Making Decisions - Banners we Offer

[Suz]

Bayshore Creations, yes, I thought the same thing about the breaking out the grommets separately. I have always just put grommets in as part of the deal. I've had people ask for pole pockets and tabs, lots of stuff. I've done Sunbrella fabric banners and added snaps too.

I agree with the setting prices inline with what the locals get. Heck, if you can get more because you offer more, that makes sense too. I don't want to put anyone out of business, including myself.

Re: 15 oz banner material (yes I did a search for this), is anybody having any success running this in the HP L25500?

Thank you everyone who posted. I appreciate your input.

 

[AnotherSignManiac]

13oz gloss or matte, price includes hems and grommets.
I cant see charging extra for hems and grommets when they are part of a finished banner. That would be like going to a painter to get your house painted and he tells you it will cost extra for him to use a brush, otherwise he will just use his fingers...
I have never had a customer request to not have grommets on a banner and most of them have no idea what a hem even is nor should they.
Most customers come to a sign shop because they want to buy a banner. Finished.
Not to be nickel and dimed to death for extra stuff that should be on the finished piece in the first place.
Price yourself in line with the local competition and you will be fine.

I have to disagree, a painter will charge for tape, paint and other various costs. It is built in, just as I build in the cost of hemming and grommets. Now I wouldn't charge the customer for the squegee that I use which would be similar to a painter's paint brush

 

[dypinc]

Bayshore Creations, yes, I thought the same thing about the breaking out the grommets separately. I have always just put grommets in as part of the deal. I've had people ask for pole pockets and tabs, lots of stuff. I've done Sunbrella fabric banners and added snaps too.

I agree with the setting prices inline with what the locals get. Heck, if you can get more because you offer more, that makes sense too. I don't want to put anyone out of business, including myself.

Re: 15 oz banner material (yes I did a search for this), is anybody having any success running this in the HP L25500?

Thank you everyone who posted. I appreciate your input.

This stuff prints great with the L25500.

http://www.advantagesignsupply.com/Optima-Opti-Solve-Basic-Heavy-Duty-Banner-Matte-15-oz-38-x-120

 

[Farmboy]

LG 10oz Gloss Banner. We always tape and grommet, and the cost is built in. We will order in heavier banner if the job calls for it, but the 10oz is more than enough for 95% of our jobs. Don't forget, you have much more to offer than the box stores by way of artistic ability. +1 for pricing software.

 

[OldPaint]

mosh may as well go to work at burger king!!!! this stuff is so ridiculous to me.
you put out $20-30K for a printer, spend hundreds of dollars for material to print on, buy replacement inks for the printer, pay for electricity to run it, most likely you got a rented shop, AND THEN GIVE THE FINISHED PRODUCT AWAY...for $3 A SQUARE FOOT?????
when i was using only paint, brushes, the most expense i had was the BANNER!!!!! if the banner cost me $20, i resold it at $40 + artwork and lettering which i got $7.50 -$10 a sq foot!!!!!
working so i can pay my rent, lease, payment on the printer.....@$3 sq ft...is stupid.

 

[Suz]

This stuff prints great with the L25500.

http://www.advantagesignsupply.com/Optima-Opti-Solve-Basic-Heavy-Duty-Banner-Matte-15-oz-38-x-120

Cool! Thanks dypinc. That's the kinda stuff I was looki'n for! I'll put that one on my list!

Farmboy - thanks, I agree, with the your comment about having so much more to offer with Artistic Ability. This is the thing that keeps me in business.

AnotherSignManiac, thanks for posting what you are offering with the banners, that is very helpful. I'm thinking I'll stay within those same weights that you are offering, less than that is just not doable with my HP L25500. All my test results show the heat was too much for anything less than 12 oz, but it printed great. So, 13 oz would be my lighter weight.

John1 - Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and experience.

GP- Helpful information, Thank you!! I will join the Premium Forum soon. I have gained so much from these forums and want to contribute back. I think Fred has the best forum I have read.

KraigSnowden - I think you are correct, $3.33 is too low. Again, I was not asking what people charge though, with that price list wasn't posted. But I do think Mosh was trying to offer some help.

Oldpaint, Yes, I have rent and lease and all the things to pay for too. I could not go so cheap and won't. But that was never my point with this thread. It was about what people are offering in terms of quality and what they are including with the sale. I think this thread got turned around and sarcasm suddenly entered, because the first response was a someone's banner price list and that was not was I was asking for. This is obviously a hot topic and I can see why. Thank you for your input.

 

[RobbyMac]

ok. We've printed with that optima stuff successfuly on the hpl25500 before. it seems a bit 'brighter white' material than the usual key banner (This is not a bad thing), and the stifness of the 15 oz makes it run through the printer without having to lead out as much to prevent headstrikes.

