One of the Pawn Shops in town, is now advertising "We do magnetic signs, and banners". First it was the franchises, then the printers, then the window tinters, then every other race car guy, now the Pawn Shops. What's next? Ronald McDonald's Signs? Big Macs, and vinyl lettering? Happy Meals with collectable squeegees? "Could have some extra ketchup, and a small bottle of adhesive remover please?" Drive thru signs? How about the Liqour stores, seeing as how all of us sign painters are drunks! That would be appropriate. I just love progress! Posted by Troy Haas (Member # 472) on :
Luke, We have a Kirby Vacumm Cleaner store that went into the sign business..."Kirby Signs"
No Kidding!!!
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
Saw a photographer who is now a signmaker not too long ago. EvErYBOdY is a signmaker now, don'tcha know! yah sher yew BETcha.
Posted by Harris Kohen (Member # 2139) on :
Maybe I should sell my plotter while its still got some value and cut my losses. Not too far in the future the only customer possible will be the sign supplier where I bought the plotter. because they will have sold ALL their machines to everybody else.
Posted by Marty Happy (Member # 302) on :
In the latest local yellow pages I noticed that a ladies fashion store has added signmaking to selling frocks calling themselves "Something" Fashions and Signs. At least they could have got a seperate number and name!
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Thats why its important to be on top of your trade. Persons buying plotters is an everyday occurance which shouldn't bother anyone who has knowledge and puts it to use. One thing I do know and believe, is that some of these persons buying plotters and such may take some of your potential business like you have taken from someone else before you were a signmaker. Personally, I don't care who moves in next door or across the street from me, whether they are a pinstriper or signmaker, business will always go exactly how I gear myself to make it go.
Do you think these persons buying equipment are doing installations as well? Or do you think their common goal is to just do signage?
Well for all the newbies who will join their quest for answers, they just have to find the letterhead BB and you'll be here to give it to them. No sense complaining, life is what you make of it!
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Maybe one day the world will be so inundated with cheap vinyl signs, that people, who want their business to be apart from the rest, will buy beautiful custom designed and hand crafted signs. You can buy the "Machines" but you cannot buy the talent. PS My view into the future. People will be able to buy mini plotters for their homes. They will market them by calling them label makers. You'll probly see them sold at stores like Office Depot.
Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
Hey Troy...
New sign shop in town? Kirby Signs? That sucks... Posted by Lotti Prokott (Member # 2684) on :
Well, it's not quite that bad here but the new competition in town is a young fellow with very little clue about the sign business. He sells signs dirt cheap. So now I have started a new tactic: I take whatever work comes in the door, farm it out to him and sell it at my regular price (only plain vinyl/coroplast type jobs). I can give all my attention to selling and producing high end jobs, while he works like crazy to bang out his cheap signs. I suppose he'll smarten up or be out of business within a year. Gee' I'll have to find myself a new competition...
Posted by ScooterX (Member # 2023) on :
Back in the olden times, when I worked for design firms that produced expensive web sites for up-and-coming dot.coms, our market was "we do your SECOND website." The first one was always done by the startup themselves, or somebody's nephew. We came in, once they had some real money, and did it "right".
I sort of view my work like that. I do the second sign a business has. the first one is done with intermediate red vinyl on black shiny plastic in your choice of Helvetica, Brush Script, or Times by "some guy with a sign machine". When that starts to peel and fade -- if the business is still around -- they're ready for a decent sign. By that time they've also learned that cheap signs aren't always a bargain, so at least I don't have to try to explain that to them.
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