A price-increase / customer loss calculation (or laugh all the way to the bank?)
I was recently asked an interesting question by the owner of a small manufacturing business: "If I put my prices up by, say, 10%, how much business volume can I afford to lose if I want to at at least retain my current bottom line?" So, effectively, what this business owner was aiming for at a...
One of your customers’ customer’s feedback on signs
I’m your customers' customer. I've addressed this before but allow me to explain something again that I’ve been telling business owners for years, particularly owners of small stores. I'm doing this because on a daily basis I see signs that do nothing to tell me why I should enter a particular...
Stay connected
It's important to stay connected with your industry. I'm a great fan of industry journals for staying connected between trade shows. In this industry, Sign Media Canada, for instance, is essential reading. And it's quite okay to flip through publications and only read the articles that appeal to...
A chance to influence educational programs for the industry
Signmedia is asking for advice and direction on the type of educational material you feel the industry needs. Continuing education is a vital contributor to the ongoing development of individual shops specifically and the industry in general. Unfortunately, its a benefit that seems to be...
At least act big when it matters
If you run a small digital-graphics shop or sign shop, then this story is for you. I first told this true story a number of years ago but it's time to revisit the important message it has. I needed a shop that could handle a vinyl window sign job for a retail store. I felt that it was a job a...
Graphics Canada Expo
Mark May 11th to 13th, 2023 on your calendar. The Graphics Canada Expo is back after a four-year absence. It will at the International Centre, Toronto. The organizers say that in addition to all the new equipment that has been introduced since the last show, " . . . the focus is going to be on...
That key employee . . . a plus or minus?
An article by Jennifer Matt about key employees caught my eye and although it was written primarily for larger print shops, the concept is equally applicable to smaller shops. She makes the argument for a shop to be system-driven rather than employee-driven. In a shop where there's a system that...
A useful equipment idea
Roland recently posted a story about a small home-based decal printer. The point of the story was to tell how a hobby had evolved into a business using a Roland DG VersaStudio BN-20 desktop printer/cutter. And later, as the business grew, a Roland DG TrueVis SG2-300 printer/cutter was added. They...
Canada’s annual National Sign Competition is back.
I remind you of the competition every year in the hope that Stanley's will be able to brag about one of their customers being among the winners. So, here we go again . . . The deadline for entry this year is May7th. Click here to enter at the Signmedia.com site. The winners will be featured in the...
Set the right customer expectations
If you want satisfied customers, one way to achieve that is by setting the right expectations. Few things are more annoying to a customer than to be promised expectations—delivery time or product quality—that cannot be met. The old golden rule is, under-promise and over-deliver. But of course in...
Great advice about passion and business
It's not unusual for someone to be very good at a particular skill and to have a great passion for it. In this case let's say that the person works in a sign shop and after some time realizes that they are good in that field and have a great passion for all aspects of it. This encourages them to...
Announcing Roland’s new VersaSTUDIO BN-20D
Roland promises that you can now make stunning custom t-shirts and fabric accessories with their new VersaSTUDIO BN-20D desktop direct-to film printer. There is no weeding and masking involved. It's essentially a simple 4-step process: Print to film using S-PG inks on s-F164 transfer film. Shake...
News about a tool for reaching potential customers in a new market
Imprint Canada has announced a new monthly newsletter through which you can reach an audience of nearly 15,000 with news about your shop and its products. The newsletter is titled REACH and would ordinarily be of more interest to textile decorators than sign printers. But, I'm writing about it...
ISA International Sign Expo 2023
Registration for the ISA International Sign Expo 2023 is now open. It will be in Las Vegas on April 12th to 14th. They are promising the usual "community, collaboration, and innovation." Also on offer is the usual showcasing of new and innovative products and services, and hands-on education that...
Keeping complaining customers
I have always believed that it makes business sense to "fire" customers you don't want. And customers you don't want are those who make you say, "Life is too short. I don't need this." So, yes, I'm not a believer in the old adage about the customer always being right. But that said, there will...
What do you mean your shop doesn’t have a website?
I find it amazing that I still see statistics that suggest that fully half of all small businesses do not have websites. Ask any online marketing or communication specialist and the answer will always be the same; every small business, in our case, every sign screen shop, should have a website....
A real customer’s real concern about his sign printer
I recently had a conversation about signs with a store owner on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. He was mentioning how he had to have his store frontage sign redesigned because it wasn't bold enough to be seen clearly from a distance by passing traffic. You will recall that I have written...
Business email through Google Workspace.
Here's and interesting statistic (per Network Solutions)—65% of consumers believe a custom email address is more credible than a free email account. No surprise there . . . I've been writing about this for years. For instance, see a recent post on November 21st. So, as Network Solutions quite...