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Competition must have a natural balance
- Thread starter binki
- Start date
James Burke
Being a grandpa is more fun than working
I'd say that means you're almost at the point of equilibrium
Jillbeans
New Member
It means that this is such an easy to get into "career" that even a monkey can make signs.
Around here lately you see corosigns (which you can't really read) go up and a few newly lettered vehicles riding around (which you can't really read)
A few new ads in the YP.
I saw a new sign shop on Main St which had the word "discount" in it's name (and squished Copperplate on its windows) Hmm now that place is for rent again.
A new corosign is up (which you can't read) featuring Algerian.
These places come and go like a bout of the runs.
They will infect the next town and the next, only to have a new outburst crop up in my town.
I have been here 25 years now.
Can't count the "sign shops" I've seen come and go.
Love...Jill
Around here lately you see corosigns (which you can't really read) go up and a few newly lettered vehicles riding around (which you can't really read)
A few new ads in the YP.
I saw a new sign shop on Main St which had the word "discount" in it's name (and squished Copperplate on its windows) Hmm now that place is for rent again.
A new corosign is up (which you can't read) featuring Algerian.
These places come and go like a bout of the runs.
They will infect the next town and the next, only to have a new outburst crop up in my town.
I have been here 25 years now.
Can't count the "sign shops" I've seen come and go.
Love...Jill
binki
New Member
You make some good points.
Of the ones that closed, one was there for 10 years but he just didn't deliver for his customers. One was a second hand store that did banners (a natural combination, huh?) and I don't know how long they were there but it was mis managed as well. The screen print shop was a fashion clothing store but they couldn't sell their stuff so the screen printing kept them going and it was there about a year and it looks like it is going to open again doing the same thing with different paint. The new guy on the block worked for another shop and he went out on his own and just happened to move in across from us.
Yeah, it is easy to get in this business. Computers have really advanced or lowered the bar.
We do have lower costs than these guys. From talking with them I know what they are paying for supplies and they don't use the same places we do so it is pretty good to know how they operate. It is kind of funny how much a competitor will tell you if you ask or even don't ask. Sometimes you can figure it out.
Personally I don't worry about competition. We do get referrals from these guys for things they don't do but overall it takes a good 3 years to get up and running and gain and establish a nice customer base for repeat biz and referrals. We already have that base so it is up to them to make theirs.
We seem to have about 8 places that all do the same thing or overlap within about a quarter mile. Some come and go but that number seems constant.
Of the ones that closed, one was there for 10 years but he just didn't deliver for his customers. One was a second hand store that did banners (a natural combination, huh?) and I don't know how long they were there but it was mis managed as well. The screen print shop was a fashion clothing store but they couldn't sell their stuff so the screen printing kept them going and it was there about a year and it looks like it is going to open again doing the same thing with different paint. The new guy on the block worked for another shop and he went out on his own and just happened to move in across from us.
Yeah, it is easy to get in this business. Computers have really advanced or lowered the bar.
We do have lower costs than these guys. From talking with them I know what they are paying for supplies and they don't use the same places we do so it is pretty good to know how they operate. It is kind of funny how much a competitor will tell you if you ask or even don't ask. Sometimes you can figure it out.
Personally I don't worry about competition. We do get referrals from these guys for things they don't do but overall it takes a good 3 years to get up and running and gain and establish a nice customer base for repeat biz and referrals. We already have that base so it is up to them to make theirs.
We seem to have about 8 places that all do the same thing or overlap within about a quarter mile. Some come and go but that number seems constant.
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