I don't know our prices, but I do know we charge for grommets (I think it's based on size of banner, figuring grommet every 2-3', so I guess it works out to be 'per grommet' sorta)

Hems, pole pockets, wind slits, etc... all extra charges. Makes sense since there's labor involved in all of them when required.

Naturally, design is extra, unless it's something straightforward (ie, text only) or customer supplied artwork that actually fits...

 

[Mosh]

Say what you want, but I laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[J Hill Designs]

$3.33 is absurdly low mosh. I get $10 and laugh all the way to the bank

 

[Mosh]

I don't need the money...I make signs cause I like doing it, not for the money. Might be hard to understand for most, but that is how I operate. Watch this video it might help explain it to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u6XAPnuFjJc#

 

[Suz]

I don't need the money...I make signs cause I like doing it, not for the money. Might be hard to understand for most, but that is how I operate. Watch this video it might help explain it to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u6XAPnuFjJc#

Very Cool video Mosh, I like it! Okay, I get it. You love making signs. I do too. If I didn't need the money, I think I'd do it for free too. Thanks for sharing. You are unique.

 

[bayshorecreations]

I have to disagree, a painter will charge for tape, paint and other various costs. It is built in, just as I build in the cost of hemming and grommets. Now I wouldn't charge the customer for the squegee that I use which would be similar to a painter's paint brush

That is exactly what I meant, just build it in with the price don't add it on. That is what is needed to provide a finished banner so it is all in the price.
I'm not even going to bother getting into charging for squeegees. lol

 

[Suz]

I'm not even going to bother getting into charging for squeegees. lol

Bayshorecreations, Oh come on, you're no fun!
Why? Because you might end up looking like this little hamburger?

Okay, thought I'd show what kind of color and detail I am getting out of this printer now. This is one of my own watercolor paintings, it is hanging on the wall behind glass, matted and framed. The outside frame dimensions are 41" wide x 32" tall (just to give you an idea of the size). So, sorry for the reflections as it is behind glass. The print is taped to the glass and it was done on 13 oz Kapko gloss banner material, so pretty rough substrate. The print measures 17" wide x 11" tall. If I can get this detail on my banners, then posters and art prints won't be too difficult. I have a background in Illustration, Offset Printing and Screenprinting so this part is pretty second nature.

This print is only 180 dpi. Just goofing around with the dpi, but now that I'm getting it to print the way I want it to, I'll work more on zeroing in my color and detail. Having some fun!

Spot Color Advertising banners will be pretty simple to do, at this point. Yay!

Thanks again everyone for you input. I'm glad that quite a few of you are getting good results with the 15 oz banner material.

 

[GB2]

Nice job Suz but I'm not so sure I would've immortalized a bottle of Foxhorn on that canvas!

 

[bayshorecreations]

Bayshorecreations, Oh come on, you're no fun!
Why? Because you might end up looking like this little hamburger?

Oh ok what the heck... I dont know about you all but when I figure out my pricing (which I reevaluate at the beginning of every year) I figure out my yearly operating costs from the previous year, break that down to monthly costs and so on. Part of my overhead operating costs is buying squeegees so yes that is added in also. Once you know your overhead costs you can then figure out your pricing on things.
Anyone who is not considering their overhead costs when they price a job is a fool in my book.

Note: Please direct your arguments on this to Suz, she wanted to hear it..... lmao

Happy New Year Everyone! Be safe tonight and DONT DRINK AND DRIVE!

 

[skyhigh]

Say what you want, but I laugh all the way to the bank.

And just a year ago you said........

Well for the first time in years I am a one person shop. I while back we lost two big accounts because they simply are doing them in-house. Then we lost a big screenprinting contract to a big printer in Kansas City. Well now my last helper has just moved out of town on me.
.

I might just start hunting for a living again.

Things must have turned around for you?

 

[Suz]

GB2 - What Label (?) I think I drank so much when I was painting that I forgot to put a label on it!

Thanks a bunch

Bayshore, Thanks!
Hope you enjoy New Year's Eve. Yes, it is certainly time to renew the price list and order some new squeegies, Amen Printing Bro!
I plan to drink a little Foxhorn maybe, might be a Belgian White Beer instead, so up!
And then :Sleeping: thru the Fireworks. Hey, no icon for that!

Note: Please direct your arguments on this to Suz, she wanted to hear it..... lmao

Happy New Year Everyone! Be safe tonight and DONT DRINK AND DRIVE!

 

[Desert_Signs]

$3.33 is absurdly low mosh. I get $10 and laugh all the way to the bank

That's outstanding. Seriously. I don't know anyone even approaching anywhere near that. You really get $240 for a 3x8 banner?

 

[royster13]

I get 108.00 for a 3 x 8 banner....But at that price I lose more sales than I keep....

 

[Mosh]

You forget that I farm for "a living" and run the sign shop the other 48 weeks a year.
Beans are at $14, and I own free and clear right at 1,000 acres...do the math...(75 bus an acre here in Iowa)