Introducing myself

[JGGraphics]

Hi everyone.
I opened my sign and graphics shop after my former employer closed his business and sold me all his equipment over a year ago.
I'm glad to be on a community where I can converse with like-minded professionals.

I've learned lots in my short time of operating my independent sign shop. Lots of successes and a few short falls. One of my biggest struggles is figuring out pricing for unique and different projects, and repairing my hardware. So expect a lot of questions and threads like that from me.

Good to meet you all.

 

[netsol]

i will always be glad to kibitz on most repairs.
you should find lots of good advice here

 

[JGGraphics]

Glad to hear it. Thanks for the welcome.

Often I've undervalued and undersold my work. When you throw a price at a client, and they reply, "That's all?" This right here is the kiss of death. I've heard this too many times.
Then I overcorrect for other client bids, and I manage to scare them away with my too-high prices. Any strategies of finding the perfect medium?

 

[Boudica]

Welcome to the forums. Do you do cut vinyl on a plotter, or do you have a printer? Or both? What are your capabilities?

 

[JGGraphics]

Welcome to the forums. Do you do cut vinyl on a plotter, or do you have a printer? Or both? What are your capabilities?

I got both. My printer is an XC540 and my plotter is a Camm-1 Pro. I also have a Trotec laser engraver. I wrap signs and vehicles.

I ordered 2 new print heads for my vinyl printer. Is this forum a good place for printer hardware troubleshooting? I got a huge maintenance issue with it; I ordered 2 new print heads and plan to install them myself.

 

[Boudica]

Yes this forum is good for troubleshooting maintenance issues. Not from me necessarily, but there are a lot of members who could possibly help.
I recently bought the old cam-1 plotter from my boss so I could take it home to play with. I can make and produce, but I'm not a sales person.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Glad to hear it. Thanks for the welcome.

Often I've undervalued and undersold my work. When you throw a price at a client, and they reply, "That's all?" This right here is the kiss of death. I've heard this too many times.
Then I overcorrect for other client bids, and I manage to scare them away with my too-high prices. Any strategies of finding the perfect medium?

When they say, is that all? say, sorry , that's the deposit amount.

 

[monroesigns]

"That's all?" This right here is the kiss of death.

You might try asking "what funds do you have available for this project?" It avoids the "no-no word" budget, but CAN get you information about what they are comfortable with.

 

[Ldiprinting]

Hi everyone.
I opened my sign and graphics shop after my former employer closed his business and sold me all his equipment over a year ago.
I'm glad to be on a community where I can converse with like-minded professionals.

I've learned lots in my short time of operating my independent sign shop. Lots of successes and a few short falls. One of my biggest struggles is figuring out pricing for unique and different projects, and repairing my hardware. So expect a lot of questions and threads like that from me.

Good to meet you all.

Welcome, I've learned so much from members questions.

 

[Boudica]

You might try asking "what funds do you have available for this project?" It avoids the "no-no word" budget, but CAN get you information about what they are comfortable with.

That sounds like a grifter question. I think asking what their budget is, is a more professional inquiry.

 

[JBurton]

That sounds like a grifter question. I think asking what their budget is, is a more professional inquiry.

I prefer 'how much would you like to spend on signs', it gives a more casual stance but is essentially asking straight up what your budget is. Around here, mom and pop stores opening up never budget for signs, it's an after thought and they are either too wealthy to know what they're getting into, or stretched too thin to know what they have in the bank. Asking for a budget puts both these customers in a position that they feel like they are being talked down to, because they either didn't think about it or realize they don't have any budget for what they're asking for.
So afaik, monroe has figured out that this is the right question for his region, but he is asking essentially the same question.

 

[Johnny Best]

When a car salesman asks how much do I want to spend on the car, I say with a smile, “five dollars”.

 

[VizualVoice]

When they say, is that all? say, sorry , that's the deposit amount.

Oh damn, that's slick. I'ma definitely use that!

 

[VizualVoice]

And hi new guy!