Get More Than You Bargained For… At the Same Price

I was talking to the owner of another sign shop recently and he was telling me how he charges much more for a full-colour, printed banner, than a single colour vinyl-on-banner model.  He was shocked that some sign shops charge the same amount for either process.  I didn’t offer my opinion.  I just smiled as enigmatically as I could.

Yes, the perceived value of a full-colour printed banner is much higher.  It’s more exciting, can be vibrant and eye-catching compared to a plain old one-colour-of-vinyl-on-a-white-background banner.  But the truth is, it costs about the same amount to produce either banner.

I was a bit surprised by this fact but I ran the numbers several times and after taking into consideration the labour cost for processing the vinyl and applying it to the banner, we can produce a full-colour banner for the same price!  That’s why we only have one price for banners whether they be full colour or spot colour.  In fact, if there is more than one colour on a banner, we would print it anyway.

I’ve spoken of the advances of technology before and how they’ve allowed us to offer better products for the same or less.   In fact, looking back over the last 20 years, here at ICSigns, our prices have held quite steady.

What other industry can boast that fact ? !

Ten years ago, we produced most of our signs on computer-cut vinyl, laying one colour down at a time, only deferring to the large format printer if too many colours were involved.   Now the reverse is true.  Over 90% of the signs we produce are printed.  One reason for this is that designers are aware of the capabilities of sign makers who have the right equipment.  They send us files that are choc-full of colour, knowing we can reproduce them with a level of accuracy not possible 10 years ago.

We get excited about the signs we produce.  Just this week we made a huge banner for a customer that we thought was exceptional in design.  A picture of it is here at the top of the post.  It sits on a wall outside his boutique and looks dynamic.  You can’t help but notice this banner if you are in the area. It’s a lifestyle image and the colours are spectacular!  And the cost was very reasonable compared to the alternative of layers of coloured vinyl on a white background.   It’s a far superior product at a very reasonable price!

The full-colour print extends to most other signs we produce as well.  We now have materials that we can use on back-lit signs, POP signs, awnings, even parking signs (ever wish you could have a reserved parking spot for your customers with your logo or a life-style picture on it?  You CAN!). The possibilities are endless and it doesn’t have to cost any more.

I would love to hear about your experiences and  get your comments.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. That’s great for you bloggers out there. By leaving a comment, you can leave a link back to your own blog. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. I’d like to hear from all of you!

Happy signing,

Drew.

Get Noticed!

Last time we talked about channel lettering.  The second part of the fascia sign trifactor is the illuminated sign box.  There can actually be some overlap between channel letters and sign boxes. Sometimes a designer will create a design for a sign box that extends beyond a regular rectangular box and becomes an odd shape to accommodate the outline of a logo.  This is true “thinking outside the box”.  These projects show that we are not restricted to just a rectangle and everything has to fit neatly inside.  Signs like this will be more noticed than your garden-variety rectangular box.  It’s something to consider when creating your brand image – more expensive than the rectangle, but much more effective in attracting attention.  Isn’t this the reason for putting up a sign anyway? To be noticed above the competition?

Whether you are restricted to a rectangular box or not, there are some things to  consider when planning your fascia sign.  We’ve already looked at layout and content, what I am talking about here are the more technical issues..

