Beyond signs: Selling advertising packages

When I first started my company, I thought that most small businesses needed much more than just lettering on their trucks or signs. I knew that most needed some real advertising and graphic design work. In those early days, I always pushed the logo as an integral part of the work I was doing for them, but the other graphics work (brochures, stationery and advertising services) was treated as secondary business.

I would find myself saying, “I’m a sign maker, but I also do brochures, websites—and we can also print your stationery.…” For some reason, that didn’t seem to convince most people to use me for much more than a logo and perhaps their business cards. My whole strategy of pushing an all-in solution for their advertising needs seemed to be falling on deaf ears. Why?

The short answer is the poor perception many business owners have of people in the sign trade. Most folks don’t view the trade as a skilled one, nor do they see those who work in it as professionals. Perhaps with the advent of vinyl lettering, the perception of sign makers as people who sit behind computers and spit out letters proliferated. Or, maybe it was a bad experience with a sign maker who seemed interested in little more than slapping some vinyl on a substrate.

To counter some of these perceptions I needed to rethink my strategy and the manner in which I presented my business and myself to potential clients. My solution: stop presenting myself as a sign maker and begin presenting my business as an ad agency. Once I reversed my sales approach and said, “We’re an ad agency—but we also occasionally produce vehicle advertising,” people looked at us differently.

I stressed that I was their partner in developing and expanding their business and began educating them on the importance of developing cohesive identities for their business. I explained the convenience of dealing with a single source for their advertising and marketing needs. Now, signs or lettering is a smaller part of what most clients need from me.

I redesigned my logo, website, stationery and sales brochures to reflect a more corporate approach, and stressed the advertising services more. For the customers who only needed basic lettering, it would become quickly apparent to them that we weren’t a good fit. For those who needed more, they knew they had found the right place.

Jerry Maguire syndrome

In the movie Jerry Maguire, one of his basic premises is that he wants fewer clients and a more personal relationship with them. That’s my approach. I don’t need as many clients, but each one is spending substantially more than if I were just acting as their sign company.

Between websites, brochures, logos, printing, copy writing and lettering, we have many clients spending over $17,000.00 per year with us. The key is, yes, it is very personal for me. These people place their trust in my skills to help grow and expand their business. Initially, many feel that my fees are high. But after they embark on a cohesive identity and image-building campaign, most come to realize that rather than costing them money, I make them money. The implications of that realization are that they trust me completely to make the right decisions and recommendations about their advertising and marketing.

Making the change

If you’re looking to make the leap into more advertising-oriented services, there are two approaches you can take. Reinvent your image and identity to reflect a more traditional agency approach. Or, you may find it easier to affiliate your shop with someone who does this type of work.

I’ve been fortunate to affiliate myself with some of the top shops in the area, and they have been able to refer a lot of work my way. It helps elevate their own shop because they are looked at as more than just sign companies. And they make commissions on their referrals for making the connection. It’s a win-win for both parties.

A few case studies

The following examples help illustrate what we’ve been able to do for our clients. They show the importance of cohesive image building, and when presented to a potential client, make a powerful sales tool.

When your main competitors are large franchises, you need an image that shows stability, strength and longevity. You also need to imply “largeness” or that this company is perhaps, itself, another franchise.

Since we’ve put those pieces together for this company, the response has been stellar. “Like night and day,” says the owner. Their van lettering has been a real head-turner as well. Their next step with us is a website.

What we did: logo design, designed and printed two-color stationery, four-color business cards, three-part NCR order forms, full-color brochures and Valpak design.

Budget: $13,700

 

This high-end landscape firm came to us for a website (after firing their first two designers). We recommended a new logo and identity on which to base their new advertising. We advised them on direct-mail techniques, web marketing and strategy, as well as customer retention techniques to help educate current clients about their services. Within one week their new website helped them land a $50k landscape design project—before they even pitched their customer.

What we did: logo design, designed and printed two-color stationery, four-color business cards, full-color brochures and pocket folder. Copy wrote, designed and hosting of website. Provided artwork for T-shirts, and vehicle lettering, which was done by a sign company local to the client.

Budget: $17,000

 

Landscape trailer by Bert Quimby, Bert Graphix, Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Redesigned website

A client of Bert Quimby’s [Bert Graphix, Pompton Lakes, New Jersey] was starting a new landscape firm specializing in high-end commercial landscape maintenance. They wanted an upscale, corporate image that would appeal to property managers. Bert designed their logo and then worked in coordination with me to produce their other marketing materials. I really liked the leaf icon that Bert designed, and we agreed that it would be a great element to use to tie all the pieces together. Bert lettered their landscape trailer and pickup truck.

To assist Bert in selling the additional design and advertising services to his current clients, we provided him with sample brochures and materials. He explains our partnership or strategic alliance and now has another revenue source from commissions, as well as an additional means of satisfying his clients’ other marketing and advertising needs.

What we did: designed and printed two-color stationery, four-color cards and full-color pocket folder with four, two-color step-down inserts (which we copy wrote). Copy wrote, designed and hosting of website. Bert handled logo design, vehicle lettering and T-shirts.

Budget: $26,000

 

This article appeared in the July/August 2003 issue of SignCraft. While the prices have been adjusted for inflation as of 2025, they may not accurately reflect current pricing for such work.