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Here's my business card, and my artwork
- Thread starter Vinyldog
- Start date
James Burke
Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Easy one....
Tell them you can only make the sign as large as, or smaller than, their card.
JB
Tell them you can only make the sign as large as, or smaller than, their card.
JB
TXFB.INS
New Member
exactly how we operate, and surprise surprise they usually can find the needed file format
the file size is a mute point, had customer bring in a low res image. we said no and needed it in a high res. so they scanned same image (could see the stain on the paper) and re-saved as a high res JPG
I'd have to say that as far as the "graphics" world food chain, we signmakers are still ranked towards the bottom of the customer sophistication with technology and computer savviness arena. We get folks of all types and many simply want us to help them. We regularly get jobs handed to us because our competitors give a potential customer grief over an artwork issue.
Face it, we can either be a help to our customers and project our expertise by being able to work our magic on their garbage ( for a cost! ) or be perceived as a hindrance if we give them too much grief over how they get us their artwork.
Our customers who aren't technically proficient or aren't able to find a perfectly formatted digital file of exactly what WE want are really grateful when we offer them the opportunity to inexpensively recreate their artwork in a workable format. It saves them from another step and business interaction somewhere else AND we get to further educate them as to all the other services we're capable of.
To me, one of the reasons I got into graphic design and signmaking to begin with was my ability to duplicate great looking artwork and signs from crude rudimentary concepts.
Face it, we can either be a help to our customers and project our expertise by being able to work our magic on their garbage ( for a cost! ) or be perceived as a hindrance if we give them too much grief over how they get us their artwork.
Our customers who aren't technically proficient or aren't able to find a perfectly formatted digital file of exactly what WE want are really grateful when we offer them the opportunity to inexpensively recreate their artwork in a workable format. It saves them from another step and business interaction somewhere else AND we get to further educate them as to all the other services we're capable of.
To me, one of the reasons I got into graphic design and signmaking to begin with was my ability to duplicate great looking artwork and signs from crude rudimentary concepts.
Vinyldog
New Member
Agreed. I don't want to make them feel like an idiot, but I definitely don't want spend thirty clicks teaching them what pixilated means either. Sometimes it does get tense because they feel like I just don’t want to do the job. I’d like to find a good, quick way to just get past the idea of using the card and figure out what can be done. I’m not going to mention the graphics departments for major corporations who persist in sending me PNG’s from their website as artwork because that is a whole other can of worms.
WildWestDesigns
Active Member
Good luck with this.
Most of us here have more then a passing knowledge in computers, some actually really like dealing under the hood of computers and software in general (for a variety of reasons).
The majority of end customers don't give a rip at all. Computers are just a means to an end and they just expect us to "handle it, handle it". Trying to educate them on these things is going to fall on deaf ears in my experience.
I just tell them my list of concerns (or if it's really bad, I'll say I can't do it) and I'll see what I can do. Now I do have the luxury of having the same workflow rather I get a raster or vector file, but that's really all I do anymore for just the average joe customer.
Most of us here have more then a passing knowledge in computers, some actually really like dealing under the hood of computers and software in general (for a variety of reasons).
The majority of end customers don't give a rip at all. Computers are just a means to an end and they just expect us to "handle it, handle it". Trying to educate them on these things is going to fall on deaf ears in my experience.
I just tell them my list of concerns (or if it's really bad, I'll say I can't do it) and I'll see what I can do. Now I do have the luxury of having the same workflow rather I get a raster or vector file, but that's really all I do anymore for just the average joe customer.
Another reason we go the extra mile is that we explain that once the artwork is in our computers the way we need it, the next time they order something the process is less costly, much quicker and easier. Everybody loves easier, faster and cheaper.
That not only gets them nearly every time, but it also cements it in their minds of who exactly to come back to for their next project or re-order.
That not only gets them nearly every time, but it also cements it in their minds of who exactly to come back to for their next project or re-order.
TyrantDesigner
Art! Hot and fresh.
It's part of the job, sadly. Only thing you can do is inform, educate and hope for the best ... and if need be, cover your time with an art fee. Mind you, any day I get more than a screen shot, of a photo, of a xerox from 20 years ago ... is a day to rejoice. Seriously, nothing irks me more than people who send cell phone screen shots, of something they took with a shakey camera in the dark, of something that looks like it ran through the ringer and they want that exact thing.
It's annoying, but it's part of the business. As I've stated on other similar subjects, I really don't think about it that much. I charge them a small fee and send the artwork to get vectorized. With a business card, the charge would likely be around $30-45. If they don't want to pay $30-45 to cleanup their artwork, they likely aren't a very good customer.
Jwalk
New Member
As my years of experience grows one thing I find tricky is the dum questions can come from all sorts of customers. Some customers are just there looking for a hand out and some are very good paying customers. So I never know anymore and have to give them all the benefit of the doubt.
