Letting Clients Handle Permits, Creating Tools and More Sign Industry Tips

“Knowing what must be done does away with fear.” — ROSA PARKS

CUSTOMERS Photos and Choices

1 Carey Gray and CAT Graphics Inc. (Great Falls, MT) provide two designs up front for customers to choose from. The customers can then inform the shop of up to three design changes before the sales staff tell them they will be charged. For Thomas Nance, Signarama Downtown (Louisville, KY), a photo gallery of completed works is invaluable for showing examples of different sign types to customers. He advises planning ahead — curating such libraries can be a time hog and eat up storage space — by creating folders by job or sign type, then copying the best examples into these folders.

FABRICATION Tools Bought and Made

2 Ian McLellan, Hill House Graphics (Bristol, RI), has found an easier way to handle application tape: “I mounted a laminator-width 2×4 under my work table, attached two bar clamps and mounted bars to hold my application tape.” Down south, Todd Sallas and Coastal Signs & Graphics (Slocomb, AL) have seen big payoff on a small investment in a new roller mounting table. “Learning curve took a little while but the result is much less waste on lamination and transfer tape. One employee can now do what used to take two, all with better results,” Sallas says.

PERMITTING Paper Transfer

3 The Mad Signtist (Myrtle Beach, SC) has implemented a new process for permit inspections, says owner Kelly Bookheimer. The shop now hands clients the permit packet and a cover letter giving instructions on calling in final inspections. “That alleviates having to coordinate every day whether they will be there or not and saves from failing inspections,” she explains.

SOFTWARE Application Power

4 Creating a “low code” app for tasks not covered in your CRM or ERP can help streamline those tasks, according to Mark Marshall of Bakers’ Signs & Manufacturing (Conroe, TX), who uses Microsoft Power Apps for this purpose. “You don’t need to know how to code, but can still make a useful app to do specific jobs,” he explains. “Example: Notify the PM once the surveyor begins uploading images into a specific folder.”

OUTREACH Reciprocity Rules

5 Myke Baugh, Roughrider Signs & Designs (Jamestown, ND), recommends that when working with industry contractors, architects, engineers and other professionals, if the contractors give your shop a lead or referral, return the favor by lettering a truck for them, giving their crew a lunch gift card or dropping off snacks at their job site. “Networks on the buddy system are cheaper than hiring a salesperson,” Baugh says.

MEET FUTURE YOU

4 In The Willpower Instinct psychologist Kelly McGonigal notes that one of the biggest mistakes people commit when making a New Year’s resolution, or any decision really, is thinking of their future selves as “different” — more disciplined, energetic and ethical — from their present selves. And the people with the widest disparities between their future and present self-views have a tendency to be more impulsive and less mindful of the consequences of their actions. In contrast, having a high future-self continuity lets you be the best version of yourself now. To better connect with your future self, McGonigal suggests the following:

• Visualize your future self in detail. Imagining yourself in such a manner boosts your future-self continuity. The clearer the vision, the better.
• Make a future memory. For example, if you’re procrastinating on a task, picture how much of it could be completed over the next week and how good that would feel.
• Email your future self. Use FutureMe.org to send yourself a message at a future date. Tell your future self how your actions today will benefit you later.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

Tip Briefs

• Follow through; do what you say even if you lose money. Reputation, like china, is easily broken and hard to repair. — John Miller, Signs by Autografix, Branford, CT
• Date supplies as they come in, using older stock first. — Cindy Gillihan, Gilly’s Super Signs, Placerville, CA
• I recently joined The Wrap Institute and it has been helpful for installation techniques. — Dennis Schaub, FastTrack Signs, Bellefontaine, OH
• Maintain your employees’ certifications: Welding, Fall Protection, Scaffolding, Repelling, CCO, CDL, OSHA, etc. Keep them updated to maintain safety standards and avoid work stoppage or delays. — Matt Robinson, Eastern Sign Tech, Burlington, NJ
• Calendar management, investment of time into the highest priorities and opportunities, and premium accounts are not easy. Plan to win and prepare to win! — Rick Ferraro, Spectrum Sign Systems, Blaine, MN