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Sandwich Board Signs: The next Great Advertising Advantage
You probably know of sandwich board signs from the local pub or restaurant, where daily specials are posted on them to increase public interest in dining there. Sandwich board signs are also featured prominently in the media, as well as gracing the sidewalks of many diverse businesses, from car dealerships to theaters to sporting arenas. However, every business can find some use for sandwich board signs. Here are the top four benefits sandwich board signs have for small businesses. Sandwich Board Signs are Portable Very few store signs are truly portable. Sure, you could take down your storefront signs, but you may need special tools in order to do so because they are fastened to the wall or store exterior. A sign that you can place anywhere at any time, however, is a valuable asset for any business, since day-to-day conditions can change by the minute. For instance, a shoe store owner purchases a sandwich board sign. He or she advertises a new shoe he or she is selling on the sandwich board sign. Since the store owner has purchased a sandwich board sign that has a chalkboard on it, once the sale ends, he or she can simply erase information regarding this now-sold out shoe and replace it with information regarding another shoe sale or promotion. Easy to Capture the Public’s Attention The reason why so many typical store signs are large and loud is because there are so many of them. All these signs are competing for the same prominence on the same street. Potential customers and clients who walk past these stores cannot help but avert their attention elsewhere, or else they will be staring at signs all day. With sandwich board signs, you can monopolize customers’ attentions where they are not focused on other businesses: the sidewalk in front of your store. A single simple sandwich board sign can do wonders for brand recognition and awareness, especially since stores that use them are few and far between. With a winning advertising and marketing solution like this, it would be a mistake not to take advantage of it. An Incredibly Durable Signage When you purchase signs for your store, you sometimes have to purchase multiple ones, especially if you want to put some inside and outside your store. One main reason why is because not every form of sign is durable enough to withstand the elements. This means you will have to spend more money than you originally thought when you decided to purchase signs. However, with sandwich board signs, you can actually save some money. Can Be Stored Away for Future Use Most signs store owners install inside and outside their stores are meant to be permanent fixtures. From the neon beverage sign hanging on the wall in the neighborhood pub, to the massive sign hanging over your storefront window, signs are often installed with the understanding they are permanently fixed in place. Sandwich board signs, however, are meant to be versatile. When it comes to signs, versatility includes the ability to store your signs for future use. You may only want to use a sandwich board sign during the summer, when it is warm outside. You are trying to take advantage of the increased foot traffic outside your store, and better weather means your...
read moreThe Peripheral Requirements of Great Storefront Signs
Installing a new storefront sign is a great way to attract more interest in potential visitors. With a great product and a little luck, you can even grow your customer base by doing so. However, your storefront sign is not the only thing customers notice when they walk or drive by your store. Pedestrians are judging your store based on the sign, your storefront window, the exterior wall and surrounding area leading up to the parking lot, as well as the local neighborhood. Ensuring all these areas are pristine and clear is easier to do than it sounds. Here are five ways you can make your storefront more appealing to ensure you use your storefront sign to take advantage of its maximum potential. Your Neighborhood When designing storefront signs, consider the other businesses in your neighborhood. There may be a neighborhood commercial “style.” All the stores may be brick, or they may have wooden colonial style signage, for example. The storefront sign you choose to install should stand out, but not do so glaringly, or else it may look out of place in your neighborhood. Your Storefront Wall You have probably walked or driven by small businesses that have great storefront signs, but the storefront itself just looks unkept. Your first impression would probably be that the business owner likes to cover up their problems with money, as evident by the sign, but they do not like to do much work themselves. This stereotype may not be true, but it is possible to imprint in a potential customer’s mind. As a small business owner, you should attempt to minimize any negative impressions customers have about your business. A storefront with a nice, clean sign but a dirty wall will not make a good impression on potential customers and visitors. Prior to installing storefront signs, you should ensure your wall is clean, your sidewalk is clean, and your business looks nice. Your Storefront Window After your store visitors have seen your storefront signs, but before they actually enter your store, they will most likely look in your store window first to check out your business. If the interior of your store does not look well-kept or does not meet your potential customers’ expectations, they will not visit your store. To maximize the effect storefront signs will have for your business, ensure that your store interior is clean. There are many components that create a positive image of your business and they must all be addressed, including the neatness of your store’s interior. Your Storefront Sidewalk and Parking Lot The sidewalk and parking lot of your small business must also be clean and look presentable to your customers. If there is garbage leading from your storefront door to their cars, your customers may think your business is not clean. Regardless of the quality of your storefront sign, potential customers may have second guesses regarding your business. The last thing you want is for a potential customer to start thinking about your competitors. Your Business The type of small business you run will have an effect on the type of storefront sign you design, purchase, and install. Some types of signs are better for business than others. For instance, if you run a restaurant or pub, you can purchase and install a...
