local sign shops want me to wrap vehicles

[HulkSmash]

Not exactly. If I'm losing whole wrap jobs (includes printing) that would net me $2,400, to a competitor because their wraps I got paid $700 to wrap gave them more notoriety around town and made it to their gallery.
So in the long run, it's more money for them...not more money for me.
I don't know how else to explain it.
$700 in let's say 7 man hours vs $2,400 in 9 man hours (2 hours for trimming, laminating, setting up files etc.)
Not counting the graphic design (which would be another income as well)
That's why I own a printer and laminator rather than just becoming an installer.
Also, a wrap through my doors means they order other jobs from me as well.

Or you can do a next to nothing overhead install?

We do this all the time for shops.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

I do a ton of installs for local sign shops. It's good money at least for me anyways I do contract installs in Indiana Ohio and Pennsylvania

I wouldn't mind doing installs for shops in other states...they aren't as much competitors.
HEY...did you know there's been a craigslist ad for installers needed for a wrap shop in HAWAI'I I'm just saying... That would be sweet!

 

[MikeH]

We do work for our competition all the time, and have a good relationship with them, for the most part. The way I see it I'm selling a service who I sell it to dose not mater. And if I keep saying no if I need something someday I am out of luck. Your competition may say "oh well we cannot do it sorry", and the customer may find his way to you. Or they may say "If that guy can learn how to do it so can I". In other words you may be creating competition by saying no. Take a lesson from the "Art of War", keep your enemies close.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

We do work for our competition all the time, and have a good relationship with them, for the most part. The way I see it I'm selling a service who I sell it to dose not mater. And if I keep saying no if I need something someday I am out of luck. Your competition may say "oh well we cannot do it sorry", and the customer may find his way to you. Or they may say "If that guy can learn how to do it so can I". In other words you may be creating competition by saying no. Take a lesson from the "Art of War", keep your enemies close.

lol, I like the art of war analogy. But honestly, the art of business is a little different.
Think about it. If you do install work for 3 shops in your town, they have the same quality install as you. (because you did them)
IF you didn't enable them, by installing for them, that is one less thing they can offer, (or they can do it horribly, which would help their competition...you). I guess if you're saving up for favors from your competition, that's different.
Who I sell my service to does matter to me. Because their customers (your potential customers) don't see you providing that service...they see your competition providing it. You're only getting the install price, when you could potentially be getting the print & install price AS WELL AS chalk another wrap up as a mobile advertisement for you instead of your competition.

 

[Banners Signs Etc.]

I agree with KY wraps...you aren't making coro signs that anyone can do. The install (and to a lesser extent design) is where the wow factor comes in and you don't want your competition to be getting that.

Unless you need money today

 

[gnemmas]

You are over-emphasize installation element of a wrap job in my opinion. (I don,t do wrap).

Let's have a poll: when customer commenting a good wrap, do they refer to the look or the install?

 

[ironchef]

I would say the general public go for the looks. As a chef, the saying, people eat with their eyes is so true, plus people don't know how to spot the minor mistakes on a wrap, unless its just a total mess.

 

[HulkSmash]

I agree with KY wraps...you aren't making coro signs that anyone can do. The install (and to a lesser extent design) is where the wow factor comes in and you don't want your competition to be getting that.

Unless you need money today

... If your shop doesn't install it, another will. Which means you lose out of anything from the equation. I really can't comprehend how people are against this. This is a job you never had. This is not a show of desperation. It's part of your business. We have Denver's biggest install contract for wraps. We don't print a thing in this contact, another shop does who can do it much cheaper then us, and yes they're local. ZERO overhead job where you make the price? Yes please, actually -- yes please all day.

You're using the logic that you can only get the business if the other shop loses it. Not a good way to look at things if you want to stay in business.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

You are over-emphasize installation element of a wrap job in my opinion. (I don,t do wrap).

Let's have a poll: when customer commenting a good wrap, do they refer to the look or the install?

Most don't realize there is much more than meets the eye as far as installation is concerned. Of course we have serious detail especially on full wraps and even more so on color changes but you are overlooking overall production quality and installer experience. It happens every day that a wrap will be delivered that appears to be installed perfectly, only to start failing prematurely. Sometime this failure is within hours, days, months or even years too soon. So regardless if the design blows, what is the perception of that wrap or wraps in general when it's peeling in a few days or weeks? Even in the likely event the design does blow, if it was properly installed to begin with there is far less negative impact all around.

 

[Banners Signs Etc.]

... If your shop doesn't install it, another will. Which means you lose out of anything from the equation. I really can't comprehend how people are against this. This is a job you never had. This is not a show of desperation. It's part of your business. We have Denver's biggest install contract for wraps. We don't print a thing in this contact, another shop does who can do it much cheaper then us, and yes they're local. ZERO overhead job where you make the price? Yes please, actually -- yes please all day.

