Pricing: Using The Sign Expert

[regalbranding]

Hello! I'm new to this forum, and new to the sign business. I have about a year and a half of sign making experience, so I know the basics of vinyl application. What I've never done, is price signs. I stumbled across a website called http://thesignexpert.com/ which seems very easy to use. I guess my question is, is that a good base point for pricing signs. In particular, I have a client that is interested in getting 5 coroplast signs, double sided with H frames. This site tells me I should charge $37.80 per sign. Is that a typical, competitive price? I'm sure established shops already have their own pricing system worked out, but has anyone based their prices off of what "The Sign Expert" says? Thanks!

 

[reQ]

I want to buy a car, is 20k good price?

 

[reQ]

U r welcom, Pat

 

[regalbranding]

I think my question was a little more specific than that... I listed the item, 5 Coroplast signs, 2 sided, one color with H frames. I told you what they suggested I should price them at, $37.80 per sign.... I'm asking someone who is interested in helping me, if that seems like a fair price. Is this sign expert website a reasonable place to start basing prices off of. I'm an admitted newbie. I have applied vinyl to numerous types of substrates, I am just new to the pricing part. I came here for some help. Right now, I am needing help to make sure that I am pricing things fairly. I could call around to all the local sign places and ask them to share their prices with me, but I'm sure I'd be wasting my time. If I'm not being specific enough for you, then please, if you care to help, let me know what other info I need to provide. I appreciate any help.

 

[regalbranding]

Thank you for the link! I'll be sure to look it over.

 

[the graphics co]

you could just determine what your costs are including time, materials and overhead. Then develop your own pricing based on what you feel you should make on each sign. Once that is complete you can determine if the sign expert pricing is in line with your pricing and you don't need anyone's input to guide you.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

SIZE alway's comes to mind when I price orders

 

[regalbranding]

Thanks everyone. Sorry, size is 18" by 24"

 

[Next day Signs]

pricing

It's a fair price for 1 color..If you were full color both sides I would jump it to $44.00 per unit to include step stakes.

 

[Marlene]

the site is better than nothing but you will need to figure out your own mark ups based on your overhead. when you say it is one color vinyl, that means next to nothing. how many letters? what size letters? do you sell vinyl letters, if so, you should have a per letter cost. what kind of vinyl? using cheap junk or good vinyl? one color with a ton of lettering would be more than one color with l;ess letters.

 

[2B]

for the most part the pricing is higher than what we would get. but it does give a rough idea on where to start.
Each market, client, location and situation will require modification. The pricing in NY is going to be different than the pricing in CA

for the order you have listed we would be closer to 29.00 ea

 

[Gino]

I don't get it ??

Most of the time, the people on this site are complaining about how low the pricing has become. I see people complaining about competition selling these signs for about $4.50 with the stake. I see wholesalers advertising them for $1.29.

Now y'all are saying mid to high $30's is the going rate. Just last week or so, there was arguing about the cost of magnetics at $50 for 3 pieces.

Doesn't anyone stay focused ?? Or are you all just trying to be extra pleasant today ??

As for flatbed printing them, whether it's one color or 2 million colors, it's basically the same cost, time and overhead, but your pricing structure is till relevant, even if the guy is hand painting or using die-cut vinyl. It's called competitiveness/competition. Regardless of what's fair or competitive, if everyone charged the same, there would be no need to shop.

Afterall, why is it, some people go to XYZ company for their needs, when they could go to ABC company for the exact same product ?? Is it workmanship, craftsmanship, service, friendliness, distance or just plain cost ?? And cost is what everyone wants to be the same. Go figure.

 

[Jwalk]

The signexpert site is filled with tons of stuff looks good

 

[Z SIGNS]

Disgusting

It always bugs me to hear that there is a computer program that can tell me what I make is worth and how much I should charge.

 

[DirtyD]

Everyone's pricing is going to be be different and as its always said on here do not base your prices on everyone elses..make your prices to where your not leaving money on the table and your still compete and making money..

First figure out the shop hourly rate..what it costs to run the shop..There are free calculators out there Google shop hourly rate calculater..enter all the info and you will have a good idea of what you need to charge hourly.

To figure out the price of signs 1 color or not..create an Excell spreadsheet with all your inventory and costs and how you charge them sqft, ft, ml, etc..fill out your spreadshet with a markup typical 2-3 times your cost of materials..you should no how long it takes you to make them so add that with your hourly cost that you got from the calculater if it's only 15 minutes charge a minimum of 1 hr...tThere is "your" selling cost..iIf it is too high for your customer lower the margin you marked up on materials but keep your hourly..yyou need that cost to cover your overhead...iI hope this makes sense as I am on my typing on my cell

 

[Johnmpcny]

cost + MIS systems

BHR is good start to pricing but that only is really only good for capturing your costs and break even. The price you charge is really about how well your sales skills are.

Some will sell based on the price. Others will sell to customers who value their knowledge, design, skill and ability to meet deadlines every time.

That is why you will see one guy get $79 and another get $279 for the same product. I use signexpert as a double check to see if my price is in the ball game, I always almost get more.

Then again Political season rolls around and I wholesale 500 signs and pay less than $2 each, charging the customer about $7. Of course the guy waits up to 10 days. Need them this weekend? 25 of them price is $20 a sign...

BTW all my pricing since 1999 has been via computer. It captures my costs and has my profit factor. I can see my material cost with mark up, labor, waste and profit. The program I use was at first for printers but now has modul for large format. it is called PrintersPlan.

The main reason to go this way is it is full management system. You estimate, job track, invoice, customer history and do your AR functions. Even has some tie in to our website. You need to think MIS, not just estimating system if you want to grow your company. We handle of a million dollar in sales a year, with only 6 people. All networked, I know others doing over $250,000+ in sales per employee they only way you do this is with a Print management system in place not one person with excel. SPE is huge factor to know. (sales per employee) We have a goal of $150,000 SPE to earn a reasonable income as a owner. Studies show if you're under a $100,000 in SPE your below ave and in risk or flat our losing money.

Almost all system are about 90% alike and the same things. I just urge you to get one just think bigger than I want to do estimates and do not limit your growth. Changing system with years of customer history and data is painful buy one you can grow with. Mine has over 1500 customers and over 25,000 invoices in it.

To further help I am worked to create a new nationwide pricing study. It is 100% free to everyone who takes the time to fill it in. This is how you get a range of market pricing and how you see what others SPE is. It is mangement tool more so than just a pricing guide.

http://www.printowners.org/2015-npoa-sign---wide-format-survey