Economists predict that, even as recessions gives way to recovery, unemployment will rise. As the economy sheds more jobs, there will be more people starting their own businesses, whether by choice or necessity. These potential customers need your services, perhaps even more so than the brick and mortar businesses that are the mainstay of the sign industry.
To grow their businesses, they need visibility, but they may not have a dedicated commercial vehicle. Their business vehicle may be the family Ford, so they need magnetic signs. To capture more of this growing market, consider the popular EnduraMAG Magnetic Sign Blanks.
A EnduraMAG set is a pair of pre-cut, 30 mil, 12” x 24” magnetic sign blanks with standard radius corners. They are rated superior for lifting resistance and migration resistance. The radius corners resist lift by giving the leading edge of the sign blank a more aerodynamic profile. Using these blanks relieves the need to cut them and use a corner rounder. They are ready to go…just add vinyl and sell!
"What do I charge?" is one of the most commonly asked questions by business owners beginning to market magnetic signs. The general range seems to be from $45 to about $100. Where in that range your price belongs depends on a lot of variables, but the two most important are you and your market.
How effective are the designs? If you put block text on a white sign, perhaps your signs aren’t worth much. If, on the other hand, you create a unique, effective, eye-catching graphic that will produce leads and business for your customer, you deserve more and should charge more. Some sign shops who strive to create effective designs and believe in the value of their product regularly get over $200 for a pair on installed magnetic sign blanks.
Another factor is your market. Magnetic signs are a form of advertising and most advertising is priced by a factor called cost per thousand impressions (CPM). The more impressions your ad generates, the more valuable it is. If you’re installing magnetic signs in a major metropolitan area where it will be seen by of thousands of commuters, it’s worth more than one in a small rural area. Know your market and price accordingly, but don’t sell yourself short. Just because it only costs you $8.50 for the sign blanks, doesn’t mean the finished sign is worth less to your customer.
What is migration? Migration is the magnetizing of a vehicle’s painted surface that causes a magnetic sign blank to get stuck on the vehicle. The two most common causes of this are:
- Improper maintenance by the end user
- Applying a magnetic blank to a surface with uncured paint in high temperature area.
Temperatures above 150°F may cause the magnet to become fused to a freshly painted surface. The best way to deal with this is prevention. Be sure to educate each one of your magnetic sign customers.
What happens if an improperly maintained magnetic sign becomes stuck to a customer's truck? Don’t panic. Before you try to remove the sign blank, apply steam to loosen the magnet’s hold on the metal. That may aid removal and save some aggravation. Take the opportunity to talk to your customer about a nice windshield graphic instead!
