Open Consultation, Team Happy Hour and More Signshop Advice

“Remember that you are all people and that all people are you.” — Joy Harjo

CUSTOMERS Speak Forth

1 “ABC is no longer ‘always be closing.’ These days ABC should be ‘always be consultative,’” says Mike McClure (Ad Art, San Francisco), who encourages sharing your expertise even if the customer does not buy from you “because next time they may.” Meanwhile, Rick Ferraro of Spectrum Sign Systems (Blaine, MN) suggests confirming details at both the front end and in the document. “Open channels of communication, manage expectations in terms of dates and next steps, and follow through on promises!” he adds.

SOFTWARE On Target

2 It’s A Good Sign (Dallas) has doubled down on using Hubspot to track prospects, leads, customer communications and project notes, according to owner Gayle Goodman Lynch. They are working toward integration with CoreBridge v3 to track and report on the entire customer journey. To the west, Paul Williamson of Art Sign Works (Murrieta, CA) is using Google Ads “Pay for Conversion” to target the largest and most profitable product areas. To the east, Bruce Fish of Signal Sign Co. (Livingston, NJ) recommends Google’s Gemini AI to improve images.

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FABRICATION Pro Printer

3 A 3D printer to make odds and end pieces has been a game-changer for fabricating custom oddities, says Sarah Dixon, Unified Sign and Design (Louisville, KY). Meanwhile, Perry Yaremchuk, City of Kelowna (Kelowna, BC, Canada), advises having a good technician nearby to help you learn “all the idiot-syncracies” of high-tech printers. “You need to become an expert in every facet of the technology, or when the honeymoon is over, you’ll be in for a nasty divorce!”

EMPLOYEES Words and Wine

4 Deb Jerolymack, Houston Sign Co. (Houston), always asks her team what their biggest challenge was that week, which has opened up real discussions. “Once we tackle the topic they brought up with their challenge, I ask them what their big win of the week was so we can finish on a positive note,” she adds. Up north, Adam Brown of Sign Effectz (Milwaukee) advises organizing workflows through your company’s cycle from lead to billing, while Torey Rouillon, National Branding (Troy, MI), says a team happy hour (or two) can help the team recharge and bond during busy times.

PLANNING No More Fridays

5 If you find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day, or more days in the week, try proceeding as if there were fewer — advises Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. Vanderkam doesn’t schedule any work on Fridays nor takes Fridays off. She just pretends, for planning purposes, that the day doesn’t exist. That way, when projects inevitably overrun and unexpected tasks rear up, there’s a bucket into which the overspill can flow.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

HEART IT

6 To Gen Z, emojis aren’t just a throwaway tap on their phone — they’re central to the way they communicate as the original digital natives. According to a recent YouGov survey, almost 9 in 10 Gen Zers say emojis are useful at work, compared to fewer than half of Boomers and Gen Xers who feel the same. Millennials are also 2.5 times more likely to say they’re motivated by emoji reactions from colleagues and bosses than Boomers, while almost 2 in 3 Gen Zers admitted they’re more likely to read messages that include emojis. By 2030, Gen Z will account for almost one-third of all workers and will be responsible for a large share of the country’s consumption. To get on the same page, you’ll likely need to up your emoji game, even if it’s something as simple as replacing “nice work” messages with a “heart.”

Tip Briefs

• The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. — Matt Baker, Bakers’ Signs & Mfg., Conroe, TX
• Don’t forget the disposal fees! We are now getting charged to dispose of our customer signage, so we need to include it in our quotes. — Jim Brewer, Tennessee Sign Co., Murfreesboro, TN
• Put the cellphone away. — Edward Lowman, Signman Signs, Portales, NM
• A little dab of silicone on the corners of full-window graphics adds to the life of the vinyl on the window. — Steve Rowe, SpeedPro Affinity Solutions, Sarasota, FL