Having recently separated from my last shop due to economic reasons, I have endeavored to market myself as an art service to sign shops.
My theory is that most of the small or franchise shops have pricing based on design time feeding production time, and a certain percentage of that to feed installation time.
X hours of art + Y hours production = profit
When a shop spends too much time on design, the production element in the equation is missing. I’m not talking about being ‘slow’, or having technical challenges or interruptions, but spending time with customers who have no concept of what they want but know they want it on their van. One’s who need to be walked through the concept stages of their company’s image, before they buy a pair of magnets. Or perhaps those who say the only version of their logo is the one on their web site. Download that & cut me a banner. Hours of art time not being converted to production on the table.
I realize that the design end is the most coveted part of the process in many cases, but from what I have seen, it has always reverted to production of lots of simple signs that keeps bread on the table. I think many shops would love to offer the ‘fine art’ services, but in the long run, just can’t afford it.
And to increase the ‘design only’ time, to cover the non-productive time would be outrageous.
I haven’t had any work yet, and have had mixed responses. One shop owner said that he and the two kids he had working for him knock out 40-50 layouts a day, and that other sigh shops come to him for art services. I find some of that a bit hard to believe. And depending on the sign. I could layout 50 signs an hour. Making a duplicate and changing a room number is no big deal. But is that the type of shop I would want to work at?
Anyway, would like some thoughts on the idea. Do you think there is room for valid consideration to vending out artwork in order to concentrate on sign making? Is the design/art end of the process that which got you into the business, or is it the necessary evil?
Thanx in advance for your thoughts.
Ethan Rutkoff
Posted by dave parr (Member # 3868) on :
Ethan,
Surely you realize this is already being done by many. Some very talented folks here offer that service. Most would certainly do the design work involving creative layouts & provide production ready files if the money were there from the sources you mentioned. It may take a while to build a clientele for the service, but if you have a good grasp of what the production end of the business requires you might be able to show the customers you mentioned the advantage of a service such as yours. Seems to me that one would need to be quite close to the production end of the work in order to provide what is needed. From your post it seems you are most likely considering expanding your potential client list buy offering a wider variety of commercial art. The franchise shops seem to come & go. There is probably a reason for that. I don't think the only thing to consider here is the quality of their artwork. As you pointed out design time costs in the end.
In any event, good luck with your endeavor.
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
Ethan,
The idea is sound, but look at what kind of customers you are considering marketing your service to.
What you are describing here is to be a subcontractor to franchise sign shops who would be sending you people who are difficult to deal with, in a hurry, and most likey, just plain too cheap to spend a buck on a design fee. (I think that might qualify as a whole new level of hell that Dante forgot to mention in "The Inferno".)
quote: X hours of art + Y hours production = profit
Here's some math for you, based on what you "equated"...
X=5 Y=1 Price of "magnets"=$310
Here's the REAL way it works...
Odds that an uninformed customer would pay for a design fee of $250 for a pair of door magnets...0 to none.
Odds that a franchise sign company would outjob 5 hours of design fees...0 to no way. That's money on the table! They'll take it.
Odds that you would get $50/hr from the bottom of the barrel customers that the franchise shop would stick you with...less than 0.
I think you get the idea.
There are folks here that do artistic designs for other sign companies, but not for the undercutting bottom dwellers.
The idea is good, but I'd recommend looking at it a little closer. Rapid
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Seems to me you would be better off securing your own customers, handling all the consultation and design aspect yourself, then turn the production duties over to another shop. Keep the customer under your wing, but let other shops produce the work then you mark it up a little bit and call it good.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Mikes idea sounds like the way to go.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
quote:Originally posted by Todd Gill: Mikes idea sounds like the way to go.
I like it too.. I've been doing this more and more lately and I'm real close to doing it with *all* my vinyl cutting instead of just the stuff that won't fit through my plotter. Tonight I'll be building jewelry prototypes, which I'll send off to my dad so he can make molds and do all the casting. Gives him more biz, I make some nice coin on it too, customers get a beautiful piece, everybody's happy.
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I've been doing this more and more lately and I'm real close to doing it with *all* my vinyl cutting instead of just the stuff that won't fit through my plotter. Tonight I'll be building jewelry prototypes, which I'll send off to my dad so he can make molds and do all the casting. Gives him more biz, I make some nice coin on it too, customers get a beautiful piece, everybody's happy.