It's been a while since I posted - I've been hunkered over my practice piece of glass with my quills and my can of black 1-shot.
Well, now comes a new phase in my signpainting adventure. The cold calls! Yesterday and today I've gone around to auto dealers trying to get work doing car windshields and window splashes. Man I was dreading that, since I'm kind of a solitary man, but it's actually not been too bad at all. So wish me luck!
posted
Lately I haven't had any lack of work however whenever I start to get a little low on work. I make a few cold calls usually to businesses with old faded signage or new construction, so far it always works.
I find, Usually businesses are happy to have sign guys come to them as they usually don't have time to go out and seek them out.
Good Luck
My 2 Cents anyway.
-------------------- Dave Levesque Angelo Sign 3014 Hemlock San Angelo, TX 76904 Posts: 82 | From: San Angelo, TX | Registered: Jan 2004
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Cold calls are not my idea of having fun either, BUT....If you look at them like this, it might change your dread of doing them. If only 1 out of 10 results in an actual profitable order, then when you're out doing them, each rejection actually brings you 1/10 th closer to that elusive one that's going to yield some profitable work. Things could be far worse. Imagine having to go out each and every day trying to sell something that people have a natural resistance toward buying....like life insurance, or cemetary plots.
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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WAIT . . .don't give up on me I DO have a few serious points!!
Don't go in feeling as if you are not needed or wanted....the opposite is true.
I expect you target the business with the worn out, faded sign or the desinegrating sign . . .
Never assume these people are too cheap to get a sign and are a waste of your time. More often than not, they've been too busy, or it keeps slippin' their mind . . they usually will be very happy to see you!!
Cautionary note: NEVER appear DESPERATE for a job. Remember, it's THEM that NEED you . . if they don't hire you it is THEIR loss, not yours. Leave a card and a smile.
Also, sometimes if you seem desperate, the happy-to-see-you owner will walk you thru the whole place showing you a BUNCH'A stuff he wants done. (he's SO happy to see you & he's hoping you are SO in need of work he can get a LOT for SO little...)
Politely but firmly state that you prefer to complete the original sign you came to inquire about and if he's pleased with that you can go from there.
This leads us to another thought in the same kind'a boat: Don't TRY to go in selling huge package deals. He has a faded sign. Name a good price for YOU to refurbish it and do it in a timely reasonable fashion, and do the very best job you can, but don't try to take advantage of his obvious need right away, just as you won't let him take advantage of yours...
Once mutual consideration & trust is established in your introduction and conversation, you can always give a little extra on the job and always, ALWAYS treat people just the way YOU love to be treated.
DESPERATION PRICING: You are needin' work. You're needin' cash flow. Otherwise you would'nt be out poundin' the pavement . . .
You wanna give a "I know I got the job" price but don't forget the worth and value of your skill. DO not price yourself too low. Always stand your ground.
As you begin to get references, it will be easier to increase your rates & price YOUR worth.
Hey, if you need cash flow get a second job rakin' yards or deliverin' papers . . .just don't devalue your sign-job's worth. Otherwise, you'll just be doin' MORE signs for less $$ and you'll be keepin' that 2nd job longer than you meant to, and it will be harder to increase the worth of your skills later, because you've "trained" the customers about your value. . . .. ask me how I know all this...
Instant QUOTES?
Unless your 100% positive of the work and the specs, DO NOT quote prices right there.
Write every little bit of information down about that job, down to the size screws you might have to replace and even take notes on any surprises you could find under that peeling paint, for example.... Take the facts back to your place and realize what all this job is going to involve for you to make your worth....then add a little more for even wonderin' if you should quote less . . .
Never be afraid - shy - embarassed, or apologetic for your prices. Don't even stand there and "discuss it with them. Fax the proposal over or drop it off during their busy time.
BECAUSE!! You don't have time to stand there and convince people who obviously need you that they need to hire you!! YOU'RE busy anyway.... you should have a bunch more places that you need to be repeatin' the above routine with . . .and while you were out, 1 or 2 of the other ones you left proposals with called sayin' come by and get a down payment....