1. To what surface is the sign box going to be attached?  Brick, block, metal, wood or other?  Each has its special requirements for attachment.  The last thing we want is for the sign to leap off the wall!
2. What power supply are you using for the sign box? 120 volt single phase or 347 volt 3 phase.  347 is less expensive to run but the components are  a bit more expensive to buy.
3. Is the box UL or CSA approved? Many box manufacturers are licensed to inspect their own work.  The Canadian Standards Association does not hand out these licences without a lot of analysis and inspection.  Therefore, if you are buying a box that is CSA approved, you can take comfort in knowing the shop has achieved a high standard in its workmanship, especially the electrical components. If the sign box is not CSA approved, the electrician connecting it to the power supply is required to call for an inspection from the local utility.  This inspection will be at your cost and the inspectors aren’t sitting around waiting for a call.  Some inspections can take weeks to book.
4. What lamps to order?  Daylight Hi-Output (or DHO) are the most popular lamps for a sign box.  The colour of the light is a true white and illuminates the colours of the sign without introducing new, unwanted colours.  Cool White and Warm White lamps have a slight off white colour and can drastically change the colour of your sign.  Be cautious when ordering replacement lamps that you always order DHO lamps so that the sign is the same colour throughout.  I’ve seen many signs with patches of yellow light in them where someone has installed Warm White lamps alongside DHO’s.  (This is a little off topic but worth mentioning here.)
5. Acrylic or Polycarbonate (Lexan) face?  Acrylic is more brittle than Polycarbonate and can be more easily broken by flying debris, especially during winter when it is cold.  However, Acrylic stays white whereas polycarbonate will yellow from the sun’s rays and is more expensive than acrylic.  If the sign is exposed to damage from vandals or passing traffic, then we would recommend polycarbonate.  Any sign that is not in the line of fire should be using acrylic so that the colours stay true for many years.

What experiences have you had with your sign box?  I’d love to get your feedback.  Here at ICSigns, we have lots of experience with these and many other kinds of signage.

For all you bloggers out there, by leaving a comment, you also can leave a link back to your own blog! I look forward to hearing from you.  In the meantime,

Happy Signing,

Drew

Channel Lettering – LED The Way to Go

There are several types of fascia signs (storefront signs) and some sub-categories, all of which have their place in the world of signs.  The type of business you are in usually dictates the type of sign and the budget for that sign.  High-end retail stores prefer top-of-the-line signage with big price tags.  They are often large channel letters internally lit by LED’s. It’s not hard to see who’s raking in the money!

At the other end of the spectrum is a small industrial shop which must  be identified but doesn’t need illumination or fancy designs.  Here we can suggest a face and frame sign which is similar to an illuminated sign box but without the box. It’s a professional looking sign without the expense of a fabricated box or electrical components.  At ICSigns, we can help you choose the right sign for your needs and your budget.

So, let’s start at the top of the scale – Channel letters.  Usually 5-6” deep with an  acrylic face and internally illuminated.  These used to be predominantly lit by Neon tubes but the expense of keeping Neon working has soured many people on that product.  Many manufacturers refuse to make Neon – lit signs any more because of the potential for damage before the sign is even installed.  LED is so much more reliable, durable and economical.  Like many things that are better for us, LD’s cost more to purchase but the cost savings in power and reduced maintenance costs far outweigh the additional up-front cost.  Power requirements are low as all the energy is turned into light, not heat, as is the case in incandescent or, to a lesser extent, fluorescent and Neon.

Channel letter bodies are usually metal, formed around a template and welded to complete the outline of the letter.  Then a back of metal or wood and a front of acrylic are applied to give it rigidity.  As an added attraction, some channel letters allow light to shine through the back of the letter creating a halo effect on the wall behind.  Another twist is the use of a translucent plastic body through which light shines to give another version of a halo effect.  All of these have their place according to the requirements of the customer.  As is usually the case, the fancier the lettering / lighting / layout, the more expensive the sign will be.  However, I would consider channel letters to be one of the most effective signs for a fascia sign.  The letters are bold and individually lit which makes for a most legible sign.

In future blogs, I’ll discuss other types of fascia signs.  In the meantime, I’d love to get your feedback. What kind of sign do you find most compelling?  Here on this blog, we offer comment luv. That’s great for all you bloggers out there.  When you leave a comment, you can add a link back to your own Blog! That’s great for Search Engine Optimization. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. We want to hear from everyone!

Happy Signing,

Drew

ICSigns is a “Cut” Above

If you remember my last blog post, we talked about pylon signs and how their function is to stand out by the roadside and guide customers to your door.  Storefont (or Fascia) signs are the next step in guiding our customers to our place of business.   Once the prospect or client is on the property, the fascia signs now guide the customer to our door.  It can have a little more information than the pylon sign, as the potential customer is now a more ‘static’ audience than someone viewing the pylon sign.  However, if the fascia sign is the only means of attracting customers (for example no pylon sign exists) then my mantra `the best sign says the least` or KISS  – Keep it short and simple is the way to go.  I often think of a fascia sign as the headline on the front page of a newspaper.  At the top is the name of the newspaper in bold lettering and below is the day’s headline.  This is how your sign should look.

