posted
Got a guy up the road here, who is actually an upholsterer by trade, who has bought himself a plotter and started selling "signs". His designs are cheesy & amateurish, and I know for a fact he is using the cheapest materials he can get his hands on for what signs he does. He hasn't in the year or so he has been doing it, affected me much in the SIGN market. No worries.....that is until an enterprising trucker got him to do some lettering for him at a whopping 35 bucks a door. It is two colors and looks like crap, with that awful holographic stuff, but it is cheap. Now our trucking biz has dropped to next to nothing. We normally charge anywhere from 150-500 dollars for quality truck lettering, and it seems they have all skipped out to save a few bucks. What do you do to compete with that? I have considered a Buy one door get the other lettered free deal--- I have even talked to this guy about making our pricing more competitive, but he won't budge. What do you guys think?
posted
It sucks, Barry, but why not concentrate on a different market, where he can't compete? Find a new marketing strategy for a different product or service that you are offering, possibly the one that makes you the most money. I know, it's easy to throw in some smart advice... Good luck.
If he's really cutting into your profits, find something else you can do with your current resources and corner the market on it.
There's always going to be someone that will undercut your prices so the best thing to do is go on about your business and let them put themselves out of theirs.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
"Keep Truckin" (pardon the pun) If your work is superior and you're using quality products...this will come full ccircle to you. In the mean time stay busy with anything and everything you can.
Be sure to have plenty of pics laying around so the customers can compare shops...and brag on how long the good materials last.
You'll be alright...ya are now!
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
I'm guessing that after about 6 months, his "cheap" materials will begin to ruin his reputation....that holographic film won't last but 6 months tops according to Avery.
This is when he will begin to get phone calls and visits from his bargain seeking customers looking for free replacements or refunds. His reputation is probably already on it's way to the crapper.
I think the best you can do is the following:
1.) When people stop in for a price on their truck...make certain you give them a brief education on calendared vs cast vinyls. Let them know that unless specifically requested, you always use the finest materials and your customers stay satisfied for years.
2.) Make a point of telling the customer that you know for a fact that another local competitor uses the vinyl that fades, cracks, and starts coming off at the edges - - no need to name names (and don't falsely accuse anyone.)
3.) Most importantly...and you probably already do this....but I'd make a point of spending "quality time" shooting the breeze with the customers...you know, "how's the wife & kids....you get your hunting license yet?"
People buy from people they like...so make sure they like you.
If someone comes to you and says, "The furniture guy will do it for this.." I'd say, well...he's probably good at doing furniture but I've been doing graphic design/signwork for X years. Ask him for a few references and compare his designs and materials to mine.
Good luck...sometimes cheap is hard to beat...but I gotta feeling he won't last.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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Well, my take on this is gonna be a little different I'm afraid and I'm basing it solely on my experiences. I've had this very thing happen to me in two different markets. I'd say you can kiss the truck market goodbye. The sad truth is the cost is way more important than the quality to most of these guys. Word spreads fast that he is the place to go with a truck. You are already witnessing that. The "new" market value has been established. Will he fall on his face with the prices he is charging, perhaps, but if he does three more will step in to take up the slack...using his prices as a guide.
And before anybody tells me all you have to do is wait and they will come back around...yea, right , and Hell will have a hockey team.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
Hi Guys, One thing that works for me is a warranty say 1 year or 18 months, I have customers that tell me Joe Cheapster down the street does it for less but when I have truck that one of the employees powerwashed off or tore a letter you will replace it with out a hassle and I am still looking good and Most of the time they follow up with we are getting a new truck next month can you still do it for the same price? One thing that most of the cheapsters don't offer is service, or stand behind thier work.Hang tough it will work out and Quality, Pride, & Integrity will always beat cheap.
Most trucks these days are Workhorses,.. Not show pieces....
Company Name Tags ICC numbers and the wife and family names to remind the driver were he like to be...At Home.
O/O (independance) here in Canada have to change colour scheme when they move over to a new company. (White with Logo/Green with Logo/Blue with Logo.Etc...) New vehicle colour can be up to $5000.00 out of their pockets. Repaint.
