I've been to your profile page... and i must say, I'm very disappointed!

[Rick]

GG, I just looked at your "about me" info, it look fine to me... it says enough without giving up client info that some can troll for and you don't give up who you are to just anyone.

I need to do that with mine if I am going to get into more networking opportunities. I just added a lot more info on my Facebook page. Just employment related but it was a lot more that what I had before. 95% of my Facebook is business related, but I mostly do a lot of joking around since the majority of the friends are from another forum.

The problems I had here and another place was having huge projects (some in the millions) and someone calling my boss, or the client to get the sign work. If they are interested in doing work, I would think a PM is more ethical or professional. Another 2 were just pissed that I have to do some forum admin stuff and they did not like it so they called my wife and parents phone number (they tracked that from my avatar)

Anyone interested in discussing work that includes sensitive information, I am a trustworthy businessman. Feel free to PM. I don't mind sharing info. It's my job to look at other sign shops work for peer review and I require myself to keep quiet about it.

I was invited a few years back to an invite only site for this reason, we all know who we are in the business and we all understand the value of open discussion with peers that stays private... what's shown at the forum, stays in the forum, always has, always will...

 

[Flame]

I have a business life and I have a personal life. I network, attend functions, greet good clients with a smile, handshake and "how's the wife" etc. And with some clients a friendship does form. But... I'm learning more and more about business, and one thing that I've learned is... like I said above.

There's a personal life, and there's a business life.

When you get too personal you start touching on emotions and crud that will just muddy up your work. Stuff like people feeling comfy just stopping by your shop at 8PM when you're trying to get that banner job done. People feeling they deserve a better deal cuz you swapped long winded storys about your ex's, people thinking they're your "buddy" and expecting more out of you.

I have more "buddy's" than I possibly need, what I need... is clients who are quick, thorough, know what they want, can communicate, and are willing to pay for work when finished and appreciate the work put into the project. I really like my job, but not as much as relaxing... so the whole reason I work is for $$$$$$$. And that's the bottom line, this is a job where we are here to make $$$.

 

[Jillbeans]

Thanks, Sinkers, I think.
hahaha
OK GG, I will try to answer your questions. I have been sick all weekend with some sort of creeping crud I caught from my son so I am a bit snotty/groggy.
The avatar thing we all know how to change, I think. The profile pic thing is in the user CP. I have no idea what a mini stat is.

As for dealing with clients, I do try to keep it to just the facts. It takes longer to deal with them if you try to be their shrink rather than their sign person. If I am doing a logo design I get a bit more detailed with asking the customer what they like. I can usually size up a client immediately when I first meet them. Some people want it to look good and let me have free rein, trusting my experience etc. These are my best jobs. These are 99% male. Sometimes their wives get involved and then it goes downhill real fast, depending on how many Better Homes and Gardens mags she reads, episodes of Martha Stewart watched, or owning Microsoft Word.

Other people want to bounce their often bad ideas off me and expect me to fall all over myself saying how cool that new business card looks designed by their daughter's college room mate. I have trained myself not to let my opinion show in my face when I want to burst into maniacal laughter after viewing what they bring me. I know I have burned a few clients with my design snob attitude but it's what I have to work with harder than anything except not being afraid to ask for my money. That and seeing someone pull up in a truck which was lettered by a hack, full of errors, and trying not to point them out. Or give too much of my advice when a price shopper calls because sure enough they use my ideas without ever paying me.

I try not to get personal with clients but sometimes it can't be avoided, as I have lived in this area 20 years and know everyone through church, CofC, school, the fire hall, and maybe even going out to the bar that winter when I was 39. And before that I came from a huge family whom everyone has known forever. No matter where I go someone knows me and I always get approached expecting to spew out a quote for their maybe someday business opening etc etc. And about 85% of my business is referrals, which I like. Of course, after making someone's signs for 15 or 20 years I do get to know them.

As for everything listed on the profile thing, I used to have almost the same stuff as I put in after this thread, but I had a lot of it deleted for a long time. Not because of potential clients but because sometimes I don't want someone to know everything about me. If I want to complain about a job or whatever I usually keep that in the premium section.

And yes my profile pic is about 46 years old, and I think Mom has that dress in a box somewhere. Did you notice how bald I was? I didn't grow hair till I was almost 4, and Mom used to scotch tape bows onto my head. Maybe I was even wearing my jellybean rubber pants which my big sister bought in town for Easter that spawned my nickname.

 

[Marlene]

So is the difference, guys doing business with guys vs girls doing business with guys.
Or are we girls just more personable by nature and therefore in business as well?

actually, I have a professional relationship with my customers, not a personal one. not a cold impersonal relationship but a warm one based on trust that I am doing everything with their business in mind. when I started back in the early 80's, the sign business was pretty much a man's world and to some extent, still is. I had to establish right off that I knew what I was doing and didn't just make "pretty things". I think because of that, I was able to come up with a business style that suits me. I have several customers that if you looked at us talking, you would think we are best friends but we are not. I know next to nothing about their personal life and they know nothing about mine. what they do know is that I am working with what is best for them always in mind. they know that I wouldn't sell them a product that I didn't believe was the best for the job. they know that I price shop for the best products at the best prices and will offer them options and explainations of each.

so I guess it isn't a girl thing for me to need to know anything about people as I really don't when it comes to business. on a personal level, I do like knowing people and and enjoy hearing their stories.

 

[signgal]

I just wanted to say, I can completely relate to what Rick and Isign are sayin about this particular site... I learned quickly. Anyone who wants to know my story or more about me has pm'd me and I'm cool with that. I think I could probably post an about me with just enough info but I get where they're coming from completely... Now as far as customers go. It's mostly business but I'm not gonna keep someone from unlaoding on me when they've had a bad week. That's a connection and they will find it hard to stab me in the back after that. I have to believe that or i'll stop getting out of bed every morning. *shrugs*