Let’s assume we already have a pylon sign and we are now designing our fascia sign.  What is the most important information we can put on it?  Certainly the name of the company is the most important and should dominate the available space.  If the product you sell is not incorporated in the company name, then certainly a one or two word description of your business is desirable.  For example, ‘Feckle Brothers’ could be the name of the business but if the products the Feckle Brothers sell is specialty hardware, then that should also be on the sign.

Phone numbers and/or a web address can also be added in case people are visiting outside your regular business hours.  Beyond this, any more information is just going to clutter the sign, reduce the space for more important information and reduce its over all effectiveness.  Here are two examples: One of a good fascia sign and the other one of a cluttered fascia sign.

Most leased properties have an existing fascia sign on which the lessee can put their graphic.  If the previous tenant had vinyl lettering on the sign, we can usually effectively remove the old lettering, clean up the acrylic and apply new lettering.  There are two advantages to this:

1. The cost of new acrylic is avoided (normally the cost of cleaning off old lettering is only an hour or so of  labour),
2. It keeps the acrylic out of the landfill – something we should all be concerned about in this age of recycling.

New fascia signs can be of several different varieties:

• Illuminated sign box
• Channel letter, illuminated or not
• Face & Frame
• Flat-cut metal or plastic letters

…to name but a few.  I will be elaborating more on the different type of Fascia signs in my next post.

Some landlords require that all fascia signs in a plaza be of a particular variety so that there is some uniformity throughout the plaza.  Typically, when a landlord dictates a type of signage, it is illuminated channel letters.  We’ve seen more of this lately and while it sometimes forces the tenant to re-think the sign budget, there is a definite benefit.  With all the signs being of a similar type, the quality of signage is usually higher and “budget” signage that could bring down the over-all image of the plaza is avoided. You can look forward to many years in a plaza with high standards.

In summary, Fascia signs are the “headline” above your place of business.  They should give a brief but effective hint as to what lies inside.  Keep it short and simple so that it can be recognized quickly.

We, at Instant Custom Signs, have been making fascia signs for over 17 years.  If you have a fascia sign project or a problem you would like to discuss, let me know.  I’ll be happy to pass on any useful  information .

Also, please feel free to leave comments and suggestions here on our blog.  And here on this blog, we offer comment luv. That’s great for all you bloggers out there.  When you leave a comment, you can add a link back to your own Blog! That’s great for Search Engine Optimization. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. We want to hear from everyone!

Happy Signing,

Drew

Pylon Signs Help Drive Business To Your Door

That monument, ground or pylon sign standing outside your building should be a reflection of your image and brand.  I once read, “A business without a sign is a sign of no business”.  True enough.  Not many businesses can survive without a sign to direct traffic to their doors unless they are a web-based company that relies on other methods.  Not so the larger retail companies we recognize regularly.  Shell, Esso, MacDonalds as well as The Bay, Sears, Canadian Tire and other bastions of retail excellence.  Their pylon signs are not the only things that bring customers to their doors but it is an important part of the corporate strategy.  It reflects the brand and broadcasts for blocks, where you should turn in.

Not every company can afford a huge pylon sign like the major corporations.  But it still must be a part of the corporate strategy.  Many companies share space on a pylon sign with other tenants or condo owners.  While your space may be limited, don’t give up on making the most of what is available to you.  This means maximizing the available space.  Let’s say you are negotiating a lease for a building in which you share space on a pylon sign.  Try to negotiate with the landlord to increase the number of places or size of space available on the sign. If part of the sign is vacant, you might be able to negotiate using that space until the vacant space is required.  There are benefits to both parties here.  You gain extra signage for the beginning of the lease (when it is most important for customers to find you) and the landlord’s property will appear fully occupied (which benefits all the tenants since prosperity begets prosperity).  I remember my days in the gas station business when, if a station had no customers, we advised the managers to park a car or two at the pumps. You’d be surprised how this technique brought customers onto the lot!  An empty lot looks deserted and forbidding.  But a lot with cars on it attracts other customers.

