Need help closing a job.

[klingsdesigns]

I understand people shop around and typically find the cheapest place and go with them. I am seeing a lot lately that we go and quote out a job send out emails with proofs and what not. Sometimes we hear back from customer and sometimes we don't. How are you guys closing on jobs?

I just had a long time customer come to me for another job and then I see it completed on fb through another company.

 

[Aklaim]

As a rule, we don't do any proofing until the customer has put down a deposit on their order. Something to consider maybe...

 

[klingsdesigns]

I suppose that would help. Most of the time its supplied artwork that I just place on vehicle to show examples. Something simple. If we do design work, I get a deposit down. I have had people actually put down deposit and sent emails and never heard back.

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

I tried something last year that we had never done here before on signs and vehicles. Get the customer in the door. If i quote something on the phone, someone is just looking for cheapest possible and the chances of landing the job are slim (i know we are one of the most expensive around). But if i can get the customer in the door, i can show them past vehicles, they can see the shop, and we can talk i sell them on ME, the person doing the work, that i know what i'm doing and that i will see to it the job is done to the standards i require. We have quit selling things and just try to sell us, and our expertise. If someone wants the cheapest possible ill quote it but i wont be emotionally invested in it, if you want our quality and standards along with turn around time, we both need to be invested in it.
When i talk to a customer, face to face and we go over things i would say we close 80% as a rough number, vs the 30% on the phone.

 

[DSC]

My Line

We have a policy. Never do artwork for customers prior to an agreement signed, or in an email or with a deposit.. ( we have a lot of long time recurring customers that we do not require deposits from)

This is my line ..

"I really want to show you how "it" will look when we are done, but without an agreement that we are getting the work I won't put as much time into the drawing..Those need to be recoupable hours .. If I do that, you won't like it and we won't get the work. I would actually be doing all of us a disservice. I don't want to do that to you, or us. So In order to provide our customers the best service possible, we require an agreement prior to doing anything on a job after the estimate.. This way you get exactly what you want, premium top quality attention to your job."

Or something like that..

A lot of people make what I call the mistake of doing drawings for retail customers before the deposit or contract is signed.

I literally lost a $3500 job because of this.. I went to visit a potential customer who was referred to us by a GOOD friend.. It was a pizza shop.. The guy was nice enough, and we talked for a bit about the job, I showed him past jobs and said his job was pretty standard and that it was not an issue.. He says " I want to see what it will look like" ............

So I give him the pitch, he is ok with it.. he negotiates me down to $3500 form $3800, we shake hands in his shop on it, and then I say.. " Great! looking forward to making your sign, It is gonna be really good for your business!" He called me once, said, I have not seen the drawing yet.. I replied, I need a check with a deposit, and then I will do it right away! I even offered to just take $1000 .. Never heard from him.. Sign went up I guess.


I know I would have got the job if I did the drawings, but I don't do it. Too busy doing drawings for people that have signed on.



We need to keep busy finding the customers that are reasonable and agree to our terms. Every business is different and has different guidelines. Those are ours.. If you don't want to play the way that makes us money, Ill get busy finding people who will. It's not we are unreasonable or anything.. That is just the business of things..

My advice is to find the type of customers that work well with your business model which make you happy, and make you money at the same time.. Don't try to find people that make you bend in order to work well with your business.. There are plenty of people that will buy your products, you just need to find them.. Concentrate on that.. Not on this guy that gave the job to someone else..

My $.02. Spend it how you want!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[ams]

We get a good 90% of the jobs we quote. Many sign shops charge out the butt and rip people off. Others charge too low and look cheap.
For the customers who are basing your prices on online prices, you have to tell them why they should use you. Quality, No Shipping, Faster Turn Around, Can Show Samples etc.

 

[visual800]

This past 9 months has been the absolute worst for crappy signage. I have never seen people flock to price quite as bad as lately. I mean they are choosing absolute S***! I will give you a layout and a price and if I dont hear back its pretty normal we didnt get it. But I save my designs for those special moments when they might steal some art.

The only education about signage people understand around here is price. It all comes down to who is cheaper. Below we have a customer that contacted me to do a sign for an existing building. I explained how I would rebuild the structure because it was jacked up and do colors on his sign that matched the building. They never responded and I see this on the facebook page, lol. I would say they nailed it!

 

[neato]

Below we have a customer that contacted me to do a sign for an existing building. I explained how I would rebuild the structure because it was jacked up and do colors on his sign that matched the building. They never responded and I see this on the facebook page, lol. I would say they nailed it!

Wow. Do people even care anymore?

 

[visual800]

Wow. Do people even care anymore?

nope

 

[Jillbeans]

I have no idea how to help you close a job, as the same thing happens to me.
But I absolutely NEVER give out a sketch, even a mock-up of their artwork, without a deposit.
If you don't value your own time, neither will they.
Love....Jill

 

[ams]

This past 9 months has been the absolute worst for crappy signage. I have never seen people flock to price quite as bad as lately. I mean they are choosing absolute S***! I will give you a layout and a price and if I dont hear back its pretty normal we didnt get it. But I save my designs for those special moments when they might steal some art.

The only education about signage people understand around here is price. It all comes down to who is cheaper. Below we have a customer that contacted me to do a sign for an existing building. I explained how I would rebuild the structure because it was jacked up and do colors on his sign that matched the building. They never responded and I see this on the facebook page, lol. I would say they nailed it!

Wow that is pretty bad. I like your design.