How many here do something other than signs in your business?
The current climate in our area doesn't allow me to do just signs. We expanded into screen printed decals and textiles, and specialty advertising some time ago. Just recently we added a salesperson to make cold calls. We've even begun some fundraising programs for schools to help our bottomline.
What are you doing differently?
Posted by Roy Frisby (Member # 736) on :
We've always done everything from electric signs to decals, but with the economy lately, we may have to add "manure spreader" to the line.
Posted by Robert Thomas (Member # 1356) on :
Good topic Glenn, How is the sales person working out? I am thinking of going in that direction.
I am adding screen printed stuff (T-shirts, decals, posters & real estate) to my sign sales, as my new shop neighbor does that, and he is adding sign sales to his list, so we can make money off each other.
Signmaking is about 40-50% of my total yearly sales. Faux finishes, wood graining, etc. is the rest.
So you could say, I am pretty diversified. As an artist, I feel you have to go for a lot of different specialties to make ends meet.
Cheers & happy selling. Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :
We were at the ISA show in Vegas almost two years ago. We were impressed with Standoff Systems mounting and display hardware. standoff systems homepage After about 6 months, we signed a distributor agreement for all of Canada. We've been hammering at it for over a year now. I'd say that within another 6 months, we'll be doing more dollars at it than in our 6 person shop. From there, who knows. We have invested a lot into product and advertising, but we knew it would take about 2 years to blossom. In the mean time we have run a busy little sign business. And we use a lot of standoff in our architectural signs. Since we set up, we have had numerous offers from other manufacturers to distribute their products. Bottom line, attend these sign shows and keep your eye open for an new opportunity or idea. Cheers,
[ February 18, 2003, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: Duncan Wilkie ]
Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
We have been offering business cards and staionery for some time now. We recently added promotional items. We are just begining to make cold calls for the promo items. Judy
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Diversified? you want diversified??
How 'bout this.. in addition to vehicle graphics, I also do high end car audio installations, custom suspension work, custom auto interiors, custom bodywork, custom automotive LED lamp assemblies, custom carbon fiber and fiberglass fabrication and anything else automotive related that can have the word "custom" put in front of it, 'cept paint.
Basically, I get paid to have fun with my hobbies. Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
Interesting post. Our core business - upscale carved signs - is stronger than ever (This may be my best first quarter ever.) I bought the Edge in September with the intent of pursuing some subcontracting work, but have been busy and not putting much energy into it. Then there is the bracket business (Pondside Iron Works) which is still very much a sideline. If anything I have continued to specialize in a niche market, rather than push other services.
Posted by E. Balch (Member # 3545) on :
Last year screen printing T-shirts was 75% of the profit, vinyl was 25%, We lost money on the Edge and on routed dimensional signs.
We hate screen printing and there are lots of other printers around. We charge more for printing and don't care if we never get another job. We prefer doing routed dimensional signs but lose money on every one of them. I'm going to raise my prices on carved signs by 5X this year, I'll do fewer but at least I won't lose money on them.
I still have no clue how to make the Edge pay for itself.
ernie
[ February 19, 2003, 07:40 AM: Message edited by: E. Balch ]
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Ernie,
If you'd like, I'll be happy to help you make your Edge become extremely profitable.
Posted by Bill Modzel (Member # 22) on :
This is interesting. We've been a flatstock screenshop since 1980. Pressure sensitive's have been our mainstay along with political signs when the season calls for it. The one thing we don't print is apparel. Every other shop in town does t-shirts. It's something we have never pursued and never regretted making that decision. That choice has placed us in a kind of higher classed nitch with the local ad agencys. I'm not knocking shirt printers as there are some amazingly talented ones here, it's just a perceived specialty issue that hasn't hurt us at all.
We of course do vinyl graphics on vehicals and signs but most of our signs are produced "out the door". No installation crew here, no permits, no electric, no hassle.
We added the Edge to our arsenol in 99 as a beta testor for MacImprint. It's become a huge part of our business, so much in fact that I'm going to have tokeep an older Mac OS around just to keep it going if Gerber doesn't see fit to upgrade the program. It's still a better solution for me than adding a Omega and a PC would be.
This year we added a HP 5000, 42" inkjet also. This wasn't a light decision as we had jumped into the large format market early with a Novajet 3. It became a boat anchor because if it's unreliability and the wifee/bookeeper hasn't forgotten that. Having said that, it's more than paid for itself in the few months that we've had it on line. We'll probably be adding a laminator this spring also for some value added output.
Posted by Robert Richards (Member # 3244) on :
I do Advertising Specialties / Promotional Items, Sell & install software for used car dealers, build new houses, buy & fix up older olders for rental property. Glass etching / engraving. In my spare time I like to work in my woodshop.
