Over the past 6 weeks the NZSDA teamed up with NZSDA Premier Sponsors, Computaleta to bring you signage industry specific presentations by John Hadfield, an industry expert from Controlzone Business Consultants. John takes a hands on approach that will guide you to discover your businesses needs and requirements. These webinars are ideal for any of your staff, or yourself, who want to upskill, or think about new opportunities on how you might apply these solutions to your business.
The Members of NZSDA were asked the question; what online training would benefit you and your business the most, the results are in and the webinars below are the 3 most requested topics:
1) People – First, Foremost and Always
It’s one on the real stumbling blocks for creative professional – employing creative professionals. As an industry, most of us join the sign making business because we love to make ‘stuff” clearly a right-hand brain activity rarely does the left-hand brain strengths kick in as to ‘managing stuff’ Therefore the natural skills sign makers display tends to grow their business. Therein lie the issue – only a handful of sign makers – 3- 5% naturally have those people skills to build a fun creative team to fulfil everyone’s needs to enjoy the work we do!
Many sign makers struggle with simple to learn basics of ” working with creatives” John has employed literally hundreds of creative people over 45 years in the Australian Sign Game as a life member of the Australian Sign and Graphic Association he is always happy to share with his Anzac mates! Well Known in NZ for his willingness and proven track record of lending a hand – he will share skills of working with your people, ways to reward and recognise. At the end of the session he will offer a free KPI to assist you in enjoying employing people and keeping YOU and your own mental health in check – bring a smile to work and keep it all day!
Watch below:
2) Embracing the process – technology and opportunities.
In a world that flies past us are we really slowing to understand and embrace technology and opportunities? Maybe even stopping to smell the roses or at least the solvents you are using.
The timeline in our industry is accelerating at a breath-taking rate. Looking at signwriting versus digital only. In around 4 decades a typical 3 square metres of sign output (2440×1220) has changed from:
a. Mid 1980’s around 5 – 10 hours to create a hand-rendered high-quality sign including some form of pictorial.
b. 1990s conveyed outputs to less than one hour based on average machine outputs of only 6 square metres per hour.
c. Early 2000’s, output was averaging 35 square metres per hour
d. By 2010 outputs again accelerated and depending on investments, 60–120 square metres per hour
e. 2020: outputs are anywhere approaching 300 square metres per hour and beyond
What’s next Sherlock? Let’s chat about – have you adjust or tweak the other areas of your business to match? Like – Business systems, software, process flow, marketing, social media and a million areas YOU need to embrace – It’s NOT just making stuff it is also about managing stuff!
Watch the webinar below:
Embracing The Process Resources:
3) Building Value.
If that’s not what its all about – lock me out of the room! One of my favourites! I’m putting forward the simple concept your business is in the top 3 financial assets you own. Consider… the signmaker or printer who works diligently for decades. Then decides time has come to move on, typically tries to sell their potentially largest asset and life’s work and not a single taker? Here is a little secret – typically the vendor doesn’t know the game. Only around 25% of businesses listed are sold!
Why? Many reasons, however they have confused money, turnover and their ego with the reality of how buyers and their accountant rate the business. In the words of Warren Buffet – price is what you pay, value is what you get. The business must be prepared for sale.
A strange but comparable phenomena is “signmakers” fill Facebook criticising all and sundry about inexperience punters having a go and making a sign! Yet, when they sell their business they chose the self-selling option without enlisting an expert! Strange ay!
Watch the webinar below:
