... Whether that means improving your sales skills, finding new efficiencies to remain competitive, or constantly looking for new ways to create value for your clients...or "all of the above".
Let's talk sales for a minute. Not so much sales skills...as sales philosophy...and methodology.
Trust me on this: Price, while not irrelevant, is not the customer's most important consideration. They may think it is. It may be "top of mind" when they first walk through the door, or when you first answer the phone...but it isn't.
There's an old saying in the sales game (I hate that expression, BTW) that says "nobody ever bought a drill because they wanted a drill". What did they really want? Holes. When they walk through your front door, they don't really want a sign, or (more to the point) a cheap sign. So, what do they really want?
Now, bear with me for a moment.
Yes, what they really want is to attract new customers. They want other things too: To project an image that attracts the right customers; they want to communicate the right things about their company, product, or service. There may be more.
If you are responsible for your company's sales, the most important thing you can do (for the company and for the customer) is to find out what the customer/prospect really wants: What do they want, what does it mean to their business if they succeed in getting it...and how important is it today (in the grand scheme of all of the things they have to worry about, as business owners, or high-level managers). How do you find this out? By crafting and asking a series of open ended questions (questions that can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no")...and listening.
Now. Here's the tricky part. The part that will take a leap of faith. Are you ready? Refuse to give the customer a price until you understand what they really want...until after they've told you what they really want. As they discuss what they really want (which might be a revelation) they will lose focus on price.
Think of this as a game. If you win, they win. If you lose...they lose (because they will never get what they really want). The rules of the game are that you are allowed to acknowledge the importance of price (you wouldn't expect anyone to buy if the price was unacceptable...or truly unaffordable), but you aren't allowed to give a price until the end. Price is the last thing you are willing to discuss.
Some (maybe many) will fight you on this. Some (a few) will get frustrated and walk. Let them. Most won't. Especially if you can find a way to make the process enjoyable for them (which mostly means having fun doing it...and making it fun for them).
Those of you brave enough to try this approach, and get good at it (by practicing it, on an everyday basis) will be rewarded. It won't take long.
The beauty of this, if I may say, is that you're developing a discipline: No chance of rewards for you, until you understand what the customer really wants. And isn't "what the customer really wants" the most important thing you could possibly know?
"Competition" like esigns (or local lowballers, for that matter) may well force real sign shops to justify their prices more often, to more customers. I guess where we differ in opinion, a little, is that (however frustrating) I still think that's good for you. No business can afford to become too complacent. The marketplace is dynamic and, to remain successful, you need to be too... Whether that means improving your sales skills, finding new efficiencies to remain competitive, or constantly looking for new ways to create value for your clients...or "all of the above".
Let's talk sales for a minute. Not so much sales skills...as sales philosophy...and methodology.
Trust me on this: Price, while not irrelevant, is not the customer's most important consideration. They may think it is. It may be "top of mind" when they first walk through the door, or when you first answer the phone...but it isn't.
There's an old saying in the sales game (I hate that expression, BTW) that says "nobody ever bought a drill because they wanted a drill". What did they really want? Holes. When they walk through your front door, they don't really want a sign, or (more to the point) a cheap sign. So, what do they really want?
Now, bear with me for a moment.
Yes, what they really want is to attract new customers. They want other things too: To project an image that attracts the right customers; they want to communicate the right things about their company, product, or service. There may be more.
If you are responsible for your company's sales, the most important thing you can do (for the company and for the customer) is to find out what the customer/prospect really wants: What do they want, what does it mean to their business if they succeed in getting it...and how important is it today (in the grand scheme of all of the things they have to worry about, as business owners, or high-level managers). How do you find this out? By crafting and asking a series of open ended questions (questions that can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no")...and listening.
Now. Here's the tricky part. The part that will take a leap of faith. Are you ready? Refuse to give the customer a price until you understand what they really want...until after they've told you what they really want. As they discuss what they really want (which might be a revelation) they will lose focus on price.
Think of this as a game. If you win, they win. If you lose...they lose (because they will never get what they really want). The rules of the game are that you are allowed to acknowledge the importance of price (you wouldn't expect anyone to buy if the price was unacceptable...or truly unaffordable), but you aren't allowed to give a price until the end. Price is the last thing you are willing to discuss.
Some (maybe many) will fight you on this. Some (a few) will get frustrated and walk. Let them. Most won't. Especially if you can find a way to make the process enjoyable for them (which mostly means having fun doing it...and making it fun for them).
Those of you brave enough to try this approach, and get good at it (by practicing it, on an everyday basis) will be rewarded. It won't take long.
The beauty of this, if I may say, is that you're developing a discipline: No chance of rewards for you, until you understand what the customer really wants. And isn't "what the customer really wants" the most important thing you could possibly know?
TheSnowman
New Member
That's a good question.
Custom Signs
New Member
If you're ging to use my name at the top of "making a banner" webpage make sure you send me my cut on each banner, sign. decal, etc. sold. And please inform me next time we take on a project like this!
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Chris, I don't disagree with your take on the site, but, to be clear, I have no connection with it whatsoever other than to provide for a fee and as a favor some calculated exposure to search engine bots. www.esigns.com is a member here under a different name who, for obvious reasons, wishes to remain anonymous. They could have accomplished the same thing by taking out some banner ads around the net.
I look at this as a business model ... designed to attract a certain type of business and seeking a market share. To the best of my knowledge, it is not designed or intended to attract wholesale to the trade business. It is a retail site seeking to create a volume business by eliminating a lot of expenses in marketing and other overhead while providing the customer the ability to communicate their needs (as they see them) accurately without human contact.
You can look at this as one type of business that you are competing with and learn something about it or you can dismiss it out of hand. Your call. Or you might even see it as an opportunity to reach some buyers in a new way with a similar site ... at prices you feel are more in line with your business.
But, too the point: I am in no way connected with www.esigns.com.
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
As previously posted, the site is a retail site. Signs 101 has no connection to it nor do I personally.
It is aimed at the market segment that dines at McDonalds and shops at Home Depot and Walmart. It bridges some of the language barrier as well as caters to those who do not like to deal with sales people, do not like to leave their homes or offices on buying trips, have little or no appreciation for the value of good design, and view a sign or banner as a commodity.