Sometimes they like something to add to the truck a small Airbrushed mural... but most times they are to busy putting in the miles that they are paid for.
Unless the company itself is paying for the graphics then the driver is not interested in anything but info....
But you are right in saying the price is to low. I like to ask for $100-$150 A SIDE (one colour)(Doors and Bunk walls info only)
Like Joey said do you know a cheap Upholster that may bit his A$$ back.
-------------------- Stephen Deveau RavenGraphics Insinx Digital Displays
Letting Your Imagination Run Wild! Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
I'm a firm believer that the general public as a rule, buy crap and pay as little as they can...PERIOD! (ie.WALMART) The answer is to NOT aim towards that market. The Market you want is getting smaller and smaller, but they're willing to pay for good stuff!
posted
Take some time to repaint your own shop truck really nicely, in a style you'd like to get more work of, and which clearly couldn't have come from the other bloke. That will make a big statement about appearance & quality, (& your ability) plus be vocal about a warranty- be prepared to stand behind your work and tell them what you've done for them won't fail in under (four, five, eight...)years time... Unfortunately, some people will still go for the cheapest crap as said above, and will tolerate it when it fails, without much of a complaint, knowing that they probably got what they paid for anyhow.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7016 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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i used to get $100 for a set of truck doors....done with paint and a brush, in a sorta brush hand font, and the guys used to be happy to get it done within the week that they called me! then came vinyl machines....
-------------------- 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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In my area (NJ)most truckers just want something on their truck so the cops/Troopers stop bugging them, the cheaper the better, then later they get a fancier job, if they own the truck.
MC
-------------------- Mike Clayton M C Grafix Custom Lettering New Jersey (again) Posts: 508 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Apr 1999
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No offense Barry, but I just think having a guy who has made a living patching up vinyl chairs and car tops going into the vinyl lettering business is freaking hilarious.
This guy might need some therapy. He's definitly consistant. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Those guys never last. For a time it is frustrating, but DO NOT BAD MOUTH HIM! Let his work speak for itself. Beat him with skill and design.
When someone else dogs his work, speak with your eyes, not with your mouth. If this guy hires an artist with money, you'd be hurting. Always be the gentleman, always be consistant.
If a customer mentions going there for a sign, you can say "I'm sure he will try to do the best he can for you" Try not to get in a price war with him. It would be like Walmart warring with Sacks 5th Avenue. You are the artist.
[ October 23, 2003, 08:47 AM: Message edited by: Rick Beisiegel ]
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3503 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
I seriously doubt an upholsterer is going to snatch up the truck lettering market. Perhaps your truck lettering is just down and is really not attributable to him? Just because a few price shoppers who only want identification find his service appealing, doesn't impact you in the long run.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2787 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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his brother is over here in pensacola, wayne.....hehehehehehhee. i get $75 a set of doors IAM HAPPY....in this market. ive done some for more here, including the design time and a couple wanted the hp vinyl. most now a days want R.T.A. so they save money on application. in sarsota i had 5-6 towing companies, here i cant steal a tow truck lettering job. lot of dump trucks and logging trucks....i get none of them. up here its..... they know somebody who knows somebody who got a plotter in their garage who does it for $35 a truck....and the owner applys em.
[ October 23, 2003, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- 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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posted
By an hourly rate of $60, most of us could put something functional on those $35 doors without losing any money (and blow Mister Re-Do-It out of the room in the process without even trying). The question is why would we want to? To help out a good client who is in a pinch for something temporary? ok... But to corner the 'cheap signs' market? I hope not. If your rep was for ultra cheap work, you could never again do anything creative without being a total sell-out.
I think the high road in that type of market is to cater exclusively to the top tier clients that are searching for something truly remarkable. I don't care if that's only 2 out of 100. They are the ones who I want to blow out of the room - with quality. You're in a great position Barry, because this guy is not capable of touching you there. That market is YOURS. Let your normal $200 - 400 jobs all go to him for peanuts, while you go hunt down that one person who wants the BEST. It's an opportunity to walk away from anything resembling middle of the road - to the $1000 plus level. Yes there are a few who will spend that. Make a quantum leap... If you only do one single truck job all year, make it beyond your best, but get friggin PAID for it.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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