How do you help customers will low budgets out?

[mark in tx]

Find out what the budget is.
Match a product to that.
Provide them a roadmap to cover all their needs over the next year.

 

[ddarlak]

Help is when you see someone on the side of the road and pull over, help is when you see someone down and give them a hand, help is what rich people call the people that work for them.

you do not charge for help, it is something you give.

i'm in the business to make money....

 

[Gino]

I am

Yeah, me too.





Okay, so you go to the store and know your budget. You will buy accordingly. That's a fact.

I think the rest of us are saying the same thing, but offering the person instead of caviar and brie, we're asking them if they'd like to try pizza with pepperoni and wings.... and if that doesn't cut it..... crackers and beer. I mean, anything goes with beer.

Really, what's wrong with offering someone three levels of something and letting them decide ??

You either put your vinyl, digital prints or hand painted graphics on high end substrates or go down to Cor-X. The graphics will cost the same regardless of what substrate you use, so you design them according to their budget. It's a rather simple process and it makes everyone happy in the long run.

With only having one item on the menu, you better hope everyone can afford it and you haven't made your niche so unique that you only get a few customers. It's always been a good company policy to have many things from which to choose, so your customers don't go shopping at the next market or restaurant for everything. Competition is a good thing, but not in this market lately, I think it's a little better to be flexible.

​

 

[mark in tx]

Just remember to value your work appropriately, no matter what.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

you do not charge for help, it is something you give.

Depends on the situation. Sometimes you pay, sometimes you don't. It all depends on what "help" is being defined as. It's relative.

People pay tutors to "help" them or their children in areas that they need it. People have hired me to "help" them do some tweaking to their website.

 

[ddarlak]

when help means giving away work for less then normal pricing.... then it's not the same help as some mean it....

 

[Colin]

I'm reminded of this:

Customer: "Can you do a better price?"

Me: "Better for you or for me?"

 

[mark in tx]

There is a big difference in telling the customer that a coro sign is 10 bucks, aluminum is 25 bucks, carved HDU is 250 bucks or telling the customer I'll give you the aluminum sign at the coro price.
One way is madness.
You pick which.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

when help means giving away work for less then normal pricing.... then it's not the same help as some mean it....

I think I see where the hiccup is. I don't think anyone really is saying, take my premium package and cut it 40% because of the SOB story they gave me. But have a "package" that is 40% less, but covers my end of things. Materials, time(within the confines of the package), work etc. Cheaper shirt, or one or two thread colors versus 5 or 6 etc.

I think(atleast it's my case) that when people in this thread are saying that they help out different budgets is that they have this wonderful design layout that costs xxx, but they also have this decent layout that costs xx to help those that still want to have good work for what they can afford.

I wouldn't advocate doing work that would normal cost 1000 and do it for 300, unless there was some damn good circumstance going along with it. But I do firmly believe in having options. Some don't and that's fine.

 

[Gino]

This is a very interesting topic.

I would like to know if we're talking about helping a person without it hurting your pocketbook by offering a one of a kind package... or researching to see if you can produce something for less money and thus offering it to the client for less money ??

If someone comes in and asks for a banner, don't you guys/gals offer an 11-oz, possibly a 13-oz or 19-oz banner according to their needs ?? I mean, how do they know what they need in any given situation without asking ??

So if you're lettering a banner that says 'Harry's Workout Gym' don't you charge the same for all the design time and vinyl cutting, taping and applying and the difference in the media is what will change the cost ??

 

[signmeup]

The general public have no idea what signs cost. This is why they seldom have a budget set aside for signs. At least that's what it's like where I live.

 

[Gino]

The general public have no idea what signs cost. This is why they seldom have a budget set aside for signs. At least that's what it's like where I live.

:ROFLMAO: They do after they visit :signs101:

Aw shucks, I just couldn't resist that one.................
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[HulkSmash]

This Happens ALL the time here. Most of the time it's with wraps.
I ask the customer if they have a buget they'd like to stay with in once i tell them the full wrap price. they tell me, and i design to that budget. I know how much Vinyl will be used, and how it will be priced.

In your case tell them they may not be able to get 100 yard signs.. but only 30.
and suggest making their sign a bit smaller, or using cheaper material. Give your customer options. Doing this will result in so much more repeat business.

 

[ddarlak]

wonderful design layout that costs xxx, but they also have this decent layout that costs xx to help those that still want to have good work for what they can afford.

so your advocating making multiple designs for a customer, then find out he only budgeted $200 for signs, cuz there only signs......

in my mind the budget comes first, if you tell me you didn't budget enough to pay me, i probably won't call you back, you would be wasting my time.... time that could be better spent on signs101 or facebook.........

 

[WildWestDesigns]

so your advocating making multiple designs for a customer, then find out he only budgeted $200 for signs, cuz there only signs......

No, I'm not advocating multiple designs for a customer. I'm saying that if they have a budget xx, you make a design that fits that budget. I'm not going to tell them, I only do work that fits a xxx budget. The design I make for them won't be a xxx budget design, it will be a xx budget design(at least what I would charge xx for), but I would think that they will get their money worth out of it.


In my particular instance, let's say that the premium for their logo is a 5 thread change for embroidery. But they can only afford the design for the 3 thread change. I'll offer them the 3 thread change. I won't tell them, I"ll only do the 5 thread change or else take a hike.

 

[UFB Fabrication]

I remember a long time ago we had a similar type customer that was in the restaurant biz. I am not sure but I think the failure rate of those to type businesses are about the same. Any how we got 1/2 down, did drawings, got permits and built the letters. When we went to install they had already failed and had a closed sign on the door.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I remember a long time ago we had a similar type customer that was in the restaurant biz. I am not sure but I think the failure rate of those to type businesses are about the same. Any how we got 1/2 down, did drawings, got permits and built the letters. When we went to install they had already failed and had a closed sign on the door.

Restaurants are extremely hard with surviving. I knew a guy that went to another state to be partners with a new place and it seemed like no time he was back at his old job.

 

[ddarlak]

I won't tell them, I"ll only do the 5 thread change or else take a hike.

that's pretty much a given, that's how business is done.

however, the original question was

as they need everything but can't afford everything

they are not looking for a sign that's worth what they are willing to pay, they are looking for a sign package, at a price they have dictated.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

they are not looking for a sign that's worth what they are willing to pay, they are looking for a sign package, at a price they have dictated.

In that case, I would say "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you".

 

["Deposit Please"]

We find out what their comfort zone is for spending and work with it. Everything will just be smaller and simpler.

 

[threeputt]

This thread seems to have pretty much run it's course.