Advise Please .....

[JCteesOhio]

I need some advise on what to buy, I would like to set up a new shop, to include vinyl signs and vehicle wraps, I know it's expensive, :
How profit can a shop like this be in the Northeast US with the weather we get? what kind of printer should i get, print and cut or printer separate and cutter separate? brands of equipment most durable and quality? also what else will i need to do wraps other than a printer? what distributors will supply me everything I need and support?

Thank you
Jc Tees

 

[KR3signguy]

how much volume do you expect?

 

[gvgraphics]

Every question you asked depends on your individual needs and what you think you might sell. You will also need a laminator to protect your pints.

The last question is how much do you have to spend?

 

[KARYN BUSH]

there's definitely alot involved in setting up a new shop....like, can you design at all? are you proficient in photoshop, corel, or adobe? do you even know the ins and outs to wrapping a vehicle? do you know how to apply graphics? or make signs?
if you want to get into this business and be profitable ya better do your homework. do you have a clean temperature controlled garage? do you have the space to add the equipment?(printer,laminator, tables and media etc).
and most importantly...how much doe rae mee do you have? it would be very easy to drop $40-50k just on the equipment, tables, and media to start out. it's by no means a get rich quick type of gig...so think long and hard b4 you jump in. make sure you are dedicated to learn the value of good design and don't be afraid to get professionally trained by a wrap school.
i live in the northeast also(small tourist town)...wraps are not huge here yet...our weather isn't great for them....especially with snow ice and salt. partial wraps and regular lettering work fine though.
the best thing as far as a distributor goes is find one relatively close and one that knows their ass from their elbow....many don't. they just want to make a sale then they are gone. when my roland was setup the guy was here a whopping 2 hrs at best...he didn't show me jack. i took it upon myself to get trained at rolands school. it was well worth it!!!
i find the people that don't make it in this business are the ones who jump in blindly on a shoe-string budget and without a solid busines plan.

 

[JCteesOhio]

I do Screen Printing and Embroidery now and I have been doing hand painted signs since I was 8 years old, I just added a cutter in my shop and I really enjoy doing signs, But would like to quit printing and embroidery, and set up everything for signs. I have 2 directions to go or stay and upgrade the sign shop or invest in a Hotel Franchise. That is why I am asking is doing signs full time will be profitable.

 

[quikseps]

Seeing that you're in the t-shirt business, and if your shirt business is really doing well, a small digital vinyl print expansion might be good idea. I added a somewhat substantial setup here and am doing "okay" with it although if I didn't have an established customer base of screen printing clients and retailers, I would find it difficult to justify the $50K+ I've spent.

Tons of competition out there and as another poster implied, "it's by no means a get rich quick type of gig". I have to admit, its much more labor intensive than I originally anticipated....at least for the type of work we normally do here. And as far as wraps go....we don't do 'em and never will. LOL!

Good Luck.

 

[signtologist]

Are those the questions you asked before you went into embroidery. Come on, if you have been in business for a while you should know what you are doing, or are you just asking becasue you are a cookor something else and realize signs are a money maker and just asking the question before you quit your job,but what do i kno about you. have fun

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

BUY a GENERATOR...for when electrics out ...you can continue

wraps-r-kewl

 

[JCteesOhio]

I don't need to quit my job because i work for myself, I am just trying to move my business in a different direction, So I am asking to the professionals and experienced in this full time signs business the advise it's worth or not to go in that direction. so if you don't have a wisely advise (Signtologist) don't waist your time typing non sence comments.

 

[TheSnowman]

I live in a small town in Indiana. Our business has been opened for 26 years now, and I just purchased it last year. Right off the bat, I saw the advantages of a printer, and plotter. I bought one, but, it was really a crunch at first until customers found out what I was able to do with it. If you think it's gonna be hard to drop another $1,000 - $1,500 a month for the next few years, you might want to re-consider. The printing makes things a lot easier, but you'd wanna be sure you were busy all the time cutting w/ your cutter now, before you decided to do that. Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it.

 

[javila]

If you have a steady base of loyal customers for screen printing/embroidery, you have loyal customers for sign work should you choose to expand.

 

[mediaman]

signtologist,

Why the hostility? This fellow Forumite is just looking for solid, friendly advice. Why are you so angry with him/her?

 

[Gino]

I guess he can be hostile if he chooses… there are some real scammers out there… and yes, they exist on this site and others…. so it’s not hostile to be cautious.

However, this one doesn’t seem to be of that nature. If you’re experiencing growing pains and can afford to take a hit in the pocketbook for a while, then add the necessary equipment to go in the direction you so choose.

The real answer here is simple…. if it works…. then it was a good decision.

If it fails, then you’ll be labeled a dope.​

Funny how the same thought pattern can give you two entirely different results.

 

[Jackpine]

First choice for me is a printer and a cutter. Buy good equipment and software and make sure the dealer has excellent support. Maybe the way to go is to find a good wholesale printer and develop your market. Then when you have a new customer base, you can justify the equipment expense. The used market for printers or "demos" from suppliers is another option. Finding good used stuff isn't that hard. I bought one of my printers from a lease company they repo-ed and another was a demo from a dealer. Both served me well.

 

[gnemmas]

What kind of investment & return are you looking for? Salary + profit for your investment.

I would look into the hotel franchise as they provide documented financial prospectus if they are established franchise.

A while back there was a Signarama franchise for sale:
-Asking price: $500K
-Gross annual sales: $600K. net profit $90K + owner salary $48K.

I thought that was a good deal. It also shows that if gross sales surpass 1/2 mil, profit margin is higher as fixed expenses remain unchanged. (it is a vinyl shop, electrical sign shop will have different percentage)

With a existing business, the expansion does not necessary require large sum of money on equipment rather should be with marketing. Build the business first, you can always sub out printing until sales becomes steady.

 

[auto graphix plus]

IMO I wouldn't get out of the screen/embroidery but add in some new equip for signs if that is what you enjoy. If you can setup a 1stop shop for your customers they will love it. as far as wraps are concerned there are a lot of great people on here that I am sure you can subout the prints to until you see if the market is there in your area.Remember "Let the business work for you, Don't work for the business.-------Good Luck Sean