Words cut into mats

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Z David

Z David

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Posts
944
Loc
Texas
Is anyone out there still doing this kind of thing (see photo)?

If so, who buys them... teenagers, parents, sorority girls...?

Do you even have one on display in your shop?

What is your starting retail price for a basic package (mat, frame, glass, foam core backing, hanging hardware without the collage)?

I'm in a small college town and I'm wondering if there's a market with sorority girls... but also high school kids or their parents!

Dragons Photo Collage.jpg


Z
 
Not selling them right now, but can do them (have CMC). I made some samples out of scrap matboard and am thinking of doing a new one, framed, with the town name on it and mabye some postcards of my town.

I don't expect much of it, it's more to showcase that it can be done and I can do it.
 
Steady business. Grandparents or parents, then other relatives are the best customers. $5 per letter, $5 for backing. Then you develop whatever you want for the frames. Good way to use up offcuts. Our sizes are 10x16 for 3 letters, 10x20 for 4, and up.

We'll also use a lettermat as a charity donation for schools.
 
I was thinking of a starting price of $58 plus $5.93 per letter. So... the starting price point for the picture example would be $89.50. Does that sound reasonable?

I've developed a bit of a relationship with my local big box framer. He came into my shop Saturday and saw this letter mat and said that they lost a good bit of business last year because his CMC tore up the mats!
He said that the sororities accounted for a large number of inquires. He also said that he would start referring this nich business to me, since he now knows someone who can do them. I hope he's right... and I hope he does refer!


Z
 
Z David said:
I was thinking of a starting price of $58 plus $5.93 per letter. So... the starting price point for the picture example would be $89.50. Does that sound reasonable?
Click to expand...

My retail for an 8-letter mat in a Nielsen profile 11, with glass, is $104. We consider this to be a "loose-fit chop". Size is 10x36. We don't clean the glass or do anything else other than bolt the frame together.
 
tedh,

Did you ever advertise/promote them in any way? Do you still periodically advertise/promote them? If so, how?
I appreciate your feedback!


Z
 
Z D: There's usually one in the front window, where we get a lot of walk-by traffic, and more of them in the gallery. I can't remember ever advertising them as a separate product.
 
Letter Mats

If you have a lot of mat cut offs and a CMC, you might try a Groupon type offer on just the Letter Mats. Keep the frame and fitting seperate from the offer and use as an add on sale. Unless you don't have the time to cut the mats, I don't think you have anything to lose on that kind of offer. Could get a lot of people in the store.
 
j Paul said:
Letter Mats

If you have a lot of mat cut offs and a CMC, you might try a Groupon type offer on just the Letter Mats. Keep the frame and fitting seperate from the offer and use as an add on sale. Unless you don't have the time to cut the mats, I don't think you have anything to lose on that kind of offer. Could get a lot of people in the store.
Click to expand...

J Paul, that's brilliant! Holy Smokes - I would have never thought of that.

Just make sure you have ton of pre-cut frames and glass ready to go.
 
I would do lots of cut out of Sorority letters, including their Greek letters.

This is the time of year that sorority girls buy gifts for their incoming members. Also the older girls get to select the girls they want to become their 'little sisters' and they lavish them with gifts, anything with their letters on them.

They go ape over anything sorority related, especially photo frames, where they can add pictures.
 
Gunnar Foto Font

Is there anybody out there with a Gunnar CMC that can advise me on creating Greek Letters in the style of the Foto Font?




Z
 
Z David said:
Is there anybody out there with a Gunnar CMC that can advise me on creating Greek Letters in the style of the Foto Font?




Z
Click to expand...

We're running Gunnar and do a reasonable trade in this type of product. The Foto Font is limited to standard characters - if you're wanting a Greek letter I suggest selecting the next nearest looking character and then modifying it in Mat Creator to suit. I think Jared is away at the moment, but I'd be happy to help if you wanted to send me a PM or email with details.
 
I have the wizard and have cut letter for personal stuff but never promoted selling them. I always felt that there was alot of wear/tear on the CMC in cutting these letters. It's doesn't cut small letter very well, I've broken a few blades when it tryed to make those tight corners.

With the Wizard, you can download free fonts off the internet from www.dafont.com (I think). I believe they use Microsoft word format or something. Can't remember.
 
I received an email response from Jared who said there was no easy solution to creating the Greek letters to match Foto Font... he said that I would have to make from scratch in Draw Mode.

Lance, I don't think I know how to approach the modification of another letter. If that can be done... that may be the easier approach. I will send you a PM to establish a link. I appreciate any assistance!







Z
 
I know that Wizard has the Greek letters already loaded into their system.

It's a matter of deciding what width and height you want and cutting them out. It gave me both a positive and negative of the letters. The sorority girls were only too happy to take both.
 
I wonder if there's a way to utilize the Wizard Greek photo fonts with the Gunnar. Or would that be a copyright infringement of some kind?







Z
 
Hi Z
We used to do a gazillion name mats and sometimes things like Greek letter (or logos) are more trouble than they are worth. May i offer an alternative (as a Fraternity guy)? Go to local college bookstore. If there is a Sorority/Fraternity on campus, they probably will carry the window decals of the crests

Those symbols are really important to the members.

cut a square opening somewhere in the board and apply that crest. it will look great. your sorority members will spot that crest from across the room. i guarantee it
 
I guess I'm a bit slow on the uptake here Bob, but... other than having a mat opening for the crest... what else is there to feature if not the sorority/fraternity (photo) letters? A window for a photo collage?






Z
 
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...55A5693CCB0FDD07DBB97D3008CC5&selectedIndex=0


these are decals. used to put them in car windows, dorm doors-lots of uses

my suggestion might be to leave one window open and insert crest in window or maybe on top of mat. the point is if Marilyn is a Tri Delt, spell her name with letter cuts and apply the 'real deal' crest on board.

another tip: every fraternity/sorority has a color. My fraternity was SAE and purple was really important. When people join a fraternity/sorority they buy into the whole bit. The 'accuracy' of symbols is a big deal. look at the site on the link provided. this stuff can be huge

good luck-i wished i had thought of it back when.
 
Thanks Bob! Not ever having been a part of that culture, I just assumed it was all about the sorority/fraternity letters... like: Delta-Delta-Delta.
I appreciate your perspective!


Z
 
BTW -FotoFont is a specifically built font for use with the GMC as far as I know. An alternate option if editing characters is too difficult would be to select another font, we use Impact a lot but I know this is not advised and there are a few tweaks we make for some characters. Arial Black with Bold turned on cuts very well and will have a much larger range of characters in it's set.
 
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