I totally get where you're coming from....I'm in the same boat you are. I bought my first cutter for personal use. Friends began asking me to do stuff for them then my sister in laws sister in law opened a new salon and the rest was history. I live in a small town 30 minutes from the nearest retail stores. Everyone knows everyone and word spreads fast about who does what around here. I've gotten many jobs for local businesses doing their doors, windows, trucks, trailers etc. I've taught myself everything I know with the help of youtube.
I live in a college community just over the border of Utah, in Idaho.....People here are tight asses so I have to price according to competitors which are all other women that do it from home. With the exception of Sign Pro. Ive seen some of their workThat they’ve done for our local Fire Dept. and for being a professional business their quality on some things lack. I’ve done a better job for the Fire Dept and they keep coming back to me. Maybe because I’m extremely anal with my work, idk. It could be the fact that I'm a lot cheaper too.
With that being said….I think your problem with pricing stems from your lack of confindence. I’ve done the same thing when I do jobs that are new to me. I worry that it won’t be the best of quality, the customer will be disappointed and slam my name around. However, when you price it reasonably and they end up unsatisfied they will at least not be so pissed off because they didn’t pay a fortune.
I would do competitive pricing….Find out what others in your area in the same boat as you are pricing and go from there. I charge by the square foot which also includes design time. I add an additional amount per square foot to install.
Everybody has to start somewhere! All of these “professoinal” sign companies/individuals that are slamming peoples lack of knowledge on this site had to start somewhere with NO knowledge of what they were doing also. Not everyone has a mentor to train them.
I’ve branched out finally and am taking an Avery Dennison class and online training to increase my knowledge and become a licensed professional with the purchase of my first printer. Everyone has to start somewhere!
Good luck!!
While this is your first post, I'll omit the 'welcoming you......' part, but
NO, we're not slamming.... or at least, I'm not slamming the guy for having to start somewhere, but how he's starting, just like you.
Professionalism has something and everything to do with knowing your trade and being competent and not experimenting on poor unknowing customers. You don't learn how to become an airplane pilot by watching utube or flying crop dusters. You have to learn the basics.... the fundamentals. All you and the OP here know is how to push some buttons and presto..... another perfectly ugly sign is produced. Duh, now how much can I charge like the big guys and get away with ??
You, Cherry, are basing your facts that your so-called professionals came in the back door just like you. Many of us went to school for this, practiced in our basements and worked long hard hours perfecting our trade.... with pride. I had two very fine mentors who helped and worked aside of me many a long hours at night helping me. You sound as if you want to pride yourself by not knowing what you're doing, but by what people are paying you because you're cheaper than normal professionals. If that's your way of doing business, good for you, but like a school teacher, a nurse or an architect..... one really should have the proper knowledge and not run things by the seat of their pants.
Someone who readily admits, they can't do the very basics with their software is already dis-servicing their customers. What does that say about balance, color wheel, elements, light direction/source, letter formations, negative or white space, reverses, kerning, leading, weight and so many other parts of making a simple sign, like a door sign or just a shingle for outside on the wall ??
I'm sorry, if you feel like this tongue lashing is geared towards you, but it's not. It's geared to ALL of those
like you, that think this is a stoopid and cheap industry and lack the respect the rest of us have for our long learned trade. It's an art for many of us and for those of you who view it as a commodity, again.... good for you and have a nice day.
Well, I hafta go now, I'm gonna go instal a turbo system in my diesel van so it runs faster and on less fuel. I saw it done on utube and it looks pretty easy.... ohh...... as long as you do it when the engine is turned off. It can't be too hard, cause I heard Bubba J [from Jeff Dunham] did it the other week and it only took 2 or 3 six-paks. Even a caveman could do it, huh ??
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