posted December 01, 2014 04:36 PM
Today's conversation with client:
"We really like the sign you proposed for our new sub-division. We would like for you to proceed with the project...but we would like to make a little change."
"OK. What change do you have in mind?"
"Well, one of the committee members is an interior designer and she wants everything twice as tall as you've shown."
(The sign is a 4' x 8' double faced dimensional)
"So you want the sign to be 8' x 8'?"
"No, we still want it to be 4' x 8', but just make everything twice as tall. And we want to add the word 'Welcome' at the bottom. And those colors are nice (earth tones to match name Country Trails), but we would rather have it all red and white. And, could you add a horse in the background?"
"Anything else?"
"No, but we are in a hurry - we need it this weekend."
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6712 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted December 02, 2014 12:32 AM
Years ago I entered a competition for a mural commission. I won, however, the committee chair person asked me for a couple of changes to my design before I proceeded. Her conversation was like this... "Starting on the right hand side... "and she went on for quite some time. When she was done I asked her if I had indeed won the competition. She replied yes. I then asked her if I had used the photographic reference materials they had provided. Again she said yes. I asked her if the committee had liked my design. Once more she said yes. I then told her I would be most pleased to do the mural - as I had designed it. She insisted once more on the changes and I politely but firmly turned down the mural. She was dumbfounded I would dare turn down a $15,000 commission. They awarded the mural to a friend of mine who I guess was in second place. He did his best to please the committee and make all of the changes they asked for. I met him a while later and asked him how it went. He told me I was the smart one for walking away. When I looked at his mural it looked a lot like a committee had designed and supervised every stroke.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted December 02, 2014 07:33 AM
I think I would tell them you know a fellow who had taught many sign professionals "Design & Layout" at national trade shows for many years and see what he thinks. Then I would bring back the original and say "He Likes This One As It Is".
-------------------- Bob Moroney The Sign Guy 310 Club Valley Drive Falmouth, MA 02536 508-259-6297 Posts: 216 | From: Falmouth, MA | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted December 02, 2014 09:03 AM
I think they call those people control freaks, it has to be their way no matter how bad it looks. Show them the way out and say good bye.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted December 02, 2014 09:51 AM
"Sorry, but I left my wizard cap and magic baton back at the shop". These people are usually math challenged. They want 1 + 3 to fit into 2. No amount of objective explanation will suffice, even if drawn to scale. Similar to selling a two sided sign with directional arrows. You explain that the arrows have to be made facing opposite ways. The client disagrees; so you make a little two sided paper sign to demonstrate, but he's still skeptical. I think it's related to a progressive society. You try to explain that if your government takes in 25, you can't spend 100; no matter how much group A needs help; or how awful country B is, you can't spend a bajillion dollars on handouts or hardware. Unless of course, that's your economic growth model, but hey, enough political diversion. We could probably replace the elected officials with the challenged sign customer and not notice the difference. But uh-oh, that might mean we'd have to try and sell signs to displaced politicians. Fine mess I got us into.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted December 02, 2014 09:56 AM
many years ago in sarasota(before printers)i did 3 X 5 metal signs for little league. they provided the metal, some i had to repaint, and i felt it was something i did for the kids and community, so the price per sign was low i think $30-35 all text, $45 with a logo. AND THESE WERE ALL PAINTED.....i got one request, and i had to call the lady in charge. she had the title of marketing director, for some hospital/medical group....to tell her, her request for what she wanted on their SIGN was not possible to do.........and she said "they"(meaning the baseball sign sellers)SAID.. you could do anything.....i told yes i can......but I WILL NOT RECREATE your logo for $45!!!!! this was on her card))))))))) [IMG][/IMG]
[ December 02, 2014, 09:58 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted December 03, 2014 11:54 AM
If this was anyone else but you Raymond I really would have to believe it was made up. This even beats any of my worse encounters.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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posted December 10, 2014 06:05 PM
I hate to bring this up, but in the image that OP posted, why does Adam have a navel?!
Ray...We've all been there. Man, when you deal with committees, anything is possible.
-------------------- Brian Oliver Paxton Signs Fort Collins, CO paxton@peakpeak.com www.paxtonsignsofcolorado.com Posts: 237 | From: ft. collins, colorado,usa | Registered: Mar 2001
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