You're using the logic that you can only get the business if the other shop loses it. Not a good way to look at things if you want to stay in business.

But what you're saying here is that even though you get the print subbed out...the product is still rolling out of your garage...I think in the OPs case it is rolling out of a competitors shop and building word of mouth for a rival...

Where I live any vehicle that is wrapped is an eye catcher and people are amazed by them...Wrapped the trim of a co-workers truck in camo and people keep asking him how he painted it. Hell there are still many signs being painted and almost all the other ones (that we don't print) are red black and blue cut vinyl...so I guess this may be where I'm coming from.

If there are many sign companies that do full color, let alone wrap in your area, I guess I'd go for it, customer will find someone who will, they aren't fish in a bucket.

/end morning McMuffin eating rant

 

[HulkSmash]

But what you're saying here is that even though you get the print subbed out...the product is still rolling out of your garage...I think in the OPs case it is rolling out of a competitors shop and building word of mouth for a rival...

Where I live any vehicle that is wrapped is an eye catcher and people are amazed by them...Wrapped the trim of a co-workers truck in camo and people keep asking him how he painted it. Hell there are still many signs being painted and almost all the other ones (that we don't print) are red black and blue cut vinyl...so I guess this may be where I'm coming from.

If there are many sign companies that do full color, let alone wrap in your area, I guess I'd go for it, customer will find someone who will, they aren't fish in a bucket.

/end morning McMuffin eating rant

When i do wraps for other shops vehicles have to be brought to me. If we travel to the customers location it's 160 round trip added to the wrap, they never want to pay that.

I don't get the prints subbed out, we print everything ourselves. we just install for other shops, in and out of states all the time. Matter of fact, i have 2 guys going out right now to do 2 buses that someone else printed.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

... If your shop doesn't install it, another will. Which means you lose out of anything from the equation. I really can't comprehend how people are against this. This is a job you never had. This is not a show of desperation. It's part of your business. We have Denver's biggest install contract for wraps. We don't print a thing in this contact, another shop does who can do it much cheaper then us, and yes they're local. ZERO overhead job where you make the price? Yes please, actually -- yes please all day.

You're using the logic that you can only get the business if the other shop loses it. Not a good way to look at things if you want to stay in business.

I would say if you have an account with that big of a company where all you do it install and it makes up a large portion of your income...you are in a unique position.
Where I am, there are only a handful of shops that actually have their own installer. I literally have 3 shops within 5 miles of me that Don't offer vehicle wraps merely because I won't do the wraps for them, in their name. They've tried, and failed at installing and don't attempt them anymore because the customer wanted refunds etc. Those customers came to me after. Had I installed for them, yes I would make $700 that day, and potentially $700 a few times in the future to do more jobs for them. BUT because it wasn't professionally installed, I got a $2,500 job and added another happy customer to my wall who is more than happy to tell anybody that WE did the wrap. (advertising word of mouth) for ME. That's how I'm against the idea of enabling my competition by helping them build their reputation as a wrap shop in the area off of our talent.
Your situation makes plenty of sense Colorado...sounds like a nice gig.

 

[ironchef]

Its complicated. I understand printing for other shops without printers. But installing is not an easy subject. I guess it also depends on other shops around you. If there's a couple guys doing installs only, then its just a matter of time before that shop finds a reputable installer. But if you had a few installer on the payroll and just had that side gig going, that wouldn't be bad either.

 

[HulkSmash]

I would say if you have an account with that big of a company where all you do it install and it makes up a large portion of your income...you are in a unique position.
Where I am, there are only a handful of shops that actually have their own installer. I literally have 3 shops within 5 miles of me that Don't offer vehicle wraps merely because I won't do the wraps for them, in their name. They've tried, and failed at installing and don't attempt them anymore because the customer wanted refunds etc. Those customers came to me after. Had I installed for them, yes I would make $700 that day, and potentially $700 a few times in the future to do more jobs for them. BUT because it wasn't professionally installed, I got a $2,500 job and added another happy customer to my wall who is more than happy to tell anybody that WE did the wrap. (advertising word of mouth) for ME. That's how I'm against the idea of enabling my competition by helping them build their reputation as a wrap shop in the area off of our talent.
Your situation makes plenty of sense Colorado...sounds like a nice gig.

It's far from making a large part of our income. But it is a hefty account. We have established relationships with certain companies and we install for them at our location.

whatever, keep doing what you're doing.

 

[Wraps ink]

New twist in the story now they said they want me to do the whole job turn key design print install not sure how this will go down but i have a meeting with them about this...the strange thing is that they are a large franchise very well known.

 

[qmr55]

Do it, make the $$