New business strategy

[ainakeaboy 0]

Hey there , I recently got into the vinyl business and only am selling decals on eBay for the moment. My question is what other ways can I make a profit doing vinyl ? Can anyone share a business plan? I need help advancing my business from just selling decals to a full sign shop. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

[MaderDesign 3]

First off, make sure you have all the permits, licenses, and legal stuff straightened out before starting your business. Different states have different laws.

2. why ask us to supply you with a business plan? Sit down and do this yourself. It's your business not ours. We don't know your capital, focus, and overall perspective of this. We see people all the time asking for help with their "new" business and in reality it's just a few decals being sold on ebay. In that case, just stay original and make them and post. Not too much business knowledge needed.

3. If your serious about starting a business are you wanting to work from home, or do you want to have a store front, or even bigger, an actual building store front. The possibilities are endless.

I suggest you sit down, write down everything you are wanting to get out of this business, (leave out, make tons of money!) because I think thats everyones dream but be realistic. You need to write down what you are willing to invest into the business, but keep in mind over investing is not the key to profiting. Sometimes starting small and working your way up is the best way. I see people jump into a business and go all out, but have that "For Sale or Lease" sign out in the window shortly after because they did not research enough.

Also, look around you, are there other businesses doing the same thing as you? Are you wanting to compete with them? If so then you need to realize you will have to charge the same or less but provide the same if not better quality of work and service, just to get your name out there. Are you up to that? Or are you wanting to offer something totally different. If you're just wanting to do some small decals then you might as well forget a building store front. There is not enough gains from this from what I see. Most of the time a sign or graphics shop specializes in one or many particular fields. Whether it's Vehicle Wraps, Signs, Dirt Car racing graphics, Printed Vinyl Graphics, etc. They all have an expertise but are able to cut simple graphics. So this cripples you if you are only wanting to do some vinyl graphics on a small scale.

I would think about this long and hard and ask yourself are you ready (financially, mentally, and physically). If you answer yes to all three, then you should start researching and doing your homework.

[Guest fivestar]

Nice post Mader.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Don't pin your hopes on ebay. Every day they are getting harder to deal with for small sellers. I have seen my own sales go down to 1/3 of what they were a few years ago,and getting worse.

Concentrate on local sales. Virtually every business has sign needs...from banners to POS displays. Sometimes you just need to give them a card and before you know it you have a regular customer if you do good work at reasonable prices. But you have to promote yourself..people won't come knocking on your door.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

+1 on Mader and Bannerjohn!

[RPM Graphics 6]

Here is my frustration.  I live in a small town that actually has a MAIN Street.  Plenty of business' to hit though, so I walked up and down Main Street last June, and tried to meet with every owner or manager.  I talked for a few minutes each with probably 25 of them.  I gave them all a flyer and offered 10% on their first order.  They were all very receptive of my approach and some even said that may have some things coming up that they would send my way.  I offered window and door lettering, banners, signs, vehicle lettering and imprinted apparel.  Well guess how much business that drummed up?    ZERO !!!!!!...Not a damn thing..  The weird thing is, several of them got new lettering work done in the next several months, but by somebody else.  How is that for a slap in the face.  Funny thing is, my own lettered vehicle has generated business from over a hundred miles away.  I have been to motocross races in other states and people will get my number of the truck and call to place an order for window lettering.  Go figure that one out.....

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Here is my frustration.  I live in a small town that actually has a MAIN Street.  Plenty of business' to hit though, so I walked up and down Main Street last June, and tried to meet with every owner or manager.  I talked for a few minutes each with probably 25 of them.  I gave them all a flyer and offered 10% on their first order.  They were all very receptive of my approach and some even said that may have some things coming up that they would send my way.  I offered window and door lettering, banners, signs, vehicle lettering and imprinted apparel.  Well guess how much business that drummed up?    ZERO !!!!!!...Not a damn thing..  The weird thing is, several of them got new lettering work done in the next several months, but by somebody else.  How is that for a slap in the face.  Funny thing is, my own lettered vehicle has generated business from over a hundred miles away.  I have been to motocross races in other states and people will get my number of the truck and call to place an order for window lettering.  Go figure that one out.....

maybe they lost your flier.That is why I give out business cards. Those usually go into the wallet.

