So tired of customers not realizing the value

[john1]

Hey everyone, It is just me or is anyone else getting these people who waste your time because they look at the price and not the value they are getting as well?

I had a HVAC guy want his 95 extended length chevy van lettered today.

He wanted the sides lettered in black vinyl along with the back doors. There was a flame and a snowflake digital print on the sides of his "logo" i was copying off his business card which goes on all three sides too.

He stopped by and i measured it up and gave the estimate. I double checked my pricing with sign craft and sign craft said $509 and i came up with $506.50 with my time and materials formula. I used the $66/hr chart with intermediate since my hourly is $70 and this is the closest sign craft has.

The guy then says his budget is $400 max and i took some lettering off and i still couldn't touch $400 because i'm not working for nothing. The lowest i came up with was $456.5 ($50 less)

He said "Well i'm waiting for a call back from this other guy so i'll let you know where i'm at with this"

I proceeded to explain that even $456.50 is only around $38 per month to advertise your company and he said "i understand" and went on his way.

Another one down the gutter....

 

[fmg]

This breed is all about at the moment wherever you go!
I had someone call me up the other day.
They wanted a dimensional sign replace an existing one.
Take down the lettering replace with new lettering 24" high acrylic stud mount 2 lines of text. I priced around $1150 they said they were thinking about $350.
Pshhhhhhttttttttttttttttttt see ya! and good luck

 

[surf city]

I get it alot. They see a really nice truck going down the road and they say "hey I want my truck to look as good as that one". Then they call me and I give them a quote and they are like "I only have $300.00" They just don't get it.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

yep, and the guys who think a $3500+ wrap is only $1200.

 

[strypguy]

Would have saved you alot of trouble if the guy let you know what his "budget" was upfront.

Your not alone. It happens everyday....everywhere.

I just lost a vehicle pinstriping job by 5 bucks lol.

John

 

[Sign_Boy]

Sometimes I feel like they are getting (signs - lettering - etc.) because they feel they have to not because they want to.
Therefore they don't want to spend the money.

Lets break down your $456.50 even further.....

$456.50 over 1 year = $38.04 per month
Lets be real this lettering will be on that truck much longer.....

$456.50 over 2 years = $19.02 per month

$456.50 over 3 years = $12.68 per month

$456.50 over 4 years = $9.51 per month

If they get one call a month that turns into a job they'll cover the lettering.
It's an investment that gets a return - I guess some folks don't see it that way.

 

[john1]

Thanks everyone, At least nobody bashed me because i thought my pricing was appropriate.

I'm going to start asking what the customers budget is up front. I always wanted to but felt it was going to let them think "oh hes going to use all my budget if he knows up front" but screw it. I'm tired of wasting my time.

Heck i called the guy whom he said has yet to call him back and he said vans are $125 a side so $375 for the whole van 1 color. Hopefully he's around what i quoted once he finds out there is some digital printed images involved so i get a call back.

Things aren't going well at all around here and i could really use the job but i won't work for nothing and deface the industry.

 

[Sign_Boy]

Thanks everyone, At least nobody bashed me because i thought my pricing was appropriate.

I'm going to start asking what the customers budget is up front. I always wanted to but felt it was going to let them think "oh hes going to use all my budget if he knows up front" but screw it. I'm tired of wasting my time.

Heck i called the guy whom he said has yet to call him back and he said vans are $125 a side so $375 for the whole van 1 color. Hopefully he's around what i quoted once he finds out there is some digital printed images involved so i get a call back.

Things aren't going well at all around here and i could really use the job but i won't work for nothing and deface the industry.

If and when you do this explain that there is a good option a better option and the best option.
If they can't afford the Bentley sell them on the Kia.

Also be prepared for the "I'm not sure" answer "You're the expert, you tell me how much it's going to be"
If they do this go back to the - there is a good option a better option and the best option.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

And why shouldn't we use your budget up, it's your damn budget!

 

["Deposit Please"]

You should just let him know you can meet his $400 budget. It's just that everything is gonna be downsized a little.

 

[ProWraps]

80% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

 

[sign tek]

Next time tell him its $600 but for you $450... lol- people like to think they are getting a deal, even though they might not be.

 

[inthesignbiz]

It seems like every time I ask someone what their
budget is, I get "What's the cheapest thing you can do?"

Now, when they ask me what the cheapest thing I can do is,
I hand them a piece of cardboard and a magic marker.

 

[JR's]

It seems like every time I ask someone what their
budget is, I get "What's the cheapest thing you can do?"

Now, when they ask me what the cheapest thing I can do is,
I hand them a piece of cardboard and a magic marker.

:ROFLMAO: fuuny

JR

 

[threeputt]

John1, keep putting out the best work you can. Especially if you're in a small town like we are. I've actually had clients tell me that they wanted a sign made by us, but had to "settle" for the ABC sign company.

When things get better they'll buy from us. I guess that's a compliment.

Regarding pricing our work, we have had to lower our prices somewhat, but it's basically been by offering Level II stuff for Level I prices. That way we're still churning out pretty neat looking stuff....just getting a little less for it.

 

[petrosgraphics]

part of the problem is the customer....but.... as we have talked about before....
it is the companies that are willing to sell themselves short, only along with that drag
a lot of companies with them..... i am sure if you asked the hvac guy to reduce his labor cost by more than half, he also would think you are crazy....

had a company out bid us on a 6'x8' internally lit box, d/f... take down the old box,
install sign on existing steel pipe, new pipe cover, faces with some changeable trac...

we were $3,200.00 more than the other company.... their bid was $2,000.00......

 

[stickygraphics12]

I had a new guy move a music shop up the street last week. Tell him $125 for a 3x6 banner and he says ok. 2 days later he has a cheap banner with 3 lines of text and hanging down with rope! ICANT WAIT TIL IT BLOWS AWAY!

 

[CL Graphics]

petros, has the low bidder finished the sign yet. Have you seen it. I bet the customer got his moneys worth.lol Hell you'll have 2 grand in materials on that sign. I have thought about taking pics of this type of thing when it happens to me and posting on my site. Kinda like heres what they got from the other place(pic of actual sign). Heres what they coulda got from us(pic of our rendering). Havent done it yet but would like to.

 

[petrosgraphics]

cl,
nothing has been done at the site...... old sign still there..... will be interested to

see how it all plays out... very, very windy location..... right next to a very well

traveled road... just do not want anyone to get hurt...........

 

[Techman]

pivot profile praise prompt.

U gotta profile them first. No profile means you gotta put up with the crap.

 

[ProWraps]

+1 for techman. i profile within 10 seconds of the first phone call. its a learned skill, and a MUST have skill for success in this industry.

i send more work to fast signs than you can imagine.

 

[iSign]

I'm going to start asking what the customers budget is up front. I always wanted to but felt it was going to let them think "oh hes going to use all my budget if he knows up front" but screw it. I'm tired of wasting my time.

when someone balks at the thought of giving up a budget... say you're thinking it might be $500 - $600... just say:

"hmm, no idea huh?
...ok, well just to get the conversation started,
let's assume you have around $600 - $700 to spend, i think we could...

at this point, they don't want to waste time either & they will often blurt out $700?? ...I WAS THINKING $400! ...and you say: "ok, great, now we have a number! (thanks Dan A)