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Colin Sinclair McDermott, aka The Online Print Coach, provides some expert advice on how you can avoid some common pitfalls and set up your business for success.
Running a signage company comes with unique challenges, and after years in the industry and working
closely with dozens of sign business owners, certain patterns start to emerge.
These aren’t just problems facing new businesses or small operators either. Many long-standing and well-regarded signage companies hit ceilings in growth or profitability for reasons that are entirely avoidable.
Here are some of the most common factors holding signage companies back:
1. Lack of systems and processes
Your business can’t grow if you’re reinventing the wheel every time a new order comes in.
Without clear systems, you rely too heavily on individuals instead of process-driven consistency. Every step, from quoting to design approval to production and installation, should be mapped out and documented.
This helps train staff, reduce errors, and create predictable and profitable outcomes. Without it, quality control and efficiency suffer.
2. Misjudging project costs
How often do you finish an install and only later realise it cost more than expected?
This happens frequently due to inaccurate quoting, overlooked install complexities, or not allowing for artwork revisions. Signage jobs often involve variables that are easy to underestimate – site surveys, fixings, access equipment, weather delays.
You need a quoting system that factors in all these possibilities, and you must not hesitate to revise estimates if the scope changes mid-project. If you’re eating those costs, you’re shrinking your margins unnecessarily.
3. Not knowing your own numbers
Too many signage companies price their work based on what they think the market rate is, or worse, what the competition charges. But unless you know their overheads and cost structures, that’s a dangerous game.
Understand your own cost base – labour, materials, rent, subscriptions, insurance, time – and build pricing around what you need to charge to make a profit. Don’t chase volume at the expense of profitability.
4. Giving away time and materials
‘It’s only a small change to the artwork’ or ‘we’ll just upgrade the vinyl this once’. These little extras add up, especially if they become the norm.
Whether it’s additional design time, a better substrate, or an extra site visit, these things cost you. Yes, relationships matter, but if you’re not recovering costs, you’re eroding your margins.
Build flexibility into your pricing model so changes and add-ons are accounted for.
5. Poor cash flow management
Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business, yet many companies delay invoicing or extend credit too freely. The longer you wait to invoice, the longer you wait to get paid.
Ideally, get deposits upfront and final payment before or at install. If credit terms are necessary, ensure clear agreements are in place and that invoices go out promptly. Your suppliers and staff won’t wait to be paid and neither should you.
6. Ineffective advertising spend
Many sign companies throw money at marketing without tracking results. Boosting Facebook posts might feel like you’re doing something, but if those likes aren’t turning into leads or sales, what’s the point?
Every campaign should have a clear goal and a way to measure return on investment. Know where your best enquiries come from and double down
on those channels. We’ve all been guilty of this.
7. Wearing too many hats
The owner often ends up doing sales, quotes, installs, accounts, and marketing – which is a recipe for burnout. Identify what you’re best at and delegate the rest. You don’t need a full-time team for everything.
Outsource admin, hire freelance designers, or use virtual assistants. Focus your time where it adds the most value. I always ask my clients, what’s your hourly rate? Most of the time when they dig into it, they’re earning less than minimum wage. For every task you do, ask yourself if you’re earning your worth.
8. Waiting too long to get help
Too many business owners wait until they’re overwhelmed to bring in help. By that point, it might be too late to recover from the backlog or client dissatisfaction.
Set clear growth targets and plan when you’ll need to hire, outsource, or invest in better tools. You didn’t start your business to be stuck at a desk managing chaos. Build a team and a structure that lets you grow confidently.
Operational discipline is your secret weapon. When you get the back-end running smoothly, your front-end – the customer experience, the creativity, the installs, can shine. Get the basics right, and growth will follow.
