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[neato]

What are you doing differently in these tough times? How are you marketing yourself? How are you competing with the guys working for beer money?

I know the tendency is to cut off marketing and advertising when times get tough. That's why sign shops tend to slow down.

Just curious. My plan was to start marketing my sign and shirt bus locally to cut back on the amount of screen printing I do. But that was before the economy took a dive. Now I'm thinking I'll just do what I can to ride this out.

Just wondering if anything in particular has been effective for you guys.

[dgaland]

My big accounts all shriveled up this last year or so and the big jobs I was counting on this winter have moved to spring or lost fundiing. Many small retail shops were down around 40% over the holiday season and lost a bunch of business when the New England ice storm left us all without power for up to a week or 2 the last half of December.

I'm losing my shop/workspace and moving (somehow) back to a home office, will sub out more production work, keep decals and design in house and try and crank up the marketing as much as possible. Also just got a part time job to keep at least partial income coming in despite what comes of my other work.

Had to either step up to a real retail location or scale down, and money just didn't allow the first option.

[neato]

I hear ya. I'm in the same boat right now. Thinking of a part time job to keep food on the table. I've only been in business for 2 years, but during that 2 years, I've been so busy it wasn't even a worry.

Just got to keep your chin up and focus on the important things in life, family and faith. Money is only a means to an end. It is nice to make it doing what you love though, right?

[dgaland]

Sorry for the depressing post; should have waited a bit before replying...just hit a bad spot.

Definitely right about faith and family; that's what's important. I don't care too much what I need to do to support us.
I know many shops continue busy despite general economic conditions, but I think some of us "creative" types who never learned good business sense may need to supplement our design jobs for a bit.

[neato]

I think some of us "creative" types who never learned good business sense may need to supplement our design jobs for a bit.

Amen brotha!

[StickerMonkey]

I've been through a rough 4 years. Since I bought my building back in March of 2006, I've had 1 unbudgeted disaster after another. The worst part of what's happening to me right now...is that my sales are better than ever...but my finances are so strapped that I'm still struggling. It's a LONG story...and I'm having a bad day today. I wish I wasn't so far away from everything...I think I'd do better if I were 5 or 6 hours south of where I am.

[onenicesign]

I have taken a part time job 3 days a week outside the industry. It is a steady income that does make a difference. And a  chance to get out and meet others in a different environment that can lead to sign work. It seems I am doing more cut vinyl than printing since I don't want to give prints or any work away. I am never surprised when I hear "can you draw something up" for us to look at? I start every job with theses questions. Do you have a budget?  Do you have a logo? Then I start with a three level cost and complexity for the work. You can't make a sign without a logo or layout. A good layout should be billed in the work. I recently did two sets of 10"x22" magnetic signs with a real nice layout using 3 colors and cut vinyl with a Krylon sprayed background. Simple but real effective. I got  $150.00 per set. The price was in the middle, not the "deluxe and not the cheapest.