Illuminated Signs for Business

In the world of business, companies that attract the most consumers survive and grow while the others struggle and ultimately fail. Hence, a big chunk of the time and money has to be spent on advertising. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of the total income can be allotted for attracting customers. So the question is- how can companies make the best use of their available advertising money?

Illuminated signs for your marketing needs:

If your business is not as big as Adidas or Nike, then money is as limited as your options. Television, magazine, and full page newspaper advertising is likely to be out of the realm of possibility, at least during the initial years. Illuminated signs, in such situations, are a great solution for attracting consumers. These graphics are back-lit to make the message more obvious and can be created in any size or shape. Businesses can also go for individual letter signs that spell the company’s name on the building’s side. This is one investment that can last for several years, making it highly cost-effective. Another advantage of these signs is that they are light weight. Hence, can be suspended and moved from one location to another with ease. Additionally, the messages can also be replaced without having to buy a new sign all together.

What to look for when designing illuminate signs:

If you’re planning to invest in new illuminated signs to market your business, it is very important to get them created by a professional. These signs are highly effective in attracting new customers, and the more time you spend in looking into some of the different providers that offer such work in your area the better. Listed below are 3 must know facts that all buyers should be aware of before investing in one of these items.

Design: the fonts, design and the colors used for creating illuminated signs will affect the final result drastically. When created properly, these graphics can look professional and elegant. However, when created badly the signs can look tacky. Therefore, during the stage of designing, make sure you are very specific with the fonts, colors, design and images of the chosen signage.

Shapes and sizes: Illuminated signs or light box signs are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. One of the most common signs is the LED signs made out of aluminum back tray with fluorescent or LED lighting. They also feature face panels created with acrylic materials or flexible flexi face system. One of the benefits of using flexi face systems is that they permit any sized area to be shown with the use of a single metal piece.

Go for quality: Illuminated signs are available in several different qualities. When buying LED signs it’s a good idea to go for the best quality. The main reason is that good quality graphics are durable which means they will last longer. Secondly, good quality signs will look more elegant and will attract the right kind of crowd. Buyers must also note that there are several sellers and retailers who create personalized signs. These providers normally operate via the internet and offer light box signs in various thicknesses. Interested buyers should visit the seller's website and get a quote.

Bottom line is, to attract consumers economically and with class, there is no better way than illuminated signs. Moreover, if you want to direct clientele inside the store to the higher profit areas then consider illuminated signs to be the right medium for the job. It is by far the best affordable advertising you can have, next to word of mouth.

A-frame displays for effective Advertising

If you run a business then you certainly understand the importance of signs. Signs are tools used for advertising your products and services in the market. You may have good clients and people might know you by name but if you’re only confined to a small region then you require something extra to sell your services beyond where your business originated.

A-Frames

Two identical beams are arranged at forty five degree angle and are fixed at the top. The structure formed is popularly called an A-frame.

A-frames or triangle frames are available in a variety of different materials. They can be made of plastic, steel, wood or aluminum. Due to their structure, these signs have good stability and are one of the most popular ways to advertise a business. They also come with several benefits. For instance, they are extremely easy to move from one location to the other. They can also fold down for easy storage. Apart from this, these signs grab a lot of attention from customers and potential clients. They can be two sided or one sided as desired by the business owner.

Types of A-frames:

A-frames are extremely economical and have several different types. For instance,

Chalkboard signs

Chalkboard signs consist of black board surfaces that can be used for writing. These signs work best in places such as coffee shops to display specials and menu items. In fact, owners can scribble in messages throughout the day using colored chalks. Chalkboards have several different types such as, porcelain magnetic signs that can be used to display decorative magnets and messages to make the display look more attractive.

A Dry Erase Board

A dry erase board A-frame utilizes colored markers. The messages are written on the designed area and can be replaced as many times as needed. These signs can have lunch specials, breakfast specials, and dinner specials written on them throughout the day. Apart from this, they can also be used in a variety of other ways to attract passersby. For instance, the owner can use them to display sales and other discounts. These boards draw attention and help owners offer different information whenever needed, making them cost effective.

One of the best ways to use these signs is to make them double sided. One sided signs limit the visibility and viewers of the message. If A-frames are double sided they add to the number of people who will see them. In fact when A-frames are double sided then people have better opportunity to read the message, which ensures better business for the owner.

Most people do not visit every lane when shopping or looking to eat out and if your business is located in the interiors then A-frames should be used to advertise your business. These signs can be designed to be self-explanatory so that customers get attracted towards what is offered. The frames can also be put on pavements so that people driving through can look and notice the business. The information provided on them should be short but impressive.

