Sign business startup questions

[jdwilliams1]

So we are a product based business that has been selling wall decor and personalized gifts for over 2 decades and we would like to diversify as a sign business in our area and online. We have the following equipment

4 - Mimaki JFX 200
1 - Epson Surecolor s80060L
1 - Shopsabre CNC
1- Epilog Laser Fusion
Roll Laminator
S2 Summa Cutter

So I am sure their is other equipment we will need over time, but this should allow us to get started.

My question is...is there any traning for startup in the sign business or is it just best to review 1000s posts on this forum?

We can run our equipment obviously, but the questions that are on my mind probably just get answered from years of working in the industry. Like...

Pricing jobs(Have a grasp on this, but did not know if their was a good software to start with)
How to be sure you are recommending the right equipment to use on the right job
For example I would assume something laminated off the Epson is going to last longer outdoors than something straight off the flatbed printer
Is it best to have a local shop people can visit or can a business be built strictly online with limits local custom traffic
Another concern is using the right substrate for the right job.(i assume most of this will depend on how long the customer wants it to last)
What about small tools and equipment that will be needed outside of the equipment we listed
What other equipment would you recommend
Best place to start? Schools, yard signs, banners etc?

Really appreciate you reading this and let me know if you know of a hand on training place

Thanks

 

[HillHouseGraphics]

It sounds like you do not yet have a good grasp on what area of the sign business you are looking to get into. Given the equipment that you have, you could go in many of these ares...

Retail Sign and Vinyl shop - Cut Vinyl, Contour Cut Vinyl graphics, Flat signs on Coroplast, ACM, Sintra PVC... Get a good laminator for short runs with a input table in addition to roll feed. make sure your rip handles Print/Cut (Onyx) and design ability plus the experience to produce signs and get the jobs

Wrap Shop - You have the printer, just need good laminator like GFP 355TH and design ability, garage space and wrap installer plus the ability to get the jobs

Commercial Signs - Backlit Cabinets, Channel Letters, Pylon Signs, Monument Signs - You have the printer, You have the CNC. Now you will need construction ability, welders shop space, design ability, Channel Letter Bender etc. Crane and Bucket truck and appropriate licenses such as sign contractor and electrical. (or subcontract installations)

Online Only is a tough nut to crack, unless you only make specific cookie cutter products, because variables are difficult to account for to the average Joe, considering they know nothing about design and that alone is more of a one to one consultative process unless you have some sort of design online web tool.

Depending on what direction you go with there are many options for management software with estimating etc.

But basically, Labor rate for each piece of equipment and operator or service offered. Material Cost Plus. All to take into consideration amortization of equipment, cost of use and other overhead.

If you were going Retail or Wrap shop...since you have the epson, you can look into Onyx Align assuming you are using Onyx rip software. for job management.

If you were going Commercial you can estimate each job as it comes in or get a specialized software based on your production.

If you want ideas, look at magazines like Signs Of The Times and SignCraft (online) and there are tons of vendors selling equipment, estimating software etc. along with project articles. One thing that I can tell you is that at least for us, this is not a cookie cutter business and we carefully choose our clients and send the retail work to a quick print shop that we sell to on a wholesale level so they can mark it up and deal with the small retail client who will get a handful of yard signs or a couple of banners.

Ian
HillHouseGraphics.com

 

[victor bogdanov]

Since you sell wall decor now you could start offering local installs for you wall decor. Wall decals etc. This will lead to other jobs, installs on glass banners, rigid signs etc.

"sign business" has a very broad range of products and installs are a big part of it. Start with the easy stuff like smaller wall decals, window decals, banners etc.

Customers will ask for all kinds of stuff, try to figure out if you can do a certain type of sign/install once a customer asks.

tip: don't forget about outsourcing, lots of products you can outsource

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

So... I would hire someone that is experienced in making the kinds of signs you want to get in. So... Because there are a lot of things you don't know. So...and it sounds like you're a big enough shop that could hire someone. So... my question is...is their someone you can hire?

 

[JBurton]

So... I would hire someone that is experienced in making the kinds of signs you want to get in. So... Because there are a lot of things you don't know. So...and it sounds like you're a big enough shop that could hire someone. So... my question is...is their someone you can hire?

Great, now it's hitting my ear wrong. Thanks for that.

we would like to diversify as a sign business in our area

I'll be the first to say, why on earth would you want to deal with the humans that are placing these orders already?
But really, it all depends on what you want to make. Are you aiming to expand your business locally because your online sales are falling off? I'd recommend refreshing you website and doing some marketing before I'd recommend breaking into a new market like local work or installs. Are you just frustrated at the stuff going up around you that you could have helped with, but because you don't have a 'presence' in town, nobody asked? I'd join the local chamber and get some advertising out there, talk to some contractors, stop in at some shops that have obvious signage needs, all the good stuff.
Best place to start: Banners. Hands down the cheapest to make, easiest to handoff (installation instructions?), simplest to waive liability/warranty (acts of god!), and easiest to undercut the competition. Take out an ad, get a billboard, post on facebook, 4x8 banner <$100. Not cheap enough? Keep knocking the price down, always call it a 'special' or a 'sale' to avoid implying that you're cheapest in town, get some return customers, then start asking what else they are after.