How much information should go on a pylon sign?  As little as possible!  Remember my mantra: “The best sign says the least.”  Certainly the name and logo of the company must be the largest and most prominent items displayed.  After that, any further information will only detract from the main message.  The pylon sign is there to broadcast who you are and where you are, not give out a lot of information about your company.  There are other vehicles for that.

Let’s talk about the layout of the logo and company name on the pylon.  Sometimes, the configuration of the sign does not allow you to lay out the name and/or logo in the normal fashion.  Unless you are designing and building a pylon sign for your own purpose, be prepared to re-configure the layout to maximize the available space.  For example, your logo may quite square but the available space is long and thin.  If you don’t allow the designer to change the layout of the logo/name, it will be very small and very hard to see from a distance. That’s a short-sighted policy.  I’ve seen this happen in many instances where a corporation, with strict rules on how the name and logo can be displayed, moves into a rented property. The head office refuses to bend on the  layout of the sign.  The result is a smaller than expected presence on the sign and an ineffective sign.

Here at ICSigns, we can help you design and install a great pylon sign for your business. We have the expertise and experience to help you drive business to your door!

In summary:

• Be prepared to negotiate additional space for a short period of time
• Be flexible on the layout so that you maximize the space available
• Only put the essential information on the sign – name and logo

Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions here on our blog.  And here on this blog, we offer comment luv. That’s great for all you bloggers out there.  When you leave a comment, you can add a link back to your own Blog! That’s great for Search Engine Optimization. But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment. We want to hear from everyone!

Happy Signing,

Drew

At ICSigns, We Make Them Custom!

We used to make custom dry erase boards by taking a standard white board from a supplier like Staples or Grand & Toy then applying vinyl lettering and lines to it.  This worked fine for a while but as the board got used and erased, the lettering and lines started to lift at the edges.  You can only rub an edge so many times before it starts to lift.  However, it was cheap and cheerful and there was nothing else available in one-off’s for our clients.

With the advent of digital printing in large format sizes, we can now create custom templates for dry erase boards that exactly fit our customers’ needs.  The trick was to find a laminate that is suited to this purpose and is compatible with the vinyl we use to print on.  We spent many days researching different laminates to handle this situation.  Many suppliers told us their material was suited to dry-erase use but we soon found out that it was just okay, not good.  The problems we ran into were laminates that separated from the vinyl because of material incompatibility.  The print is on vinyl but the laminate is polymer and the two do not go well together.  It looks good for a month or so and then the laminate separates from the vinyl and starts to wrinkle. The result is like the skin of an ancient person, wrinkles and ridges all over the place.  We replaced quite a few of these at our expense because when we talked to the manufacturer, they said, “Oh no, this material is designed to be used on paper, not vinyl.”  That’s a lot of help!  Unfortunately, the material supplier didn’t have the same product knowledge as the manufacturer.

Fortunately, after much research and testing, we did find a laminate that is vinyl (so it is compatible with the vinyl we print on) and is created as a dry-erase laminate so it actually performs like a dry-erase material.  The trouble is, it is not stocked in Canada.  I can’t figure this out.  Is ICSigns the only sign shop in Canada that makes custom dry-erase boards?  We have a Canadian supplier who is linked with a larger company in the US.  They bring it in for us as a special order item and we always keep it in stock.

Since discovering this material, we’ve had great success with custom dry-erase boards.  Our customers love them because they don’t have to compromise on some standard template or size that the big stores offer.  They can order a board that is 4’ wide by 10’ long if they wish (we’ve done lots of these for one customer) and the background graphics are limitless.  They use these boards for production performance boards, line staffing organizers, vacation planners, projection planning, sales targets and results, all kinds of ideas.  Having them custom printed makes them unique to their business and allows management and staff to fully realize the potential of the communication.

