Friday 22 December 2017

The Importance of Property Management and Real Estate Signs

Walk or ride down a residential or commercial neighborhood in any city or town worldwide, you are bound to come across at least one signboard along the way. Signage is still one of the leading ways for promotion of businesses, cities and even property owners to advertise products and services, or simply communicate with their stakeholders. 

Image courtesy: https://www.pexels.com/photo/architecture-building-business-buy-259098/


Outdoor signs

High-quality outdoor signs leave on passersby a lasting impact. Innovation in the signage industry heralded with a bang high-resolution graphics, which could be printed on a variety of surfaces ranging from cloth and canvas to vinyl.

Durability and resistance to the elements are two key factors that determine the choice of the right kind of material for making a signage. The material for high-quality outdoor signage must be tough enough to withstand constant UV radiation from sunlight. It also needs to be durable enough to weather rain, heavy gusts of wind and vast changes in temperature.

Real estate and property management signs

Whether it is for a commercial or a residential building, a clear and captivating sign goes a long way in giving information about the property along with a call to action, if possible. Irrespective of the need or the utility, these signs are generally outdoor displays; primarily, they have to grab attention, and secondly they should be durable enough to weather the elements.

Commercial signs are generally larger as they target a larger audience. Most often, they are characterized by larger letters or numbers and are less graphically inclined. The idea here is to give core details of the property such as seller information and possibly showcase a few offers or salient features to spur buyer interest.

Residential signs are often more temporary: essentially, they need to communicate information about the property and its seller. These signs can even have directional symbols to indicate precise location; often they carry graphic images of the property itself.
  
Materials used for indoor and outdoor signs

The most common materials used in the signage industry are aluminum, corrugated plastic (coroplast), and medium-density overlay panels (MDO) made from plywood.

Aluminum composite panels available in several colors are extremely durable and they grab instantly your attention. Owing to their eye-catching nature and ability to endure UV radiation and harsh weather conditions, they are an ideal solution for long-term signage.

Coroplast is more cost-effective, durable, sturdy, light and resilient in nature. These corrugated plastic sheets are waterproof and can weather the elements reasonably well. They are ideal for residential properties, temporary signs, or offers, as they are easy on the pocket.

Medium density overlay panels are made of plywood and work well both indoors and outdoors; they suit well non-illuminated signage. They are UV-treated, resistant to fair amounts of weathering and can support a variety of graphics on their surface.

Irrespective of the type of property, commercial or residential, signage must be durable, eye-catching and cost-effective to the extent possible. Depending on the budget, marketers can choose from a variety of options such as aluminum composites, corrugated plastics or medium density overlays on plywood, to suit their realty advertizing needs.


Thursday 23 November 2017

Why Digital Vinyl Banners?

Outdoor advertising has seen tremendous innovation over the years, from basic signs, posters and billboards, which dawned city scapes in the late 1800s, to the immensely popular vinyl hoardings and luminous boards that we see today. Whether it is businesses, events, announcements, instructions, guidelines or festive offers, outdoor advertising is perennially compelling and a part of our daily lives.