(Soon, your biggest problem will not be needin' work, but needin' a break ) Anyway, when the busines owner has had time to review the thing you can call him back a few days later, or when he calls you asking about the prices you can then, and do not be afraid to do this: Explain to him EXACTLY WHY his rotten peice of plywood needs to be replaced and why you as a person of integrity can not repiant it in its current conditon because HE would be throwin' his money away, and WHY and HOW YOU can do it better and he will be gettin' his money's worth and more.
NOTE: I Hope you're tryin' to build a reputable business, which means making the customer realize you are on his side and have his best interests at heart . . . SO DON'T GO ALONG WITH every little whiney thing a customer thinks they want you do to "save money". It'll NEVER save money and it'll NEVER save your reputation. . . . and you can . . .
PROVE IT! When you get the chances to prove that you can do quality work, at the price quality work is WORTH, AND you can deliver the job ON TIME or before, AND you will stand behind the work . . . then just DO IT.
So, what if you you paint the rotten plywood sign & get paid . . . and it finishes desinegratin' the rest of that summer.... That customer will always distrust you and OTHER sign people (hmmm, that could be you too down the road) because now he has to pay out AGAIN AND check this out...he will not tell people that HE insisted you redo THAT sign . . .just that you DID it. No one needs any help to be broke...why WORK for someone who wants to help you be broke??
Summary this paragraph - two special thoughts:
~BE trustworthy and you'll be trusted at any price. ~Do not submit to mediocrity. I would rather be broke than do shoddy work . . .
HAPPY CUSTOMERS PREFER YOU & DO REFER YOU!
Perty soon you will have a great repeat customer and reference base and you will never have to go "job-huntin' again.
PS: Do write us all back and tell us how it's goin' will ya??
posted
Warm-fuzzy calls, Sheila? Don't those usually charge $3.99 per minute?
For me, cold calling actually rates below visiting my dentist or my gyno. That 1/10 thing is about average when you start doing them. 1 thing to remember is just because they say no today, doesn't mean anything. I've gotten jobs from customers that I cold called 3 years ago.
I've dealt with a few used car dealers... MONEY UP FRONT!
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
I thrived on cold calls for years. It was the majority of my work in the early days. Many a time I pulled onto a construction site when I spotted a nekkid white trailer, and often times scored the job. Many people appreciate the aggressive type who will 'git er done'
I still make a small amount of cold calls today, but it keeps me in touch with the general clientele, keeps me honest, and keeps me real. Kind of humbling in a way. But thankfully the cold calls are less necessary than before.
I should mention I have called on Dealerships as a mobile pinstriper for about 20 years. Consistancy is the key. I used to offer to do a graphics package on consignment. They pay when it sells. Or I offered quantity discounts and "limited time" offers. It's all up to you.
Make the best of it. Set a goal for so many per week. Soon you will find it is fairly easy. Good luck!
[ October 20, 2004, 07:28 AM: Message edited by: Rick Beisiegel ]
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3488 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Starr, I am a veteran of calling on Auto Dealerships. I have dealt with Sales managers for over 25 years. Here are a few things to keep in mind. Don't be discouraged by being turned down a few times. Sometimes they need to know that you are for real and intend to give them value and professionalism, and are in it for the long haul. If you just go in to say hello and ask if there is anything that you can do for them on a regular basis, you are establishing that you are serious about being in business, and, you begin to develop a repore with them. Keep in mind that most dealerships have seperate new and used car managers, and they don't always think alike. Also know that they can sometimes be very busy so don't take up too much of their time. And remember that you are there to help them, and until you develop a personal relationship with a manager, that's all they are concerned with. And just when you get to feeling comfortable with a sales manager he'll get fired and you'll have to start the whole process over again. One dealership I did work for went through 13 managers in a 2 year period. I taught my son to letter windshields when he was 14. He bought his first car with windshield money. He was $50 bucks shy of the negotiated price of the car, so the manager let him work it off by lettering windshields. If you want any more insight on dealership work you can e-mail me at ksilva@bendbroadband.com.
