How to turn down unprofitable jobs?

[Sign Works]

(((((((((((((((............OK..............))))))))))))))))) (((((((((((((((((.........Fess Up..........)))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((((...........Who has actually done Calvin Pissing stickers?...........))))))))))))))))

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))...........

 

[S'N'S]

(((((((((((((((............OK..............))))))))))))))))) (((((((((((((((((.........Fess Up..........)))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((((...........Who has actually done Calvin Pissing stickers?...........))))))))))))))))

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))...........

I haven't...... yet.... but if someone wants a small job done and I have the time, I will do it for a cash job. A couple of small cash jobs soon add up to a carton of Jim Beam cans, and here they're $80 for 24.
It also gets rid of left over vinyl.
And 30 minutes talking about bikes.....get me started and I'll talk all day about them.

I had a kid who wanted "Sound Mafia" on his window in white, and I was busy but was cutting some white anyway so did the job, two weeks later his old man came in and said "do you do trucks"...you bet I do.. and have now done many trucks / excavators / bull dozers etc for him

 

[neil_se]

right ....i have a customer......that i have had SINCE 1998....who came into my shop for THE 1ST TIME........for a set of DOT NUMBERS...$10........i have lettered ever truck he has bought since...........and he is a tree service.....)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Still not worth it for me against the 99 other time wasters we'd lose money on. Your business may be set up differently to mine and you can make money off them, but if I did $20 jobs all day then I'd have to do 40 of them every hour of the month before we'd start to turn a profit.

 

[OldPaint]

I haven't...... yet.... but if someone wants a small job done and I have the time, I will do it for a cash job. A couple of small cash jobs soon add up to a carton of Jim Beam cans, and here they're $80 for 24.
It also gets rid of left over vinyl.
And 30 minutes talking about bikes.....get me started and I'll talk all day about them.

I had a kid who wanted "Sound Mafia" on his window in white, and I was busy but was cutting some white anyway so did the job, two weeks later his old man came in and said "do you do trucks"...you bet I do.. and have now done many trucks / excavators / bull dozers etc for him

 

[Davidford7]

(((((((((((((((............OK..............))))))))))))))))) (((((((((((((((((.........Fess Up..........)))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((((...........Who has actually done Calvin Pissing stickers?...........))))))))))))))))

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))...........

I admit doing them. The dumbest thing I ever did. About 20 years ago it was at a flea market. The first year I only sold about 5 or 6 thousand. Add that to the other stupid decals we sold we only did about 5 grand a weekend, the problem the market was only open 2 days a week and there crowd was only about 110,00 for those two days. Didn't get weekends off.

After 3 years I was tried of working all those weekends so I sold that little decal shop for just under $200,000. So what kind of dumb a$$ would want to do decals.

 

[boxerbay]

Like others have said. Be honest. Itemize your quote so he can see the work. And if you just don't want to do it price it high. It all depends what your time is worth and can you use that same time to do something bigger. Would I spent all day on a $100 decal or check on my big accounts and put in a 5k order? Each of you will have a unique situation and you'll want to maximize your time $pent.

 

[WCSign]

I try to enforce a $50 minimum... But...

If I have the time, or the customer isnt in a hurry, and they want something simple ill do it.. the differences between DOT numbers and recreating some old image are very stark, so they shouldnt even be being compared