Outdoor banners
Before the digital age, outdoor advertising and banners were largely made of cloth, heavy grade paper or in some cases even cardboard. However, as marketers or businesses discovered soon, these materials were not durable and given to tremendous wear and tear even over short periods.
Another major challenge especially to outdoor signage is the capacity to handle long periods of exposure to UV radiation from sunlight. Ordinary banners hand-written or even printed on paper or cloth would fade away quickly under the harsh sun. This is where the digital age changed the game for outdoor advertising forever.
Vinyl banners 
One of the most cost-effective ways to win the attention of a passerby, leaving a lasting impact is the use of vinyl banners. Numerous banners these days at trade shows, outside businesses and office spaces, sales etc., are printed on vinyl. The versatility, durability, cost effectiveness and multi functionality of vinyl make it ideal for advertising.
One of the most cost-effective ways to win the attention of a passerby, leaving a lasting impact is the use of vinyl banners. Numerous banners these days at trade shows, outside businesses and office spaces, sales etc., are printed on vinyl. The versatility, durability, cost effectiveness and multi functionality of vinyl make it ideal for advertising.
Why digital vinyl banners?
Before digital printing, marketers and advertisers had to be satisfied with heat pressing onto vinyl. This restricted the creativity and aesthetic appeal of the banner, producing only heavy or blocky text, limited artwork and very basic signs; it impacted obviously the visual appeal even though the vinyl material could withstand the elements.
With digital printing, vinyl banners can be as much creative as a marketer desires. Professional high quality banners are now digitally printed onto vinyl to include any number of visual graphics, fonts, shapes and sizes for winning all attention. They are ideal for outdoor or indoor settings and can weather any amount of rain, shine, or wind.
Types of banners
Today, marketers or businesses have options of several types of banner materials. Vinyl is an immensely popular choice owing to its versatility and cost effectiveness. However, there are other materials available for consideration. Mesh banners are effective in windy conditions, while cloth or fabric banners are suitable for aesthetic-looking banners for indoor settings.
Block out banners are generally double-sided and made of high-grade PVC material. They can be as opaque as one would require for displaying information on either side. Lightweight feather banners or teardrop-shaped banners are also gaining popularity for outdoor settings, as they are largely resistant to the elements and extremely lightweight for logistical ease.
Vinyl banners are probably the first choice, irrespective of the type of banner a business or marketer chooses to use. Digital printing on vinyl has ensured high quality, creative, cost-effective and extremely durable solutions for outdoor and indoor advertising needs. It is best to consult a reputed signage company for all your banner requirements.


Wednesday 25 October 2017

Basics of ADA Compliant Signs

According to a 2015 study of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 53 million Americans live with some kind of disability. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that out of the total number, almost 40 million civilian non-institutionalized Americans have disability. That’s a whopping figure: one in five adults in the continental United States have some form of disability.

Image Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disabled_parking_permit


Accessibility issues faced by the disabled

Most disabled people encounter difficulty in walking or climbing stairs. The next major disability seems to be related to vision, that impacts badly memory and/or thinking, independent living and self-care.

In order to safeguard the interests of the disabled in America, The Americans with Disability Act (ADA), a civil right act, was passed in 1990. The ADA has done well to help, protect and prevent discrimination against people with disabilities by working with institutions and the government on various compliance initiatives.

With the inception of the ADA, disabled persons gained ramp access to buildings, and accessibility of places of public accommodation such as schools, supermarkets, stores, hospitals, hotels, sports stadia, movie theaters and so on. It became necessary for aisles in supermarkets to be wider to accommodate wheelchairs and provide disabled persons with sufficient room to move about.

This mandate extended to ensure that signage and signboards were compliant with the needs of the disabled. It paved the way for people with disabilities to access places or information better, and to live as well their daily lives in a more efficient and comfortable manner. 

How does ADA compliant signage help?

The purpose of ADA-compliant signage is not just a regulatory need. It truly helps the disabled customers and visitors find their way in an establishment of any size. It serves well to guide them wherever they go. ADA compliant signs are easy to read in terms of size and color of the text; furthermore, they help people with and without disability all over the world.

Types of ADA compliant signs

ADA compliant signs are required in places that are unlikely to change location or structure too often. Signs that mark permanent rooms, establishments and spaces such as restrooms, rooms in buildings and other permanent indoor locations and entrances to buildings must all be ADA compliant.

Compliance applies to exit signs, elevator signs and convenience signs for restrooms. Compliance involves specifications of size, height, color of text and background and the inclusion of tactile characters for the visually impaired. This could include pronounced or raised letters as well as Braille.

Since the ADA was passed over 25 years ago, its impact has been positively felt across America. All places of business, establishments and public spaces have seen a sea change in the location and use of interior signage. It has not only benefited the disabled but also made it easy for all other visitors, customers and members of the public inito locate rooms, restrooms and other places meant for them within a building or common space.

