QUESTION: (THIS IS FOR SMALL 1-2 PERSON SHOPS) DO YOU TRY TO DO EVERYTHING A SIGN SHOP NORMALLY DOES, OR DO YOU SPECIALIZE ? EXAMPLE: OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, MOSTLY DUE TO HEALTH REASONS AND THE DESIRE FOR MORE FREE TIME, I'VE ELIMINATED PAINTING....PICK-UPS/DELIVERIES....INSTALLING.....ON-SITE JOBS (EXCEPT WINDOWS)..... AND LIKE THAT. I'VE ALSO QUIT YELLOW PAGE DISPLAY ADS. THE RESULTS ARE MUCH IMPROVED BOTTOM LINE.... I GET PAID EASIER (although I don't know why), and my free time has doubled. I'VE GONE STRICTLY COMPUTER.. ....VINYL LETTERING/GRAPHICS....LARGE-FORMAT and COLORCAMM JOBS.....LOGOS.......ALMOST 100% "IN-HOUSE" PRODUCTION. I FOUND THAT WORD-OF-MOUTH....FAST SERVICE....FAIR PRICES....LOW,LOW OVERHEAD... AND STAYING AT THE COMPUTER IS WHERE IT'S AT FOR ME. I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN HOW SOME OF YOU HAVE SET YOUR PRIORITES.
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
Good morning to you Bob I have tried just about everything in the sign business at least once it seems. I found out real quick I don't like silkscreening! (but I DO like to sub out my silkscreened orders and make bucks without doing a thing) I guess I just do the things that make me the happiest. I love to gold leaf sandblasted signs.....I love to do windows....I Love lettering vehicles....Love doing big 4x8's......love cutting out ovals and different shapes. I even love installs occasionally. But nope...I don't try to do it all. Like Ross Perot said...the smart businessman will hire those who know how to do best,the things he doesn't know how to do. (or something to that effect) My thought about work is.......it shouldn't take up ALL your time. Everybody needs to have time just to jump on the big ole trampoline of life!
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
MORNIN' CHERYL, SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE "BOUNCING" RIGHT ALONG!
YEAH...SCREEN PRINTING'S NO FUN!
Posted by Randy Campbell (Member # 2675) on :
Hi Bob; I also work from home and enjoy doing it .With me the time with my wife comes first and she works along side of me daily.I started with hand lettering,then bought a Roland.Business doubled and then fadded away.They all wanted everything for nothing and I'm not giving my work away free.I now am going to do some pinstriping and scrolling because paint seems to be coming back here.
[ May 02, 2002, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: Randy Campbell ]
Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :
I "specialize" in wall dogging and other forms of Handpainting. Run the puter to pay the bills Go on location for boats,windows,walls,pinstriping
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
About the only "retail" work that i do is window splashes and vehicles....the rest is mostly subcontractiong to other shops and building contractors. never had a shop since nearly all my work is "on site".
Posted by Jeffrey Vrstal (Member # 2271) on :
I'm more or less, mostly more... a one person shop. I have had employees from time to time and may do so again.
As many of you have probably experienced, someone always throws something at you that is somewhat out of your realm. In the beginning, I tried to do everything. Now, I find that it is much better to focus on the stuff that will make me some money. I also try to have a network of people that I can count on to sub the work out to or to simply refer my customer to that person. The other people are those that I know specialize in that area, and are better able to get the job done in a timely fashion without me having to learn some new skill or invest in new equipment or materials for a short term project.
This way, I almost keep up with my list and still have some time to play around with stuff.
Posted by Robert Larkham (Member # 2913) on :
One man shop here. I do about 50%/50% Paint and vinyl. I do a fair amount of travel as I chose to move to the country and raise my kids in a better setting. I will do elctrical signs but I buy the boxes wholesale. I do a lot of race cars and a fair share of vehicle and trailer work. I do some carved signs(my favorite). I mostly like to do signs that I can work on in my homebased shop. I like the installs for a change of sceenery. With cell phones you are never away from the office. I get no foot traffic as my business is all word of mouth. Call ahead...I could be Kayaking!
Posted by Bill Preston (Member # 1314) on :
More or less retired, though it sure doesn't seem that way this year.
Work out of the house and garage, on-site for trucks that wont fit under the garage door, some window work, but mostly trucks, boats and flat panel signs. Got tired of the "termite" routine making up the fancier signs with moldings and/or turnings. A mix of paint and vinyl, and do all the layouts on the computer. Paper, pencil, ruler, and a real big, well worn eraser got old quite a while ago.
