posted
This has been on my mind for the last couple of weeks, how often do you raise your prices and how much at a time. I'm ready to go up but not sure the best way to do it. The last time I raised them I just added a percentage to everything accross the board.
Thanks,
Marc
------------------ Marc & Mike Estep SignCrafters of London 202 E. 4th St London Ky mestep@kih.net 606-862-0003
Posts: 89 | From: London, KY | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Just raised all my truck lettering prices, logo design and web design work.
Truck lettering went up by 10%, across the board. Most clients haven't complained.
Web work prices are climbing too, but I don't have a firm number on exactly how much they've increased, because each web design is priced according to the size of the site. But the sites I'm doing now are about double what I was charging last year, for about the same amount of pages.
posted
I have been going up since I bought nmy shop 5 months ago. One of the reason that I bought the shop was for the customer database and that the previous owner, having started the business 14 years ago, had all the prices and kinks worked out and in a binder for quick access. AFter buying the business, the young man that worked for her continued to work for me. He told me that the previous owner hadn't raised her prices in 4 years. He took the book home on weekends, re-typed and determined the new prices by comparing them to the Signmakers Pricing guide. We are not in a big city so took the previous owners prices and the prices in the book and met somewhere half way. Since doing that I have still raised my prices $1-2 a sq ft. on some stuff. I figure I'll know when my prices are too high by when some walk-ins start flinching. Maybe I can stop working 50-60 hours a week while in Jan.
------------------ Laura Butler Vision Graphics and Sign 560 Oak St. Lapeer, Mi 48446 810-664-3812 visiongraphics@tir.com
Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
You want those walk-ins to flinch, Laura. When your quote a customer a price - for someting they really want, and know they can't get anywhere else - and they go pale, gulp a couple of times, then slowly exhale and say, well, okay - you've got it exactly right.
------------------ "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Raoul Duke (Hunter S. Thompson)
Cam Finest Kind Signs 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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stomp cackle snort twirl wheeze fall back stand up turn around and scratch out a deposit check!
A well layed out showroom helps bigtime!
------------------ Rob Ojeda Signs of Succes Visalia, CA ___________________________________ Layout life the way you lay out a sign. Plenty of open area to relax in :)
(*professional napper)
Posts: 7 | From: Visalia, California | Registered: Dec 2000
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I'd shake off the "I dont care" customers to reduce hours, by raising those prices.
If your working overtime, better be happy on the way to the bank. You can make the same amount of money by charging twice the amount, and having half of the customer base.
I feel 5-7% per year works well.
Oh yeah, Camm, "got a love it",,hehe
------------------ Ron Percell Percell Signs 707-769-0639 Petaluma, California
I consider what I do a service so I try to base my price on a per hour base, with a minimum fee starting point, like $50.00 for anything under 1/2 hour.
My old boss use to make signs for the car dealship service dept. They would bring their sign in every year for a service rate price update.
As soon as he finished changing the hourly service rate price on their sign, he would change the hourly service rate price on his sign to match.
Check out the hourly service rates of several different business around your community. People in the community get use to the fact that any professional service in the area costs so much an hour, like $65 per hour or S70 per hour or higher. If you charge about the same rate then your customer, who also charges about the same rate to his customers, won't be able to scream and moan. He charges the same when you need your car fixed! You charge the same when he needs a sign.
------------------ Draper The Signmaker Bloomington Illinois USA Stop in and visit a while! 309-828-7110 signman@davesworld.net Raptorman or Draper_Dave on mIRC chat
Posts: 2883 | From: Bloomington Illinois USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I'm with Laura, with the exception that I work right out of my backyard. I've been runing my shop for about 2 years & am constantly taking my prices up. I mainly work out of word of mouth & clients that want good work don't complain. (well, maybe a little) I hardly ever get those "We're looking for some quotes" jobs but it doesnt bother me. If I spend all day doing a ton of simple banners I won't have time to learn or practice anything interesting.
------------------ Marcano-Welch Signs Luquillo, Puerto Rico 787-889-6608
Posts: 2287 | From: Luquillo, Puerto Rico, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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