Business owners and establishments have embraced eagerly these signs not just as an obligation to obtain occupancy certificates but also to to leave a better impression on visitors. This creates a strong business case for commercial organizations, irrespective of size, to be ADA compliant with respect to signage. It is best to choose an experienced professional signage company, which can carry out in letter and spirit the requirements prescribed by the ADA.


Monday 25 September 2017

Trade show Banner Stands: Putting your Best Foot forward

Digital economy has created various channels for marketing departments of business organizations to increase visibility and improve branding. However, creating the right metrics to measure the effectiveness of campaigns is a challenge: most businesses seek tangible numbers while digital economy is all about various intangible benefits.

In such a scenario, trade show participation continues to be a reliable mechanism to create impact and show numbers at the same time.



Tradeshow collateral

Maximizing ROI from tradeshow participation requires a well-orchestrated strategy. Marketing paraphernalia include brochures, handouts, takeaway gifts, order forms, booth graphics, banners and banner stands.

More about banner stands

Banner stands are one of the most popular tools in the hands of marketers. Unlike static booth graphics, you can move around banner stands with ease, and experiment with their placement at different locations for maximum impact. Furthermore, you can replace easily the artwork to cover a wide range of messages and offerings. For this reason, they go by the name Pop-up Displays.

Banner stands are of different types depending on the size, the location where they are used and the material used for the graphics.

Retractable banner stands

Retractable Banner stands, the most popular option, offer convenience and sophistication in a cost-effective manner. Here, the artwork is rolled into a floor-mounted base, rolled up and propped up with a pole.

·      Material: The artwork is generally made of vinyl, which is long lasting, easy to maintain, and comes with a protective carrying case.

·       Panels: These can be single or double sided with snap-open rail and tension control.

·      Base styles: These can be truss, pedestal or diagonal, in either anodized silver or black finish.

·      Artwork: Digital printing in full-bleed makes these banners stand out even from a long distance.

·  Illumination: Illumination is possible to maximize impact, as is done in retail showrooms and exhibition centers.

·   Cost: Common models feature pre-installed graphics, where the artwork retracts into the base; high-end models feature cartridges for replacing the artwork with ease.

Tabletop banner stands

Tabletops, as the name implies, are smaller and placed on a table. While the retractable banners entice visitors with catchy messages and graphics, tabletop ones make the visitor reflect on the offerings and arrive at a decision. Here again, the tabletops can be propped up horizontally or vertically and they come in different materials and sizes.

Poster stands

These are the oldest form of banners featuring a static pole and a panel for the artwork to fit in. These can be single-paneled with single or double-sided artwork or double-paneled where the panels are joined at the top and moved apart to form an ‘A’.

Backdrop stands

These are used when larger and heavier banners need to be flexibly placed at an event or commercial enterprise. The stand consists of a sturdy metallic frame made of two or three poles. The artwork is attached to the frame using custom hardware such as hems and grommets, snap rings, wire-locking rings and s-rings.

Banner stands may appear a simple and straightforward choice for marketing managers. However, for best results, you would do well to engage a reputed professional signage company who are update on innovations in this area and can maximize ROI from your expenditure.


Thursday 20 July 2017

Boost Your Sales with Large Format Digital Printing Products



Marketing departments continue to face new challenges even in the age of digital advances and automation. According to the 2017 State of Inbound Report, some of the top challenges included identifying the right technology for marketing needs. This is quite significant as technology is a great enabler in the hands of marketers.

Consider printing for example. Offset and other types of printing technology are laborious, cumbersome and time-consuming; they slowed down the pace of campaigns, until the advent of large format digital printing in 1991.

What is large format digital printing?

Large format digital printers are much larger computer-controlled printing machines; they use much larger print rolls, the width of which can range between 18” and 100”. No plates or cylinders are involved in the printing process. The technology is generally inkjet, where nozzles fire jets of ink directly on to the large-sized print roll fed into the printer.