Spend way too much time on the road chasing materials or seeing customers, but they call first--- I don't go out and solicit business at all, or advertise. Had my new truck since last November, and still haven't found time to letter it. (The shoemaker and his barefoot kids routine.)
Never had a business plan or any particular goals-- this thing just sorta grew. Do everything wrong-- no deposits, no contracts, go to the local coffee shop when I want, don't apologize when a customer who has been kept waiting catches me there--- I just tell 'em I'm old, have "paid my dues" to the working world, and I am therefore entitled to go at my own pace. Tell 'em with a smile, but they know I mean what I say. Don't have any set hourly shop rate-- can pretty much figure what I should charge for any given job, and make a decent dollar, and just flat price it. Keeps me from having to watch the clock, and the customer doesn't get an unpleasant bottom line surprise.
And, as all of you know all too well, I spend WAY too much time here on the BB annoying the bejeepers out of everybody.
Please, no flames for my bad business practices, or lack of same.
[ May 02, 2002, 04:25 PM: Message edited by: Bill Preston ]
Posted by Robert Larkham (Member # 2913) on :
Bill, no flames here...you got the right idea!!!
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
Hey Bill, What takes us so long to get into that frame of mind and enjoy the things we want? I part-time on a few different things. Paint some now, 2 years ago only vinyl. Would like to get the wife involved, see's the hardest worker I know, and she wants to learn to do some T-shirts. HEH-HEH-HEH!
[ May 02, 2002, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: Santo ]
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
one man operation....have "partner" not in the sence that him and i share sign work, he works on his own, i work on my own...i do layouts and computer stuff for him and he helps me do big painting jobs and i do same for him. we pay each other for time on jobs....i mostly am tryin to get this mobile unit as my main source of work...but it aint workin out that way. month of march i was doin baseball signs for 2 fields. never even got out in truck. april was same. with 4x10 alum signs done in paint. today i went into alabama to a marina to letter a boat with the mobile truck..love workin out it. sat i got a 4x4 show iam gona set up to sell stickers etc etc. dont do any installs if i can help it. want to do more vehicles and windows.....and am still gona master pinstriping.......
Posted by Robert Thomas (Member # 1356) on :
One man shop, vinyl, paint, trucks, boats, real estate 4x8s, sandblasted, etc., also faux finishes, inside in the a/c. I'm liking that more and more as it gets hotter. I like the variety, doing a leather finish one day in a multi-million dollar condo and working on a sandblasted sign the next. I hate installing, it's extremly rocky soil here (limestone fill mostly). I do it to keep a few customers that don't take no for an answer, but I may give that up. Buisness plan? Make some money and do what you like, refer what you don't like to the competition.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
ROCKY SOIL....NAPLES FLA....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...is nothing but "shell" packed hard....you want rocky soil..go to the mountains or maine.....
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
My 'shop' is very different from most. I am currently a one-man shop although Janis is a full partner and helps with the books and many other things. My son-in-law and daughter help me out with the work when needed.
We don't do any vinyl.. and very little hand lettering in the traditional sense. (although I spent much of today hand lettering signs)
I do a few murals... a few monument signs...and lots of design work. I am very fussy about the jobs I take on... always have been for the most part. Although I try to be very well paid, I don't do what I do for the money.
After years of large crews and huge jobs I am learning to slow down a little and have fun.
-dan
Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
Interesting post. We are doing much the same work as ever. A couple of large carved-sign jobs went out recently, and now we are deep into all the "accessory" signage for both customers - entry signs, toilet signs, smoking signs, a couple of "distressed" bar signs for a restaurant, a-frames for parking and directional, etc. Not terribly interesting work, but decent money. Then we get the occasional "out in left field"(pun intended) job like the Red Sox/Fenway Park thing that keeps life interesting (and looks oh-so impressive in the portfolio!)
Goals? To build the bracket business into a going concern that pays for itself; to always improve our products and designs, and to revamp our production systems, organization and record keeping to increase efficiency and profits.
Long term goals: By 2008 I'll be in business 20 years. At that time (if not before) I plan to sell the shop and business(s) and look into some other aspect of the trade - or maybe something entirely different. Life is about re-inventing oneself from time to time.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)