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I'm thinking about buying a box van and painting it purple and gold(LSU colors) and Franchising with Old Paint. He is Signs Here and Now. I will be Signs Now and Then.
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santo....is your check in the mail????? hahahahahaha.....i love my mobile sign shop, best thing ive ever done. i started out sorta like an old "snapper", workin outa the trunk of my car. those 1st few years i did more painting on site then i did at home. now with the big step van iam doin the same thing....with vinyl and paint. the one good thing i can say about being mobile is that people who i go to now treat me like any other service(a/c, plumber, electrician)when i show up. the tell me what they need, i give a price and they normally say OK, DO IT....your here!!!!
-------------------- 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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The showroom in a storefront is pretty much how I've set up my new shop.
A nice counter in the front. Built with distressed wood. Fake slate floor. A table to sit and go over designs with clients. All sorts of samples hanging on the walls. Not photos, but actual stuff from carved signs to vinyl and even Gemini letters. In the back is my Dell, my Edge, enVision plotter two printers a bathroom and office type stuff. In the basement is my router table (networked to my Dell upstairs) finishing tables for painting, gilding, sanding, etc. A delta unisaw, drill press Grizzly bandsaw, supplies and materials. I'm not sure I intentionally wanted to follow a franchise model, I just wanted to have an interesting place that people (tourists especially) might enjoy just stopping in to have a look around, see some house markers or quarterboards and order something. I'm not even "officially" open yet. That's June 28th, the Grand opening. I've bought a ton of airtime on the local radio and they're going to promote the opening. They've even given me tickets to a local amusement/water park to give away as prizes. I've also bought 5 1/18th scale models of my 1948 Ford F-1 shop truck and will give those away with my logo on them. After that, I'll be DEEP in the hole and will let you all know how this idea pans out. PLEASE wish me luck!
Mark
-------------------- Mark Rogan The Great Barrington Sign Company 2 Stilwell Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230 mark@gbsignco.com
"Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of fonts" Posts: 332 | From: Great Barrington, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Mark you're shop sounds a lot like my shop, an awful lot. I 've been here 41/2 years now and business is really good, but then again I've been at "It" 25 years now... Good Luck!
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Hi Matt, think I talked to you on bus in Mazeppa. I had to take a second and jump in here. I had small sign shop in country and decided to go franchise route. I firmly believe location is the biggest reason for the success I've had, followed very closely by service & quality. We bend over backwards and try to put out only quality work. Sure our biggest money maker is probably vinyl & coroplast signs but we try to do great designs that look good. Very seldom is cost an issue with our customers and we don't want them if it is. Digital printing is also a very good money maker for us. In the 5 yrs I've been involved with the franchise, every year our sales have doubled and the bottom line keeps getting better. You have to have systems in place so the business can almost run itself (easier said than done) Our business continues to grow because we keep our existing customers and keep getting new ones. I keep our name out enough thru sponsorships and a monthly mail out so people are always seeing our name, but we have never done all the marketing that our franchise recommends - we don't have time. I think if you have a high traffic location even if it is small but looks impressive and can turn around the work quickly (we've definitely become a NOW society) with good quality work you will do well. e-mail me if you have any questions.
-------------------- Colleen Henderson Signs Now, Thunder Bay, ON signsnow@tbaytel.net Posts: 140 | From: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jun 1999
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