-------------------- Kurt Silva Bend,Oregon ksilva@bendbroadband.com Posts: 46 | From: Bend, Oregon | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Hey everybody, thanks for all the great advice (wow sheila! I loved that long one.). It's really heartening.
Well, I've been out three times now to about 16 places total (I have to squeeze these inbetween work at my day job) I have a few leads, dropped off one quote but nothing solid yet. The weird thing about it is that when I'm out going to places, I have absolutely no problems, I'm not nervous at all. The hard part is making myself get out there in the first place!
My favorite moment so far has been when I went into this dealership when the manager was eating lunch. He said he already had a sign guy who works real cheap. I ask "how cheap?". He points to this sign (actually really well done) probably 4'x20' and says it cost him $20.
That gave me a good laugh.
Well it looks like it's about time for me to get back out there. I'm thinking I might be a little decadent today and go to a strip mall.
posted
LOL yep Wayne . . . and the dealer's either lying to intimidate Starr OR, more than likely somebody REALLY did it for $20 which = rock o'crack or $20 = about 3 bottles of Mad Dog
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
My take on 'warm fuzzy' calling, is to feel confident, have a good attitude, dress nicely and always SMILE!
As I approach a business that NEEDS me, I consider something nice to say about their environment, product, or even the person, etc. I introduce myself and lead in with some sort of compliment.
Also, cold calling, can happen at anytime, easiest when you are buying someting from another business. It's as simple as saying; Oh, by the way, I'd like to give you my card, in the event you should need a sign or lettering.
I've had good luck in my travels, handing my card over to secretaries and receptionists. If they keep my card, they recall meeting me and don't have to look me up in the phone book. Make your first impressions count. *smile*
Good luck, Cher.
-------------------- Co-Host: SANDCASTLE Panel Jam 'a Dixie Letterhead Reunion' Fort Myers, Florida
Cheryl Lucas a/k/a "Shag" on mIRC Vital Signs & Graphics, Etc. Cape Coral, Florida 239-574-4713 VSignsNgraphics@aol.com Posts: 987 | From: Cape Coral, FL USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
Cold calls? I absolutly hate it... but it usally goes pretty good once I'm out doing them. I like hiding infront of my computer until my wife tells me that it would probably be a great idea to go out and get more jobs BEFORE we run out of things to do. In the past I have been working hard with the jobs we had lined up and when they we're done, we had nothing going on. This morning for an example, my wife is the best supporter ever! I planned on going out doing sales calls all day long but dreaded it all night before. Then she gave me a kiss and showed me out the door:)
It actually went great! I had a lousy start when a business owner threw the business card I gave him right back at me and said that he's doing his own signs and we're not in need of anyone else. But the rest of the day went great and we picked up some nice jobs. I do get in trouble every now and then because english is not my native language and I mess up my sentences sometimes but the customer usally just laugh about it and probably don't care too much about it.
If I can do cold calls then anyone can!
-------------------- David Nyman Nyman Signs 100 South 8th Street Escanaba, MI 49829 Posts: 80 | From: Escanaba, Michigan USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
I'm watching Dustin Hoffman on Letterman - while I'm perusing some stuff here - being a fan of his and not having seen him in a long time - only Sheila's very excellent post could pry me away.
I actually have somehow escaped having to make cold calls, because I got started so long ago, when there were so few of us in my town who knew how to handle a brush, that having work was a given. Now that there are so so many, I guess I have retained enough people who know about me.....
I want to compliment Sheila for getting it exactly right, at least that's how I see it, and if ever things change for me, this is how I would do it.
Right now I do what Cheryl is talking about, some of the time, and I always have cards under my visor in the truck. My shenanigans on my truck bring me lots of work. I edge print photos I myself took of places, excitements and things, and put them on the sides. One never knows what it may be. Usually the image areas are about 5-6 feet x 26", are different on both sides, I print them on easy to remove vinyl, and can get the truck back to clean in 15 minutes every three months, and put on brand new prints.
