So tired of customers not realizing the value

[iSign]

IMO i don't have the money in my bank for a coach, consultant etc

That's the problem

no problem!!

I already paid him & reaped the benefits in spades...
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
why don't I just close up shop for a few & see if I can't write up some free advice for you...
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
how about you go to fastsigns, lean on the counter over there & pester them! I hear they tolerate people crying poor, & wanting something for nothing...

no seriously now, I'm not trying to be an ass (it just happens naturally ) but trying to make a point... signs have value..

...in fact if a sign does it's job, it won't cost "you" money, it will make you money... and a better sign will make you more money.. but that cardboard & sharpie mentioned above? ...well, you get my drift... you get what you pay for...

...remember that expression "penny wise & pound foolish"? if you ask for advice, the easy, free stuff may be worth something... but the advice that requires a little more investment from you may be worth more... now it's on you to "recognize the value" (and I'm SURE you remember that expression)

..and this isn't meant to be a commercial for Jon... it's to observe you replying with the same mindset you don't like from your clients... if you don't want to take some of the advice, fine... don't take it... but telling us about your bank account today... that's almost irrelevant... except that it is absolutely relevant to focus on the fact that IT DOESN'T MATTER!!

....Just like you HVAC guy's "budget" doesn't... unless you are drawing your last breath as a business man, and looking to spend you last dime to cheat your heirs... there's always more money coming in... but there's never enough of it... so YOU get to choose where you spend it... nobody here really cares if you choose to invest in business skills... but it is still good advice... and if you choose not to take it, just don't fool yourself into thinking it's about your bank balance, because it's not. It's about the choices you choose to make in developing your business... which is once again quite similar to your HVAC guy! (...and your frustration with him)

 

[Joe Diaz]

you get what you pay for...

And some times, when you buy cheap, you get way less than you pay for. In fact, it may cost you.

People make decisions based on appearance. They do it all the time. If the image a company portrays isn't professional, that is what people well expect even if that isn't the case. A cheap poorly made sign will ward off good customers. An honest attempt at simply saving money could turn into a decision that will end up costing that person more money than if they invested in an extremely expensive, but well made sign. At least that sign is getting people in the door.

As long as the sign or any advertisement does it's job and lasts, that sign owner will make more money off of that sign then they even realize.

Our customers aren't simply buying a sign, they are investing in their own image.

 

[petrosgraphics]

joe, i can not agree more....as customers ourselves in buying equip. etc. you always get what you pay for.... we all have operating expenses.. it costs us money from the moment we walk in the door... we know what we need to bring in on a daily basis.....we all have some wiggle room, not a lot.....we can never compete with the 1 or 2 guy shop....
we can offer good value, years of experience, all at a fair price....

 

[Jon Aston]

This is going to sound harsh, so I'll apologize in advance for offending anyone. Not my intent. Think of this as "tough love" (which it is)...

Don't be a victim. If you can't afford a coach/consultant, commit yourself to finding other ways of acquiring the sales and marketing (or whatever other) skills you need to become successful. If you can't afford Amazon.com, use the public library.

Tech, iSign... Thank you, as always. Beers are on me next time we meet!

Bill DeBekker... You're my hero. That was awesome.

 

[Jon Aston]

PS - @CirclevilleSigns, I left a comment on your blog.

 

[Techman]

Jon has the best advice.
Goto google or whatever and invest a few mins each day and read. It won't take much. Its how I got started. Then after I saw how much an effect that little acknowledgment had,, I went for the whole taco.

I didn't have a grand to pay for a coach. But after a little research and a little hard work on my part I soon got more income and gladly paid a grand a month for a long time.

It worked. For example.. I just got two.. count them,, two TV interviews where one of my businesses was featured. FREE! How can any one beat that.

You must find a way to get some coaching. We simply do not have the time to develop our own skills on our own.

 

[andy]

* Things are changing and the blue collar workers like you need to adjust to the new shape of the land..... I am a Phd in Engineering and a multi-millionaire. In 2010 my wife Marty and I have not made a single penny so far in our commercial endeavors..... Yikes! My wife Marty is one of the top RE/MAX agents in the world and like I said she has not made a single penny in 2010..... Look here:

www.sangre-de-cristo.com/land

* The food chain starts with people like my wife Marty and I..... How about making 20% less than you hoped for rather than zero and providing us with some signage?

* As a Phd in Engineering I can learn how to carve some letters in a piece of wood in a couple of days..... Can you Learn how to be a Phd in Engineering in the same amount of time?

Thinking allowed.......


Friend Bill:

I apologize for insulting you..... Would you please take on the assignment for the fee you proposed of $250.

Thanks for letting me know about your background..... Wow! We are experiencing a cash flow problem even though we are well educated millionaires on paper so we are pinching pennies on every project including auto repairs, eating out at restaurants and having signs made for the ranch...... Our health insurance as of a month ago went from $9600 to $16,500 per year with no change in the policy itself.

