Discussion Your approach................................

[Gino]

Got an e-mail from a potential customer requesting two new faces and then she explained the copy that was to go on it. The present sign, the company went out of business and will be taking their faces with them, so she needs new ones. She told me they are 24" x 63" and two sides. It's only about 8' to the bottom of the sign, so I don't even need a bucket truck. What would you do first to quote this sign ??

This is not a trick question. This is an actual situation and I just wanna see how many of you pick up on this and what you would do.

Gino

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[Starter]

If it was local I would do a site visit. The measurements do no scale properly at 24 x 63 .....8ft to bottom

 

[oldgoatroper]

Agree with Starter.

The sign in the image scales roughly to 24" x 40" or thereabouts -- a long shot from 24" x 63"

And agree with Starter, again -- if that sign is 24" high, then there's no way its 8' above the ground

 

[Gino]

The 8' to the bottom was just a guess on her part. I wouldn't use that as any worthwhile measurement.

 

[Johnny Best]

Have her send me the copy she wants to replace it with. Go to the location with a price in mind, show her the layout, measure it, get a deposit and fabricate two faces.

 

[TammieH]

I am guessing the sign is closer to 42" x 72".....from calculating a 1.5" frame I got 40"+ x 67.5" assuming the photo is not proportional, I am guessing the 42" x 72" sign being standard sizing.

Since you said its not a trick question and she actually wants to replace the sign faces above.

 

[Gino]

Okay, so most of you caught the obvious, but that's why I said, your approach ??

She is sending this out to several sign shops to get competitive pricing.

So, do you send her an e-mail back, pointing out her mistake or just price it out and when she calls back and she says they don't fit, tell her.... she goofed, now ya hafta buy more signs ?? Keep in mind, this will warn her against everyone's misunderstanding of sizes and get everyone off the hook.

 

[Johnny Best]

Is she Russian?

 

[Starter]

I wouldn't say a word about her mistake. I would price it at the correct measurements with a proper rendering/proof stating the true size. Hopefully the other shops will price it at the wrong measurements and be higher priced than you.

 

[Johnny Best]

I think you need to show up at her place and show some salesmanship. It goes a long way for people who are tire kicking.

 

[equippaint]

Id ask a budget first before I wasted any time. If she seems normal, Id do a site visit, meet with her and candidly ask what kind of numbers shes had come in and from who. It will have some bearing on my quote but with it you can have a better conversation on materials and point out if anyone is quoting with inferior stuff. Become the informed reference so you have value aside from just another quote. Then you know where your competitors are at too which can be nice.

 

[visual800]

I will assume she sent you this picture and we can see that "possibly" that sign is a 2x4 so quote her on two of those and be done with it. I pay no attention to clients measurements BUT I goby pics or a site visit

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I'd say quote her size with a warning line that "Price may vary due to ACTUAL measurements".

 

[ThatGuy]

You can approach this 3 ways:

Scenario #1- You are very busy and do not need or have time to do the job because you have customers waiting that are willing to pay top dollar for your services.
I would shoot her a 10 minute "ESTIMATE" based on her measurements with notation on the quote about "based on customer supplied information."

Scenario #2- You are busy but a money hog and want every job that comes your way. I would send her 2 estimates. One based on her information and one based on best guess.

Scenario #3- You want or need the job. I would schedule a site visit with the customer and do actual measurements for a firm quote while on-site.

 

[ikarasu]

Okay, so most of you caught the obvious, but that's why I said, your approach ??

She is sending this out to several sign shops to get competitive pricing.

So, do you send her an e-mail back, pointing out her mistake or just price it out and when she calls back and she says they don't fit, tell her.... she goofed, now ya hafta buy more signs ?? Keep in mind, this will warn her against everyone's misunderstanding of sizes and get everyone off the hook.

From what I've seen on here, you run a pretty respectable shop. I'd let her know something doesn't seem right about the size, Tell her you'd charge xx for the size she requested, but based on the image she sent, you believe its a different size, and the cost would be xx.

In the perfect world, it'd show her you know what you're talking about, and are honest. In the real world, it may lose you a client... but at least you wouldn't be wasting time producing a sign you know won't fit, and will likely end up going into the garbage.

 

[Johnny Best]

Scenario #4- You come on Signs 101 forum with it and get twaddle replies and conspiriacy theories on how to deal with a simple sign job request.

 

[BigfishDM]

First thing is to go remeasure that sign.

 

[GAC05]

Impress her with your worldly ways and quote her back with the correct proportions in millimeters. She won't know they are different from what she sent. To seal the deal quote her in Euros...

wayne k
guam usa

 

[jaylem]

It looks like you have all the pertinent information to give the client a reasonably accurate quote. I would make a sales call to the client with proper information and ask for the sale. If she objects to the price I would verify that the price is the only thing holding her back from completing the transaction. And if price is the only thing holding her back what would it take for her to do business.

Remember it is often not the lowest price that gets the business. It's about value. can u show your client that your skills and what you offer is it higher value than what the competition is offering? you don't need to be the lowest price. And if you were able to save the customer time and hassle dealing with other competitors why wouldn't they pay you a little bit more? Value proposition....sales 101