Kudos Sign Syndicate

[imanut]

Here's a comment that I observed on one of the places I visit - it was posted by a "higher up" person at a company.............and found it quite interesting.........

"I like Sign Syndicate because they talk about important issues, like corporate monopolies and strong-arm tactics in some product categories, vendors problems, etc. Most traditional magazines won't dig deep into these problems, let alone find answers. "

Thought it was cool of the guy to post this observation about this site.....

gn

[Erik Sine]

Here's a comment that I observed on one of the places I visit - it was posted by a "higher up" person at a company.............and found it quite interesting.........

"I like Sign Syndicate because they talk about important issues, like corporate monopolies and strong-arm tactics in some product categories, vendors problems, etc. Most traditional magazines won't dig deep into these problems, let alone find answers. "

Thought it was cool of the guy to post this observation about this site.....

gn

Now THAT!!! Made my year.

Who said that, and where did this come from?

[Erik Sine]

Ah, my lovely wife found it for me. That is too cool.

[YYZ]

Ah, my lovely wife found it for me. That is too cool.

Care to share? PM?

[imanut]

Ah, my lovely wife found it for me. That is too cool.

Care to share? PM?

a linked in site ---------- for ISA

gn

[Guest Signtiffic]

Quote:

"I like Sign Syndicate because they talk about important issues, like corporate monopolies and strong-arm tactics in some product categories, vendors problems, etc. Most traditional magazines won't dig deep into these problems, let alone find answers."

I read this too..... Congrats.

I know who this is too..... but was curious why you didn't want to share a comment that he made publicly? No matter, his comment was spot on and the syndicate has been doing great.

Except K Girl.... Just kidding.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Signtiffic

[imanut]

Several reasons - one of which I didn't really think the persons name was important.

Secondly - he didn't post it here. He does read this - and I feel that if he wishes to make his name known, he will do so. I just thought his observations of this site were timely ---------- and so very true.

gn

[BlackDiamond]

Several reasons - one of which I didn't really think the persons name was important.

Secondly - he didn't post it here. He does read this - and I feel that if he wishes to make his name known, he will do so. I just thought his observations of this site were timely ---------- and so very true.

gn

LOL - that "higher up" was me... and believe me, I've got friends in low places (present company excluded).

Sorry - I wasn't trying to be covert or anything. I used to work for Arrow about ten years ago, in their award-winning design department. Killer stuff. We parted ways amicably. So, when the opportunity recently came up to work on their sales team I jumped at the chance. In one of these threads here, you see where my solo Black Diamond Signs project got put on indefinite hold to go back to Arrow. Of all the sign companies I have ever worked for, Arrow is the only one run by a visionary. They are a class-act, and I'm happy to be working with them again. Just wait - I hope to have them acclimated to social marketing / media by summer.

Anyway, back to the Linkedin thing. I highly recommend all of you go set up an account and join in the action. Its Facebook for professionals. You're as professional as it gets. Don't let preconceived notions stop you from joining Linkedin. One of my favorite libertarian rabblerousers in the official White House group turned out to be a sign guy. Anyhow - go register and help contribute to the discussions. There aren't many active sign companies there. Your input would be appreciated. I get lonely there. There is only so much trouble I can stir up in the Digital Signage Group by myself. I could also use some help running the Sign Buyers Resource Group (yes, on Linkedin). That's a great place to dispel performance myths and tout the virtues of independent businesses.

Visit me at http://jlilly.com

[Guest Signtiffic]

You certainly do stir up trouble.... tactfully though.

He's right, BDiamond that is, about Linkedin. I've been thinking about some posts here and on signweb (the syndicate is preferred) relating to quality and professionalism. I mentioned on stmg's forum, more than once, and here that I don't know what is best to curtail the hacks out there, but BDiamond is onto something. Even though he hasn't offered me any prestigious position on his board "The Sign Buyers Resource"..... I am a member though...

