% of work you sub out?

[2M]

<10%

10-20%

21-30%

31-40%

[Pat Whatley]

there should be a +50% section

[sign&frame]

I don't sub out nothing as of now but prob. will for cnc signs

[Jon Aston]

A few years ago, I worked with a nice couple who had purchased a failing sign franchise. These people were new immigrants who spoke English tentatively, and had no sign industry experience whatsoever. Their work backgrounds were in retail sales and merchandising. Within two years (this is before involving me in their business) they had grown sales from roughly $50K per year to $480K per year...with just two employees (just them).

Do you want to know their secret?

They focused on sales and marketing, and outsourced production for 80% of what they sold to other (distant, non-competing) stores in their franchise network.

It was a real eye-opener to me.

So, Pat is right. While it might be hard to imagine anyone outsourcing more than 40%, it is done...and done very successfully.

[OldPaint]

well heck just look at the U.S.A. ......WE GET 80% OF OUR PRODUCTS SOLD HERE ...FROM OUTSOURCING)))))))

[Marlene]

we sub out all our manufacturing of sign cabinets and channel letters so they are UL listed. I also sub out large format printing, the kind that prints directly onto substrates like 10mm Alumalite as the machine is way too expensive to own.