My wife Marty is offering residential homes at 40% below the asking price and she still has not made a penny in 2010 as there are almost 1100 homes for sale in Custer County. Marty is the great grandaugher of James Watt - Inventor of the Steam Engine and has to hustle real estate for a living thanks to a collapse of the stock market..... Look here:

Bill & Marty sound like a real class act.... the kind of people you hide from when they ring your doorbell :scream:

 

[andy]

* Things are changing and the blue collar workers like you need to adjust to the new shape of the land..... I am a Phd in Engineering and a multi-millionaire. In 2010 my wife Marty and I have not made a single penny so far in our commercial endeavors..... Yikes! My wife Marty is one of the top RE/MAX agents in the world and like I said she has not made a single penny in 2010..... Look here:

www.sangre-de-cristo.com/land

* The food chain starts with people like my wife Marty and I..... How about making 20% less than you hoped for rather than zero and providing us with some signage?

* As a Phd in Engineering I can learn how to carve some letters in a piece of wood in a couple of days..... Can you Learn how to be a Phd in Engineering in the same amount of time?

Thinking allowed.......


Friend Bill:

I apologize for insulting you..... Would you please take on the assignment for the fee you proposed of $250.

Thanks for letting me know about your background..... Wow! We are experiencing a cash flow problem even though we are well educated millionaires on paper so we are pinching pennies on every project including auto repairs, eating out at restaurants and having signs made for the ranch...... Our health insurance as of a month ago went from $9600 to $16,500 per year with no change in the policy itself.

My wife Marty is offering residential homes at 40% below the asking price and she still has not made a penny in 2010 as there are almost 1100 homes for sale in Custer County. Marty is the great grandaugher of James Watt - Inventor of the Steam Engine and has to hustle real estate for a living thanks to a collapse of the stock market..... Look here:

Marty & Hubby sound like a real class act.... the kind of people you hide from when they ring your doorbell :scream:

 

[john1]

Well i called the HVAC customer today to see if he had gotten a solution to his lettering needs and he said he got it done for $350. He mentioned it was exactly how we had talked about getting it done with the logo 5'x1.5' on each side with a digital print and lettering combined on each side and the rear doors and everything else.

He said "i'm sorry but i had to do what i had to do". I said no problem i wanted you to take care of what you needed to whether it was me or someone else and to give me a call if he ever needs anything in the future.

I'm wanting to check out the van once it's done so i'm going to give it a week or two then drive by to scope it out.

All in all, you win some and you lose some. After talking to a graphic designer who used to work at a shop i worked out years ago, I'm going to outsource all my logo designs to him and create a more professional image for myself and go from there.

 

["Deposit Please"]

$350 for a panel van ( all 3 sides) w/ 5 ft printed logo, I gotta see this. Bring your camera & take a pic. Temporary media w/ shinerite lettering?? The quality will show alright.

 

[john1]

$350 for a panel van ( all 3 sides) w/ 5 ft printed logo, I gotta see this. Bring your camera & take a pic. Temporary media w/ shinerite lettering?? The quality will show alright.

That's what i'm thinking, we'll see.

 

["Deposit Please"]

To keep costs down to print that 5ft logo, he's gotta be running a 64" printer running landscape, that way he's only using up 12" of print media for the logos. Even then, he's gotta laminate, do lettering cutout, transfer & install= not much profit, maybe enough for a cold beer. Interested to see finished van

 

[CentralSigns]

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.

Good one sign boy. Your breakdown is my way of showing the customer the cost of advertising as well. Same customers that walk have ads in the business card section of the paper for $120 a month. Don't know how they justify that if they walk for $20 a month jobs.

 

[Sticky Signs]

not much profit, maybe enough for a cold beer.

Hey now. Some days, a cold beer is all you need.

 

[CentralSigns]

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.

Good one sign boy. Your breakdown is my way of showing the customer the cost of advertising as well. Same customers that walk have ads in the business card section of the paper for $120 a month. Don't know how they justify that if they walk for $20 a month jobs.

 

[I-Style]

I had a gut in who wanted a 100m by 40m which is roughly 330 ft by 120 ft banner full color print for 15000...........

Most of our costumer have no clue about our work..

 

[copythat]

No Fuss

You didn't everything right! Don't worry about him or those types. Cause there are a lot more of those than there are quality clients. I love saying no thank you to those types. I've even had some say that I won't stay in business for long. 8 yrs later I'm still in the same area surviving well. I rather work smarter not harder!

Sign up!

 

[Sign_Boy]

Good one sign boy. Your breakdown is my way of showing the customer the cost of advertising as well. Same customers that walk have ads in the business card section of the paper for $120 a month. Don't know how they justify that if they walk for $20 a month jobs.

$120 a month and probably no return

 

[iSign]

I had a gut in who wanted a 100m by 40m which is roughly 330 ft by 120 ft banner full color print for 15000...........

Most of our costumer have no clue about our work..

oh, a football field tarp huh?

I got one right here on the shelf...
let's see... which standard background color do you want?

I try to keep a few of each on hand

 

[David Wright]

Doug, I would like mine in a light blue if you have it. Canadian football field size though.