Well, for me, I gotta make $50/hour or it's not worth my time. When I add up overhead (which usually runs around 35% of total sales) and profit (I shoot for 20% of total sales but can usually only manage about 15%), that means I have to charge at least $106.25 an hour for my labor (I round up to $110). My least expensive employee ($25/hr starting wage) gets billed out at $75.00/hr.
By the time we have talked to the customer and figure out what they want, figure out how to do it, figure out materials cost and equipment needed, prepare a quote, manage production, arrange for pickup (somebody has to be there), prepare an invoice, collect receivables, and pay the bookkeeper, it is rare that I have less than an hour invested in even the simplest jobs. So my prices start at $110 + cost of materials (plus 40% margin) + cost of production (which will be at least $75.00), I will need at least $200.00 from the customer. Anything less than that, even for the smallest, simplest job, is not worth my time.
Obviously, we do not sell many stickers. I tell my customers to go to Sticker Mule.
We will, however, sometimes run a few stickers for a client and just give them to them (layout a few stickers on the end of a print run). Customers love that, and it makes up for telling them we don't want to do their sticker job.
Note 1: I don't dare quote a sticker job. Seems everyone is on the internet (duh) and as soon as they get my quote they will go to Sticker Mule and see they can get them for a fraction of my price. I would rather be on the up-and-up and not have them think I am gouging them!
Note 2: We are a custom
sign shop. We make most of our money on design, installations, service, and maintenance. We are not an automated shop specializing in sticker production with an online ordering portal and an in-house shipping department, running two shifts with a $million worth of printers and converters. We don't buy material by the container and do not have a material handing and storage facility. Not our business model.