Back to my point and support of the Linkedin concept..... Social media is taking over in many respects. Thousands of "decision makers" are on there. And like BDiamond said "You're as professional as it gets. Don't let preconceived notions stop you from joining Linkedin. "

I've been viewing this board since it was an infant. It's almost 5 years old now. (Can't remember my first username here though) A lot of you were and still are on signweb too. Get on linkedin. Not only will BDiamond enjoy your company those "decision makers" will benefit from your combined expertise.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Signtiffic

[imanut]

John - thanks for chiming in. Hope you didn't mind that I lifted your quote for this site --------- just seemed so darn appropriate for Erik and others to know that some think highly of this site.

Only problem I have with being on LinkedIn -------- is that it seems quite often to be a popularity contest ????? I mean - look how many "friends" I have thing. Perhaps I'm wrong. And then trying to figure out which group you might/might not want to be included in..................might have to check out the one you mentioned though.

gn

[Guest Signtiffic]

Gary,

It's about marketing. I guess that's got a lot to do with popularity, but I really don't know of a company that doesn't want to be popular with potential clients. John has over 200 links..... I have just over 90. Heres the thing..... My contacts are spread across the following industries:

21% 1. Retail

19% 2. Architecture & Planning

8% 3. Construction

4% 4. Information Technology and Services

I only have about 5 people linked who are in the sign business. Most of my links are clients, and professional aquaintences that I regulary do business with. I've gotten a lot of new links from people seeking out my expertise, of which most of you in here share the same ammount or more.

I can only speak for myself about this..... I come here and to other forums to learn, share, vent, and sometimes yell and scream about things in our industry. That is NOT what I use linkedin for. I don't recomend anyone else here uses it for that. Here you have some anomynity. You don’t have any on linkedin.

I don’t know if I get “figuring out which group you might, might not want to be in”….. Groups on linkedin are not “clicks” and usually are like mini trade shows. Yeah, you get the spammers, but more times than not you get involved with both sellers and buyers.

I don’t mean to offend anyone here, but I sincerely doubt any client in their right mind wants to come and get in the middle of our drama on this forum. This is a great resource for US to figure stuff out and share what's on our mind about our industry. It's kinda exclusive you know.

Anyway, I hope you change your mind about it. I think it could be used to help thwart the attack of the stooges and hacks. Granted, like HV said to me the other day, cheap will buy cheap.

If most of you don't join, then great...... less competition for John and I. Honestly, I think it would be great to have more of you on there.

Just my 2 cents.....

[imanut]

Thanks for the input ---- but man, I get enough people that track me down for "info" as it is that I don't even know. If I only charged .10 for each --------- retirement would be possible!

gn

[Erik Sine]

Ugh,

I'm not too much into these social media sites. Never liked MySpace, facebook and others. Linkin just seems like it's turning into the same, slowly but surely. I liked all the other sites when they first started, I thought it was great then it turned down an area where it gets annoying. It's great for the fact that I get to talk to long time friends from an era long past and keep in touch.

I'm just of the opinion that it's a place for individuals to express their ideas because they are the same people who like to hear themselves speak. Of course this forum can be used in the same manner, but we're mostly industry dedicated here. Problem with Linkin, everyone sees, and can see everything, even your friends and connections. (Account stealing?)

I'm self employed and of course do my own sales as well, so Linkin can be a benefit. Unless your in the aspect of marketing your business, Linkin may be an annoyance more than anything. I'm a member to a few groups and all the emails abut current topics being discussed can get annoying like facebook. From facebook I get emails about my sister (The Bar Fly) talking to others about what bar to meet at next. Annoying, and I can't turn that off because she's in my circuit.

The other part about Linkin that I find annoying is, it's slow to email people about updates, sometimes it takes more than 24 hours.

One of my dislikes about Linkedin, and it's probably because being on here I'm the polar opposite. On here I'm all about getting to the truth on discussions and ideas, marketing garbage and I truly dislike the trade magazines leaving me with very little to like about them.