The best way to come up with great signs is to hire expert sign makers. Most such companies have a team of designers that recommend everything from color combinations to style, etc. There are numerous companies in California that offer great sign making services at reasonable prices. One of the best ways to learn about them is to look online. Most providers have websites displaying their previous work, client reviews, products and services. You can always call them for consultation or visit their physical address to know how they actually operate.

How to Design a Car Window Graphic

Full-sized window car decals are one of the best ways to advertise as they offer complete marketing exposure at fraction of a cost. These see-through, perforated graphics are extremely easy to install but may get a little challenging to create and design. Here are a few tips that might help prevent any issues and help an owner order the right rear window graphic for a particular vehicle.

Taking proper measurement- This perhaps is one of the most important parts of ordering a car window decal, and is normally overlooked. Every rear window is different, so there is no one size fits all graphic, unless the owner is looking for a small piece to stick in the middle of the window. The best way to go about it is to measure the outer and inner height of the window and the bottom and top width to give to the sign company. If there are any accessories on the window, like a handle or windshield wiper, then they must also be measured so that the decal can be designed around them. Such measurements assist in ensuring that 1) the decal is printed on a big piece of material to fit the window, and 2) once it’s trimmed, it will fit the real shape of the window.

Designing accordingly-Once the measurements are in place, one must begin to create a design, keeping in mind the shape of the window. Most graphics are trapezoid-shaped, i.e. the top is thinner than the bottom. As a rule, in general, never put images or text at the design’s edge as it may get trimmed off at the time of installation.

Use an editing eye- It is easy to "overdesign" car decals as they offer large space for advertising. When designing a piece, one must think of removing a percentage of it, as it is normally not required. Passing motorists will not have time to view a decal, especially the one that offers overwhelming information. Unless it's completely necessary and relevant, it should not be included in the design.

Never putting the text close to the edge- Even if the window has been measured perfectly there is always a likelihood that some of the graphic may get clipped off during installation. It is okay if it is only a small piece of background color, but incase it’s a phone number then the whole idea of getting a graphic is lost. Apart from this, it is also important to get the logo at the center so that no important information is clipped off.

Installation:

One must clean the window properly and tape the graphic to the window top with masking tape. The next steps involve, removing half of the protective backing and using a squeegee to put on the decal, removing other half of the protective backing and applying the other side.  Then using a razor blade, one must trim down the edges to get rid of excess material to leave a personalized look.

A lot of owners forget measuring their motor vehicles properly when designing their graphic. This can turn out to be a costly mistake, as not all car sign companies review the measurements to ensure they'll fit the particular automobile’s window. Rather than preparing the design in a rush and then getting a graphic that can't be used, it’s good to spend more time with measurements. It is also a good idea to get in touch with a reputed sign making company to get the best results. Reputed providers offer all the help and advice to their customers to make the whole process easy for them. Some even take out measurements themselves.

How to find a good sign making company?

A business sign says a lot to customers about your company, your values, and the reputation you hold. Your customers will assume, unfairly or fairly, the kind of status you retain in the society and whether your company is worth doing business with. Because of this, it’s extremely important to hire a good banner and sign maker to handle your requirements.

Finding a good sign making company

The role of a sign making company is very important as it acts as a mediator between a business and its potential clients. There is a matchmaking to be found. The customer needs the provider as much as the provider needs the customer; it is only a matter of logistics before one finds another for a mutually satisfactory business relationship.

Search at the right places:

Start the process by researching online. Most sign makers have websites these days. Log onto their sites and look for their capacity and rates. Ask for samples and get testimonials. This will help in ensuring that high quality materials are used. In case the provider is local, visiting the sign shop to see how they operate is a good idea. While there, look at the sample books and signs to find what’s appealing. There are all kinds of sign companies some that deal in specific signs such as wood crafted, molded, plastic, vinyl, bronze, or iron, while others can be fully fledged and equipped to make all kinds of signs.  Depending on your requirements, you can narrow down to a provider.

If you like the work of a particular company, speak to business owners who have already used the company and ask them how their experiences were. Also, inquire about the changes they felt in their business that could be linked to the signs. If they have seen a positive change in customer traffic then it is likely that their sign has gotten them more business.

Sign makers make life easy:

If you own a business or are a marketing director of a company, a good sign company can certainly make life easier for you. There is absolutely no question that you may require a lot of other things. But an important part is to choose a good sign maker. In general, customers tend to make a visual differentiation between which sign is more attractive and then end up making their choices on the basis of first impression. What comes after, are your selling skills that you must take responsibility for. However, getting a customer inside the shop is mainly the responsibility of the sign making company and the organization that took the job from you. A graphics and sign company can make or break your business by its ability to convey the message accurately. Without an easily visible, attractive sign, your customers will not be able to find you. Without any customers, your business will not be able to survive.