read moreSign Design Solutions to Improve Your Business Appearance
We cannot all be Jacks-of-all-Trades. You may be a great small business owner but, for some things like sign design, it may be better to leave that to the professionals. When you hire a professional sign designer, you know that your signs will be perfect, every time. Here are the top five solutions to problematic sign design, which will improve your business’s reputation online, and in your local community. Reduce Sign Design Clutter Many store and small business owners often clutter up their signage with too much information. This can cause information overload with customers and visitors that read your signs, if they have the ability to at all. Most potential customers and visitors will be driving by your store and cannot take the time to read everything you have posted. Others may not want to read a messy sign. De-clutter your signs with a simplistic or minimalistic sign design for easier access to customer demographics. Use Complementary Color Schemes The best color schemes to use are those that compliment each other. One popular example is black and white. Many businesses use this combination of color hues to create simplistic, yet elegant, themes for their branding, which includes their sign design. Although you do not have to use black and white for your own business, you should consider using complementary color schemes when designing your signs. By contrast, using jarring colors together, like blue and pink for instance, will distract and annoy customers that are just trying to read your signage. Use Larger and Simpler Lettering Many store owners believe that cursive or other fancy lettering will make their business seem posh or sophisticated. While it will, it will also make their sign design more confusing. Less and less customers are learning cursive in schools and will therefore run into difficulty when reading such signage. If a customer has to take a long time to read your sign, it is too complex. Instead, use a font style that is easier to read. Your customers will appreciate it. In addition, larger lettering is better, no matter the font. If your signage font is too small, your customers and interested visitors may not be able to read it, especially if they have eye problems or are looking at your signage from a distance. It is far more important to your business’s livelihood that it is known for its accessibility than its perceived poise. Leaving Blank Space Is OK Although you may want to use every bit of available space on your signage, your sign design will benefit if there are at least a few unused spaces on it. After all, not everything has to be filled in. This makes for a clearer, more understandable sign. It is therefore vital that you only include necessary information. While images can be beneficial, the only relevant image on your store signs should be a logo. When it comes to sign design, less is more. Not doing so may confuse your customers and visitors, and they may go to a competitor instead as a result. Your Sign Design Should Reflect Your Business Although there is no perfect formula for the perfect sign, your sign design should be indicative of your business. Customers should be able to take one glance at your sign and know exactly...