On Linkin when it comes to our industry, all I see is the same spam I see in the sign rags. The same people who our industry is supposed to look at as industry leaders are putting both their pointing fingers on their cheeks to produce that fake smile and ask the dumbest of crap from us. Or tell us what they think, WE should think.

Now, honestly. How many who have as many connection NOT industry related, would publicly join a discussion when they see such bullshit and tell those people for all to see "swallow some exlax because your full of shit!" Kind of hard to hold others to accountability over there, unless your an admin to a group.

The endless self promotion of spam inserted as news and discussion, I can say no more.

I have two accounts there, one for this site the SS, and one for my electric sign biz. I have a few clients on there as connections, but I'm not so sure I'm trilled that they can join my groups and see the endless garbage of my industry. Sometimes I have to end up splitting through the garbage THEY read by other who propagandize, getting them to the truth that I have been telling them.

It has it's pro's and con's I suppose. But since we started a Linkin group for the SS, we've had a lot of end clients teleport their way here, more so since we started the light projects over here. Membership has jumped here greatly too since having a group at Linkin, now we are reaching more people who use the internet on a daily basis.

But! The same ye same 'ol problem exists there for our electric sign industry as it does here. The vinyl sticky or printer people don't have this problem though. No one wants to speak up or join discussion, they just want to lurk in the shadows and read, observe, calculate. The electric sign & design industry still remains hush hush. As I think it should in many ways, otherwise we'll whore ourselves out in such ways as the sticky & printy people. They are a little more organized than us in meets and social medias in that part of the industry, but they are also the ones cutting each others throats, and the ones going out of business faster in their aspect of the sign business. I think our trade magazines have a big hand in this, so to franchise sign shops like Sign A Rama & Fast Signs who TURN and BURN to clients with the "You TOO, can do this!" I see more franchise turn around than anything else, unless you have been in the business you have an upper hand.

Okay, I have to stop for now. I can go on and on but I need to get some work done before I hibernate for the Christmas season and await the coming of my new son later today or first thing tomorrow.

[Guest Signtiffic]

Well.... I dont share my connections information at all. Neither does BDiamond. You have a TON of privacy control. I hate facebook. I've never had a myspace. I do like linkedin. Maybe its just because a lot of poeple I do business with are on there. It's helped me more than it has wasted my time. It's only a tool and not the solve all.

I TOTALY understand where you're coming from...... and man do I get it. Like I said. Class and Intergrity. There is a big lack of it.

Thats also exactly what I mean. You have to partner with all of your clients and help them "get" what's right and what's wrong. Otherwise you only have the hacks blowing bullshit up their ass. They'll always be around. Its a freaking necessary evil.

Congrats by the way...... My son was the best thing that ever happened to me. Made dealing with all this crap worth it. Also, I found a purpose to make the sign industry a better and improved place for his bennefit. Not necessarily for him to get into it, but just in general...... being a honorable, stand up, providor in an indusrty with few of those left has to make the world a little better. Even if its a little bit at a time.

[Erik Sine]

Congrats by the way...... My son was the best thing that ever happened to me. Made dealing with all this crap worth it. Also, I found a purpose to make the sign industry a better and improved place for his bennefit. Not necessarily for him to get into it, but just in general...... being a honorable, stand up, providor in an indusrty with few of those left has to make the world a little better. Even if its a little bit at a time.

Thank you.

I think for every bad apple there are 50 good ones.

Even if its a little bit at a time.

That's what I try to make this board, and I'm confident enough that I'm actually starting to see the results. I see more and more industry and end clients becoming more educated because of the discussion taking place here.

It's a funny thing to see who actually reads here on a daily basis.

[BlackDiamond]

The High Voltages are having a baby?! A Sagittarius. Congratulations!

So, back to the social media thing...

The way I explain it to older people and luddites is that social media is just that - a new medium. Its not a sales tool unless we figure out how to use it in that way. But, that's on us. Its our responsibility to figure out how to leverage this new tool. People don't buy phones thinking business is going to increase simply by virtue of having a phone. You have to pick it up and call people with it.

