How to Price Signs and Decals for Small Sign Shops

[@mikewoodwood]

We appreciate you and the videos you do. Thank you.

[@TheSignGuy]

Thanks for watching!

[@kenanklovitch8117]

Thanks very much my good man - very helpful for my one man shop here in Northern Canada.

[@TheSignGuy]

Glad to help

[@DWIT3D]

Love this, and I’ve been doing this for a long time! Never to old to learn new techniques! Thank you!!

[@TheSignGuy]

Happy to help!

[@nikinik2198]

Hello from México 🇲🇽 I am 65 and I watch you trying to get the courage to start my sign & wall decal business or at least one of the 2 Signs I’ve been hand making for a while just because I love it. Making a style I can sell online without the commitment to install would be great. As for decals, removable wall decorations are coming back here. The point is I need to stop thinking and start doing!! Anyway, I love your vids and have learned a lot from you!

[@rafaelvalles9963]

Cliché digital

[@garrettsmawley]

Incredibly helpful video. All too often this topic is something of a 'Tribal Secret" among sign businesses. As you;'e pointed out its always a moving target and a thing that shops need to sort out on their own given their market and overhead. Sign work is a specialized business and will garner premium prices when the seller is knowledable, produces industry standard output, and knows how to guide the customer though the sales process. In short, $12 - $16 for ballparking soft sign work is appropriate these days. I go less on label runs because I LOVE those jobs and to your point of encouraging markets that you favor. I moonlight a small shop out of my garage with a wide format print lam cut setup, but have found myself getting burned on the actuals of shop time for a given project especially on the signs requiring router work or extensive install time. Everything you've outlined here is spot on. Pricing and markets will always be a moving target due to so many variables, but the more you do it, the more confidence and accuracy is developed.

[@allegramarketingprintmailo3541]

I have watched a couple of your videos and will subscribe! I like your style, especially that you have Cocoon fit over sunglasses like mine. My wife & I have a small printshop and we added wide format a couple of yrs ago. We are in our 70's and both have survived major health issues, so we are now ready to learn and grow. We like the sign business, but the learning curve is long. Thanks for you help.

[@TheSignGuy]

Thanks for watching! Good news/Bad news... Good news- I'm retired from sign making, Bad news - no more videos :(

[@delbertsmith5229]

Awesome tips that can definitely help new sign guys and even some veterans get quicker at pricing signs. Couple of points, if you get every job you quote.....your too cheap and your leaving money on the table. Second, don't be afraid to say no.....its empowerful....you don't want every job, only the ones that make you money. As always, great content and really appreciate all the effort you use to put out these videos.

[@TheSignGuy]

Thanks you! I hope it helps and it's pretty simple system, I believe. That is 100% true, I know I'm not the only one but we were burned 1 to many times for me to point that out.

[@brianadams7321]

very helpful video. this is a part of the process that intimidates me. i will go back and watch again down the road.

[@TheSignGuy]

Don't sell yourself short, gotta charge your your time!

[@THE_OG_Crafter]

Thank you for so much valuable information

[@TheSignGuy]

You are welcome, thanks for watching!

[@merchstopinc]

Agreed, work/life balance is key. Especially in an industry like the sign industry.

[@TheSignGuy]

It's a roller coaster of a life!!

[@andygibson289]

I watched your first video. About the sign cutting business. I found it very interesting. I'm going to follow you I guess

[@TheSignGuy]

Thanks and welcome

[@DIDGZONEW]

Great Video! Your words and experience inspire me! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@TheSignGuy]

You are so welcome! Good luck in your ventures!

[@CharlieLmarsh]

Thank you for the great info. Just picked up a used printer to add to my cutter. Amazing video !!!! Merry Christmas.

[@TheSignGuy]

Thanks, you too! What printer did you get?

[@CharlieLmarsh]

@@TheSignGuy mimaki JV-33. So far so good.

[@TheSignGuy]

@@CharlieLmarsh those are great printers 👍👍👍

[@nosleeptilretirement6987]

Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing! More success in 2022!!!

[@TheSignGuy]

Happy new year! You are welcome, more stuff to come in 2022!

[@signcommanders]

Great video as usual bro, keep up the solid work

[@TheSignGuy]

Appreciate it! Thank you!

[@melaniestout9072]

You sure make it look simple. Thank you

[@TheSignGuy]

Thank you, I have lots of practice and I know a guy!!!

[@ewhitedesigns]

Thank you for this video big bro!

[@TheSignGuy]

Any time!

