Most sign shop owners didn't start as salespeople. They were fabricators, installers or designers who went out on their own, and the question they ask most is how to get more customers. The honest answer is time: sales takes hours, and an owner who's still running the press doesn't have them. This guide covers what actually wins sign work, and how outsourcing standard print to a trade printer frees the hours to do it.
Get off the tools first
Every hour spent printing, laminating or cutting Corflute® is an hour not spent quoting, visiting sites or following up. Outsourcing the standard print (Corflute®, banners, pull-ups and labels) gives those hours back. You keep the client relationship, the design, the install and the margin; the trade printer runs the press and ships blind under your brand.
It also widens what you can sell. A shop that outsources can say yes to a pull-up, a hoarding run or a label job without owning the gear for each.
Be the shop that calls back
The most common thing new customers tell sign shops is some version of "thanks for getting back to me, nobody else did." That's the bar, and clearing it wins work:
- Reply to every enquiry the same day.
- Give bad news early. Clients cope with a delay; they don't cope with silence.
- Promise dates you can keep. Quoting from real production dates, not guesses, makes that much easier.
Go where the buyers are
Generic business breakfasts rarely produce sign work. Spend networking time where signage buyers already gather:
- Builders and contractors: Master Builders and HIA events, for site signage and hoarding.
- Real estate agencies: for boards, A-frames and development hoarding.
- Architects, designers and shopfitters: industry events and CPD sessions.
- Sports clubs, schools and councils: seasonal banners and event signage, and procurement briefings.
- Event organisers: pull-ups, banners and portable displays.
Pick one or two niches and become the obvious local choice. Repeat buyers in a niche are worth more than one-off jobs across ten.
Install work for national sign companies
If your team installs well, national and interstate sign companies need reliable installers in your region. You supply labour, hardware and a vehicle; their product arrives on a pallet. Margins are thinner than full jobs, but overheads are low and cash comes in quickly. You'll need the right licences and insurance, a presentable vehicle, and a reputation for turning up when you said you would. Industry events like those run by the Australian Sign and Graphics Association are a good way in.
Guardrails, not minimums
A hard job minimum can turn away the small banner order that leads to a big job later. Instead, give your team rules about fit: which work uses your hours well, and which customers eat time without returning margin. Outsourced print changes the maths here. A small Corflute® or pull-up order costs you little time when a trade printer produces it, so it can be worth taking as a door-opener. Price it properly using your shop rate and trade costs.
Hiring salespeople
- The best reps are rarely job-hunting. If one is available, find out why.
- Look at adjacent industries (print, packaging, fit-out, building products). Sales skills travel; product knowledge can be taught.
- Onboard properly, with written processes and product training, rather than hiring and hoping. See sign shop hiring and training.
- Keep the team small and well supported. A few well-trained reps beat a big, under-supported team.
Keep customers coming back
Most sign work is one-off or occasional, so repeat business comes from being remembered and being consistent:
- The same contact person every time, where possible.
- Consistent quotes, proofs and delivery, which is easier when production comes from one reliable trade supplier.
- A follow-up after install to check the client is happy.
- Seasonal reminders for clients with recurring needs: sporting seasons, election cycles, end-of-year events.
Frequently asked questions
What's the easiest way to win more sign work?
Reliability: same-day replies, early bad news and dates you keep. It puts you ahead of most competitors.
How does outsourcing print help sales?
It gives the owner their hours back and widens the product range you can offer, without buying equipment.
Should my reps have a minimum job value?
Use guardrails around fit instead. Small outsourced jobs cost little time and can lead to bigger work.
Will clients know I use a trade printer?
Not from us. Mediapoint is trade only, ships blind with no printer branding, and never contacts your customers.
Key takeaways
- Sales needs time. Outsourcing standard print gives it back.
- Reliability wins: reply the same day and keep your dates.
- Network where signage buyers are, and own one or two niches.
- Install work for national companies is a low-overhead growth option.
- Set guardrails on fit rather than hard minimums.
- Consistency brings clients back.
Get your hours back
Mediapoint is the trade printing partner for more than 1,000 sign shops, resellers and designers across Australia. Live trade pricing, real production dates, online proofing and blind shipping, so you can quote fast and spend your time with clients. Register for a trade account and we'll send you a sample pack.