In case your business is a bit slower than last year, there is a good chance that your potential clients do not even know about you. You may have the best services or products but the ones you are trying to target aren’t being able to find your business. Apart from this, a lot of times, customers may not realize they require something till they are reminded of it. Signs are basically used to jog the memory of customers who have forgotten that they needed to make a purchase even if they forgot about writing it down. Working upon the observation of these impulsive purchases is part of advertising, and banners and signs play their part in this strategy.

Attracting Customers and enhancing Foot Traffic to a Store

When you’re trying to attract more customers by enhancing foot traffic your focus should mainly be on your outer presentation.  Here are some tips that should help you lure people in to perhaps becoming customers:

Make A Display For that Window:

If your shop is located in a popular destination that attracts a lot of foot traffic, then create an attractive window graphic that tells your store’s story. The decal should be your invitation to the people passing by. A creative window display promotes impulse sales.

Rolling Out the Red carpet for the customers:

Hoteliers and restaurateurs know there is nothing that shouts “Special” than a red carpet treatment. A simple red mat in a high traffic area, with “Welcome” on it, attracts people to the store. 

Put Your Best Product Out Front!

If you are an automobile dealer then wheeling out your best products in front of your storeroom is a great idea. Nothing grabs the eye of speeding customers faster than a huge display of a glossy new vehicle. And if the vehicle displayed is a luxury sedan everyone dreams of buying then you are sure to get a lot of inquiries. This also works well for a garden center with an impressive display.

Frames for the Parkway:

Lightweight signs are used often by real estate agents for open houses as they are reasonably priced. They can be pushed into the surface to stand about 3 feet high. These are a good idea to get the message out for limited time promotion. Some light weight signs are sturdier than others but they cannot take too much wind. 

Portable signs:

Using a portable curb sign gives a store’s message a very professional look. This important tool can be used for displaying high quality color graphics to stick out from the competitors. These signs are weatherproof with a stand that can be filled with sand, anti-freeze or water.

Planting and landscaping:

Spending some cash on the landscaping around the store or restaurant is a great idea.  The abundance of flora attracts the customer’s eye. In case you have nothing but sidewalks in front, plant some pots with bright red geraniums and make sure they’re watered and well maintained. 

Balloons for decoration:

Balloons are a reasonable way to give attention and movement to a business.  If your business premise has railing, make use of that. If you have no place to tie the balloons, you can utilize cinder-blocks placed flat to attach the strings from the holes.  Be sure to make use of plenty of balloons and replace them regularly as helium tends to deflate in the sun.

Ways That Keep Customers from coming in:

Sign Boys

There is nothing more desperate than an individual with a red arrow sign at the sidewalk pointing towards the business.  The store may get the attention but the customers will be left with a bad impression. This is because the people chosen for such duty are normally the saddest, bored individuals.

Junk Store

Stocking the old sale merchandise of a business at the sidewalk appears like a garage sale.  People who drive past will judge you by the product you have chosen to represent your company out front, i.e. things that did not sell and you decided to put them up for sale.

These are not all the ways through which you can attract customers inside a store and get the foot traffic but they can certainly give you a head start without excessive cash outlay. There are several sign makers in California you can contact for your A-frame requirements or to get your window decals customized as per your needs.

Increasing Restaurant Sales during Christmas

There are two main ways through which a restaurant increases sales: getting customers to buy more or bringing in new customers. Smart restaurateurs find ways to do both. There are plenty of ways that can help an owner increase sales during Christmas. Here are some tips that can go a long way in enhancing sales:

This is the time for shopping – handing out flyers or menus in front of the stores nearby is a great way to attract hungry shoppers to the restaurant. The owner can work with local retailers to offer some promotional discount to customers – customers can bring the flyer in to receive special offers.

Use parties as a medium to advertise- It is also the season when people socialize.  Most businesses hold team lunches and holiday parties.  Sending catering menus and samples to nearby offices, helps attract workers to the restaurant for parties, dinners and lunches. It is also a great idea to pay event organizers to market the business with advertising signs.

Increase frequency of existing customers:  Give them a reason to come back again soon- seasonal menus can attract a lot of attention as they offer something exciting and wintery that customers can’t usually get. It is best to bring in new menu boards that have a flavor of the holidays. The owner can use Christmassy colors and decoration. This adds to the festive feeling.

