Yard Sign

[Pounder]

Hello:

I operate a small one person custom leather operation from my home and am located on a well traveled highway and am thinking a yard sign may produce additional business. I would like to hear from those that have yard signs, what business have they produced for you, etc. Any thoughts or ideas regarding what should be placed on the yard sign, pictures of current signs would be great. Is it better to make your own or have a pro do it?

I appreciate any and all feedback.

[tossik]

Some cities do not allow signs to be placed on the yard without permits. So check that out, so you don't get in trouble.

[NVLeatherWorx]

The flipside is that if you live along a highway, one that is actually federally funded, then you may even need to get permission from the fed gov. Even though we "own" our property, they don't allow us to "own" our property. I can tell you that where I live the City codes prohibit having anything in my yard that is larger than 4 square feet; most of those small yard displayed campaign signs are bigger than that so what good would it do to have a post-it note sitting in my yard?

Good luck on your endeavors, hopefully you can find something that will help grow your business.

[DavidL]

Hopefully they let you set up a sign.

Have you considered Search engine optimizers, google adwords or a blog?

[Pounder]

Thank you to everyone who has replied and provided me with some thoughts. I have noticed other "businesses" with a small sign in the yard for services the provide which means I "should" be alright but you never know. I have spoken with my neighbors and have their okay. I did check with my local authorities and was told I needed to file an application with a non refundable $350. filing fee. AS a one man shop I do not have that kind of cash flow. Of course the same person told me to place a small sign, like a realtor sign, and if no one complains it is not an issue.

I have not considered web sites, google or blogs and will look into it.

Again thanks for the suggestions.

[Grey Drakkon]

Definitely look into making a facebook page and a google page, even if you never use either. You can put things like a contact number, hours you're open, and an email to contact you on both of those, as well as photos of your work. People can also leave reviews on your pages as well, and it also makes it more likely for you to show up in a search engine if someone puts in something like "Leather goods, (your city)".

[Pounder]

Grey Drakkon

Thanks for the advice, seems like that may be the way to go. Have not given up on the yard sign but everybody I talked with gives the same advice, website,website.

Guess this old guy needs to step up to technology.

[Grey Drakkon]

Old fashioned flyers are a good idea too, if you can make them look nice and know a few hangouts to put them up in. Depending on your specialty, if you know of any local auction houses, horse shows, hunting supply stores, farm stores, etc. usually have a place to hang up a regular paper sized flyer and can be good places to spread the word. Also, make business cards! They don't have to be fancy, just your name, way to contact you, and a list of things you do is a good idea. Some of those same places will let you put a stack of cards there, or just hand them out to everyone and their mother. Once you get a facebook/google/website page you can put that on there too.

[Pounder]

Great ideas, have the business cards and handed them out like crazy. Have made a list of all the ideas and am getting started and doing the yard sign as well.

Thanks again.

[George B]

Websites can be great but I have had one for a number of years and very seldom do I get an inquiry or purchase from it. It does however give those ppl who want to check me out a place to land and look at what I do.

I tie my ETSY store to it for purchase of items already made. I do not take custom orders from the ETSY site, too much time.

I sell gun leather items and have found that local shows work best, especially when handing out lots of business cards.

I also have cards at all the local gun shops and hardware stores. My number one local draw for customers.

Have plenty of cards and hand them out freely.

Yard signs can be helpful for those looking for you and can help locate you easily. Especially in high traffic areas.

Aside from all the talk of permits and such there is one thing I learned from experience too consider. The TAX People!

After a county tax person came into possession with one of my cards I was requested to conform to the local, county, state and federal tax laws.

Being a one man shop this was an unexpected expense. Now I have to pay county sales tax, tangible property tax, internet purchases tax, state sales tax... you get the idea.

Exposure can be a double edge sword.

I kinda miss the good old days.

[Pounder]

George B

I hear you about all the taxes involved with running a one man shop, government sure wants their cut. When I opened my one man business I wanted to do everything "by the book" but quickly discovered the "book" was expensive. I agree I miss the good old days as well.

Great tip about the hardware stores, will give that a shot.

[leapinglizards]

Can you park near the road? Magnetic sign on car!

[Grey Drakkon]

Benefits to paying taxes though is you can claim things as business expenses, which is especially useful if you work at home. So advertising, heat, electricity (while you're working) all of that and way more can and should be deducted.That, and being able to buy wholesale so you don't pay taxes on that. http://www.sba.gov/ is a very good site for finding out what legal recourse you have for your business as well as solid information on running a small business.

[George B]

Where I am I still pay a tax on the raw materials I have shipped in from out of state and was told by the state that this is what must be done, on top of having to charge sales tax and then send it to bot the local and state agencies. I'm sure this is not how it is done in all states but here in Tennessee it is easier to pay it then deduct it and fight over it.

Unfortunately all those suppliers I buy from submit to the state all of my "non-taxed" purchases so there is no getting around it.

I am not an accountant so I just pay it and move on.

And the last time I deducted my shop and all the amenities on my taxes as a business deduction I was audited. Not once, but three years in a row. Everything was correct and no adjustments made by the IRS, just a day each year out my work week and a lot of hassle.

The first IRS auditor told me it was the "work at home deductions" that flagged me. stopped doing that four years ago and have not had a single audit.

Just my opinion based on my overtaxed experiences. And. I still miss the good old days.

[digdug18]

George,

You might consider getting an address for your garage, basement, etc. With a seperate mailbox number, its a loophole that alot of at home businesses take advantage of, that way. That way "the business" is renting the garage from you. So the IRS sees that your LLC is renting, making deductions on upkeep, etc on the space they are renting. It's how guys have FFL's for gunsmithing out of their houses.

The pain of it though, is that you have the charge "the business" a nonimal amount each month for rent, and show it being paid. Benefit being that it's a tax write off for the business, depending on how you write it off.

[Pounder]

Digdug18

Thanks for the tip I will research. I have lost faith in our government from the lowest level on up and like anything I can do to help myself, since they choose not too.

[NVLeatherWorx]

Pounder! How can you say such a thing? Remember what our Procrastinator in Chief has said, "you didn't build that", and "you didn't make that". Well, I for one have had no assistance from anyone else so I would sure as hell like to meet whoever built my business and made my products without my knowledge.

Edited October 16, 2014 by NVLeatherWorx

[George B]

Good advice on the separate address and if I lived in the city, or at least not a electric coop it would work.

I looked into it with a separate meter when I built the shop/garage and the power coop needed a separate address for more than one meter at a location. The cost of the meter was more than I wanted to spend and the county really didn't see the need for a second address for a car garage.

I gave up.

[Pounder]

NVLeatherWorx

Love it.