How to Start a Vinyl Lettering Business
Starting up a vinyl lettering or sign business can become very lucrative if established properly and advertised widely. The core part of any vinyl lettering business is the purchase of a vinyl cutter printer which cuts the letttering into vinyl sheets. For a headache-free start up, the best place to begin is to purchase a package which includes the cutter along with the software graphics package. Though this is the central part of what makes the business work, creative advertising and demonstration of the product as well as proper record keeping are also important to keeping the business operational.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Vinyl cutter starter package (Roland ASD package, Enduracut, Summa or other)
- Desktop computer running Microsoft Windows (1 Gigabyte minimum memory, 1.6 GHz processor or higher)
- Vacant room at home as an office, or a rented building storefront
- Filing cabinet
- State Sales Tax Identification Number/Certificate
- Advertising budget
- Vinyl sheet purchase budget
Instructions
-
-
1
Set up a good quality vinyl cutting package. Connect all necessary cables and supply a large table on which to set the vinyl lettering cutter as there must be adequate room for the "printed" vinyl sheets to land when exiting the cutter. Since many vinyl sheets can be from 2 feet all the way up to for or 6 feet in length, the more room available for the cutouts to fall upon the better.
-
2
Install the cutter operation driver software and also the lettering template graphics software purchased from the manufacturer. If possible, try to keep all other software off of your vinyl cutting system, keeping it for vinyl-cutting only. Use a second computer system for running accounting software, as well as for printing promotional materials and other office needs.
-
-
3
Purchase an initial stock of vinyl blanks (sheets) in various colors and practice using the software and the cutter to be sure you understand all of the various methods of operation for your system. Create a sample vinyl product promoting your vinyl lettering business and apply it to the rear window of your vehicle. This is a very inexpensive yet powerful way to notify others of your business simply while driving around town.
-
4
Run a long-term advertisement of your new vinyl lettering business in a local newspaper. Try to keep the advertisement in the paper for at least three to six months, as many people will consider longevity of an advertisement as proof positive that your business is in it for the long haul and that you are serious about quality in your service as well as in your products. Anyone can buy vinyl lettering equipment to use only as a hobby; your local community will see your vinyl lettering business as solid and planned for longevity through your advertising.
-
5
Place all receipts received when buying business supplies and keep them in a separate file folder. Such receipts should include vinyl sheets, parts for the vinyl cutter, vinyl cutting software upgrades and repairs for the vinyl cutter itself. Total up the receipts at the end of year when doing taxes, as they may reduce the amount of taxes you must pay, if they qualify as business deductions.
-
6
Apply for a state sales tax identification number. When selling the final vinyl lettering products, your state will require a sales tax to be collected on all goods produced and sold to anyone within the state itself. The tax number is used on the tax submission form when submitting your collected sales taxes to the state Department of Revenue.
-
7
Exercise prompt service to customers, always performing each vinyl lettering job in the order in which it is received. The faster you are able to get the vinyl-lettered products to your customers, the better the word-of-mouth advertising you will get from them in the general community. This is free advertising for you.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Always greet all customers with a smile and an optimistic outlook. People will remember a friendly attitude and will be more apt to recommend your business to others if a positive demeanor is kept at all times throughout your dealings with each and every customer.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
