How long to design and setup to print?

[jfiscus]

Well....we do most of the work in-house. Just use sub contract installers. We are busy and happy just not making the money on Wraps that we make for other marketing work and services. For instance our shop rate for design is $125 - $150 an hour however if I charge that for wrap design it would be hard to sell and still make anything on the wrap after print install. Also wraps are higher risk for errors and occasional panel reprints. Again not complaining...just discussing. We get the jobs we do now because we are good and know how to sell. Still loose a fair amount of work to competition due to lower price. I know, that's life. I would rather have fewer jobs at proper margin than be slammed at real skinny margins. It' s just good hearing others thoughts.

Stephen

Maybe our prices are WAY out of line, or it is because we're in a different market here in Kentucky; but our hourly design rates are around 1/2 - 2/3 of yours???
Thankfully, we do not have many reprints or lamination errors! We do the process completely in-house (design -thru install) besides hiring some contract installers to pick up the extra work our in-house installers cannot keep up with.

Finding quality installers is where we have trouble here!

 

[Joe Diaz]

Wouldn't it be great if we lived in a world, where instead of complaining about how designers spend too much time on a design, people complained about how they don't spend enough time? A guy can dream can't he.

 

[John Butto]

[video=youtube;M5LYJrM72W4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5LYJrM72W4[/video]
This is who I use for my color "wrap" designer, he is fast matching up colors.

 

[Gino]

Wouldn't it be great if we lived in a world, where instead of complaining about how designers spend too much time on a design, people complained about how they don't spend enough time? A guy can dream can't he.

Joe, if most of these agencies/shops had a designer with your talents, they'd be raking in the dough with so much repeat work, they'd be kissin' those people's feet to stay and just produce 'Golden' pieces of art for their customers no matter how long it took them. On the other hand, if they had a fraction of your design talent, they still wouldn't be complaining, but looking for more people just like you.

​

 

[copythat]

Lm( y )o

[video=youtube;M5LYJrM72W4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5LYJrM72W4[/video]
This is who I use for my color "wrap" designer, he is fast matching up colors.

Ok watched about 30 seconds, didn't need to see anymore but that was incredibly funny.



Sign Up!

 

[HulkSmash]

lol. Can we see your site, and a portfolio of the work you do? Ill tell you the time it should take for design based off that.

i'm guessing not?

 

[Gino]

i'm guessing not?

Soul Man is just another bogus wannabe.

No one as successful as he says he is, has a problem with ALL of his designers milking the job. He can't keep his facts straight and then he wants to cry in his milk that his prices are so high, but yet an extra hour is hurting him ?? C'mon....... only a jacka** would be complaining about this terrible ordeal he is experiencing. :Big Laugh Then he goes onto to say he doesn't know or care to do the things his designers do, but he's pretty sure they're milking the job ?? Only someone splitting hairs over lost monies is worried about something so trivial.

Evidently he doesn't know how to cost things out either or he wouldn't be in this made-up fix of his.

He probably has some kid on another continent doing his designing and thinks he should do it for less than $150. This kinda guy happens along here about 3 times a week, lately.

 

[Ponto]

Tammie,

"The last thing I want to do is design and layout. I believe in working ON my business not IN my business. I don't sell or project manage the jobs either. I look at my job as figuring out how to grow my business...that is my unique ability.


Stephen

....hmmmmmm,... me thinks the OP is a Michael E. Gerber fan.....

 

[GWSigns]

uhm, I am just a newbie here, but have years of experience in managing and running a business.....

A boss who won't learn what he expects others to do is at an EXTREME disadvantage.

I am doing my level best not to rant on and on about this, but I have seen more than one "I am the boss" take the reins, lead the team for a climb, but always plateau, if not totally crash based solely upon their unwillingness to humble themselves and understand the program and people from the ground up.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Simple:
You are doing one of the following...
A) Paying WAY more for designers/installers than they are worth,
B) Not charging enough for the end product,
C) Both A & B.

If their talents are worth what you pay them, it should show in your pricing. Their work is what people are seeing that brings them to you for your product.
The profit left after wages and materials (% pad for loss) should still be plenty to justify doing the job because it equates "MAKING MONEY".
"Being Competitive" makes no sense if you aren't "Making Money".
There is a difference. Just decide if you are trying to "Make Money" or "Be Competitive". Those are not always mutually inclusive terms.

I just summarized hundreds of books and forum threads into this reply... for free, restoring faith in humanity one post at a time.
JK.