Why is it so popular?

Business organizations rely hugely on large format printing today, as it’s a great combination of low-cost, quick turnaround and high quality printing.


  • Affordability: Other forms of printing such as lithography and offset require first templates that use film plates, photo chemicals and lots of ink; no wonder they cost more. In contrast, digital printing requires no such preparation; printing is done directly and instantly and so it is affordable.
  • Flexibility: Since the data for printing is created and stored digitally, it’s easy to make quickly design changes and enhancements in real time and with minimum effort, allowing multiple designs to be printed in every batch.
  • Consistency: Other types of printing such as screen and offset show variations between one print to another; this is due to dependency on hardware. On the other hand, digital printing software controls these parameters effectively, and hence prints are consistent throughout.
  • Variety: Digital printers use water-based inks or UV curable screen printing inks. The latter allows printing on any surface or material such as paper, glass, wood, vinyl or sintra.
  • Speed: There is no need for any preparation or prior setup and all processes are digital. Thus, large format digital printers can output 5x4 or larger prints than other print technologies, making it possible for the entire printing job to be completed the same day.
  • Eye-catching: Large format banners and posters used in billboards or hoardings are terribly eye-catching; they bring more conversions than print media content, making them ideal for advertising.
  • Long-lasting: Thanks to the quality of inks used in large format digital printing, banners, posters and billboards printed this way can last for months or even a year, braving the elements without any deterioration in quality.
  • Eco-friendly: Other forms of printing require printing to be done in bulk. This is wasteful and toxic to the environment as the unused prints are dumped as trash. In contrast, digital printing requires no preparation, and so prints can be taken as and when needed.

Large format digital print products

The following are popular large format digital print products:

  • Vinyl Sign Banners
  • Custom Printed Signs
  • Posters (cloth/paper/vinyl)
  • Booth Graphics
  • Printed Stickers
  • Retail Graphics
  • Hoardings and billboards
  • Backlit Signs
  • Stretched, fine art Canvas Prints
  • Floor Graphics
  • Canvas Prints
  • Wall Paper
  • Building wraps
  • Printed Table Cloths

Large format digital prints are what you may need to boost your sagging sales. It is best to engage a reputed professional agency, which will do a good job and record impressive returns from your outdoor campaigns.

Thursday 22 June 2017

Add some Punch to your Interiors with Vinyl Decals

Business and homeowners of today are keener than ever before in differentiating themselves. As the Internet shrinks the world, and social media highlight one’s signature lifestyle, homeowners and businesses are leaving no stone unturned in incorporating the latest trends into their decor.

Minimalistic trends in the recent past

Interestingly, the latest trends do not necessarily mean the most expensive trends. For example, minimalism is an enduring movement that is as popular with the rich and the famous as it is with the artistically inclined. Homeowners keep exploring simple and inexpensive, and yet highly effective means of improving the aesthetics of their homes.

A case in point is wall treatments. All of the following have been experimented with: expensive and large-sized canvas paintings, richly patterned tapestries, wall hangings, metal or ceramic art, wall paint in one or more colors, and wall paint in textured patterns.

Vinyl decals: features and benefits

A more popular trend in recent years is wall decals. These are vinyl stickers that can be ripped off an adhesive base and pasted on the wall, or ripped off the wall and replaced with a new one. These new décor elements combine the artistry of all of the above wall treatment options into a much simpler and inexpensive choice.

That explains why vinyl decals are inevitably ubiquitous today. Decals are in use everywhere: the walls of drawing, dining and bedroom spaces of homes; executive cabins and conference rooms of offices, hotels, restaurants and resorts; vehicles and sports equipment! Decals can transform even a small or simple enclosure, giving it a significant prominence.