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
Our main income is screenprinted t-shirts and stuff, we do lots of logo designs and ad layouts, we design and sub-out business cards and stationary, catalogs, brochures, etc. Since we are limited on space, we don't have much room to do much in the way of signs. We do some vinyl work, but mainly design and sub-out digital prints and banners (we have a source that has a Vutek digital printer). I not only design t-shirt art for us, but freelance for 5 other shops in our area (we now have took over printing for 2 of the shops) Occasionally, I will get to hand letter and break out the airbrush. (I still airbrush t-shirts at festivals at least a couple of times a year.)We offer ad-specialty stuff, I just sell it thru a local company. I have also teamed up with a couple of software programers and have been trying to get a side-business off the ground. We have been doing some web-related art, designing websites, etc. and the other guys have been producing some new software, so I have been in charge of the design and marketing.
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
Besides the upscale dimensional signs we are getting into illuminated cabinet signs with a strong emphasis on exceptional design.
My little hobby that I've done for the past 5 years has been skydiver art.
I have some other ventures I'm developing for later in the year.
Who knows I might even create a line of designer tupperware.
Posted by AdrienneMorgan (Member # 1046) on :
Besides Window Splashes...I do vinyl, pictorial signs,murals, and am hoping to be accepted into a local gallery next month...so I'm going back to wildlife art...not a big demand for it, they tell me, but it's what I love to do...we will see....
I like Rick Sack's message on his answering machine..."We paint almost anything on almost anything"
I'll also be teaching painting classes soon at the local Audobon Society center.
A:)
Posted by Rick Whitmire (Member # 3443) on :
To all... Im into making signs...Im mid 50,s and did my first cargo van at 17. I never looked at signs as my career, as in school I leaned tward Visual communication/ graphic arts and fine arts. Thats still my main stay in business...it makes up the larger part of my income...BUT I love doing signs, even thou I dont make as much money as I do in creative and graphics...But I gotta tell you I married A very creative artist too....I think there is no side line business more successful than extending yourself (adding another person like you to expand what you love to do). Since Ive been into signs... I purchase back-lit boxes & istall(just istalled 50' of boxes today) MDO signs, new sub div signs ect...but TRICKS expanded services has been to expand into the talent of others. I think thats where the money (to me) has proven to be.
Rick@ Trick
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
I think our business is as diversified as anyones. So much so that I have trouble telling folks exactly what I do for a living.
Our job description depends a great deal on who calls and what they want or more correctly what it is I am able to design, fabricate and sell them.
It sure makes my life interesting and my career challenging!
-dan
[ February 20, 2003, 09:01 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
Posted by E. Balch (Member # 3545) on :
Glenn,
I'd love to learn how to be profitable with the EDGE. But I'm not proud I'll take help from anybody. So post all your secret money making methods and I'll be able to keep up the payments.
ernie
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
Dan I've been suffering from the same dilemma as you. I for the life of me do not know what to call myself.
When people ask what it is that I do I stumble for some kind of description or title. Guess its not really all that important but I feel an identity crisis coming on.
I kind of like "Conceptual Entrepreneur" has a nice confusing ring to it.
Posted by Mark Yearwood (Member # 2723) on :
I would say we are pretty diverse hear...signs, both painted and vinyl, dimensional and sandblasted, digital print(subbed out), logo and business card design, all kinds of vehicles, decorative glass etching, gold leaf, vehicle customizing including the recently done interior in my shop truck. Also, I love to do the panel art at the live meets and we just started custom fine art framing since we were framing all of our own glass projects.
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
But Mark how do we define ourselves? Are we visual communications problem solvers? 3-dimensional advertising consultants? Glorified paint slingers and wood butchers? How bout button pushin, vinyl composition experts?
But I like this one best. " Im just happy doin what I do"
Posted by Mark Yearwood (Member # 2723) on :
Bob, I think most of us are the type that gets bored doing the same thing all the time. I love the variety in this biz. Yesterday, I lettered John Deere wheat combines for a harvester and worked on signs for a cabinet shop and a cleaners. I have an Urn (really, like for ashes!!) to etch lettering on. Also two signs for churches in Old Mexico. You never know what's coming next and that makes it interesting.
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
In the simplist terms, I think we are one of two things - what the market needs for us to be or out-of-business.
Back in 1978, we were primarily a "1 & half" man shop specializing in hand-lettering and design. The name of the business was Taylor Signs & Advertising.
In 1982, we bought out an existing screen printing business. Because this expanded our capabilites and market, we needed a name that was more inclusive, so we changed the name to Taylor Graphics: Visual Communications.
We noticed a drop in business over the course of a couple years. After talking to former clients and new ones, we found the problem to be the term Visual Communications. Some didn't know what it meant. Others just assumed we had stopped doing signs and were involved in TV or something.
So, we changed the secondary line to Signs & Screen Printing
The problem, as I see it, is regional. If our shop were up north or in a more metropolitan area, the Visual Communications would have worked fine.
Of course, then a printing company came into town using A+ Graphics. The next thing you know, people were assuming that we did business cards.
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