In fact, in the late 1800's, most people thought the telephone was an unnecessary gadget. "Hell, what's the problem with just walking down to the town square and speaking to the shopkeeper directly? That's the way its always been." Eventually, the telephone became so prevalent that those without one couldn't compete in business.

In the 1980's it was the fax machine, in the 1990's it was email, then cell phones into the 2000's.

Now, its social media.

Like with fax machines, internet service providers or cell phones, it doesn't really matter which brand you choose (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.). Its just important that you maintain some knowledge of the current communication medium and understand that millions of people are having professional conversations without you.

Have you seen all the new cell phone commercials? They hardly mention talking on the phone at all. All the mobile devices are going to social media, and so are all our future customers. Its just a matter of time.

Currently, I converse with architects, property managers, construction supers and others on a daily basis through Twitter. Mind you, these are just conversations about semi-related topics... for now. But as time goes on, these people may become friends, allies and customers. Plus, with Twitter's advanced search functions I can learn about new projects as they happen, in real time. Way before Dodge gets them in their system. Way before local trade publications announce anything.

If you think about it, the only way to counter all the blatant, self-serving product hype in the social media is to get involved ourselves. There is a void there. Someone is going to fill it. On the web, we have the advantage. When I say "we" I mean independent sign professionals. Our voices are just as prominent in the social media as the CEO of 3M or GE, but we have to use it. We have to "pick it up and call people with it."

I consider Linkedin one big chamber of commerce mixer. I say the same things there I would say in person. Transparency is key. You can't really establish any credibility if you're anonymous, or crass in your interactions with others. If I wouldn't say it in front of my grandma, I won't say it online. I did, however, take my profile pic while wearing just boxer shorts under my desk, though. For the record, I don't run around in front of grandma with just boxers on.

I guess the biggest obstacle sign folks have in engaging social marketing is that many sign companies just don't do much marketing of any kind. The concept is unfamiliar. As an industry, we're not inclined to do things that don't have a clear outcome or provide instant gratification. How many sign companies even have a marketing department, let alone a social media manager? That is why there is so much opportunity for sign people in social media. Most of your competitors have focused on the urgent instead of the important.

If you are still thinking social media is a fad, take a look at these numbers:

[Guest Signtiffic]

Yes Yes Yes! I love it...... give me more future.... give me more I say.

This is one of the better take offs from the original Did you know? Its going on my Facebook and Linkedin account.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Signtiffic

[Erik Sine]

Thank you, I'm now surrounded by THREE Sagittarius's my wife included! I'm now wrapped up with four birthdays, one anniversary (Annual Renewel negotiation time) and Christmas all in 30 days. Can you say I'm POOR this time of year any other way?

What you just said, on the social media stuff, GREAT post! I'm in agreement with all of that, you also brought up some point I had forgotten about.

The High Voltages are having a baby?! A Sagittarius. Congratulations!

So, back to the social media thing...

The way I explain it to older people and luddites is that social media is just that - a new medium. Its not a sales tool unless we figure out how to use it in that way. But, that's on us. Its our responsibility to figure out how to leverage this new tool. People don't buy phones thinking business is going to increase simply by virtue of having a phone. You have to pick it up and call people with it.

In fact, in the late 1800's, most people thought the telephone was an unnecessary gadget. "Hell, what's the problem with just walking down to the town square and speaking to the shopkeeper directly? That's the way its always been." Eventually, the telephone became so prevalent that those without one couldn't compete in business.

In the 1980's it was the fax machine, in the 1990's it was email, then cell phones into the 2000's.

Now, its social media.

Like with fax machines, internet service providers or cell phones, it doesn't really matter which brand you choose (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.). Its just important that you maintain some knowledge of the current communication medium and understand that millions of people are having professional conversations without you.

Have you seen all the new cell phone commercials? They hardly mention talking on the phone at all. All the mobile devices are going to social media, and so are all our future customers. Its just a matter of time.