Decals are made of high quality, interior-grade and removable vinyl with several advantages:


  • Ease of application: There is no preparation involved. The wall must have a smooth texture, must be painted more than a week earlier, and be absolutely dry with no seepage issues. There is no curing, drying, or cooling time and once applied, it is good to go. However, one should avoid self-application, as there can be warps and wrinkles. Professional signage companies have the necessary skills and techniques to apply the decal flawlessly.
  • Durability: Outdoor decals that bear the brunt of the elements have served well for 5 years and in some cases for 10 years. When used indoors, say on walls, their life span is 6 years and more.
  • Range of designs: While simple designs inspired by nature were popular in the initial years, homeowners today keep experimenting with artistic motifs from cultures around the world, or images of religious and cultural significance. Silhouette images of favorite icons are popular with younger customers.  
  • All sizes: While the smallest decal may be the size of one’s palm, the largest can occupy an entire wall or adjoining walls.
  • Colors: While black is popular because it contrasts with any wall color, people try out other colors, as well as multi-colored decals.
  • Self-provided design: Customers can either choose from a catalog or provide a design they appreciate: the décor company can create that decal design.
  • Self-art: You can even turn your self-created artwork into a decal you love.

Wall decals are here to stay for long because of their flexibility and convenience of use. Engage a professional signage company who can suggest various decal options for your home or business establishment and implement the same efficiently to your immense satisfaction.

Sunday 21 May 2017

Using Monument Signs to attract Customers

In a recessionary economy, marketing departments are under constant pressure to conserve capital and justify ‘marketing spend’. Advertising budgets suffer cuts and cost-effective ideas of increasing visibility are in demand.

Thankfully, there are plenty of options of cost-efficient promotional tools. Outdoor advertizing and more specifically high-quality signage is one such option. It can create subtle magic that can draw customers to your business. Monument signs are the most popular of signage choices.

What are monument signs?


A monument sign is a freestanding, outdoor, ground signage of about 5 feet, positioned at your eye level; it has a huge advantage in that it can attract the most significant category of prospects – people driving or walking by. That is why they are very popular with shopping malls, real estate agencies, community centers, restaurants, pubs, cafes, bistros, libraries and theme parks.

The name comes from the fact they are large enough, and are fixed firmly on to the ground. They are made from a wide variety of durable materials such as block/brick, polystyrene or aluminum. They are mounted on a base of concrete, wood, brick or stone with side pillars or on side posts. Being low on the ground, they are a lot more noticeable than billboards and pole-mounted displays.

Monument signs are designed to be weather-resistant and have a life span of a minimum 10 years. They show resilience in the face of rain, snow, sandstorms and even hurricane-force winds, the strongest of winds; that is why they are so popular all over the world and not just the US.

Trends and variations in monument signs

A monument sign has two main components – the signage and the structure. Businesses can play with both these elements to create a wide range of styles of monument signs.

Structures could be made of a block with stone or brick veneer, fabricated steel cage with stone or brick veneer, or expanded polystyrene. Another option is electronic paper sign (EPS) that can be used for both the structure and signage, and can replicate stone or masonry look.

When it comes to the signage, they could be illuminated sign cabinets, dimensional letters, channel letters or LED message boards.

Thus, one can create multiple combinations of structure and signage; however, the most popular ones are:


  • High Density Urethane (HDU) foam monument and signage with raised metal letters: Here the monument is built from a solid EPS foam core. It is then sealed in a thick polyurethane hard coat that makes it durable and pest-resistant. Metal letters are then partially embedded into the base and partially projected out.
  • Fabricated aluminum monument signs: Here, the structure is a fabricated aluminum box that can be painted in your logo colors. Signage letters are of raised cut metal, either illuminated with LEDs or non-illuminated. The base is generally a concrete pad.
  • Lettering made of cut metal or fabricated stainless steel: Stainless steel letters are popular as they are low on maintenance. Other equally popular metals are copper, brass and bronze. Metal letters can be easily installed on stone, masonry and concrete structure.
  • Backlit lettering: LED backlighting for metal letters creates a halo effect that can be dramatic and breathtaking.

