I'm sticking to my guns...right?!

[TheSnowman]

I had some guy come in Friday when I was out, and want a "logo" he had designed put on his drums. I got in today and saw it, and had other things to do, so didn't call him back right away, then he called at lunch wanting to know what the situation was on it. I called him back when I got back from lunch, already knowing that any number I threw at him would be too high. I told him my minimum print charge was $25, and I'd have a bit of time recreating his "artwork" in my software to where I could print and cut it. So I said, it'd probably be $40 - $45 by the time we were all said and done. This was then followed by about 30 seconds of complete silence while I sat here waiting for him to tell me he could get it for $10 if he drove an hour away.

He then told me to throw it in the trash, because he wasn't interested...as I knew he would, and I went on my way.

About an hour later, some guy comes in with a birdhouse that he wants school names, mascots, and basketballs and basketball goals on. Each one he was going to do was going to be different, and he only had $4 in the wood, so he didn't see why it would cost much for me to just "cut crap out" for it. I told him that even if I was giving him the deal of his liftetime, he'd be more than $30 each, and that was if I was doing more than one that was the same, in which the case probably wasn't going to be....he stood there in silence, then said, I can only sell them for about $30 each, so I probably can't do that. I said, yea, that's what we talked about last time is that you'd better figure out another way.

I just don't get people that expect me to work for free because they are too cheap to pay for stuff that they can "get at the hobby store". I learned here to never back down and let the customer name my prices for me, and to stick to my guns, but being winter, and things being totally dead since before Christmas...I just needed someone to reassure me I did the right thing until it warms up and people start ordering again!

Sorry for the rant...just fed up with only having $25 jobs coming in right now, and LOSING them!

 

[speedmedia]

Yup, Indeed. We actually now have a $100 minimum order due to this sort of crap. I am not going to sit down and waste time on some silly little project and not make any money nor and I gonna sit an argue with someone who walks in the door and think all you do is push a button. Not gonna do it, have no interest....

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[SignManiac]

Learn to ignore it. Not worth the stress. I just had a local insurance company call and want to find out how much to come and install vinyl lettering they bought somewhere else on the front door. They tried to do it the first time and screwed it up. Had to reorder again and wanted it done professionally. I told her my charge to leave the shop and do the install was $75.00 for an hours time.

She said thanks, her boss told her to call around for prices. I'm not losing any sleep over knowing she will not be calling back

 

[MGraphics]

I agree!!

I agree with you.. everyone wants something for free these days... we gotta eat to right??

 

[d fleming]

You did right, there's just something about tax season that brings these types of customers in off the street. We're getting one or two a day. Doesn't help that there is a tax service next door.

 

[SignManiac]

Double post.

 

["Deposit Please"]

Definitely stick to your guns. You budge on your price just once...just once, this guy will blast through your front door and run you over every single time. I'd like to see him travel 2 hrs round trip to save $15. It will cost him much much more with rising fuel costs. I think the National Average is around $3.12 a gallon. What a Meathead
Hold your head up high & shoulders back...here comes spring!!!

 

[Gino]

I don't know if you have a shop or work out of your house, but wherever it is.... post a sign that supports your policy on 'Shop Minimums' and you'll do away with this problem.

Set it at $65.00 or so and when some idiot comes in with a ridiculous request..... just point to it and you'll do away with this kind of crap.

It's not even worth your time to explain this kinda chit to people. If you had two in one day, let's suppose you have 3 or 4 a week. That's going to lose you one to two hours a week that you'll never get paid for unless you just look up from your desk, point at the sign, wink and go right back to work. If someone comes in that you want to help, you can ignore your own rules.

 

[wetgravy]

I would stick to my guns. I deal with low ballers every day and I never back down just for a sale. (also increased pricing by atleast 25% in the last 6 months) ... either way, when they want what I do, they know where I am ... otherwise what we produce is a custom commodity and shouldn't back down on pricing because someone doesn't want to pay for the pitance of a price we charge for small orders.

 

[TheSnowman]

We are in a retail store right down town...but for some reason, these people just don't get it...and it is probably because they are slightly ignorant, and slightly cheap...and the combo just overwhelms them. I suppose it's time to put up a sign with the minimums...I may call the guy up the street to make it cause I hear he works for free.

 

[GypsyGraphics]

i use to be much nicer to people when they wanted something they couldn't afford or weren't wiling to spend a reasonable amount of money to get it. i never dropped my price, but i didn't rush them out the door or off the phone either. always figured having them leave with a good vibe was a good thing

but in the last year it's gotten really bad... people think nothing of wasting your time and it's driving me nuts!!!!

i actually said to a guy who clearly had nothing better to do with his day than waste mine... "it's been nice talking to you but now you're costing me money, i do have an hourly rate if you want to continue this discussion."

he said jokingly i think... "oh have i already use up my free consultation"

WHAT FREE CONSULTATION!!!!

i REALLY don't get it... once they know their not going to use your service, why the hell are we not done!!!
must be because they think if they socialize with you, they'll get some kinda good fella rate.