Apart from this, introducing a changing but recurring theme for the season every week till the holidays is a great idea. Customers are sure to come back for more when they see exclusiveness.

Increasing the overall visibility:

- This is the right time to take out gift cards to pull in new customers. In fact, offering free gift cards with the purchase of other items is a lucrative marketing technique that tends to fetch a lot of repeat sales.  This is because it will get the customer to come back again.

- Seasonal drinks such as spiked hot chocolates and pumpkin lattes look and smell good –the owner must be sure there are visible signs in the restaurant for that. Outdoor illuminated signs displaying season specials are sure to catch the attention of the passersby.  

- Passing out free samples of a warming or seasonal appetizer while customers wait to get seated or are waiting to order also tempts for an extra order.

-Using the windows to the fullest: restaurant windows can also be utilized for the purpose of marketing. The owner can put up full size window decals in a variety of different ways to familiarize passersby about the restaurant’s specialty.

Delivery vans and decals:

There is nothing more successful for twenty-four hour advertising than a mobile billboard. The fleet of delivery vehicles can be decked with car decals displaying the restaurant’s contact information and its unique selling point. The vehicles can act as billboards whether on road or when parked at the curb. 

December is the time for friends, family, holiday shopping and parties.  This is also when businesses need to be sure that their restaurants are in the minds of their customers for everything “holiday” this year. For that matter, it is important for the owners to get creative with their menu and signage and get a precise plan in place before the season begins. It is best to get in touch with reputed sign making and advertising companies that can cater to specific requirements and needs. There are several providers in California that offer the most diverse and high quality signs at reasonable prices.  Apart from this, California also boasts of numerous talented advertising firms that restaurateurs can use for developing strategy.

The Popularity of Channel Letters

Channel Letters are one of the most popular forms of lettering for outdoor and indoor advertising. They are extremely attractive three dimensional, individually designed and cut figures/letters that are the future of branding, particularly for image conscious businesses. These signs can be fixed to a wall or any other illuminated or un-illuminated structure. The owner can rest assured that the letters won’t chip, dent, fade or corrode easily.

Reasons behind the popularity of Channel Letters:

Ø  Channel letters are popular because they are available in a variety of colors and faces. They can also be obtained in several styles including Times fonts and Helvetica.

Ø  These signs are flame resistant and cannot be arched. The main reason behind this is the latest injection molded plastic body that offers complete protection from arching and flames.

Ø  Channel letters require minimum to no maintenance, once mounted on a wall or on any other structure. Hence, they are extremely cost effective.

Ø  They are very easy to install and are available in a range of acrylic face colors.

Ø  The signs can work 24 hours a day without any hassle.

Ø  They are easily visible from long distances

Ø  Such letters are drilled easily for installation and come pre-primed for easy painting.

The Various Types of Channel Letters:

There are essentially three types of channel letters:

Ø  Standard letters

Ø  Reverse letters

Ø  Letters with 'open' faces

Standard letters are believed to be the most popular and are created from U-channel base and colored Plexiglas faces. Reverse Letters, on the other hand, have metal faces and a plastic backing. These signs do not touch the surface when mounted and look exceptionally beautiful at night. The third kind of channel letter is the one with an 'open' face. Open since raw neon is kept uncovered so that it remains visible.

Channel letters can easily be customized to meet the desired specifications of a business, without having to compromise in effectiveness and quality. These signs can easily be made to compliment the architecture of a building.

Method of installation:

Letters can be mounted directly on the wall, or on a rectangle box known as a raceway. Signs that are mounted individually look more attractive in comparison to raceway mounted. However, raceway mounted is a lot cheaper and easy to install. Individually lettering generally takes time as it needs to be done one letter at a time on the wall.

Laws Pertaining to Sign installation:

One of the things that need to be considered before using these signs is the laws that govern business signage. These laws speak on things such as the material, size of the signs, energy usage, illumination, and installation and placement requirements. Local communities, too, may have additional zoning laws regarding signs. Businesses must make sure to check the local laws in the area before taking their final decision on signage system. It is not advised to go against regulations.

When a business is looking to advertise using Channel letters it becomes extremely important that it collaborates with experienced manufacturers who have the technical experience and expertise to handle an assignment professionally. This is done to make sure the signage serves the owner for several years without him having to sustain maintenance costs. One of the best ways to find out about good providers is by researching about them over the internet. Most sign makers in California have their own websites that display their work and experience. An efficient and good supplier of these channel letters should be able to offer a vast variety including, face-lighted letters, fabricated aluminum letters, back-lighted letters, LED, customized logos, neon channel letters, and the like.