Currently, I converse with architects, property managers, construction supers and others on a daily basis through Twitter. Mind you, these are just conversations about semi-related topics... for now. But as time goes on, these people may become friends, allies and customers. Plus, with Twitter's advanced search functions I can learn about new projects as they happen, in real time. Way before Dodge gets them in their system. Way before local trade publications announce anything.

If you think about it, the only way to counter all the blatant, self-serving product hype in the social media is to get involved ourselves. There is a void there. Someone is going to fill it. On the web, we have the advantage. When I say "we" I mean independent sign professionals. Our voices are just as prominent in the social media as the CEO of 3M or GE, but we have to use it. We have to "pick it up and call people with it."

I consider Linkedin one big chamber of commerce mixer. I say the same things there I would say in person. Transparency is key. You can't really establish any credibility if you're anonymous, or crass in your interactions with others. If I wouldn't say it in front of my grandma, I won't say it online. I did, however, take my profile pic while wearing just boxer shorts under my desk, though. For the record, I don't run around in front of grandma with just boxers on.

I guess the biggest obstacle sign folks have in engaging social marketing is that many sign companies just don't do much marketing of any kind. The concept is unfamiliar. As an industry, we're not inclined to do things that don't have a clear outcome or provide instant gratification. How many sign companies even have a marketing department, let alone a social media manager? That is why there is so much opportunity for sign people in social media. Most of your competitors have focused on the urgent instead of the important.

If you are still thinking social media is a fad, take a look at these numbers:

[BlackDiamond]

By the way, Sign Syndicate is popular with everyone I've talked to at Arrow. Keep up the good work!

[LiteGirl]

I thought I'd share some information from a conversation that I had with my boss the other day. My boss, who has asked me to keep him up to speed on what goes on here, few other sites along with some sign magazines.

He likes The Sign Syndicate numero uno because of all the information that is brought and shared here. He thought it was funny that after hearing it here, you would read hints of the same information in other areas soon after and in another form. Sometimes this information was even seen in blogs, articles, and used as damage control, these almost seem to be in chronological events.

Just the other day we got a email from Sign & Digital Graphics telling us "you missed January's issue" that we need to become premium subscribers now and pay $xxxx for two years after we have been getting it for free for years. I asked him, my boss what he wanted to do about it. He responded, "why should pay for a magazine that is just a big advertisement? The columns are all about product promotion, they need us more than we need them so they can get out their circulation numbers to their advertisers....they have a failing business model.....we get others who are almost as useless, but we still get them for free. Delete that email!"

After getting the magazines for free you can say he felt pretty insulted and reiterated to me, "nothing is better for getting important information and providing us with good tools than the sign syndicate anyway....where's my lunch?"

So, thought I would give another important persons input on this site.

Keep up the good work, and thank you for making my workday very entertaining at times.

[imanut]

That's great that owners feel that way -------------

And you serve lunch also ??? Darn, where's my morning coffee?

gn

[LiteGirl]

Lunch, coffee, goodies, all things that a personal assistant can offer

[Brian]

Sorry but I personally don't believe social sites that allow you to find an old high school friend are the marketing tools of the future. We will stick to face to face sales calls (time proven) and the sites that market to real sign buyers not every yahoo (no pun intended) with a facebook page.

[Guest Signtiffic]

Chubby you're in denial.... granted face to face will exist but a lot of the cultivation of prospects, marketing, etc. has already begun moving towards social media.

Don't get too far behind..... As mentioned here and elsewhere.... it's only a new tool. Not a replacement. I don't expect any one method or thing will be the solution but social media and marketing is definitely HERE.

Use it for what has become a NEW best practice in addition to the best practices that already work.

Just my humble opinion..... along with about 2 billion others. Soon that will probably be 4 billion others.

The world waits on no one.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Signtiffic

[imanut]

Lunch, coffee, goodies, all things that a personal assistant can offer

Hmmm, I won't go there...............