I often get asked just how it is we manage to sell the dimensional signs we do. The answer is simple. Build it and they will come.
People have to see what you can do before they will ask for it. I am a HUGE believer in investing in samples for our own showroom. Those who have visited our shop know how the walls are filled with lots of eye candy.
Building samples does take time. But the benefits outweigh the cost by far. The samples build out skills and also act as sales tools.
With a CNC router it is a simple matter to create a second, smaller copy of a sign. The key is to create it at the same time as the customer's version. Producing two copies of a sign is not as much work at producing them separately - especially if there is paint involved.
We always have at least one sample sign in production in our shop. It is worked on when we are waiting for other signs to dry, or when we are working with similar colors.
Sample signs sell. Our trade show booth features these samples. So often I have heard comments when people see them - Oh - You did that sign? They recognize our work and then associate us with that work. It creates sales.
Thirdly it sell work in our shop - and up sells in a big way.
A few weeks ago a fellow drove up our driveway. He was intrigued with the sign out on the road and he was curious about the things we did in our shop. I gave him the tour. His wife was a police officer and was taking a three day course locally at the training center. He was keeping busy. He owned a small meat cutting business from his home based business. They live about 300 miles distant.
He asked if he could bring his wife by and I agreed, but I was leaving for Atlantic City the next day. They had a social event on that evening. It didn't look like it was possible. But just after five that same day they came back down the driveway - with only a few minutes to spend. I postponed supper and gave them a tour once more.
The wife spotted a sample sign I had made back when we did a project almost five years ago. She loved it as did the fellow. They wanted a similar sign for themselves. This was that sign...
Over the last weeks I have worked up a design for their approval. They pulled the trigger on the project last night for a double sided sign of their own. Here's that design...
And the day before Christmas another customer took delivery of a sign also sold from that same old sample.
Here's that sign...
It's a new year. It's time to implement changes that will build our businesses. I encourage everyone to consider sign samples as one of those things. It works in Yarrow.
-grampa dan
[ January 04, 2011, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
That guy just never lets up, does he? Posted by William DeBekker (Member # 3848) on :
No Raymond and it's Great. It's almost like having a Personnel Sign Business Life Coach.
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Send me in, coach.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
He's like the Energizer Bunny!
Posted by Brian Stoddard (Member # 39) on :
I for one am kicking myself for not making the time last year. I always seem too busy with paying jobs but not all the kind I really want so I am putting samples in the schedule. Thanks for the reminder!
Posted by Jon Peterman (Member # 528) on :
I participated in the 2010 challenge and lost site of this goal, I gave away most of the (small) challenges that I finished. I fell in love with Dan's triceratops for multicam so have decided to do a small version which will stay in the shop. I don't think I will light mine however.
I don't have a router yet so I'm using my jigsaw and grinders. it took 44 min to glue the pattern and cut the first side another 26 to trace and cut the other side and another 25 to glue up.
I also spent about 30 min stealing Dan's picture and vectorizing the art and scaling to 1" hdu
about 6 or 7 years ago Dan told me on chat to just get out there and go for it, I wish I woulda listened back then but always made an excuse to not get started.
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
Although I dearly love my MultiCam and it does speed things up a lot, Jon's work reminds us all it isn't about the tools we use.
It matters not to me how the work is done - I love to see someone forget the excuses and just get on with it.
I will be issuing another challenge for 2011 to be sure. The purpose of the challenge is to better ourselves by building our skills and providing samples for our shop so we can sell more of the type of work we WANT to do. It looks to me like Jon already has a head start on everyone - including me this year.
Good work Jon!
-grampa dan
[ January 05, 2011, 03:40 AM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
Posted by Jon Peterman (Member # 528) on :
this is todays progress no more than 30 min spread throughout the day
tomorrow I'll add some magic sculpt and layout the rest of the sign
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Careful you don't bring it back to life-it could be dangerous!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