read moreBigger Is Better: A Main Advantage of Channel Letters
You may own or operate a small business in a strip mall, or on a busy street. Conventional store signage space may therefore be limited, and you may feel that you and your business are hindered by this fact. However, with channel letters, you no longer have to worry about limited space. You can now use the entire front of your store to mount channel letters. In addition, you are no longer limited to the space of conventional signage. Here are the top four physical benefits channel letters provide for your business’s storefront advertising and marketing. Channel Letters Are Lighter Although it depends on the custom channel letters you design, most letters are made of aluminum. The two main advantages of aluminum are that your channel letters will not rust and they will be light in weight. If you want to install large channel letters on your storefront to grab customers’ and visitors’ attention, large lettering may be the simplest means to do so. Since aluminum is a lightweight material, your channel letters will also be easier to install and uninstall. No Loss of Originality with Channel Letters Some storeowners are hesitant to order channel letters over a conventional sign because they fear they will be limited in their creativity when choosing a style or design. However, your originality when it comes to channel letters is only limited by your imagination. Not all letters are blocky or separated from each other. You can order cursive letters and even custom-made channel logos as well. In fact, using channel letters may even make you more creative, which has positive benefits on your customers’ impressions of your store. You will also be able to stand out against your competitors, the majority of whom will have conventional signage. A Positive Environmental Impact Earth Day is quickly approaching and, on April 22, it will be here. However, many of your customers may care about Earth Day year-round, not just on the one day dedicated to it per year. If you care about the environment as well, and do not want to order a wooden sign, which impacts Canada’s forests, you may be interested in purchasing channel letters instead. Made of aluminum, channel letters are not only better for the environment than wooden signs, meaning you are helping save trees from being cut down, but they can also be recycled and reused again. You can now benefit the environment even more by ordering aluminum channel letters today. Leave Your Customers Guessing Sometimes, too much information can be a bad thing. If you elaborately detail your business and available inventory on your storefront signage, your customers and visitors may become bored or weary while reading it all. If they are driving past, they cannot possibly read your signage nor will they want to. Channel letters can provide a customer or visitor with all the information he or she needs when determining whether to visit your store. One great example of channel letters being used effectively is at a Toronto video store called Videoflicks. Beyond its name, Videoflicks does not need to provide any information. People who pass by the store, even if driving quickly, can see the name in large channel letters. If they briefly look in the store windows, they will see row after row...
read moreRenovate Your Signage for Spring
Winter is almost over and you will most likely experience a sales increase as the winter sales slump ends. This slump may be due to increased foot traffic in your store or small business, or it may be due to the type of inventory you stock. Regardless, a literal change of face for your small business, by changing your signage, will appeal to your customer base and new visitors. With a simple signage upgrade or change, you will stand out from your competition by appearing fresh and exciting. Here are the top four benefits signage will have on your small business or store this spring. Involve Your Business in the Latest Trends Trends can change quickly and you may want to grab onto the latest one. If a certain hashtag, for instance, is trending strong and will be trending for a while, for instance in the case of politics, you might consider adding it to your signage. Customers who understand or who are part of the trend you choose to join will pay more attention to your business. You will also seem more “in-touch” with your customers than your competition, many of which may not have updated their signage. This works especially well if you are trying to attract a younger audience that follows a certain trend. Match Your Updated Profile Businesses change all the time. Whether you change your hours of operation, location, add a new location or franchise, or add new inventory, your sign should reflect that. For instance, if you include the location of a new franchise or location on your sign, customers that live nearer to that location will be appreciative and shop there instead. That way, you do not lose a customer and they can shop more at your business because they live nearer to one of your locations. If your signage is not updated when it needs to be, and customers and visitors learn of this, they may think you are not invested in your business or care about it. This is one way you could lose customers to your competition. Although the reality may be different, appearance matters in business. Embrace the Cultural Ethos to Reach Younger Customers Your signage style does not have to be traditional. Even if you run an antique selling business, you can always appeal to unconventional audiences and customer demographics. In this case, an unconventional audience would be teenagers and youth. Using non-traditional signage styles, like graffiti or murals, you can, as aforementioned, appear as more appealing to younger audiences. This strategy will help you stand out from your competition, most of whom will not have or capitalize on this idea. If you do, you will appear innovative and original, which appeals to customers. They are always looking for the next, best thing. Expand Beyond Your Signage The borders of your signage do not have to end where your storefront begins. You can extend beyond it. If you can blend your signage into the look and design of your storefront, you will be able to create an effective and individual style that improves your business’s local and online reputation. Expanding your signage with the wall also offers new opportunities to change up your style as well. If you love your signage, you can always change your storefront’s...
