I think it's interesting that this whole thread deals with the mechanics and equipment necessary to print and install a wrap, yet no one mentions the most important key to success, and that learning how to design.
That's actually what's wrong with this business. Too much emphasis on mechanics, not enough on design. And ironically, that's actually the most important key to your success.
The right equipment, the right laminator or the ability to physically wrap a vehicle will not make you successful if your design skills are nonexistent.
Dan is 10,000% correct. I sell equipment and materials, and see many customers buying a printer for the first time thinking they are going to make a mint doing vehicle wraps....
The vinyl companies perpetuate this myth at the Sign Shows by showing wraps live in their booths. From what I see, all the emphasis in a customer's mind is put on getting said vinyl to lay down on a vehicle, not on the steps beforehand, or afterwards.
A few things to consider are;
- Who do you have in your shop to "sell" vehicle wraps?
- Do you understand the differences in materials offered?----cast vs calendered, air egress liners and adhesives, choice of laminates, etc.
- Do you have an installation bay in your shop, or will you be at the mercy of the elements outdoors?
- What design talents do you have?--Are you good at working in PhotoShop?---do you understand working with images?
My company gets caught up in the "Wrap Hype" as well----we put on VERY WELL ATTENDED/SOLD OUT vehicle wrap seminars ALL THE TIME in conjunction with a major vinyl manufacturer, and the focus is 99.9% on wrapping the vehicle.
Really, you need to know;
How to Sell a vehicle wrap based on value, not price
How to Layout a vehicle wrap properly to create maximum value and impact
How to print/panel a vehicle wrap---know where breaks are in a vehicle, trouble spots, etc.
Print the wrap. Let dry/cure. Laminate the wrap. Cut the wrap.
Prep/clean the vehicle.
Start the install. Do the install. Complete the install.
Deliver the vehicle.
Collect the dough.
...and that's just the tip of the iceberg....
Where do you go to learn all this----there's a school called "Hard Knocks" out there I hear....
Seriously though, I've been all over different printer manufacturers and RIPs, etc to partner with us at tradeshows over the years and present "the whole wrap story", not just wrap a car in a booth.
Guess what?----very little buy-in on their end, and sadly, very little buy-in on our customers end as well.....4 years ago at a show, we had one of the best presenters in the business in our booth in conjunction with a very popular RIP and printer....when the seminars started, we had one or two customers sit in on the "how to sell a wrap", another 2 or 3 in the "Wrap layout and design" portion, and a whopping
zero sit in on "how to print and panel a wrap". When our installer tackled the actual wrap of the car itself, the booth was jammed, people were ooooh'ing and awww'ing over the installers talents, and there were questions aplenty...
From a supplier/distributor point of view, trust me----we can feel just as frustrated as you do when it comes to education and learning.....
Dan