Monument signs with an aesthetic landscaping backdrop can be a very cost-effective way of generating buzz for your business. It would be best to engage a competent signage agency that would create excellent monument signs for your venture.

Sunday 23 April 2017

Tradeshow Collateral : Getting them Right

Across industry sectors, tradeshows are the most important weapon in the arsenal of Sales and Marketing departments of small and mid-sized organizations. They provide an opportunity to study in a quick and convenient manner the level of competition, the emerging trends in the business, and the cream of prospects.

No wonder, tradeshows are big business in the US; in 2015 alone, they consumed a whopping amount of 12.6 billion USD (source: Statista.com).

Addressing tradeshow challenges through collateral


Despite their popularity, tradeshows are not without their share of challenges, some of which are listed below:


  • Booth Management: The first major challenge is to arrive at the right number-and-profile mix of competent people that would operate effectively the booth.
  • Outsourcing or not: While it has become a trend to outsource booth staff, it doesn’t work well for every type of business.
  • Effective Communication for Conversion: Clearly, the most important aspect of the tradeshow is to convert warm prospects that visit the booth into hot leads for sales. This requires effective communication and meaningful interaction.

Booth graphics have emerged as a common and dependable solution to address these challenges. A judicious blend of fixed and mobile signage elements of different sizes would be handy: they can answer graphically frequently asked questions of prospects, impress them with stunning imagery, and coax them into a decision by presenting insightful data.

Getting right tradeshow collateral elements

  • Logo or Header Banner: Tradeshow exhibitors today junk away the simple nameplates provided by tradeshow organizers, and replace them with custom-made, large-sized banner or panel with the company’s logo, tagline and impressive imagery. These are backlit or frontlit to stand out from a distance and attract visitors. Some companies have even gone on to replace this with an LCD screen that plays videos and animated graphics.
  • Booth Wall Graphics: Also called backdrop panels, booth wall graphics can occupy either part of or the entire wall space provided by the organizers. These are usually vinyl rolls, which can be rolled and carried in a canister. The panel banner can reflect spotlights all around and can be distracting; but rolls that have a pebble finish surface can solve this problem by deflecting part of the light.
  • Standees or Banner Stands: Since the late 1990s, collapsible standees or banners have become the rage at tradeshows. This is because they are retractable rolls that can fit neatly into a metal container. Unlike booth graphics, these are mobile enough to move around and ease human traffic, or entice visitors when kept at booth entrances. These can feature eye-catching imagery and thought-provoking copy.
  • Signage: Signage could be hanging posters and banners that carry little nuggets of information about the company, or products. These can feature attractive images and could be given away as souvenirs.
  • Tabletop Displays: In addition to brochures and printouts given to prospects, tabletop displays too could be small, foldable paper knick-knacks that contain useful information, prizes, offers or coupons. These can charm prospects and incentivize them into making a decision.

Booth Graphics can make or break your tradeshow participation by alluring or turning off prospects. Engage a competent professional agency that can develop high-quality booth graphics and other tradeshow collateral, which can make prospects spend more time in your booth. This in itself is a big victory for you and goes a long way in increasing sales.

Thursday 23 March 2017

Business and Goodwill Promotion : Exploiting Window Graphics

The promises of global economy have created unprecedented opportunities for businesses worldwide. However, the vulnerable aspects are recessions, slowdowns and business disruptions due to economic crises in one or more parts of the world.

These are challenges for every kind of business, including small and medium businesses that play a dominant role in the local market. Such businesses have to project their offerings with a new accent in order to beat the competition, or augment their marketing efforts to widen the prospect funnel.

The need for window graphics

Below-The-Line (BTL) advertising strategy, which typically covers direct mail campaigns, trade shows, printed marketing collateral, search engine marketing, etc, addresses a larger cross-section of the prospects market. The success of such BTL campaigns depends on various tangible or intangible business parameters.

Passersby may constitute a small segment of the prospects market; however, they make up a very tangible segment; window graphics, a much-ignored marketing tactic addresses specifically this section.

