Instant Custom Signs – Drew Brims' Blog

Some businesses do not need a full-blown illuminated sign. I’m talking about non-retail businesses that operate only during the daylight hours. Some new start-up businesses may wish to mitigate the cost of signage until cash-flow allows them a little more flexibility in their sign choices.

For both of these examples, the “Face and Frame” sign is a great alternative to more expensive signs. The term “Face and Frame” refers to the aluminum frame that is exactly the same materials as used in an illuminated sign box (without the box and electrical components) and the acrylic face that is again, the same as would be used in an illuminated sign.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Here at ICSigns, we are blessed with a great team. It’s always sad when you have to say goodbye to a great employee, and we wish Brian and his family many years of happiness in the future.

We’ve built this business on several values that may seem alien today, including great customer service (answering the phone is a part of that). We practice this every day and it resonates with our customers. Our customers know that when they call, the phone will be answered and they can get immediate information, whether it be pricing, updates on a project or just advice on a project they are considering.

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 the business and allows management and staff to fully realize the potential of the communication.

Let’s talk about digital graphics as this is the hot topic in the sign industry today. We started making digital signs many years ago when the materials were not as robust as they are today. Also, the choice of manufacturer and supplier were limited as digital signs were in their infancy. Things have changed quite a bit in the last 8 years.

Here at ICSigns, We Value It I read somewhere that integrity is defined as doing the right thing when no one is watching.  I think that sums it up nicely.  We make choices from the time we wake until the time we close our eyes and drift off for the night.  Some of the toughest [...]