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Starting a painting business can be run on a small or large scale. Business portrait painting are still being created by artists with sandblasting or carving techniques, but today computers may be used to produce letter stencils for commercial banners, in addition to etching and silk screening techniques. Having artistic talent and training or sign-painting experience is a plus to start a painting business. You should also be able to communicate well with your customers and help them in planning a design for their sign that will best portray their painting business in unique style. Nancy Booz. a young mother and artist, has painted signs, logos, and scenes on trucks, a YMCA fitness center, and a stagecoach, to name a few. She first meets with her customers and comes up with a mental picture from the ideas given her. Then she will draw several preliminary sketches until one is approved. Booz says, "My painting business is seldom boring because I never know what I will be called to do. It's great getting paid for doing what I enjoy!"
Start-Up Costs $200-$ 1,000 for basic supplies and advertising (more if you purchase a computer) Pricing Guidelines Compare the prices of other sign painting businesses. Go with industry standards and recommendations. Some sign painters charge $15 an hour for a drawing; $20 an hour for lettering; and $30 or more an hour for a mural. Your price will depend on the time involved, the materials, and the size of the project. Work up a written estimate and sketch for your customer. If you do get the job, then charge for the sketches— make sure you keep the sketches. Marketing And Advertising Methods And Tips * Advertise in the business telephone directory. * Leave your business cards at paint stores and office supply centers. * Place classified and display ads in your local newspaper. * Send direct mail to new businesses (watch for legal notices publicized in your local papers). * Join your local chamber of commerce. * Paint your business name and address on the back of your signs. * Donate a sign to a community auction or paint a sign for a nonprofit event when you first start to get free advertising.
Essential Equipment
Good set of brushes and other basic art supplies, promotional materials (make sure they illustrate a sampling of your artistic skills, paints), special tools like an electro pounce or sandblast stencil, computer (as needed). Recommended Training, Experience, or Needed Skills * Take art and design courses. * Have artistic skill or sense of design, plus a mechanical aptitude to know how to start a painting business professionally. * Apprentice with a master sign painter, if possible. * Work in a sign-painting shop. Income Potential $10,000-$50,000, depending on the population density in your area, your production methods, and types of signs Type Of Business In-home, except for marketing and meeting with customers Best Customers New businesses, satisfied customers who want additional signs or decorations (send them direct mailings of new ideas), nonprofit organizations when announcing fundraising events; garage sale holders, seasonal home boutiques. Helpful Tips * Make sure you calculate your time adequately when figuring out your price quotes. * Keep original sketches and photos of completed projects to start house painting business in a portfolio to show prospective customers. Also keep a record of the time spent, materials used, and the surface you painted to better estimate the costs of future projects. * Buy paints and materials as you need them for each project of window painting business. * Give your customers a choice of two or more signs (with price differences), a simple one and more detailed one. * Never stop learning new techniques and ways to improve your skills. Additional Business Ideas * Make wood signs. Take evening woodworking courses at local vo-tech schools to learn basic router machine skills. See Making Wood Signs by Patrick Spielman. * Rent lawn or yard signs. Create and paint special occasion yard signs and rent to nonprofit organizations or consumers to announce special events or celebrations (births, birthdays, etc.). * Cut-out and paint seasonal lawn or yard signs. Create, design, and paint seasonal signs: scarecrows, witches, pumpkins; Santa Claus and reindeer; Easter Bunny; humorous characters and figures to decorate lawns and gardens. Sell at craft shows or from your own lawn.
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