read morePictorial Signs Are Easy to Remember
Some of the most iconic signs are pictorial. Companies like Apple, Ford, and Microsoft can be identified solely by their logos. The McDonald’s symbol, the Golden Arches, is immediately recognizable the world over. There is a simple reason for this: Pictures and images help consumers remember your business. This advantage of pictorial signs is especially helpful if your industry is oversaturated and competition is fierce. When you use pictorial signs, customers that pass by your business, whether they are walking or driving, will immediately know the typical goods and services offered by your business. They will therefore be more likely to contact you if they are interested in doing business with you. Signs with text reduce this chance because not all potential customers have the ability to read everything in one moment, especially if they are driving past your store. Here are these top five benefits pictorial signs will have for your business. National and International Outreach Pictorial signs reduce the difficulty of expanding your business nationally and internationally. Language barriers matter less, if at all, if a potential customer can take one look at your store signage and accurately determine your business model. For instance, if you run a plumbing company, a pictorial sign that will aid in customer comprehension would be an anthropomorphic faucet. Even in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic cities like Toronto, where different languages are commonplace in different neighborhoods, you will be able to attract new customers from ethnic demographics that you may not have thought possible before, due to prior difficulties in conversing with your customers. Pictorial Signage Is Great for Franchises Depending on the franchise model, you may either independently own a branch of a business, or you may be working for your franchise headquarters. Regardless of the model you choose, especially if you own multiple franchises, pictorial signs ease the burden of designing signage for multiple locations. If customers can identify your business by its signage, they are more likely to visit other franchises, especially if your business reputation rests on the quality of goods or services you provide to your customers. Grab Customer's Attention Regardless of Your Store Location Not all business owners can rent ideal locations for their business. You may not be able to afford storefront space, especially if you operate a business in a strip mall or on a busy street. You therefore need some way to attract the attention of potential customers as they pass by. Pictorial signs can help you standout when you are vying for customers’ attentions, as each customer has to decide whether they should visit your store or those of your competitors. Hang a pictorial sign outside your business and customers will learn about your business and the value you bring them as they pass by. Reduce the Potential for Signage Changes or Mistakes It is far easier to design signs for your business that have little-to-no text on them. Pictorial signs are also easier to reproduce and, if certain facts about your business, like operating hours or location, change, there is no need to change your current signage or order a new one. If you are interested in a signage solution that reduces the potential for changes or mistakes, saving you money in the long run, consider purchasing some pictorial signs today. Show, Don't...
read moreWhat to Consider When Purchasing a Pylon Sign
A Pylon sign is a large investment every small business must consider thoroughly before purchasing, not only financially, but geometrically as well. However, while a pylon sign is great for visibility and can direct customers to your doors rather easily, there are a few things you must consider before purchasing one. First, you must find out whether it is legal for you to purchase and install a pylon sign outside your business. This is especially important if you do not own the land your business is on, but just rent it out. Second, consider the price of purchasing, designing, and installing a pylon sign. While pylon signs vary in price, you must ensure your advertising budget does not affect any other facet of your business, as this can lead to financial ruin and bankruptcy rather easily if you are not careful with your finances. Third, you need to think about the design of your pylon sign. It should be unique, yet normative, so your potential visitors and customers not only know what your business is about, but also show your superiority over your business competition as well. Legal Obligations to Consider If you work from home, you may not be able to erect a pylon sign in your neighborhood. Your neighborhood council may reject the installation of a pylon sign because they fear it might lower housing prices, or it may just be plain distracting to your neighbors. Since there are many reasons a pylon sign may draw the ire of your neighbors, see if you have permission to erect a pylon sign before you spend any money actually doing so. Even if your business is located in a commercial district, you may not have the legal permission from your local government to construct a pylon sign. Your city or town council may decide there is not enough available land to build on near your business, they may feel it ruins the “small town feel” of the commercial district, or you may not even own the land, if you are renting your commercial property instead of owning it. The Cost of Advertising A pylon sign costs quite a bit more than standard storefront or neon signage, and the price will be based on multiple factors, one of the most important being its size. It is simply more expensive to purchase a larger sign than a smaller one, due to the extra labour and materials needed to produce it. You either may not have the advertising budget to purchase a large pylon sign, or you may find you want to purchase a small pylon sign anyways because it is not the only marketing expense your small business must cover. Regardless of your reason, you should look at your advertising budget and ensure your business can cover the costs of a pylon sign so it does not hurt you financially. If your small business can weather the cost of a pylon sign and you want to purchase one, visit Vital Signs and set up a meeting. A Unique Yet Normative Design One of the final, but most important, steps when deciding whether to purchase a pylon sign is the design. Not only do you need to choose a unique design to stand out from your competition, but you also need to...
