New Guy New to Signs101

[Johnny Best]

"So why wont you offer open advice here for everyone? I dont get the angle of the one on one signup."
Because the first consultation is free and is spent convincing you to sign up for more that aren't free.

Because he is a businessman, former sign salesman, semiretired, been in the business for many years. He sees the problems people have on here, collecting money, getting sued, selling signs for a certain price, getting a raise, and he feels he could help.
Its a business opportunity to give advice the way he wants he give it out. Listen, it's all about the bottom line brothers! So raise your hands up and LISTEN! Just call the number at the bottom of the screen and someone will guide you through that donation.

 

[Robert Armerding]

"So why wont you offer open advice here for everyone? I dont get the angle of the one on one signup."
Because the first consultation is free and is spent convincing you to sign up for more that aren't free.

All of my services are free. One to one is more productive. Upcoming threads will give you tips. The intent is to help in any way that I can.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Wow, Thank you for all of your research. I was not aware of two of those items. Indeed, I took action on them. Thanks again. Now, on Google My Business. Google could shut that down with one click of a button. My approach is to say let’s exploit GMB while it is available. There is so much that can be done and very few sign makers take advantage of it. Now, on Google reviews, or any reviews, I see it as an opportunity to market the uniqueness of your shop. You can do that in how you respond to your reviews. It is a brand new marketing tool and very few take advantage of it. It is a powerful way to set your sign shop apart from all the others on the Google list, to make your shop more attractive. My threads will soon start explaining all of this. Well, again, thanks for your research.

For someone wanting to be a mentor and charge people for their service, you have to bring something that few on here have. Like owning a large successful sign shop for many years. Your age isn't going to cut it. From what I can tell based on my research of you, is that your a retaliative "ghost". Meaning I can't find a track record of where you've been past 2017. Most of your online results appear after 2019. No mention of your name in trade publications, your phone numbers, your previous addresses. I cross referenced that information and I do get some stuff back, but it's stuff YOU created, not others.

I found where you are trying to sell "fake reviews" or "mutual feedback" as you call it, which is a violation of Yelp TOS. You would think someone that is an expert and selling themselves in reviews would have a stellar online presence. Not you. I found a couple of self made, confusing, free websites you created and a few other posts online. You have no branding or consistent message and it wasn't easy to find your stuff. Someone who is a true online consultant, would have numerous citations and a flawless online existence with pages and pages of references and different original content.... I've seen some impressive stuff that I could tell took them years to build up and make a good argument as to why they are selling their service. Yours is the total opposite. A few free listings that could take me about 5 minutes to throw together.

In my opinion, you're a fraud trying to scam someone into paying you money for consulting. I found no evidence you are who you say you are. I suspect you're catfishing Robert Armerding and pretending to be an "old expiernaced guy". The images in your avatar are the exact same image you had posted in other places. Most real people have different photos of them across the internet when you search.

You are limiting the amount of information about your knowledge and what you could do... likely because there is NOTHING there. The post about your career is verbatim what you have posted in other places.


Now... that is my free "online check up" of your online persona. If you'd like me to help you fix it, I'll be glad to sign you up as my client.

 

[ColoPrinthead]

It took longer than I expected, but I had a feeling this would get ugly - Now we are going FBI on one our newest merchant members.

 

[Reveal1]

See if you agree with this.

Having spent most of my career in sales, I've had plenty of opportunity to experience firsthand the ins and outs of the 'self-improvement' industry, which is big in sales.

For potential clients there are those who, lacking success, seem to grasp at just about any program promising to transform them. At the other extreme, the hardened skeptic, who figures they have everything figured out and little room for improvement. In the middle are a relative few who have a certain level of success, even exceptional, but realize there are ways to further improve. Spend any time on S101 and you can pretty much figure out which category many people lean toward.

Regarding 'mentors', I have a 'smell test'. I lean toward skepticism but will get out of my comfort zone and may even part with my money when encountering someone demonstrating unqualified success, plain talk, and up front about how they operate and monetize. Good ones usually charge appropriately for their time and expertise, and don't give anything away. Personally, catch phrases and circuitous dialogue trigger my skeptical side.

 

[Robert Armerding]

See if you agree with this.

Having spent most of my career in sales, I've had plenty of opportunity to experience firsthand the ins and outs of the 'self-improvement' industry, which is big in sales.

For potential clients there are those who, lacking success, seem to grasp at just about any program promising to transform them. At the other extreme, the hardened skeptic, who figures they have everything figured out and little room for improvement. In the middle are a relative few who have a certain level of success, even exceptional, but realize there are ways to further improve. Spend any time on S101 and you can pretty much figure out which category many people lean toward.

Regarding 'mentors', I have a 'smell test'. I lean toward skepticism but will get out of my comfort zone and may even part with my money when encountering someone demonstrating unqualified success, plain talk, and up front about how they operate and monetize. Good ones usually charge appropriately for their time and expertise, and don't give anything away. Personally, catch phrases and circuitous dialogue trigger my skeptical side.

Yes, offering a free service has its risks. I believe in delivering value and then let the compensation take care of itself.

 

[Reveal1]

It took longer than I expected, but I had a feeling this would get ugly - Now we are going FBI on one our newest merchant members.

I also saw this coming. S101 can be a tough crowd and I feel OP got off on the wrong foot. Truly wish him success and may have a lot to offer, but he should be a little more forthright and less 'zen' IMHO to connect with this crowd.

 

[Gino]

Well Mentor, you've asked me two questions, but I was too busy listening to answer. However, I had some free time so here goes.....

For a sign maker, in any conversation, it is difficult to give the other person 100% of your attention.
Do you agree?
Of course not. It's never difficult to listen to anyone under any circumstances, unless they are a liberal. Many people are simply not listening because they are thinking of their next question or comeback, but that's true with anyone. No need to single out sign people.

Gino, I apologize. I was responding to your "Just be prepared, the s101 police are still on duty"
Understood, evidently you weren't paying attention and misread or presumed wrongly.

Check it. See if you agree. The sign making industry, by its very nature, demands a very high level of listening skills. Yet, most simply take it for granted. Gino, do you agree or ??
Again, I don't see the need to single out sign people. Listening can be a very good skill, but comprehension is far better and advantageous. Going off on a tangent or introducing nonsense, will never be tolerated in any circle of people, unless again, it's a liberal.

 

[ColoPrinthead]

For those of us playing S101 New Member Welcome Bingo, it is time to cover up the "gets politcal" square.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

It took longer than I expected, but I had a feeling this would get ugly - Now we are going FBI on one our newest merchant members.

I don't ever recall anyone here grilling a MM before, so this doesn't regularly happen. This one seemed like a red flag that almost everyone here picked up on early.

He hasn't responded to what I found.

Just cause someone paid a little $$ to become a MM doesn't give them a veil of trust.

 

[Gino]

Yes, it happened before...... to a guy named Roger Bailey. He also conducted himself in the same manner. He had/has a wonderful product and is well known in the sign industry for many many years, but his attitude and mannerism was putrid. Even his son came on and apologized a few times for his behavior.

Mentor is not the same, anyway, not yet. He has not done anything wrong to anyone, but as mentioned several times, he isn't very forthcoming. Time will tell. Seems he's doing a lotta listening or writing that new thread he promised for this morning's shift. At least he joined properly and is trying. Let's give him credit, before we brutally chastise him for nothing.

Oh yeah.... ever hear of Rapid Tac ?? That's Roger's product.​

 

[ColoPrinthead]

It is probably some sort of cult like 12 tribes or Scientology - DO NOT GET ON THE BUS!

 

[Billct2]

 

[Johnny Best]

when things take a bad turn...