In election years the rear gate is reserved for other messages. In this important year there are 14 different bumperstickers. They also bring me a lot of work. Today I picked up a fine and easy job from that in the parking lot at the post office.
-------------------- Myra A. Grozinger Signs Limited Winston-Salem, NC
signslimited@triad.rr.com Posts: 1244 | From: Winston-Salem, NC USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
"Warm-Fuzzy" I like that... however I prefer to call them... "Duck-n-Cover" calls.
Very nice read indeed, Sheila. I would like to help define the finer details/options in the art of "Cold/Warm-Fuzzy" calls.
(This will probably help those sign shops that only have a single or one to two employees who find gaps inbetween jobs.)
Besides the tips pointed out by Sheila and the other fine folks above, we add the technical tools of the trade to help ogment presentations to prospective clients.
We start out with a digital camera (2 mega-pixil or better will do) and take snapshots of weathered signs or signages that are "too busy" or in need of repair. We make sure that we place a yard stick or other objects in the photo for scale.
Then, after we have about 5 or more businesses targeted with their sign photos we get to work in Corel Draw or other art programs to reproduce their signs anew. We make several alternative signs with alternate color schemes and fonts and "Un-Busy" some of the copy as needed to quickly get their pount across to their customers. (Yes, sometimes a little education is needed to the potential customer.)
Imagine walking into a place of business armed with your business card and a cheap laptop (used $200-$250 laptops are found for sale everywhere) under your arm. Often times showing the potential customer the difference between their old tired sign and the brightly fresh looking one side-by-side does the trick.
Why? Because in this world of instant gratification, they can see an instant result which gets them talking about improvements to their signs and upgrading their look and or style or services which may not be present on their existing signage. They seem to skip over the fact that they may already have a sign shop they do business with.
It shows that you have gone an extra mile and have done your homework on their behalf.
And once you get the knack of this style of presentations, it only gets easier from there every time you do it.
Useful tools to work with during your "gaps" inbetween jobs.
Hope this helps take the "Cold" out of your calls.
-------------------- Steve Dowden _ _ ____ _ _
Sue Avery Signs Kountze, Texas Posts: 14 | From: Lumberton, Texas | Registered: Nov 2003
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Starr, another type of call is the 'Warm Call'- that's when you're out doing a job, no matter how small, or even voluntary, and people see you & come up to you and say "Would you mind calling in to see me about a sign when you're done here?"
That is often preceded by "Are you busy?" Don't answer that one directly with a yes or a no- both suggest that either you're too busy to help them, or you're not much good since you don't have much work to do. Reply with something like "Depending on what you'd like I'm sure we can fit you in soon- what did you have in mind...?" "Shall I come over and get some measurements..." etc
Best wishes
PS This week has been a Yellow Pages week- busy & productive- surprising from there, but nice!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
WOM (word of mouth) is the best source for refferals/ work. If you could just find a way to tap into an organized system to make WOM work consistantly every week. Well guess what, somebody figured out how to do that and the organization is now world wide. BNI.com check it out. We are BNI members now going on our 4th year.
The majority of cold calls do not produce immediate work. But that does not imply cold calls do not work. Businesses have to know you are available for specific work.
Cold calling presentations need to be 30 to 60 seconds, enthusiastic, get to the point, and geared to make a first impression how you can benefit them...not you. "I can do this" is not as good as "What would attract positive attention from potential customers is a big window splash like this!"
People who hate cold sales calling do not understand how it works, how to use it correctly and what results to expect. It can be time consumming with little return at first. That's where belonging to organizations, like the local Chamber and others, helps you do some serious "cold calling" in a social setting, to a lot of people very quickly with the same little result...but they at least know who you are and might reffer a friend your way. Almost always it goes like this: Hey, I know some people who need what you do." Thus back to WOM through a cold sales call at a social networking event.