Some clients I swore was a waste of my time that turned out to be very lucrative.
Some clients I swore was a waste of my time that turned out to be very lucrative.
True, and another up-sell option is you explain to them in this day-in-time, every company needs to have their logo professionally set-up in multiple layouts such
as color, black and white, stacked, not stacked, etc. and in multiple file formats... this will save them money and hassle when ordering shirts, advertisement, etc.
So you can clean up there file for $xx.xx for use in making signs/banners at your shop, or for $xxx.xx you can provide them with a DVD that has everything they will need in the future.
And the plus side, they don't tell everyone to call you for their logo.
First question...
Most customers walk into our place and say, "How much for business cards?" We then ask all the questions before giving them a price such as: how many do you want, what are we putting on the cards or are we redesigning/creating something for you, when do you need them in-hand?
90% of the time it's a job we have to do the design work. For these people we give them the price with the design charge already included. Then we tell them they will only pay this the first time. Whenever they need more just call and their price will be $x.xx because it's already designed. We also tell them that in the future should they have simple changes (I.e. Phone number or Adress) that we will do it for free. We won't charge you for ever little thing. But if you call and say you want a completely different look then we have to charge you a design fee.
most of my customers are good with this. There are a handful that are difficult. They don't want to pay the design fee. They mention Vista Print and $9.95. I then pull out the stack of Vista Print cards that we ordered that say, "This is my cheap Vista Print card that looks and feels like I printed them at home and broke them apart just in time to meet you. I understand that these make me look cheap." As soon as they touch the 6 point "feels like construction paper" cards they say,"yeah I'll let you guys design something for me."
Most customers walk into our place and say, "How much for business cards?" We then ask all the questions before giving them a price such as: how many do you want, what are we putting on the cards or are we redesigning/creating something for you, when do you need them in-hand?
90% of the time it's a job we have to do the design work. For these people we give them the price with the design charge already included. Then we tell them they will only pay this the first time. Whenever they need more just call and their price will be $x.xx because it's already designed. We also tell them that in the future should they have simple changes (I.e. Phone number or Adress) that we will do it for free. We won't charge you for ever little thing. But if you call and say you want a completely different look then we have to charge you a design fee.
most of my customers are good with this. There are a handful that are difficult. They don't want to pay the design fee. They mention Vista Print and $9.95. I then pull out the stack of Vista Print cards that we ordered that say, "This is my cheap Vista Print card that looks and feels like I printed them at home and broke them apart just in time to meet you. I understand that these make me look cheap." As soon as they touch the 6 point "feels like construction paper" cards they say,"yeah I'll let you guys design something for me."
Vinyldog
New Member
And there was a time when you could just hop on Fotilia or i-stock and get good printable file of what the customer wanted for a few bucks. Now everywhere seems to require a pricey membership fee. Eventually someone will become a middle-man and offer the images piecemeal to smaller users I would think.
I do always charge a lay-out fee one way or another for anything that takes more than fifteen min. If I don’t mention it up-front I will just add it into the price. Sometimes just as a small percentage increase on their future purchases.
Many people don’t mind paying for the art-charge they just don’t want to be told about it.
I do always charge a lay-out fee one way or another for anything that takes more than fifteen min. If I don’t mention it up-front I will just add it into the price. Sometimes just as a small percentage increase on their future purchases.
Many people don’t mind paying for the art-charge they just don’t want to be told about it.
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OldPaint
New Member
i solve this problem real quick. they give me the BC, i walk or roll back away from them 10 feet or so........and ask them "tell me what you see on your business card from there?" so now they know IT WONT WORK LIKE THAT!!!!!
then we can design A SIGN THAT IS READABLE from 10 feet or better))))
then we can design A SIGN THAT IS READABLE from 10 feet or better))))
"Face it, we can either be a help to our customers and project our expertise by being able to work our magic on their garbage ( for a cost! ) or be perceived as a hindrance if we give them too much grief over how they get us their artwork."
This is how we handle it. I can tell by the card if they will have the artwork and if they do not I usually tell them "I can get somewhat close but not exact" and most people respond very well to this and are extremely appreciative. OH and don't forget to charge for it
This is how we handle it. I can tell by the card if they will have the artwork and if they do not I usually tell them "I can get somewhat close but not exact" and most people respond very well to this and are extremely appreciative. OH and don't forget to charge for it
TheSnowman
New Member
I normally just send whatever they give me to the vector doctor and come to work the next day and I have the file. Not a big deal unless it's super complex which most of my business cards are not.
I do like the idea of ordering some vista print cards that knock vista print, and having them there ready on display.
I do like the idea of ordering some vista print cards that knock vista print, and having them there ready on display.
Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?
New Member
This morning I ran into a new one. I was sent a .avery file as a business card concept. It's an Avery Dennison template file. People think they can just send any file and we can magically open it up.