A store that more or less lets you use the equipment and supplies to make your own sign, shirts, invitations you name it?
Sounds like a weird way of making money.
Posted by Rodger MacMunn (Member # 4316) on :
There you go Bob ..... just leave out vinyl, a rattle can, some coro & a cedar blank, 2 lettering quills & a can of vermilion 2-shot .. oh yes, you need a money jar too.
You can now stay home & watch the soaps ALL day & still make $$$$. m m m m m m m m m m ...... scotch...
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
There is a store opening next to me that is planning on doing that. I thought I've seen it all.
Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on :
Opening next to you oh that's nice.
Someone probably thought next to a sign shop is a good way to open a sign shop & sell cheap signs.
Since anybody can make a sign.
If kinkos & Fedex can do it, why not do it yourself.
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
It gets better, a local towing company just bought equipment from a company that us no longer doing it. He also is setting up in the building next to me, and to top it off we had a wrap company move into town recently. Doesn't matter to me, just living the dream Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
there is a "do-it-yourself" fine art painting business here in town that is making a killing right now- you pay to go in and paint a canvas- they supply the canvas, paint, brushes, etc. plus you pick a design on the wall and they transfer (draw) the pattern onto the canvas so all you have to do is fill in with the paint...
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
I guess it lets you "pretend" to be creative without any of the actual work or skill involved in the real thing...
Posted by William DeBekker (Member # 3848) on :
That's Actually a Great Opportunity for you to some great self marketing. Side by Side Comparisons.
Hand Made vs Self Made.
"You can teach a Monkey to make a sign,(Slap Vinyl) You can't teach a Monkey to design a sign."
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Paint by numbers?
Posted by Marty Happy (Member # 302) on :
Now is the time to put your most amazing work on your own storefront.... I can see this being a good thing for you in using their marketing to bring more traffic to your proximity. There are discerning people that can quickly tell the difference between a good or bad sign... and you really don't want those who don't care.
Many will learn the hard way that making an attractive and effective sign is not as easy as pecking at the keyboard of a computer and will hang their head in shame as they have to carry their own crap past your beautifully signed emporium.
Posted by Jake Lyman (Member # 3280) on :
Well Bob I was hoping to tell you about my new business venture myself instead of you finding out about it from someone else. I would have gone somewhere else to start the do it yourself sign shop but the rent was cheap.
Posted by Jake Lyman (Member # 3280) on :
Just Kidding.
Posted by Jake Lyman (Member # 3280) on :
Actually the worst part of this whole thing is that it is going to help to bring the value of good advertising down. I know you can blow them away with your design, and do the side by side like was suggested, I think it will help you.
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
I personally don't think so Jake as Marty Happy explains. And to top it off, his idea for Bob can work in Bob's favor.
In the 80's at my shop in Vegas I worked right next to a vinyl stripe and graphics guy and worked my azz off and made out big time and never lowered my standards or prices..
Posted by Bob Sauls (Member # 11321) on :
Joey, I agree with you.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
It's not April first, so maybe you're serious? Maybe it's assisted a little; there's a person to guide at critical steps. It seems like people would be damaging equipment and wasting supplies. I did see an ad in Popular Mechanics or something like that where you can join a shop club. They have all the big tools that you couldn't afford yourself. Sounded pretty neat. Around here there were a few places offering 5 or 6 dollar haircuts. Not long after the established shops started putting out signs that said "We fix $5 haircuts." Maybe you could have a really clever, humorous, eye catching sign that says:"We fix homemade signs".
Posted by Marty Happy (Member # 302) on :
That's funny, James!!!
Posted by Len Mort (Member # 7030) on :
Town of Millbury with a population of 13,261, 8,808 registered voters and a total of 15.84 sq. miles is fast becoming the sign capitol of the world.
In my 54 years as a sign professional, I have seen them come, and go just as fast only to destroy the credibility of talented sign artists as well as destroy the value of advertising signage. It's so easy a cave man can do it! WYSIWYG!
Posted by Rodger MacMunn (Member # 4316) on :
James, those "shop clubs" actually are a pretty good idea. It's a perfect setup for hobby woodworkers & such but yes, there's supervision. I suspect the "make your own sign" thing would be the same.
There'll always be people who aren't willing to spend what a professional charges for whatever so we were never going to get that business anyway. I built my own home, my own shop & a couple of other buildings but I'm no carpenter. I couldn't afford any other way at the time.
You can bet that the guy who's investing heavily in a new business will use a pro. For the guy who's desperate to get into something as cheaply as possible, this is a good deal. Often people have no choice. But of these people, there are those who make a go of it & want their business to look successful & may become YOUR customer someday. I've lived here all my life & I've sold nice signs to people that I never thought would ever spend a nickel on decent signage. Often I've replaced cheap crap with dimensional.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
I know a very talented sign person who answered the quick franchise shops by advertising: "Do you want your sign to look like it was made in twenty four hours?"
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
What kinds of tools? Tablesaws, bandsaws? I wonder how much the insurance would cost for an operation like that?
Posted by William DeBekker (Member # 3848) on :
Wayne, An Arm and Leg and a few fingers as collateral.
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
If they decided to 'teach', the concept would become a workshop and have even more value.
Interesting...
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
I'm good with this.
Let's give the tools of the trade to the creators of "nephew art" and let them all find just how "easy" it is to make a sign out of it.
Bob, hang a sign in the window that says "After you're done next door, let us use our experience to save you the grief." Rapid
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
I guess the biggest irony would be if the guy next door has professionally designed signs.
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
well so far this week I've had two people come in and say " I don't want to do it myself" so...............
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