posted
If you've got a digital camera and you're not using it for a layout tool, you're missing the boat!
1. Start with a picture if your customer's vehicle.
2. Import, scale to actual size and design right on the picture. Print it on photo gloss paper and present it to the customer.
3. Try not to look as excited as they do when they see how professional your presentation looks compared to the other guy's line drawing or thumbnail AND YOU GET THE JOB (even at a higher price!)
Note: this also works well when selling building or site signs. Just superimpose the layout onto the picture and show the customer (and the village for permit apps) EXACTLY what the sign will look like and where it will go. A picture REALLY IS "worth a thousand words".
------------------ Pete Kouchis Say it with SIGNS, Inc. Orland Park, IL, USA Phone: (708)460-3001 Fax: (708)460-3006
Excellence is doing a common thing in an uncommon way Booker T. Washington
[This message has been edited by Pete Kouchis (edited January 25, 2000).]
Posts: 150 | From: Orland Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Peter, A digital camera is a must,I also save the image after I've made the sign, just like a paper pattern.The sign file and pictures are saved, next year when they order those 10 more vans, all I have to do is find the job disk, load and everything about the job is right there; colors, size, price, and any other notes I made as the job progressed and was completed. Most importantly did I make good money and did he pay promply. Your design is awesome, what did you get for it?
------------------ Matthew Broadus Matthew Broadus Advertising Jacksonville, Fl.
posted
Good step-by-step,and a nice job on the truck. For the fiscally challenged a scanner and a One Step camera will do the same! Ya may lose some picture quality, but it still puts you "in" with the client.
------------------ Bill Dirkes Bethel Hill Signs Butler, Ky. Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.
Posts: 591 | From: Bellevue,Ky. US | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
Peter, A digital camera is a must,I also save the image after I've made the sign, just like a paper pattern.The sign file and pictures are saved, next year when they order those 10 more vans, all I have to do is find the job disk, load and everything about the job is right there; colors, size, price, and any other notes I made as the job progressed and was completed. Most importantly did I make good money and did he pay promply. Your design is awesome, what did you get for it?
------------------ Matthew Broadus Matthew Broadus Advertising Jacksonville, Fl.
posted
The other day I handed a printout of a proposed sign to a customer. He looked at it and said he'll get back to me. As I left, I pulled out the camera, shot his building and ran back to the shop and did as you described. Went back and handed him the photo of his building with the new sign on it and got the job immediatly!
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posts: 6712 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Hey! I've been doing that , even before digital cameras! A plain ol' Polaroid and a scanner will have you in business... true, the quality isn't quite as good! But the look on the custmer's face when they see exactly what it will look like, lets you know that you've cinched a sale!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Brushasaurus on Chat
[This message has been edited by Si Allen (edited January 25, 2000).]
Posts: 8827 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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We do the same picture presentation also, but I use my Cannon EOS Rebel 35mm. and after I take the picture of the van or truck from every angle, then we use our local 1 hour film developer (that would be WAL-mart) and get the supersize prints ( that would be the 5" x 7" size.
I would love a digital camera, but the photo quality of the Cannon EOS is so much superior to the present digital cameras, we have decided to wait until the quality of the digital photos comes way up and the camera price comes way down! We also use the Cannon EOS for photo realistic prints on our Gerber Edge....and a superior photo scanned at high resolution will produce some very sharp Edge prints.
The photo presentation sells a job every time and the customer can't come back on you for getting a job he didn't want or expect was going to look different!
We also include copyright info in the picture presentation and make the customer sign off on the project. He is made aware that he pays up front for the layout presentation if he need to get bids from other shops.
We also show the potential customer other jobs with the picture presentation to finished production and walk them down the whole process before we begin.
------------------ Go Get 'Em..... :) AKA Raptorman on #Letterheads mIRC Chat Draper The Signmaker Bloomington Illinois USA
Proud 2-yr. $upporter of this Web Site (May 1999-May 2001)
Posts: 2883 | From: Bloomington Illinois USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Just got a Digital camera and will be using it for all the reasons mentioned so far and also to record the signs I have made already. I can put these pictures on the web site and potential customers can see what I have done.
To combine it with a Notebook computer - some design could be done on site and overlayed on the picture taken just 5 mins ago.
Anything that will remove the doubt and inertia from a possible sale occaision, and give you a one up situation over a rival in business has got to be good. Also usefull when you have to drive for 2 hours to get to the customer - If you can get the sale there and then without making a second trip - brilliant.
The retail biz works on the basis of "Well displayed is half sold" - Get a digital camera today - do not delay.......
posted
I've been thinking of having my film developer put pictures on CD. Would this be better than scanning, or not worth the trouble? I don't have a digital camera yet.
Brad
------------------ Brad Ferguson 4782 West Highway 22 Paris AR 72855 501-963-2642 signbrad@cswnet.com
Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I recently got a digital camera and I LOVE it!! for all of the above mentioned reasons. I, like Si used to use my 35 mm and the scanner. And like Dave, I used to take the film to the one hour photo finisher. It worked great!!!
The digital is faster, cheaper in the long run, and as mentioned, combined with a laptop is a powerhouse combo.
BUT..I also take my 35 mm along with me everywhere for taking photos of the finished job. There is nothing like a nice glossy 4"x6" to put in your portfolio!!!!!!!!!
------------------ Dave Grundy shop#340 AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@odyssey.on.ca www.odyssey.on.ca/~dave.grundy "A PROUD $ supporter of the website"
I've been using the digital camera for about 2 years, and frankly, can't imagine comping without. Clients love it, and it saves so much time measuring. We throw a magnetic ruler on the "blank" truck before the picture so its easy to scale it.
Also, we email comps to our clients too, thereby saving a second client meeting.
posted
Thanks for all the compliments. After almost a year, the customer still giggles with joy when he looks at his truck (wish they were all like that)! Regarding the camera, I bought the Sony Mavica ($999) because of the 14x zoom and the convenience of floppy disks.
------------------ Pete Kouchis Say it with SIGNS, Inc. Orland Park, IL, USA Phone: (708)460-3001 Fax: (708)460-3006
Excellence is doing a common thing in an uncommon way Booker T. Washington
Posts: 150 | From: Orland Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Developing directly to disc was an option I looked into and here's what I found: 1. Cost was about $15 for a 24 exposure roll 2. Delivery could take up to 2 weeks As far as I can see, a good 35mm photo from Wally World and a good scanner is the best bet for a quality image.
Lee
------------------ Lee 'Vance' Hulick New Carlisle, OH (near Dayton) lhulick@netzero.com http://vance.cjb.net
posted
Nice job Pete!!!....BUT what I REALLY hate is when a guy takes pictures in his shop and the shop is clean and tidy!!!!!! hehehehehehe
------------------ Dave Grundy shop#340 AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@odyssey.on.ca www.odyssey.on.ca/~dave.grundy "A PROUD $ supporter of the website"
posted
Using CasMate & Inspire, but corel would certainly work if that's what you use. Just import the image, size it up to scale and overlay the graphics.
------------------ Pete Kouchis Say it with SIGNS, Inc. Orland Park, IL, USA Phone: (708)460-3001 Fax: (708)460-3006
Excellence is doing a common thing in an uncommon way Booker T. Washington
Posts: 150 | From: Orland Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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