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The character that has been hosting my website for the past year+ is going in with a few folks to open a store front computer store. He asks for a cheap estimate and I give him 2. One is to do it correctly and the other the cheapest way possible. I finally call up a few days later and he says that I'm not the highest by far (we can purchase our own machine and cut it ourselves) and I'm not the lowest by far. He then wants to work some sort of a trade deal where they bring me the vinyl and I cut it for them. Ha, ha, ha I told him I don't think I'll need his hosting services anymore. I don't think I'll even entertain the idea of RTA for them either as this really chaps my britches.
Sorry for the slot - just had to vent.
-------------------- Brian Diver PDQ Signs Everett, Wa
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Hey Brian.....I know how you feel. I see photography stores, florists, printers, and even group health who now do SIGNS also. Too funny. Just do them a knock-out layout so they can see the difference between a wannabe signmaker and a real one. Happened to me today! Went in to talk about a sign order. I noticed the existing signs weren't really showing up well. I showed them the changes I would do....and what the existing problem was. He is having me re-do them ALL!!!! I got an order of 3000.00 $$$ or more!
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We got a Barber here that does signs right in the barber shop on a little ROLAND Stika. HE USES corel 5.....and THAT's it! He uses 3 mil black, white, red and blue vinyl only, and he'll do a set of magnetics for $20!!!!!! What's scary is he ain't that bad, and he's always busy!
[ October 28, 2002, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: Bob Burns ]
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I had a lady that kept bringing her own scrap pieces of Coroplast to me every now and then (that would make it cheaper, right?) telling me exactly what to put on each. It didn't make sense to me, but she talked a lot, so I did them to get her out of my hair. Well, some times later I'm driving down the highway and see this new "sign", made out of a patchwork of several differently sized Coroplast pieces. I'm still not sure whether this is funny, or whether I should go and vandalize it at night...
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I had two guys come in the shop last Thursday. They wanted to know what a 3x3 ft coroplast sign would cost with the name of their store. I told them that aluminum would be their best bet and would only cost about $9 more. I gave them a price of $108 for aluminum and $99 for coroplast, the man left in a huff "we'll get back with ya"... I figured that was the last i would see of them. The next day, to my great surprise, the one guy showed up with his wife and two old corplast, coca-cola sale signs, 32"x48" each. He wanted to know what I would letter the backs of them for. After figuring it at $92 bucks in the price book I figured it at vinyl cost times three and punched it up on the calculator at $48 each. I then said that I could cut the vinyl and let him install it himself. he says; "see what that would be" I punched the calculator again and came up with $37 each. He says: " I'd rather it was done by a professional" He said "go ahead and do it" then he abruptly says: " has tax been added to that?" Since he hadn't settled on a price yet I hadn't added tax yet so I said "no, I'll have to add tax"....."well, I can't do it then..........gi'me them signs back"......So and so did me some for $40 last time. I said: "Well, the best thing to do would be to go back to them then"
I guess some folks have the idea that the only thing tangible about a sign is the substrate.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7409 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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One time I had a lady call for some cheap corex signs. I told her I have a 40.00 minimum. She asked if I could sell her some letters. I said sure......but I had a 40.00 minimum. She then called back again and asked if I could sell her some corex pieces and vinyl scraps to cut out her own letters. I said sure. It will be 40.00. Do some people need to clean out their ears?
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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I'm still patting myself on the back for turning away $200 last week. I really needed to start learning how to do that.
I just won a bid for 13K worth of ADA signs & knew I'd be busy getting my shop drawings ready for todays deadline. Also had my bags of quickcrete ready & all my fence posts primed & painted, for some weekend fun on the homefront.
Anyway this guy comes in with photos of a simple AVIS shuttle van job. He had height & length measurements of each line of text & wanted a price for cut only, as he would be installing himself. Said he'd get a few quotes. I figured out it would have been equal to about a $200 banner so I told him $180.(since no banner blank to buy, & no install)
He called 2 days later & asked how long it takes to do the job.
I said when do you need it.
He says as fast as I can get them without a rush charge.
I told him a week.
Then he says how much is a rush charge.
I asked when he needs them.
He says Tuesday.
I said 15% (extra measly $27)
Is that the best you can do?
No, I can do it for $180 in a week, but my price for Tuesday is $207
Not good enough! he says
Well, I say, that's fine with me, I'm trying to run a business here & I have plenty of work ahead of you. I already don't have enough time to eat or sleep, so your rush job means I will have to give up more of that little free time...
He doesn't want to hear that & cuts in "how about $200?"
At this point for a $7 difference, I would have went for it almost any other time in the last 6 years but I really didn't ever want to deal with that guy, so I told him if he wants to turn down my price to save $7, that was fine by me.
Got my fence posts in, cut the lawn, had a nice senic Sunday drive, took my wife to dinner, & got my ADA shop drawing package completed & delivered on time.
[ October 28, 2002, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: Doug Allan ]
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I must say how proud I am of all of you for standing your ground. I wish more people would. You and your time ARE WORTH SOMETHING. Sometimes you spend several sessions talking to these people, they trying to get the price down, phone call after phone call, visit after visit and now the whole day has gone by, they have picked your brain for ways around your price, ...you have been totally unproductive. They have wasted your time, and they have gone elsewhere anyway.....Hold your ground and let them deal with it...let them waste someone else's time. Whether it is productive or time off to do what you enjoy...., your time (and you and your sanity) is very valuable. Keep up the good work! Sue
-------------------- Susan Banasky Source Signs Nanaimo, British Columbia sourcesigns@shaw.ca
When in need....go directly to the "Source"!
Proud Supporter of this "Knowledge Network"! Posts: 1325 | From: Nanaimo, B.C. Canada | Registered: Oct 1999
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Way to go Susan!!!! Most people don't get it - just ANSWERING THE DAMN PHONE costs money! To have to talk to the same person two, three, four times, while they wheedle and bellyache to squeeze nickels, is an annoying and costly way to spend your day. The assumption is that because THEY have nothing better to do with their time, you don't either. What's remarkable is it's those with the smallest and least profitable jobs who want a "discount" on everything, or for whom $5 is a life-or-death decision.
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Randy.....people will do that to you when you handpaint signs too! I used to have people ask if they could have their sign for less, as it looked like I was having so much fun, and it was sooooo easy. People will drive you nuts only if you let them.
Posts: 3729 | From: Seattle | Registered: Sep 1999
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Cheryl points out one important lesson; Often it's not a good idea to let people watch what you are doing. They will inevitable say(or think) gee, that's easy, and are completely unaware as to how much practice and effort has gone into the skills that are making it look easy. I'm seriously thinking about adding some extra doors, and keeping people out of the production area.
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Right Lotti, or the cost of software, hardware... not only do they see it done fast & want it cheaper, but then they say, wow, I wish I had that computer! like it's doing all the work.
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I work out of my house so I don't really want a lot of people coming to me, I'm a go to them type. When they do come, I make them showup when it's all ready to install so they don't see the production part. (the kickin, screamin, cussin part)
I just did a camo job on a guys truck. He wanted it on the lower part like rocker panels. Man, it was a stepside Ford Lariat with plenty of compound curves. He understood why it costs so much after it was finished.
-------------------- Tony Broussard Graphic Details Digital Media Loreauville, LA Posts: 395 | From: Loreauville, LA | Registered: Jul 1999
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