As with most things, the boards can be a Chevy – plain with no trim or pen tray, or a Caddy – full anodized aluminum trim with a pen tray, bevel block mounting system, etc. or something in between, like plastic trim to finish the edges instead of metal.  We enjoy seeing just how many ways our customers come up with to use these boards.  They are very creative when it comes to putting ideas on paper.  Our job is to make the board to their specifications but in a format that will function for many years.  If you have an idea for a dry-erase board, why not give us a call.  We’ll be happy to talk to you about the project.  Or leave us a comment below. We love getting feedback from our readers. And here on this blog, we offer comment luv. That means that anytime you leave a comment, you can add a link back to your own Blog! That’s great for Search Engine Optimization.

Happy Signing,

Drew.

Your Company Name Takes Centre Stage

Okay, some simple advice on what should be on an exterior sign. It may be more accurate to say what shouldn’t be on them. Let me break the news about your sign. You only get one message. That goes for all signs. Each sign can only convey one message effectively. Don’t shoot the messenger, it is not my rule; just one that I try to live by.

If the sign is an illuminated fascia sign, the message should be your company name. If the sign is a van with lettering or a complete wrap, the message is still your company name. And no, I have not forgotten menus and other lists. Because the list is the main message on that sign. A list sign should only be used where the viewing public has a reasonable chance of staying still long enough to read it, such as foot traffic and interior signs, also the rear of vehicles (Yes, a stop light can be your sign’s friend).

Before you start gathering the villagers and lighting torches, let me clarify, your company name isn’t necessarily the only thing on the sign, but it is the most important and it should have centre stage. And really, doesn’t your company name deserve centre stage, on your own sign?! You can still have your phone number, website and even a short list of services or products. But don’t make your company name fight for attention. The urge is to make everything on a sign as large as possible and therefore make the sign work as hard as possible; well, you need to fight that urge, because it is not good design and good design is not just aesthetically good, it is effective!

All of them: illuminated, billboard, “A” Frame, Vehicle Graphics, they all can only effectively convey one message. i.e., EAT AT JOES! The sign may have a picture of a hamburger and a beer, it may also have the phone number and the words “Open 24 Hours”, but all these things are, or at least should be working to help support and re-enforce the primary message, EAT AT JOES! If we haven’t caught them with that, then they don’t and won’t care about anything else. So don’t list the menu items. Don’t list the prices. Save any of those specific things for later, once you have someone’s interest, and attention.

Your exterior sign is only a single point of contact. The hope is that your sign will help to create more points of contact. Keep in mind that a completely successful sign will only hold a person’s attention for 3 seconds!! That is not much time and you HAVE to make it count. Tell your viewing audience who you are and why they should care,  i.e.: “ACME; Quality Furniture”.  The name is Acme and we can all get our quality furniture there.

Color and the fonts you choose can help create mood and help build your company’s identity. I plan to go into these issues at a later date.  Terry

Terry Roy, our guest blogger this week,  has been the Production Manager at Instant Custom Signs for 9 years and has been in the sign business for 21 years, including a 5 year stint in POP display design using 3D protocols. She graduated from the George Brown College Graphic Sign and Design program in 1988.

We’d love to hear your comments.  Give us your feedback!  And here at ICSigns, we offer comment luv. If you leave a comment, you will be given the opportunity to provide a link back to your own blog.  Great for SEO!

When It Comes to Signs, Go Big Or Go Home

In our shop, we put up a simple sheet of coroplast (corrugated plastic) with a series of lines depicting the size of letters. The sign is high up on the back wall about 75’ from the counter. It looks something like this:

and so on…We find it helps customers decide how large their lettering should be from different distances.  Many people who are accustomed to reading from a page or computer screen have no idea what size lettering is effective from 10’, 50’ or even 100’ away.  We have charts that show optimum size for readability from different distances, which we believe in but our customers need an “eyes on” demonstration of that.

So how large should the lettering be on your signs?  “Go big or go home” is an appropriate saying here.  If the lettering is too small to be easily read from the distance between your sign and the audience, you wasted money on the sign. I don’t like wasting money and I’m sure you don’t either.

