Learn How Sign Companies Are Recruiting Young People, and More Manager’s-To-Do Items for October

Sept. 26-Oct. 2

CUSTOMERS Review your customers. Is it time to raise prices for some or ‘fire’ high-maintenance customers?

Oct. 3-9

RECRUITING ISA sponsors its annual Sign Manufacturing Day on the first Friday of October. Find out how participating sign companies (and ISA members or affiliates) take this opportunity to market to and recruit young people into the sign industry — and how you might do so next year — at signsofthetimes.com/news.

ORGANIZING Avoid falling prey to clutter. Whether it’s not storing vinyls properly right after using them or returning sample materials you pulled out to show a client, it reflects poorly. Try to take some time during the week to straighten up and de-clutter. Not only does it make the place look nice for clients walking in, but it definitely makes production smoother when everything is where it belongs and the garbage and scraps are thrown out.

Oct. 10-16

MARKETING If you’re slow during fall, make tons of small samples with your logo on them. People love stuff for nothing. Keep your branding in their faces and they’ll realize how important branding actually is.

SERVICE In the fall when it starts getting dark early, a lot of customers notice they have lighting problems with their signs. Savvy sign companies are ready to ramp up for these service calls.

Oct. 17-23

MARKETING For the corporate gifts to your biggest/most valued clients, consider something cool you can make in house.

ESTIMATES Clean out all estimates with a pending status that went “dark” over the summer months. There’s no point to keeping these as pending if your repeated follow-ups didn’t prompt replies. (for more, see page 40.)

Oct. 24-31

WORK-LIFE BALANCE Take a day off. Most signshop owners and managers have worked their tails off!