Big Picture - October 2019 - 18

extreme vinyl

Wrap Session
Vinyl wrap training programs provide food for thought for any wrapper.
| by Matt Richart

hen we first got into the wrap industry 15
years ago, there weren't many training
courses available. Most media manufacturers were just getting their programs
started, many of which have evolved into
the great training courses we see today. It's refreshing to see
so many talented wrappers teach, train, and certify numerous individuals who go on to have success in the industry.
Your first training program can be your most important
one with regard to what you walk away with at the end of the
course. Every educational avenue available today - and
there are a lot - would likely be a good choice for anyone
looking to get into vinyl wrapping. Training has changed
dramatically since we first entered the game, and the
programs offered truly test the skill level of most installers
(seasoned or not). It's been an eye-opening experience for
me to see other programs first hand, specifically what
material is being used for training and testing. Not all
programs have certification but most offer training followed
by certification of specific films or applications.
Sometimes training can give you more than what you
expected in a positive way. While a student may walk in only
looking for skills, they will likely come out of the experience
with new motivation or confidence, which can be just enough
to set that student on the path toward a successful career.

first statements we make to the students is we want them to
walk away with confidence after the two-day training course.
Before the students even put a squeegee in their hands,
we discuss the many versions of a vehicle wrap. There are so
many different ways a vehicle can be wrapped including
simple die-cut graphics, partial wraps mixed with different
films and vinyl, full wraps, window perf applications, and
more. We then dive into how to set up basic files in order to
sell a job. This is when we discuss how to charge for designs
and artwork fees. How much film will you actually use? How
much ink and laminate will be utilized? How much waste will
you have after the vehicle wrap is printed? These questions
are very important to any wrapper, especially someone who
is brand new to this industry. You can be an expert wrapper,
but if you aren't pricing your work properly, you could suffer
serious consequences that could jeopardize your business. I
really want my students to walk away with not only confidence on how to apply wrap film, but also how to price their
product properly so they can be profitable and grow. This
adds another level of confidence to their tool kit. In any sales
situation, having assurance in your pricing will help increase
sales. If you're hesitant to give your client a price, they can
sense it - and they just might lose faith in you and your shop.

October 2019

Our company has been conducting training sessions for
Roland DGA for the past 13 years. The Born to Wrap program
is a great tool for beginners to intermediate-level wrappers.
This course is not a specific certification course like the ones
3M, Avery, PDAA, and others offer. While we do offer
hands-on training, we have formatted our program to also
provide students guidance on how to run a business in the
proper way and to encourage growth for the future. One of the

BIG PICTURE

EDUCATION BUILDS CONFIDENCE

MATT RICHART is the co-owner of Digital EFX Wraps, a full-service,
one-stop shop in Louisville, Kentucky. Matt leads country-wide demos
and training sessions on how to sell, market, design, and install for
the wrap industry. Follow him on Twitter @digitalefxwraps.

https://www.twitter.com/digitalefxwraps

Big Picture - October 2019

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