Window graphics are typically stickers or decals stuck on glass windows/doors/partitions of storefronts; they can accomplish what the most prominent signboard cannot. Signboards can only carry the name, logo and tagline of the business.

Window graphics can advertise promotional offers; they can carry contact information and images of some of their offerings; they can display as well any important advertising message with potentials of conversion of passersby into regular customers.

Retail businesses desiring to stand out from the crowd are increasingly turning to window graphics, which can captivate passersby into the shop.

Advantages of window graphics


  • Inexpensive advertising:  Window graphics are less expensive than vehicle wraps or billboards. Imaginative and thought-provoking promotional messages through window graphics can spark off word-of-mouth marketing.
  • Brand recognition:  Visually rich and well-designed window graphics can subtly create brand imagery for the business and improve memory recall of prospects and customers.
  • Added privacy:  A well-designed window film addresses in interesting ways the problem of outside distraction or lack of privacy.

Dynamic advertizing: Window Graphics can be easily ripped and relocated/replaced; businesses can thus exploit seasonal demands to their advantage, and push hard promotions.

Trends in window graphics

  1. Complementing online presence: Businesses are experimenting with precious window space to project their image as digitally savvy. You can find these days QR Codes on window graphics to replicate online presence.
  2. Forming a large banner: Large vinyl banners, which carry interesting imagery and messages, can cover the entire storefront, including the window.  The storefront becomes thus one large billboard.
  3. Targeted messaging: As businesses become more customer-centric, a set of windows can carry a series of messages targeting specific customer segments.
  4. Product-centric marketing: New products and slow moving or costly ones already in the market can be promoted for an entire month by displaying their images on windows. This can be very effective in setting off more and more impulse buying on the part of customers.
  5. Creating faux decor: Window Graphics can be used to create on the passersby an impression of chic interiors. Interior and decor companies specialize in conjuring up a wow factor and thereby entice prospects into the showroom.

Window graphics may be a rather simple concept that anybody can try to exploit. Yet, it’s surprisingly underutilized, considering the lasting impact it can have. It would be best to engage a reputed professional signage company that can guide you on exciting options to harness window graphics for competitive business edge and enhanced footfall and revenues.

Sunday 19 February 2017

What You Need to Know About Lobby Signage

As trade and business everywhere go global, organizations are under intense pressure to brand and project themselves with a compelling edge. In a recessionary economy where margins are falling, organizations cannot but examine every aspect of their business for better performance and acquisition of larger customer base.

The ambience of business premises is an area, which is increasingly coming under focus. This calls for intelligent and imaginative experimentation rather than costly makeovers. Front office signage accommodates such experimentation with reassuring outcomes.

How lobbies can create best impressions

The reception and lobby spaces of a company are the first point of business interaction with clients and prospects. You can exploit this area to achieve for your business the following:


  • Establish authority: A neat, clean, stylish and well-maintained lobby announces to the world that you are in solid business for the long run, and that you value professionalism.
  • Establish clarity: At large offices with numerous departments, signage and wall art can provide clear directional clues and help visitors navigate your office quickly with ease.
  • Foster brand identity: Brand logos and colors provide you with immense possibilities for rich business imagery, effective slogans, arresting taglines, and useful information that reinforce brand recall in prospects.
  • Display laurels: The lobby area provides the right stage to display awards and accolades your company has won, which you can highlight with additional vital information.
  • Market offerings: You can display in the lobby brochures, videos, sales scripts and other marketing collateral of your company. You can thus project efficiently your products and desired offerings.

Lobby signage as a huge differentiator

The impact of lobby signage becomes quite effective when all the functions and benefits listed above go nicely hand in hand. Having evolved through time keeping with advances in décor and material options, lobby signage has been in vogue for nearly half a century.

Simple plastic or metal nameplates were one of the earliest forms of lobby signage. Today, cost-effective metal finish laminates have replaced real metal. Foam letters are a popular option if you want to create an embossed effect of the lettering. The face of foam letters can be plain or digitally printed in striking patterns and colors.

