posted
I just took my new VW Eurovan in to a shop to have the side and back windows tinted. It cost $200 + tax, which is about what I had guessed it would cost. It only took him 45 minutes, maybe even less, which is a lot less time than I thought it would take. I don't have a problem with that, the guy is good a what he does. I am a happy customer. On the way home, I was thinking, I guess its time for me to raise my prices, again. I have an houly rate, but I really don't usually go by that, I quote by the job, and quite often get more than my hourly rate. But I sell myself short too often, thinking the customer won't believe its worth what I want to charge. I know how many years it has taken to learn this craft and how much I have invested in equipment, but the customer might not see it that way so I give them a break instead of charging what it should be. I'm not telling you guys anything new here, just need to post this to re-affirm it to myself. I make a good living, I've been fortunate, but it seems I'm always TOO busy. I had a former customer (he sold his business) whom I saw recently tell me I do good work and my prices seemed low. (He didn't tell me that when I was doing work for him.) Quite often I hear people tell me my prices are too high, but I believe I would still hear if I cut my prices in half, so I shouldn't let those comments influence me. Another reason to raise my prices is recently I have seen some pretty bad sign work and when they tell me what they paid for it, man, the signmaker is a better salesman than signmaker. I don't consider myself the best around here, but I think, realistically, I do pretty good work, and I should be charging a premium over most of these newer shops. I usually do, but not often enough. Enough out of me, I'm off too enjoy the weekend.
posted
I can really relate to what you say. Sometimes I price jobs too low because it's hard to adapt to rising prices. I think a sign costs too much so I have a tendency to lower the price somtimes. I don't often see the value behind the sign, just the time and materials it took to make it. Of course our customers always want the cheapest price so we have a tendency to want to please them. But the other day a customer called to say their real estate sign was down due to construction. Could we please come out and relocate it because ever since the sign has been down the phone has stopped ringing. I should have charged more for that sign than I did!
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1285 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Chuck...Do you pay the same price per pound for ground beef as you did 3 or 4 years ago?..Same for gasoline, electricity, insurance, sign materials??? I don't and I use that as a valid justification for annual increases in prices.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Hey Chuck! You're "right on the money" lol. I totally identify with you. I sometimes sell myself short as well, since I have little overhead....but some overhead is good and I need to raise prices if I'm ever gonna have any! Hav'a great weekend!
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Chuck- I think all of us know how you feel. I started my business 3 years ago just after the existing sign shop closed and the owner left the state- sort of by force!). He did, for example, 4x8's for $150- no matter what went on them, gave the panels one coat (rolled it in the parking lot!), used the cheapest vinyl available, etc. People thought they were getting a pretty good deal. Enter "the signlady"- fresh meat! and a "girlie" at that. My very 1st job was negotiating a sign project for gated community backed by a Little Rock group of doctors. I gave them my price, they balked (said the guy before me would have done them for half that). Told 'em "look, I may be new to the signmaking business but my degree is in art, I've taught it, and you've seen my work in country clubs and fundraisers all over LR. You guys stay here and discuss it while I get a cup of coffee, when I come back you can walk or we'll talk." You know the outcome. With the exception of a few, people know they are getting quality and the best artwork I can give them. Have I raised my prices?- hell, YES! My overhead has gone from 1200 sq ft to over 3500', I continually buy more equipment to offer more services, I study here all the time to learn everything I can, etc.- same thing all of you do. Tasmus and I are probably the best in this area (that I'm aware of) the rest juuust maaake siiigns. Chuck- you say you're too busy- doesn't that tell you something? They come to you for a reason- forget the "shoppers"- so ask them how long they expect the sign to be in place- "OK, 5 years, so if I charge you $360 for that S/S, MDO it's costing you $6/mo- is that a good thing (oh, god, I sound like MS). We all give breaks to repeat customers but they, above all, know how their prices have had to go up and they don't expect me to do what I did 3 years ago for the same price. I, too, get really discouraged (maybe hurt) when I hear comments that I'm high- but I never hear complaints about the quality or the time-frame it was done in. I hear you, too, when an old customer says "you don't charge enough", BUT I do have customers that look at the bill and say "you should be charging more- are sure this bill is correct?" By the way, I hope where you live is as beautiful as it's name.
-------------------- Linda Schmidt Vital D'Signs Greers Ferry, AR signlady@ozarkisp.net Posts: 160 | From: Greers Ferry, AR | Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
If you are very very busy, or get more than 50% of the jobs that you bid on, YOUR PRICES ARE TOO LOW!
In that case, raise your prices at least 25%! That will: 1. You will get rid of the cheepo, low profit customers. 2. You will work a bit less. 3. You will earn more money. 4. You will have time, and be able to afford going to more meets! 5. You will be able to do more 'nice' jobs that you can be proud of.
I did it...and am enjoying life a lot more now!
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Chuck, I always like to think of professional signmakers as I would any other professionals. You wouldn't change your Doctor, Lawyer, Plumber, even your Mechanic just because he increased his prices. You probably wouldn't even notice incremental increases anyway. Basically you go to these pros because: You trust them, you like their work, and you respect them. Your customers come to you for the same reasons. They WON'T leave you, they value your service too much. Good customers will stay with you because it took them awhile to find YOU. Keep your prices fair but respect yourself first. Stay in the business and you will be there for years to come to service these clients. If you start to charge less then you will start to regret it and work and life will suffer! I think we've all been there. You ARE worth it!
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi Chuck, recently I noticed a job that I was doing for a customer of about 15 years clocking up more hours than either of us probably expected, towards the end of the job, ( 30 hrs. in 2 days ), he noticed it too. He started asking about the cost around midnight after I hadn't slept for a couple of days, I started to worry too. Luckily this is a customer who has seen me come from a scruffy long haired, paint rag of a guy with two brushes and a bean tin of paint to where I am now, someone able to complete his job, whatever it may be, in the short time that he normally allows, also he knows that he doesn't have to worry about the quality. I asked him to stay calm, I had to finish the job before morning, let alone figure a price ( he would be gone for 2 weeks ), before he left with the truck at 6 am. After I finished, we sat on his verandah with a couple of beers each and discussed the 30 hrs., the 45 metres of vinyl and a litre or so of paint also the garuantee that I would cover the life of the sign for 3 years, I had to be honest with him about my costs, ( he learnt some things ), but by being honest and giving him the opportunity of the discussion, we both came up with an amicable price. I also learned how much he values my work and is happy with the ways I have invested his money towards improving my services to him. I always think that when someone thinks my price is too high, that they haven't thought about it properly. Ask them what they think it's worth and they'll usually guess less than the vinyl is worth, let alone the labour. Anyway I agree with the 5 step proceedure above, even though it's taken me a long time to learn it. Lots of luck... Rik.
-------------------- Rik Russell, RIK THE SIGNWRITER Innisfail, NQ. Australia rikthesignwriter@msn.com Posts: 28 | From: Innisfail, NQ. Australia | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic