Big Picture - March 2017 - 18

extreme vinyl

Standing Above
the Competition
How to attract potential customers, and what to offer them. | by Sino Tour

BIG PICTURE

March 2017

aving a business or other college degree

does not guarantee any amount of success or
sustainability in the wrap business. Nor is there
a manual that spells it all out for you when
courting brand new projects. This industry is
ever-changing, and you have to learn how to invest in and
adapt to the latest trends, printers, tools, vinyl film, installation techniques, etc.
I can attest that when you do receive that first job
opportunity, it can become the start of a satisfying venture
(or an indication that this business might not be for you).
When we secured our very first customer back in 2008,
I remember how pleased they were with our installation
performance on a small fleet of box trucks with free-floating
decals. I decided to ask the customer what we had done
differently from the other graphic installers within their
network. They specifically stated that despite their competence in executing vinyl wraps on their fleet programs, the
majority of their installers lacked a certain amount of
professionalism, especially in the areas of communication,
appearance, and customer service.
More important, some graphic installers were not as
well-versed in effectively wrapping many types of vehicles
such as sedans or vans, while others did not offer wall or floor
installation experience. Based on our customer's feedback, we
made slight changes to our business plan with an emphasis on
the expansion into the types of graphics-related services or
departments that we wanted to establish at the company.
Thanks to this customer, we understood right away that
professionalism and diversity would take us a long way in this
business. Here are a few ways to capitalize on those elements
to continue growing your shop.

MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION
"Can six small box trucks be installed with graphics by next
week?" "Is there any way you can design them?" "How long will
these wraps last?" These are just some of the initial questions
we are asked by potential clients who are inquiring about our
vinyl wrap services. For the past nine years, we at Icon Image
have received a plethora of requests for our custom, fleet, and
paint protection (PPF) services. Customers want to wrap
everything from bizarre and unconventional items like bathroom urinals or coffins (with the latter artfully covered by Justin
Pate in one of his Wrap Institute videos), to other peculiar items
where your immediate response would be a "No. You can't wrap
on that substrate because it's not warrantied, the film won't
adhere, etc." But, as a rule of thumb, you should always be open
to proposed projects and never quickly pass on a job. Wait until
you receive full details as you may miss a golden, and possibly
out-of-the-box, opportunity to sell your wrap services.
As silly as it may sound, you begin to develop a script in
your head to politely answer the most complicated - and the
most mundane - questions about the art of wrapping. For the
most part, the majority of our business dealings are over the
phone and through email. We're able to obtain the important
details of a customer's inquiry and needs if he or she isn't

SINO TOUR is co-owner and director of operations at Icon Image Graphics,
a full graphic installation company in Sante Fe Springs, California. You can
find him on Twitter @IconImageWrap and Instagram @sino_tour.

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