[Guest fivestar]

Here is my frustration.  I live in a small town that actually has a MAIN Street.  Plenty of business' to hit though, so I walked up and down Main Street last June, and tried to meet with every owner or manager.  I talked for a few minutes each with probably 25 of them.  I gave them all a flyer and offered 10% on their first order.  They were all very receptive of my approach and some even said that may have some things coming up that they would send my way.  I offered window and door lettering, banners, signs, vehicle lettering and imprinted apparel.  Well guess how much business that drummed up?    ZERO !!!!!!...Not a damn thing..  The weird thing is, several of them got new lettering work done in the next several months, but by somebody else.  How is that for a slap in the face.  Funny thing is, my own lettered vehicle has generated business from over a hundred miles away.  I have been to motocross races in other states and people will get my number of the truck and call to place an order for window lettering.  Go figure that one out.....

I also live in a very small town that has a main street, my business is actually on that main street.  I've never done one penny of advertising nor do I have any type of business cards.  I was so busy last year I couldn't keep up at times.  I actually started doing vinyl not as a business but as a addon to my wife's flower shop.  Well long story short.......I don't have time to do very many things for her anymore.

[the vinyl tree 0]

+2 on what mader and bannerjohn said . think long and hard . dont think of your business a mill pond were every thing runs smoothly , cause your just in for failure . think of business as a perfect storm , always changing never ending and stressful  . most of all it bloody hard work . cause i was in your spot 12 months ago and this isn't the first time to run a small business for me either. having said that ,we all  have the dream of working for ourselves not really knowing what involved. where people start work at 7 am your up at 6 and when they finish at 4 pm you don't not until the job gets done . so that a piece of advise that you wont find in a book . you personally live it .

i know its not what you wanted to here but......... this is real life not a story or a movie . no happly ever afters here just the truth. 

[#D-zine# 2]

Right on Mader!

Been seeing allot of this lately.  People buying up plotters and "going into business"

[ainakeaboy 0]

Is there a good book on vinyl and sign making in general ?

[chefgary 4]

"Been seeing allot of this lately.  People buying up plotters and "going into business"

Seems we were all one of those people at one time or another.  Isn't that why we belong to this board... to help and be helped?

just wondering....

[lwsimon 1]

Right on Mader!

Been seeing allot of this lately.  People buying up plotters and "going into business"

Yeah, that would be me.  I come from a photography and IT background, and my wife's dance studio moved to a new space and needed all new window decals.  I priced them, then priced the cutters, and bought a cutter.  Now I run a website selling political decals, and I'm about to expand into several other niches.  I'm an entrepreneur, and my skillset coincided, so I jumped at the chance.  One day, when my sites get big enough, I'll farm out to some other new guy (most likely on these forums), take a small cut, and move on to other projects.

I have to chuckle a little bit about someone complaining about people buying plotters and going into business on a forum for Chinese import cutters.  Don't get me wrong, I really love my Refine, but it's no Roland (nor is it meant to be).  Your comment would be more fitting in Roland's forums, come to think of it, targeted at us

[hockeygirl 30]

Here's what we've done that worked well for us... we go into different businesses and offer them a package, Signs/banners/store front letterings and screenprinted T-shirts with their business/logo for employees. Depending on the business, we may also be offering decals (popular in skate shops, etc) and quantity discount for promo t-shirts.

A lot of time, we'll just put in a little more work up front and show them what we can offer them by means of samples. We usually get their business within a month.

[gooddeal 0]

Over 30 years ago I learned that you need to have at least 3 Trades. In today's economy you need at least 9. The vinyl supports interest in the other 8.

[MaderDesign 3]

gooddeal, I def agree with this. and stated this in my post as well. People don't just do "RTA vinyl" or "Signs" They have a mixture.

Although you do see Wrap guys only doing wraps, because that business requires a lot of time printing, prepping and installing. Not to mention the money it in for a good wrap is crazy. Def pays off to become certified and find the right place to open business.

That being said, you need to focus on trying to do more than just vinyl.

[kctrader 10]

I also live in one of those small towns with a main street.  After about 6 months I joined the local Chamber of Commerce.  It was $30 a year.  They do a monthly coffee for networking.  At the first coffee I sold $90 worth of lettering.  It's rare that I don't walk away with at least a lead and usually a job or two.  Was some of the best money I've spent. 

[MaderDesign 3]

You paid $30 to only make $60? Doesn't seem that great.

[staynedglass 0]

You paid $30 to only make $60? Doesn't seem that great.

I would normally agree that spending $30 to make $60 doesn't seem like a good idea. However he did say that they hold MONTHLY meets and he almost always leaves with a job or a lead. That does make for good advertising/investing. Plus being a member of the chamber of commerce gives other businesses and customers a little piece of mind that you wouldn't be a fly by night.

to kctrader thanks for reminding me about the chamber of commerce

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

networking is always great. any local organization is helpful