Acrylic panels are very handy when logos, captions and imagery need to be projected as three dimensional with layered paneling. Acrylic letters can combine the utility values of all these varieties; they have remained therefore the number one option in recent years.  

The future is that of digital signage, which has already made inroads into hundreds of offices and commercial establishments all over the world.  

Lobby signs: dos and don’ts

  1. Avoid extremely colorful signage, which can be distracting and cheapening your brand identity.
  2. Ensure a prominent placement of the signage in the lobby; it should be neither obstructed nor obstructing.
  3. Avoid in the lobby bright lights that reflect on the signage and irritate the visitors seated there.
  4. Match the size of the signage letters with the lobby space: they should be neither too small to read nor too large to be distracting.
  5. For greater aesthetic effect and variety, experiment with multiple signage structure and medium.

To achieve the maximum benefit and impact of your lobby signage, you would do well to engage a reputed professional signage agency that can design and develop the best signage for your business.

Monday 23 January 2017

Vehicle Graphics : Why It Matters

Marketing and advertising needs vary from business to business. While product companies in the high-tech sector prefer more online and social advertising, those in other sectors prefer billboards and a combination of print and online advertising. Here, the unique features of a product become the focal point of advertising. Such information is required when one is decided about buying the product.

Service companies are a whole new ball game; the differentiators here are more subtle and are built around brand perceptions of the service. It makes more sense to keep pushing the brand name in multiple channels. Given that people need service businesses all the time, improving brand recall this way can drive sales growth. Vehicle graphics is precisely one such outdoor mode of advertising that helps improve memory recall.

Vehicle graphics and their types
 

Vehicle graphics are the most effective means of advertising a service on a moving vehicle such as a car, truck and bus; they vary in size, price and material used.

  • Vehicle lettering: This uses a small number of vinyl pieces or vinyl sheets on which the company logo, message, or an image is printed digitally and then pasted on to the vehicle. This takes less time to create or apply, and costs less.
  • Vehicle Graphics: Vehicle graphics, although a generic name also refers to the combination of painted letters and decals (stickers) made of digitally printed vinyl sheet; they are then cut into desired shapes, or cut out from one single vinyl sheet. After the paint dries, the vinyl pieces are cut and then pasted one after another. This takes a little more time than vehicle lettering and is costlier.
  • Auto-wraps: Auto-wraps are at the top end where both cost and time-to-apply are much more. Here, entire or partial body wraps made of vinyl are printed using large-format printers. Highly skilled technicians apply them on the vehicle carefully. This is necessary as the vinyl can shrink or wrinkle at places if not applied properly.

Benefits of vehicle graphics


  • Reach a larger audience: Vehicle graphics impinge on the memory of a lot more people and are equivalent to 40000-60000 impressions per day of other formats of advertising.
  • Non-intrusive yet effective advertising: Vehicle ads are observed voluntarily, unlike TV ads that frustrate viewers to the point of tuning them off, or print ads that can be ignored altogether.
  • Mobile, not static: Because they are mobile not static, vehicle ads come into the vision of prospects more often than other types of advertising in many business sectors.
  • Cost-effective: After the one-time expense, you can use and reuse vehicle ads several times at no cost, compared to TV or print ads that can be prohibitively costly.
  • Get local: With vehicle ads, local businesses can reach prospects much better and faster, unlike newspaper ads or inserts.
  • Free of restrictions: While billboards, print, and TV ads come with umpteen restrictions, vehicle ads give your business complete freedom to experiment, at no additional cost. Protect the vehicles: The vinyl wrap is quite durable and lasts long. Furthermore, it protects the vehicle from scratches, fumes, and the extremities of weather.

Vehicle Graphics bring enormous returns on the marketing spend, both in the short and long runs. You would do well to engage the services of a professional agency that will create stunning visuals and crisp copy, to make your vehicle graphics more effective.