The paperwork moves slower than the printer ships. Owners who arrive at training with the basics done spend the day with their hands on the machine instead of catching up. Plan on two to three hours a week before training day, and keep a running list of questions to bring.
What we teach in Wilmington
Training is one full day with the whole team, on a real printer, and it’s all recorded. It covers six sections:
- The basics: large format and UV printing, what you can print on and the operator’s role
- Unboxing and assembly: the cases, the parts and putting it together
- Printer operation: the print software and the control center
- Print job setup: tracks, rails and finding your starting position
- Printing: speed and mode settings, test prints and large prints
- Maintenance and care: the daily routine, ink storage and transport
The launch checklist
This is what has to exist before your first paid job. Start now.
Business
- Business entity and EIN
- Business bank account
- Business license and sales tax registration, if it applies where you are
- Liability insurance, plus coverage for equipment on the road
Brand and online
- Business name and logo
- Google Business Profile
- A website or landing page
- Social media handles
- Business cards
Paperwork
- An estimate and contract template with a deposit
- Photo and video release language, so finished jobs can go in your portfolio
Operations
- A computer with Adobe set up
- A vehicle and a place to store the cases and track
- A pipeline: a CRM or a spreadsheet
Get Adobe now
Every file passes through Adobe before it reaches the printer, so get your own license before training and practice on the kind of files you’ll sell. Photoshop is required. Creative Cloud, with Illustrator, is worth it if you’ll work with logos. Use your business email for the account, since the license follows it. Check adobe.com for current plans and pricing. A Windows 10 or 11 PC or a current Mac with 16 GB of RAM handles it well.
Files in two minutes
- Vector files (EPS, PDF) are made of shapes and stay sharp at any size. Ask clients for these for logos.
- Raster files (JPG, TIF) are made of pixels and need 150 to 300 pixels per inch at the final print size.
- CMYK. Everything gets converted to CMYK before it prints.
- The 57-inch rule. Aim for the center of a print to sit about 57 inches above the floor. With ceilings 9 feet or higher, go 60 to 63 inches.
Track every customer
Most jobs aren’t lost to price. They’re lost to a follow-up that never happened. Every job takes the same path: lead, contacted, site visit, mockup and quote, won, printed, then a review and repeat work. Four habits close jobs:
- Log every call and visit the same day
- Give every customer a next step with a date
- Follow up on quotes with an email in two days and a call in a week
- After every job, ask for a review and a referral
A spreadsheet works for your first ten customers. If you want your brand, website, social profiles and a CRM built for you, ask the team about the Launch Package.
Pick your first 10 prospects
The owners who ramp fastest had clients before the printer arrived. Name ten real businesses, not categories. Good prospects have a wall people see every day, a reason to change now, someone you can reach who decides, and a budget for signage or decor already. More than one location is a bonus. Walk in, introduce yourself, and take a photo of the wall if they’ll let you. Read finding your first five wall printing clients for more.
Before you arrive
- Read the basics and the glossary we send you
- Install Adobe and finish a beginner lesson
- Make one wall mockup
- Fill in your top 10 prospect list
- Start the launch checklist
- Pick a second person to train
Questions people ask
How long is training?
One full day with the whole team in Wilmington, NC, and it’s all recorded.
Do I need to know Photoshop before training?
No. Install it and finish a beginner lesson before you come. Basic Photoshop training is included.
What should I bring to training?
Your question list, a USB drive with a logo and a photo, your prospect list, photos and measurements of a wall you want to print, and clothes you don’t mind getting ink on.
Getting ready for training? Karen sets training dates and travel. Ask the team anything before you arrive.