Photos of Installations? How Much?

[manuellynch]

Wanted to get feedback on how much people think would be reasonable and fair for a vendor to offer a customer to supply installation photos that used their products. It would be under the agreement that the photos could be used for the vendor promotional uses.

Are there vendors that offer this out there?

What would be a fair amount for use of a photo that really isnt the sign company's property???

[manuellynch]

Any feedback on this?

[Erik Sine]

Are you talking about finished sign pics, or the client taking pics while the sign company is installing?

[manuellynch]

Are you talking about finished sign pics, or the client taking pics while the sign company is installing?

Finished sign pics.

[Travis]

Why would you want to buy something from someone that doesnt belong to that someone in the first place?

I think it would be something of negotiation with several determining factors such as how will the picture be used, where will it be used, is my name on the picture, do you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and so on. But I would guess that you already have a figure in mind though.

[manuellynch]

Why would you want to buy something from someone that doesnt belong to that someone in the first place?

I think it would be something of negotiation with several determining factors such as how will the picture be used, where will it be used, is my name on the picture, do you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and so on. But I would guess that you already have a figure in mind though.

No. I have no figure in mind at all. I envisioned giving the sign company credit.

My interest is in the nature of using this sign board as an extension of our business to reduce marketing costs by giving back to loyal customers - a win win.

I am a believer that these boards can open up complete new ways of doing business and can cut costs in these interesting economic times.

Here is an article that echoes that what Erik is doing on this board is pretty friggin smart: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/125/ni...e-ambition.html

So...propose a concept and I will put it together. I believe that vendors and customers should work much closer together. Hell, I am constanly telling our vendors where the products are being used and why - it motivates them to be part of the solution and it makes them want to make us successful.

I also think Erik should add a simple way that we all can invite other people to join this board.

Edited July 10, 2008 by Manuel Lynch

[Erik Sine]

I was thinking something different, I though you meant vendor having the actual client of the sign take pictures. I'm the admin here too.

Nice article Manuel.

I have to say, a lot of people monitor this site, and that's just, monitor.

Huge manufacturer's, associations and sign companies of the industry lurk here. Why just lurk, I have no idea or reasons behind that. There is so much to be learned here, and a ton of ways to make money from manufacturing signs to product development.

Hell I'll be the first to admit, I've made a lot of money from this site and it's not from selling anything here or being the owner, it's just been from reading and interacting. If you're smart, you'll figure it out and how use it to your advantage.

I throw out questions all the time, use that feedback and Bam! I'm changing my business in a profitable direction, doing less work. This is how I got consulting jobs for CNC training. This website is a platform to a lot of varying levels

I look back in the stats of this site, in the last three years every year unique visitation has doubled. I think it was said there is a population of 5k-6k electric sign companies. We have one huge lurking audience let me tell you.

My own opinion, I don't read trade rags that much anymore for my info. There are a few good columnists, but, it's all so biased. I read here, interact, PM individuals for my info, and have built up some good networks behind the scenes because of it.

Maybe we'll add a dating forum compete with myspace.

I'm really surprised no vendors & others have really used the blog's here, or gallery. Or arranged Live chat scheduling?

[YYZ]

What I've done in the past is offer a credit to the sign company that in exchange for the photos, we'll ship their product N/C, etc... With some of our edgelighting jobs the shipping can be substantial due to the extrusion size and weight. I had to stop offering this because we would ship the order N/C and then never get a single photo of the completed project.

I took down our old site (as we're in a re-design mode right now) but we would do a "project profile" where we explained the customer's needs, what the solution was, and gave full credit (including links) to the sign and/or design firm who we sold our product to. This is something we'd like to keep doing and as we're about to launch 2 new websites we're trying to build up our library of completed projects, but it's like pulling teeth to get a photo or two. Going forward, I think what we'll do is something along the lines of "send us a description and photos of your last job, and the power supplies are free for your next order *". This accomplishes 2 things: 1) we get the photos and 2) the sign shop has an incentive to use our product for their next project. Say they order 300 modules and need 6 power supplies, well, we get to sell another 300 modules AND get valuable photos, so a couple of hundred dollars in power supplies is probably a fair investment into the continued relationship.

* There would have to be a maximum, of course, and the number of PSUs has to correspond with the number of LED modules ordered, but this is as good a time as any to ask the same question that Manuel is asking - as a sign company, is this a suitable incentive to share project photos and/or descriptions?