read moreDuring the Cold, Dark Winter Months, Use LED Storefront Signs
By now, winter has fallen and the winds are picking up in Markham and Newmarket. Due to the shorter days and longer periods of daytime darkness in Canada, you are now facing an increasing challenge as a small business owner of increasing your visibility to the general public. In addition, less amounts of shoppers are walking around and, if you have been operating your store for a while, you are probably used to the decrease in sales revenue for these cold, dark months. However, it does not have to be this way. There is a solution to the dark and dreary winter months that can increase your public visibility and lead to increased sales revenue simultaneously: LED storefront signs. Choose Different Colors for Maximal Attention When you choose to purchase an LED storefront sign, make sure you purchase a few different sets of colors, in order to pick the most visual set for each weather condition. Your business’s visibility will be hampered at times by weather conditions like rainfall, snowstorms, the night time, and possibly even fog. You may need to use different colored LEDs at different times during the day and night to increase your small business’s visibility and increase customer awareness of your store. Ensuring you have different-colored LEDs in stock to change your storefront signs’ appearances is also very important at improving customers’ awareness throughout the year, not just during the winter. Although some holidays coincide with snow and cold, like Christmas and St. Valentine’s Day, others do not. Whether you are announcing a holiday sale a few weeks in advance or simply celebrating each one as they come, changing the LEDs to reflect each holiday is a great marketing strategy. For instance, you can use pink LEDs for St. Valentine’s Day, green ones for Arbor Day, or red and white ones for Canada Day. Increased Visibility at Night and During Snowfall As the winds pick up and snow falls, you can expect these increasingly volatile weather conditions will obscure some or part of your storefront signs. However, unlike a regular wooden or metal sign, LED signs can ensure your small business’s visibility is increased, especially at night. If you find the days grow darker after 5PM but your store is open until 8PM, installing an LED storefront sign can increase customers’ visibility and increase the amount that enter your store during your later hours. To do so, contrast the dark blue and black night sky with yellow LEDs for maximum visibility. During snowstorms, switching out your yellow LEDs for red ones will ensure that your signage can continue to be seen by customers searching for your store. Gain an advantage over your competition and the elements by using an LED storefront sign Standout from Your Competition With LED storefront signs, no matter what type of small business you run, you will stand out from your competition. While your competitors will be reducing their hours of operation, or not updating their signs, your LED storefront signs will shine. By not being complacent and striving to attract customers’ attention, no matter the season, your small business will receive more visitors, which may translate to increased sales revenue. While winter sales are expected to decrease, you can control by how much your sales do, and you can control...
