Instant Custom Signs – Drew Brims' Blog

Athletes and business people who consistently practice, train, prepare and research, rise to the top and are sought after as team members and team leaders.

Today, a customer came in to pay for a job we installed a few days ago. He wanted to shake the hand of the person who installed his sign and thank him for doing such a fine job. Such praise from a customer meant a lot to the person who did the installation. This was one more accomplishment for this person who has risen in our company and is taking on more and more responsibility.

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!

Taking ownership for our mistakes and resolving the problem without question so that the client becomes a champion of your product rather than a detractor. Yes, here at ICSigns, we stand behind everything we sell, even if that stance costs us time, material and money. We will not compromise on quality or customer satisfaction. To me, that is more important than anything.

I am convinced that sustained success cannot be achieved in the absence of consistency. Consistency is one of the cornerstones to success in any enterprise be it business, or sport.

Consistency in the face of adversity is also important. Managing staff issues or equipment failures sometimes requires us to adapt to ensure that the end result is a positive experience for our clients.

We had professionals teach our children to ski because professionals have unique skills, knowledge and experience required to do the job. I hadn’t considered it much until that moment, but it became clear to me there and then.

We will pay for driving lessons, post-secondary education, tutors, music lessons, gymnastics and other sports or endeavours at which they want to become proficient. Professionals can do this – I can’t. Well, I could try but I wouldn’t do a good job and we both would be poorer for the experience.

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.

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.

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.