Perhaps your sign is visible and legible from a short distance, say a plaza parking lot, but is a blur on the horizon from the road.  You have the attention of those people in the parking lot but are missing the multitude of people walking, biking and driving on the road.  Therefore, your sign is only effective for a small percentage of the potential audience.  It’s a shame to miss all those people.  On our trips north we see huge billboards about a kilometer back from the highway with monstrous lettering and graphics.  These are very effective – skilled sign makers who know a thing or two about size and distance put these together and I applaud them.

The other important consideration is the font used for text.  At Instant Custom Signs, we groan every time we see a layout using Times or Times New Roman.  It’s greatly overused and not effective for readability from a distance.  The serifs (the little tags on the corners of the letters) create confusion for our eyes when read from a distance.  Sans serif (excuse my French) letters are easier to read.  Try to pick one that suits your business.  Your designer or sign maker should be able to steer you in the right direction.

Before placing an order for a sign we encourage people to think about this.  Sometimes we have to modify the layout so that there are fewer words and the ones left are larger (remember my mantra: “The best sign says the least.”)

How is your sign working for you? Click on the comment button below and share your stories!

Happy signing!

Drew.

Signs, Signs, everywhere is signs…

Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind…

And so the song goes.   Sure, signs can block out the scenery but they can also carry a message beneficial to the audience and hopefully, profitable for the advertiser.   Signs are a great way to advertise your product or service but, like anything else, if improperly executed, things can go horribly wrong.    Have you ever wondered what goes into a really great sign and how to get the biggest bang for your buck?

Hi, I’m Drew Brims.  Welcome to my blog! I am the owner of Instant Custom Signs in Brampton, Ontario.
IC Signs has been operating since 1992 and we are passionate about our business and our customers.  I look forward to sharing lots of ideas with you with respect to signage.

The way I see it, there are two basic categories of signs:

1. Signs that are designed to attract attention,
2. Signs that are designed to inform.

The first should be used to create or build brand awareness (perhaps a billboard), create interest in your product or service or draw attention to your location (as in a storefront sign). These signs are usually only able to catch the audience’s attention for a second or two.

The second category is located where the audience has more time to review and digest the information. This might be a menu of items on sale with price points or discounts, a Restaurant menu or perhaps a list of services available at a particular place of business.

Since the layout of the second category is not as critical as the first, let’s deal with the first – Attention grabbing signs. Any sign that does not convey the message it was designed to, is a waste of space and money.

Here are 3 helpful tips to remember when designing your sign!

Brevity :

TMI (Too Much Information) is not just part of the modern vernacular, it’s relevant to our discussion on signs. My mantra is, ‘the best sign says the least’.   If your audience is driving past your sign, how much time do people have to read and digest the information? A second or two? Ten seconds? Perhaps more if your sign is located where traffic is stopped for traffic lights or a stop sign.   If not, the main message of the sign should scream out one or two words at the  most:

The object of the sign is to get customers to visit your business in person or visit your website or call you on the phone), not to list products and services. That’s the job of sign category two.    Take a look up above at the Instant Custom Signs logo, you will see that ”SIGNS” is the largest word in the logo.  No confusion over what we sell.  It makes our job a lot easier when designing signs for ourselves.  We have the name, the logo and what we do all in one package, ready to go.

Clarity :

Some signs have such powerful background designs that the main message is overpowered and lost. Technology exists today that allows us to efficiently decorate a space on screen that looks very beautiful. Then we add the message (company name or product or service) and think we have a terrific-looking sign.   Beware!  What looks good on the screen does not always make for a readable sign.   Background colors and patterns can add zip to the sign but too much can overpower the message.  There has to be a balance.

Layout :

When sitting down to design a sign, rather than starting with the background, try starting with the message.    This is the most important information on the sign.  Remember – one or two words.   Brevity is our friend!  It should be the largest and most noticeable element on the sign.   After locating it in the most prominent position, we can add contact information, preferably only one. It can either be location, phone number or web address but definitely not all three.

Finally, we can add in the background.  It’s important to take a critical look at the entire sign to ensure it is balanced, conveys the message you want and can be read and digested in a very short period of time.

Of course, size matters.   The bigger the sign, the more effective the message and the wider the audience. In a future blogs, I will get into these items in more detail and talk about the visibility of different sizes of letters from a distance.

I’m looking forward to your feedback!