read moreFive Benefits of Sidewalk Signage
You probably see sidewalk signage every day when you walk around your local commercial district. It seems as though every coffee joint, bar, and pub has sidewalk signage nowadays. While some business owners use sidewalk signs to post messages to their community, others write down food and drink prices or funny messages for pedestrians to see while they are passing by. Even if your business expertise is not in the food and beverage industry, you too can benefit from sidewalk signage as well. Here are the top five benefits you will receive by purchasing sidewalk signage today. Increased Public Visibility The great thing about sidewalk signage is that it attains pedestrians’ attention when they pass by your store. Since sidewalk signs are approximately two-to-four feet high, they can be seen more easily by more demographics of society, like teenagers. Whether you publicize an in-store promotion on your sidewalk signs or post the prices of your more popular items, utilizing a sidewalk sign is a great way to publicly inform customers and in-store visitors of your small business’s value. Complete Control over Advertising As a small business operator, it is essential that you are able to control your public image as much as possible. If your sidewalk sign is vandalized, for instance, you can easily remove it from your storefront. It is easily replaceable. With a sidewalk sign, you have complete control over how your business and storefront appears to your local community. An Affordable Form of Advertising Other, larger types of store signs can cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. Only businesses that can get large bank loans or have enough equity to purchase large, hugely visible signs can do so. If you are just starting out, or your small business does not have a dedicated marketing and advertising budget, sidewalk signage is an affordable means to advertise to your local community. Due to their affordability, you can even purchase multiple sidewalk signs in case one breaks or needs replacing. A Great Way to Connect with Customers Small business owners usually use their signage to relay information to customers, but not to connect on an emotional level with them. However, with sidewalk signs, you can. Since the content of sidewalk signs are erasable, having a sidewalk sign is a great way to encourage your customers and visitors to become a part of your advertising campaign. Other forms of signage, by contrast, cannot be altered, and do not act as a conduit for customers and small business owners to connect on an emotional level. Customers that do, however, have better shopping experiences. Sometimes, the Best Advertising Is Visual Pedestrians and cars may move too fast outside your store to quickly read your storefront signage. Simply drawing your logo and slogan on your sidewalk signs may be more influential than writing anything at all. Visual learners can easily remember iconic art and will visit your store the next time they are in the neighborhood. This advertising tactic allows you to be more diverse in your marketing and advertising as well. You can draw a new image representative of your small business on your sidewalks signs at intervals of two or three days, providing variability in your business’s public image and reputation to your local community. Your customers and visitors will notice,...
read moreWhat to Consider When Purchasing Indoor Signs
Small business owners do not usually purchase indoor signs as much as they purchase outdoor signs, because most advertising is used to attract your customer into your store. However, purchasing indoor signs can be very beneficial for your business growth and sales revenue. The Top 5 Reasons to Purchase Indoor Signs for your Store Less Confusion About Store Layout The layout of a store can be very confusing for customers. The amount of shelves, to the shelves’ height, to the way your products are organized, can all lead to customers’ confusion when they want to find specific items. If, for instance, you own a sports store, while one manager may place motorcycle gloves in the “Automotive” section, while another worker may place them in “Clothing and Accessories.” Installing indoor signs showing and directing customers where the most popular inventory is can be very helpful in reducing the time customers are searching for their desired products. They will be more likely to return to your store in the future, knowing that your business helps customers find what they need with indoor signs. Draw Customers' Attention to Promotions and Deals You probably already advertise your in-store promotions and deals to the local community by placing text advertisements in the newspaper or sending out notifications on social media to your business’s online fans and followers. However, you should also advertise in-store as well. Not every customer will know about the deals and promotions you are running and it would be a shame if they were to miss them. In addition, even if customers have heard of your latest sales campaign, they may enjoy being reminded of it again, in case they forgot. Helping your customers have the best shopping experience possible results in great word of mouth advertising that can lead to boosts in sales revenue during the winter months. A Great Way to Advertise Business Alliances You may currently hold business alliances with other local small business owners in complimentary industries. For instance, if you own a steakhouse, you may have a business alliance with the owner of a nearby culinary supply store that sells steak knives. Placing indoor signs near the entrance of your store is a great way to strengthen this alliance. If your business ally also places a sign advertising your store, you both can gain a significant increase in sales revenue via this indirect marketing and advertising method. An Aid for ESL Customers Canada is a melting pot of diversity with hundreds of languages being spoken within our borders every day. However, if English is not a customer’s first language, he or she may have trouble when navigating your store, understanding the different labeling between similar products, or needing to ask for assistance. Installing indoor signs can be immeasurably helpful to them. If your business is known as “multi-lingual friendly,” you will start receiving more business from the international community, whether it is newly landed immigrants or tourists on vacation. Reduced Traffic at the Cash Registers Most businesses that can afford it have multiple cash registers set up to accommodate their many customers. A huge part of customer satisfaction lies in the speed of your cashiers. While you customers may not mind spending time navigating your store and thinking about which products or services they want to...
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