Do some cold sales calling, some flyer mailings, some networking events and eventually you will start getting the work you want. It may not be enough to feed you entirely so keep your options open.
posted
I used to be the western PA outside salesperson for a large truck accessories/bedliner manufacturing company. Daily, I visited 10-20 dealerships and bodyshops. In order to meet that targeted quantity, I had to be very firm and efficient with my sales pitch (win 'em or lose 'em in the first 20 seconds, and don't "hang out" in their shop), and get my 200-250 mile daily drive in. Pack yourself a lunch without onion or garlic containing foods, too (for obvious reasons). No time to stop and look at scenery at that pace.
With car sales managers, I found one sure way to tell if they're BS-ing... their lips were moving! Don't quit on the first call, either. Most sales came after the 3rd or 4th stop (call, flyer, etc.), even if I got a polite "no, thanks" the first few go-rounds. Rules differ for signs, understandably, but you get the idea...
[ October 23, 2004, 10:03 AM: Message edited by: Pete Sharkins ]
-------------------- Pete Sharkins MotoArts Decals and Signs New Kensington, PA motoarts@yahoo.com * All vinyl, all the time * Posts: 138 | From: New Kensington, PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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I stumbled across these short articles here and here on the subject of cold calling this morning...some useful suggestions.
[ October 23, 2004, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: Jon Aston ]
-------------------- Jon Aston MARKETING PARTNERS "Strategy, Marketing and Business Development" Tel 705-719-9209 Posts: 1724 | From: Barrie, ON, CANADA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Steve, I'm concerned about taking a laptop and designs into a customer without prior contact. Going to all that work to do a design before even meeting with them devalues the time you've spent on it. Why pay for designs if someone is willing to do it for free. If you're willing to do it for free, it can't be worth anything, right? Trying to get them to pay for the design when you've already done it for free isn't going to be easy. If you're not charging design time, you're leaving money on the table and cheapening your talents in their eyes.
Also, taking the laptop and watching you change something because they think it'll look better in purple or over here or bigger can bite you in the butt bigtime. You not only can waste a lot of time fast but the customer can then think it just takes a push of a button, the computer does all the work, so it shouldn't cost much.
If anything, have a sketch pad, a pencil and do a rough 30 seconds thumbnail while talking with them, just to make sure you're both on the same page. Then, get a design deposit.
That being said, I've taken the laptop to a committee meeting at a fire dept about lettering their new truck. I saw the "layout" another shop had given them (white paper, yellow text with a huge black contour around it) and wanted to smoke them. When I had stopped to look at the truck, I spoke with a few of the guys and felt I had the job just from talking knowledgable with them. At the decision meeting, I showed them digital picts of their truck with the lettering imposed over it, in gold. Once they saw that they quickly forgot the other shop & price was no longer an issue. This was the exception to my rule. Since then, I've done all their signwork, new trucks and been referred to several other departments by these guys. Do I take it when I go to other depts? nope. I take my portfolio and when they see trucks from other depts they recognize, they're usually sold. Seeing my red pick-up lettered with real gold leaf and fancy firetruck corners helps too.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Gee Steve . . . .(and James take more notes here)
I have to recant on my compliment to ya . . . .
Kissy makes a VERY valid, hugely critical point about the design stage of the sign . . . which is an area where a LOT of us have fallen down and can't get up . . .
I've always done "ROUGH thumb-nails" . . on napkins, the back of a business card, etc., if I did'nt have a ledger with me . . .for many years I failed to realize that I was GIVING away a design, not necessarily at that stage, but when I went back to the client with clean art-work..... and hey, I almost ALWAYS got the job.
But even on re-doing existing signage, I was often putting a lot of time into laying it out better, or creating new ideas which, at first, I WAS'NT even adding more for. Then I did add for it, but ON the sign . . .not for THE IDEA, on the design & lay-out...