so this year i've gotten soooo much better at not letting clients turn meetings or phone calls into social visits... after all we're not here for their entertainment!

that's my new motto, at least for clients who think nothing of wasting my time... got it from the singer/songwriter Pink... "I'm Not Here For Your Entertainment"

real song title, you and your hand, but you get the idea

 

[Jillbeans]

I have had a "$25 Minimum Order" sign hanging in my office for at least 20 years.
If people come in, they see that.
But when they call, they will eat up as much free time as you allow.
I have no problem with offering advice.
I even tell people to go to other shops for things I don't do.
On one hand, they will remember that you did help them.
But on the other hand, they will call you and eat your time every chance they get.
And they will probably never buy anything from you.
I try to be polite, even humorous to them.
But the timewaster tirekicker calls have really increased of late.
I secretly want to say "NO SIGN FOR YOU" and blow an air horn into the phone.
But that would be cruel.
Love.....Jill

 

[mark in tx]

Sorry for the rant...just fed up with only having $25 jobs coming in right now, and LOSING them!

You didn't lose them, you just qualified them.
And they don't qualify your time.

 

[laserman70]

We set our minimum at $75. For us to stop the machines, reload different media, create it so flexi can cut or print it.
We had a guy come in here wanting letters for his mailbox. I told him goto Walmart, he could get them for $3.
Your time is money, you have overhead, printers, laminators, cutter, lights, heat, insurance, and so many other things. If you put that all together and your time involved for $10 you lost money.
The $20 jobs can go to the guy who has a 24" cutter down the road in his basement. He can afford to do it, we cant.

 

[tattoo.dan]

This is the same dang problem I have been dealing with for the last two months! I was just talking to my wife about it this morning actually. My problem though is that I have been getting these $25-$50 jobs on them and spending too much time doing them and getting behind or flat out missing out on the bigger jobs! I too am located in a retail location and am seriously thinking of moving to a less traveled area and doing more sales calls for the jobs I want! Seems only jobs that this location gets me are the ones of which craig is talking about! Sorry for the rant, but this is just what I was feeling this morning when I got on here and saw this post!

 

[Jillbeans]

Had a woman call yesterday asking if I did electric signs (I don't)
I always refer these calls to my longtime local sign pal who has been in the biz longer than I've been alive.
She said she'd called him and that he was too expensive.
I asked her what was more important, cheapness or having a sign that wouldn't cause a fire?
She acted insulted. Oh well!

 

[thinksigns]

I asked her what was more important, cheapness or having a sign that wouldn't cause a fire?

Saw this on reddit.com this morning.

 

[Marlene]

it doesn't bother me so much when Joe General Public looks dumbfounded by the prices of signs as they really don't have a clue. what bugs me is the business person who does the same thing. I ask what their budget is and am respectful of people's money so I'm not a total meanie. what I love is when they set the price like that's going to work. "I want a 4' x 10' internally illuminated sign with my logo which is 10 PMS colors and oh, I expect to pay around $300 for it" Ha Ha, good try.

 

[Gino]

Wow, just had a customer leave and I'm not sure who was more dumbfounded.​

Have this customer that gets a bunch of posters printed every month. Sometimes two or three a week and sometimes as many as 25 or so in a months time….. but its sporadic. However, I still give him a good price.

Today, he just left, he comes in and ordered 8 posters for one customer and asks me if I can print onto 10 ply 2/c stock ?? Sure, not a problem, it will look real nice. We do this stock for other customers.

He says, Okay, I just bought a case and I’d like to store the case here and you print on my stock. He said, that should make these things cost about $5 or $6 bucks a piece.

Whoa down there pawdner……….. we need to regroup here and establish some new boundaries.

First of all, if you’re gonna bring your own stock and expect me to print at any given notice for only the printing costs….. here is the cost....... $125 for any quantity, until you hit 16 pieces.

Whhhhat ??

Yeah, I’m now going to put my shop minimum into effect on your company and it’s $125 no matter how many you get…. unless you get 16 or more. You wanna go cheaper , but it’s not going to be at my expense. Get real man, you don’t take your eggs and ham to the diner and tell them to make it up for you at 4 in the afternoon. You don’t take your pads to the mechanic and expect him to just provide some labor. You don’t take your toothpaste to the dentist and tell him to put that on his cleaning tool…….

Needless to say, he just said, don’t you want my work ??​

Ah, no….. not this way. We either go back to how it was or you pay this new price scale. YOU decide. Dems my rules. He said Okay, we’ll get together as many as we can at a time and pay the $125 minimum. This joker sure must have some mark-up on top of these jobs. By the way, I failed to mention…. He’s a broker and just about every other shop in town has sent him on his way. I do believe I’m his last hope….. or he wouldn’t be taking this abuse.

 

[Marlene]

geez, Gino, that guy is too much! who does he think he is to tell you how you will run your business. if he had asked if this would be possible, that's one thing, but to assume he could just do this without consulting you is totally out of line.