[@ouroboros5378]

gracias por este video! saludos desde Chile

[@TheSignGuy]

¡De nada, gracias por vernos!

[@kenlarsen7390]

Good advice. Thanks

[@TheSignGuy]

Glad it was helpful! Some said it was vague but I price everything by the sq ft. and remember X 2 1/2 ~ 3 times.

[@domsim9516]

Great info!

[@TheSignGuy]

Hope it was helpful!

[@jimmyfavereau]

Great vid and thanks for the overview !, if you were going to install N numbers, do you have a set base fee? Thanks again 🎯

[@TheSignGuy]

For N numbers I would charge by the SQ ft for the material then a separate trip/install rate of no less then $50 per hr.

[@mollys932]

So for clarification, you include your hourly labor cost into the total cost of the sign, and then you multiply the cost including the labor by 2? As opposed to multiplying the cost of materials by two and then adding your hourly labor cost?

[@TheSignGuy]

For the signs I sell online the design labor is figured into the overall cost. For walk in's (rare for me) 2.5 X materials and whatever the hourly rate on top of that.

[@mollys932]

@@TheSignGuy got it thanks. These videos are very helpful

[@ericurdiales8978]

The cast print film went up 30% I buy a laminate for $250 and before the day was over I get an email that next purchase will be $330. It makes it harder to price off the hip like a veteran should know. I get stuck in situations where I sell it and have to keep my word but takes from my pocket. It's very difficult having a printer sitting not running it was seeing my printer not running

[@TheSignGuy]

Substance has not raised the cost for a while, cast film I can feel your pain.... See if there is somewhere you can use a lower cost film to save some money, I rarely use cast anymore.

[@ericurdiales8978]

I usually try to go for .25 cents for ink square foot and usually covers all colors it is still like trying to put a unicorn in a bottle.

[@TheSignGuy]

I shoot for about $1 per sq ft now and that depends on the print profile I use. The less ink I can put down the cheaper the cost. .25 is about my cost when printing a 540x720 profile, more like .50 for a 720x720.

[@ericurdiales8978]

@@TheSignGuy thats good to know i have struggled with and when to change that. i print on 1440x1080 and its because i love being known for the color that pops

[@davidreyes1559]

I do alot of sandblasting and always have to pay for my vinyl so I bought a vinyl cuter seiki vinyl cutter plotter is this a good unit to start with? It came with Flex8.5 a couple of blades a pin and all cords for 300 working gonna set it up this week end any tips?

[@TheSignGuy]

Hey David, I'm not familiar with the Seiki cutters, I can give pointers with flexi if you need it. It sounds like you have what you need to get it up and running, something is better then nothing and it's a starting point. I'll be curious if the Seiki can cut sandblast resit, your going to need a 60 degree blade to start and cut slow... Good luck!!

[@tomcollick8111]

Where did you get the vinyl wall hangers?

[@TheSignGuy]

Years and years ago from Harbor Sales in MD and Advantage Sign Supply or better known these days as GRIMCO.

[@Ceatsports]

Hi I have question can I know please where i can get training for vinyl signs?

[@TheSignGuy]

That is a good (very broad) question, you can search around the internet for specific answers. I just learned by doing (and failing, a lot) asking questions, getting in good with other local sign shops will hep as well. Every day is a new day and you never stop learning...

[@americachula]

Hey! I’m so interested it in the gel silicone resin. I want logos of the Military branches how can I send you the picture?? Please let me know

[@TheSignGuy]

I'm retired, sorry can't help.

[@dtftoronto1402]

What material they use for yard signs? It looks like a very thin plastic , is not a coroplast

[@TheSignGuy]

Not sure. Don't have any experience with anything other than Coro. I have used styrene as a substrate in the past for some projects.

[@brianadams7321]

i want to move to wherever your at and work under you for a while...hahaha

[@TheSignGuy]

Anytime Brian, I'm in Anderson South Carolina lol

[@silversurfer4441]

One Shot??? That's the old world. Are you still painting signs?

[@TheSignGuy]

The old world?? Of course I'm still painting signs...

[@bluedoggraphics1743]

Today, a quart of One Shot (if you can find it) is now $95.00.

[@TheSignGuy]

Tell me about it, really cut's into the bottom line. I have moved over the the RONAN but prefer 1shot when I can get it.

[@windmill10]

When are you Americans going to adopt the metric system SIGH ....🤔

[@TheSignGuy]

If your so smart why don't figure out the imperial system and do your own math..... instead of trolling KZbin wasting my time.