I eventually realized where I was losing money, but by then I had a really good repeat base and it was harder to suddenly start "charging" them a separate fee for a service I'd always provided.
I did manage to start this with new customers and also have added it "into" the repeater's invoices . . . .
This could be a touchy line and could also be such a variable from job to job . . depending on the amount of stuff a customer wants...(if they are having a LOT of up-scale work done with an existing logo, you might wanna just 'add' that lay-out fee in with total hours) all the way to considering a potential customer with NO logo on the old sign but who's "interested" in what you can come up with . . . .which is the open door to explain right away that the "free estimate" ends when you start drawin' . . . .which leads you to often having to get THAT statement clearly understood in writing . . . .
All in all, design-on-the-spot is more than likely not going to increase your hourly rate, or make you more money on the fabrication process UNLESS you add that into your labor on the invoice, . . . but the customer does'nt realize he IS paying for it and they NEED to know on jobs where YOU create the logo, design, layout, and whole image. . .
More importantly, it's not going to make YOU realize the value and worth of YOUR own mind which is a uniquely, creative, amazing thing and more than likely, the very reason you are in the sign biz in the first place . . . . we must all strive to be wise stewards with the gifts we each posess . . . .
It might be a good thing for all heads to go to a design firm and just see what these suits get for sittin' at a drawin' table creatin' even the simplest logos & lay-outs. . . . we're talkin' thousands of dollars worth of drawing that could take as little as a 1/2 hour . . . but we sign painters GIVE 'em away . . . .or charge 'nominal' fees to 'copy' them via paint and vinyl on various substrates and thus the lowly sign painter has made another day's wages. . . . . . .
We HAVE to get out of that mind-set and start placing more value on WHO we are and WHAT we are capable of doing and just how much others NEED it to be done...
Hence, there is very little "selling" involved in turning a sign job. People don't "get-in-a-mood" and go "try on" signs, they don't "browse" for signs or "test-drive" signs, and they typically don't stroll around with the intent of "sign" window shopping.
THE NEED is there . . they not only WANT, but HAVE to have a sign. . .. yet notice, how many trade-business-sales people GO TO the customer??
Does the car dealer go around lookin' for the old cars and stop in and show drawings and photo's of new cars??
Do dentists come by and ask if we'd like to have our faded ol' teeth replaced??
Has a Dr. ever stopped by your place tellin' you you look bad and he thinks he can improve you??
Have any good lawyers dropped by out-of-the-blue to help you re-design your legal papers?? (Never mind . . .this was a bad example...I know there's no such thing as a 'good' lawyer, LOL!!)
Yet we sign people have to go out and walk the beat to get established . . .while WE are part of the very reason these wealthy people stay in business . . . . we ought'a get paid for it too and paid well too. . . .
Only WE have CONTROL of OUR fees. . . . .this sentence can be read 3 ways . . . . humorously, negatively, or positively . . .
choose positive . . .
PS: Sorry this was so long!! I'm puttin' the soap-box away now . . .
posted
A very valid point from you both, however you seem to be missing what I've been trying to point out. Simple formula really...
Free time = non-productive time = no mula time. The fact that you took time to invest back into your business the potential to make mula = productive time eventually using the 1/10 method of rough guesstimation.
If I can spend 1 hour designtime per customer and still only knabb 1 out of every 10 I call on, Im still ahead of the curve.
And no, you do not show the customer ALL the diff color schemes at once. You get a feel for how impressed the customer is with the material presented. You start off with the same color scheme and layout as what the customer has presently only refreshed. (Simple color fills in a paint program) If the deal looks like it may go sour, you show the next version you have, and so on.
I feel it is not "giving away" anything as long as the potential is there.
Lets use the Car Dealer as an example;
If the car dealer does not take the time to invest in his/her business, only the mailman, doctor, dentist driving by smiling and waving will be the only ones he sees in passing. So what does he do? He hires a blonde headed former Ms America to push his wares during a re-run of Fiddler on da Roof. (Cheap TV spot) And it costs $$ to do that. Same as the money you think you are loosing by presenting yourself to a client by showing him/her what your wares look like.
