re: branding companies and ad agencys

[visual800]

I have noticed for the past 2 years or so these so called "branding/ad companies" are calling and handling sign jobs. ABSOLUTE PITA!
I dont know who or what put the people at the top of the food chain but they need it dial it down some.

Latest company emailed me and asked me to make a job site visit and get back with them no later than 1pm the next day.
In typical "me" fashion, I got back with them 2 days later, just to let them know how much I dont care. They assumed
I needed money, last time I checked I own this company, and they do not dictate my schedule

These companies will waste 1 month to get the cheapest price and are always in a hurry and always on deadline
Absolute waste of time. How much can they possibly make pimping out signage?

 

[garyroy]

They're basically brokers. Same as real estate agents, they broker a deal for large sums of money.
I just bought a house the other day, no real estate broker on either side. Smooth as silk. We used an attorney to close the deal.
His fee was $700. Good for the homeowner, good for me.

If sign companies stop dealing with these sign brokers, the brokers will go out of business.
I wouldn't answer their call or emails.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

If a customer could call a sign company and they do their job, you wouldn't need a broker. I get all designs hashed out with the customer, get survey docs ready, research the sign code, get docs ready for permits, have the signs fabricated if needed, setup transportation..otherwise send artwork. I handle everything to make it as easy as possible and they STILL fuck it up. It's like dealing with pot smoking teenagers trying to get y'all to clean your room. And before you say "you're getting the cheap guy", I can guarantee you... the bigger the sign company, the more expensive... the worse they are. Some of the best jobs are done with the smaller guy at a lower price. I also do fab and install myself so I ain't just doing broker jobs.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

If a customer could call a sign company and they do their job, you wouldn't need a broker. I get all designs hashed out with the customer, get survey docs ready, research the sign code, get docs ready for permits, have the signs fabricated if needed, setup transportation..otherwise send artwork. I handle everything to make it as easy as possible and they STILL fuck it up. It's like dealing with pot smoking teenagers trying to get y'all to clean your room. And before you say "you're getting the cheap guy", I can guarantee you... the bigger the sign company, the more expensive... the worse they are. Some of the best jobs are done with the smaller guy at a lower price. I also do fab and install myself so I ain't just doing broker jobs.

 

[Johnny Best]

These branding companies are a joke. When I deal with them I have a smile on my face dealing with some young girl just out of college with no clue about signage.

 

[somcalmetim]

If a customer could call a sign company and they do their job, you wouldn't need a broker. I get all designs hashed out with the customer, get survey docs ready, research the sign code, get docs ready for permits, have the signs fabricated if needed, setup transportation..otherwise send artwork. I handle everything to make it as easy as possible and they STILL fuck it up. It's like dealing with pot smoking teenagers trying to get y'all to clean your room. And before you say "you're getting the cheap guy", I can guarantee you... the bigger the sign company, the more expensive... the worse they are. Some of the best jobs are done with the smaller guy at a lower price. I also do fab and install myself so I ain't just doing broker jobs.

No really, you sound awesome to work for...

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

 

[Zendavor Signs]

These companies are like any other type of customer - there are good ones and there are bad ones. I find with most customers that give ridiculous demands, you just have to tell them what you can do. I like to believe that most people are clueless and have to be told what are reasonable demands. We have a few “ad agency / branding” companies we work with. Expect to produce a lot of quotes, and walk them through the expectations of signage, like any other customer. Some are good customers - they bring me work that I would probably not ever get normally. I don’t have a lot of creative design bandwidth, so it works out well to at least have them start the ball rolling in that aspect.

I am very up front with them about larger, more complex signage projects though. There was one we did a few years ago - it was a $13k push thru lighted sign. I told them no way am I just building this sign and throwing it up on the building. I insisted on meeting with their client directly first. I make it clear I have no interest in stealing their customer. They agreed and it was a successful project. There have been a few others that I insisted on that, and they told me no way. That means they are afraid of their customer finding out about us. Those are not good customers.

 

[JBurton]

View attachment 165543

I miss this show something fierce. Anymore it feels like an ai response to the prompt: create a show where a anthropomorphic happy meal is cast living in Jersey, but they're also a sort of heroic 'force', the latter part should be forgotten early on.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

They made some new stuff this year. It's on HBOmax