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I have been known to drive newish employees crazy with what I term to be THE ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION: What is the application?. The reasoning being that if we don't understand what the intended application is: how can we possibly recommend a product and/or know what product(s) to provide pricing for?
I'm curious to know -- when dealing with customers -- what do you consider to be THE ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION?
-------------------- Jon Aston MARKETING PARTNERS "Strategy, Marketing and Business Development" Tel 705-719-9209 Posts: 1724 | From: Barrie, ON, CANADA | Registered: Sep 2000
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What do you want? Too often they want to know what I do, which can & usually will include very much irrevelant information for their needs. They also want the price of decals before telling me how many they want. "How many do I want?, I don't know how much are they?" I try to get them to tell me what they really hope to end up with in terms of products, colors, quantities, price range, & due date before I describe my entire business capabilities, policy, & pricing structure.
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"You only want to pay that much huh? Who do you think I am, Santa Claus?"
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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Hey Jon How's it going? It's all according to what they want.. if it's Vehicle lettering I'll ask them if they have a budget in mind, if not I'll show them some photos of completed jobs and try to get a feel for what they want or what kind of image they are trying to portray. If it's a sign they are looking for, I'll ask different questions. How far away does the sign have to be read, is it a tempoary or permenant sign and again what's the budget. A lot of times they may not have a clue about cost so I'll give them options.
[ June 04, 2002, 06:32 AM: Message edited by: Neil D. Butler ]
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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A question I often ask my customers is, "What do you want the sign to do?" This brings up discussion about the realistic expectations and appropriate price/value ratio. Sometimes I ask them what kind of car they imagine their intended target customer to be driving? The design of the sign would be different to attract Mercedes drivers than those with pick up trucks.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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When called,I assume they are in need of my services as it relates to SIGNS!! My all important question(s) is..... How BIG ? How MANY ? How SOON ? The string anology Linda mentions will usally answer ALL these questions! The customers answer back is... depends on long you cut it.
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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