Ok... so here we are... doing "Cold Calls".. and why is that? We're doing that because the business is'nt there to begin with. So we go forth to drum it up. Now, lets see here... How many other sign compnies are there out there competing for the same business. Hmm... a quick flip through the local phone book, your jaw drops, a second or two you feel like going into the light when the next thing you experience is smelling sauce under your nose to bring you out of coma.
The bottom line is, are you proficiant enough using paint/illistration software to make your time spent using it profitable. If you are, then the answer is 'Yes'. It is worth doing to your boxcar back in the profit lane.
My personal experiance is that nearly 1/2 of all cold call customers end up doing business with me. (Not the 1/10 profile) Sure it's extra work, but it's not something everyone else and their mothers are doing. And small shops like ours needs the extra edge over the more financially gifted chains.
Note: If things take a nosedive, look for me on local TV wearing a blonde wig, and wearing a Ms America ribbon across me chest.
-------------------- Steve Dowden _ _ ____ _ _
Sue Avery Signs Kountze, Texas Posts: 14 | From: Lumberton, Texas | Registered: Nov 2003
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LOL Steve . . . . . . .I sort'a kind'a se both sides of that . . . . I guess I'm spoiled . . . I have my die-hard repeats who did'nt even mind waiting for me the 6 months I had to be out dealing with my late Dad's stuff, even tho' I URGED them to go elsewhere . . . . . . . .
Competition has'nt been a big deal here . . . but where it IS a big factor I guess you have to do what you have to do to "stand out" and I can certainly appreciate that . . .
Well James . . . are you prepared, dedicated, bold? Do you feel encouraged and exhorted?? Are you gonna go forth and REMIND people that you're around and can do the job??
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
When I opened my Sign Business in Warner Robins, (BR) before Ricky, actually before Ricky was a Sign Guy, I decided to not leave the shop to "shake the bushes".
The first month I cleared only slightly over $500. After that, I didn't have enough time in the day to do all the work. I would only make out of shop calls if I was installing a sign or doing one "on location", and I saw an opportunity nearby.
I usually had only one employee, another sign painter, besides my wife. I gave him a commission on sign work that he sold.
My Shop was located on a main thoroughfare in the City, so I had a lot of walk-in business. The other sign folks used to drop by my shop whenever they were in the area, too. I did a lot of work for some of them, too, like hand cutting silk screen stencils and masked plexisign faces.
Myra, I loved Dustin Hoffman on the Letterman Show.
I never put polical stuff on my vehicle because I wanted to maintain a Liberal customer base. Ha Ha
Since I am almost totally retired now, if I wanted to work more now, I'm sure I would have to "Shake some Bushes".
I once gave an estimate of $600 for a wall job and went by a few days later and saw the wall already done. The guy told me a Wall Dog came by and did it for $25 and a fifth of Jack Daniels.
[ October 24, 2004, 03:20 PM: Message edited by: Rovelle W. Gratz ]
-------------------- Rove Gratz Gratz Signs 342 Walden Station Drive Macon, GA 31216 rovegratz@aol.com Home Page: http://rove-342.tripod.com Posts: 861 | From: Macon, GA 31216 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Nobody has mentioned making the cold call and alerting the customer that he really does need the sign. Then he calls his regular signman and gets a new sign from him! Frustrating at best, and a good bit disheartening. Even worse, he calls around (not to you) and gets a cheap sign from a scab, that looks like hell. It has happened a few too many times since I opened shop in this new territory. Or a new business is opening in the area, you go to them about their sign. "No, they haven't talked to a signman yet... Yes, they're interested". Then 3 weeks later, they have a new sign up and had never called you back (and yes, in some cases I have made follow-up calls/visits with no indication that they have already ordered the sign elsewhere). This town is definitely a different animal.
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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looking positive for 5 year lease ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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You don't have time to stand there and convince people who obviously need you that they need to hire you!!
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