Southern California Sign Blog

Advertising Signs and Banners

What catches the eye of a passerby and transforms them from window shopper to customer? The simple answer is signs, signage, banners and advertisements. We've all had those whiplash moments where we saw something out of the corner of our eye that grabbed our attention.

There are bright signs shouting our name or flags gently waving "come hither" in the wind. We've become a nation of enticement and action, no longer excited by boring words stating what the big sale item is for the day, or how prices have been slashed and dashed. We want to be seduced. We want an eloquent statement that moves us. We've become an attention deficit society that needs to be smacked in the face by a brightly decorated windsock or have the familiar snap of a flag yelling in our ear in order to look up from our cell phones. 

While this may seem like a modern or recent harsh reality, the fact is, it is a thought process that has been engrained in our minds since childhood. Stores want attention, and people want stimulation. Signs, signage, banners and advertisements present a win-win situation for both, so let's give people what they want.

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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All About Decals and Placement of Decals…….

A well-placed, quality decal can greatly increase exposure for your brand. The opportunities for decal placement are everywhere, but some locations and sizes are better than others.

The most important factor in deciding on decal location and size is the surrounding environment. None of these graphics will be observed in a vacuum. Putting a beautifully designed decal in a place no one will notice it is much less effective than putting a dull decal in a highly noticeable area.

For example, placing a floor decal in the store transition zone is very ineffective. The transition zone is the store entry and a few feet into the space. Customers are adjusting to the change in stimuli and are not paying attention to details around them. It is not advised to put anything you want customers to pay attention to in the transition zone, including shopping baskets, store layout information and especially advertisements. Decals are more effective when placed on high-traffic aisle floors, store windows or walls and company vehicles.

The environment also dictates the content and size of the decal along with the placement. For example, a decal placed in a well-lit store aisle can have smaller text than a decal on a moving vehicle. Floor decals act as high-impact billboards in an under-utilized marketing space and can drive foot traffic, promote sales and highlight special products.

If a location has a blank wall, it is an excellent opportunity for a large decal. These large-scale designs are a great opening to grab attention with dramatic images.

A company vehicle is both a necessity and an advertising opportunity. An attractive vehicle decal gives your business exposure while the delivery van or work truck makes the rounds around town. Consider the varying environments the vehicle will be observed in. Be sure the lettering is high-contrast and put contact information in a large font size so the information can be absorbed quickly and in low light.

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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Do you know about signs? Here are some FACTS…….

You see them every day, but how often do you stop and think about the huge role signs play in our lives? Here’s some fun and interesting facts about the marketing and visual communications pieces that help us know how to save, where to shop and when to STOP.

• According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, black text on a yellow background has the highest visibility color combination.
• 30 to 40 percent of a sign’s face area should be left as white-space for optimal readability.
• Adding a border to a sign helps focus the reader’s attention so they can read it 26 percent faster.
• Presenting information in a second color can increase a sign reader’s retention by 78 percent.
• Neon is popular for business signs and naturally produces a red glow, but over 150 other colors can be created with the use of other substances. Most commonly, argon, phosphor, xenon, helium and mercury are used to create different colors in neon signs.
• An on-site sign viewed by 85 percent of the retail market at an average of 10 times a month costs only $0.02 per thousand exposures.
• A gold leaf sign will last 15 to 25 years.
• There IS such a thing as too many signs!

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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EVENT & MEETING SIGNS

The Sign Studio can help you host a great indoor event. Whether you are planning a citywide series of shows, organizing a large fundraiser or an entire convention, fashion, or trade show, or just manning your company booth – our indoor event signage is a great way to market your event, big or small. Our indoor meeting and event sign solutions make it a breeze to put together your function. Whether its room signs, informational displays, or directional signs, we can help you do it easily and affordably.  

Custom Banners

Event banners are high impact and don’t break the budget. Event signage can be used weeks ahead of the show, or on the actual event day to capture attention and interest. Use banners at indoor or outdoor events to promote your business or the sponsors involved. Banners can also be customized for trade show booths.

Venue Signage

Event venue signage is important to maximize the experience of event attendees. Event directory signs and portable meeting room signs assist in directing participants and guests throughout the venue on event day. Special event signs can display event or conference schedules that keep guests on time and you on budget.

Trade Show Signage

Trade show displays and trade show custom graphics deliver high impact. If you're attending a trade show, having a portable trade show display graphic, a trade show banner, a custom table banner, or a custom trade show booth is essential to draw attention to your company. There are many trade show display materials and most can be used for vinyl lettering or full-color images.

High-Quality Visual Presentations

Be a star at your next big meeting or conference with our high-end, high-impact presentation materials. Is your upcoming court case crying out for dramatic visual exhibits? You’ve got one chance to capture attention, establish credibility and engage your audience. Do it right by letting The Sign Studio help you produce your presentation materials. Our design professionals can help you create high-impact presentations, handout materials and anything else you need to perfect your presentation or training session.

Looking to maximize returns at your next event and make them more effective? Contact us today and we would be happy to discuss cost effective sign solutions for your next big indoor event, including: 

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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Effective Visual Communications for Important Events

As the weather chills up and the days get shorter, many businesses are gearing up for special events and Holidays. Visual communications play a large role in all special events, and especially golf tournaments, weddings and vacation destinations.

There can be more signage at an average wedding than a large business conference! If the church or reception area is tricky to find, wedding coordinators will often post well-designed signs to direct guests to the right spot. Most weddings have printed programs outlining the event and giving guests important information. Visual communications extend through the event, as guests pick up printed seating cards and peruse specialized menus. Many brides have made a souvenir to last a lifetime by having a large portrait of the couple custom printed with a wide border for guests to write their best wishes.

Businesses in vacation destinations and towns frequented by summer tourists can benefit from additional visual communications as well. Hotels hosting special events such as wine tastings or pool parties can promote attendance with tasteful signage in the lobby and elevators. Attendance at community events like art fairs, carnivals and 5K races can be improved with promotional signage around town.

Tourists, by definition, are unfamiliar with the area they are visiting. Restaurants and bars in areas with numerous summer tourists may benefit from posting additional signage. Large outdoor banners promoting hot dog specials, manicure deals or a free breakfast with hotel stay can help boost business.  

Let a visual communications professional help your company capitalize on wedding and vacation business this summer, and enjoy the profits along with the weather!

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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CUSTOM BANNERS FOR EVERY OCCASION!

Banners have all the impact of expensive outdoor advertising, with virtually none of the high costs. A banner’s durability ensures that your visual messaging will make a lasting impression, regardless of the usual wear and tear. Additionally, they provide added elaboration to any special indoor occasion, promotion, or corporate event. Our digital imaging technology lets you scale down almost any image to banner size, giving your banner additional, larger-than-life impact.  Our digital imaging can be applied to a variety of surfaces, including vinyl and canvas printing.

At The Sign Studio, we create all types of custom, digitally printed, fabric and cut vinyl banners for indoor and outdoor use. We also offer a wide range of banner stand and display options and can produce high-volume, high-impact, grand format backdrops that let you stand out in a crowd. Our banners are extremely versatile and very portable, making them the perfect solution for:

Other applications for custom banners include: Special Event Backdrop Banners, Media Backdrops, Retail POP Banners and Trade Show Displays. We can create a wide range of custom banners and flags using sewn-appliquéd, silk-screened, or vinyl-applied fabrication methods.

The Sign Studio banners add finesse and impact to any interior visual communication campaign and are available in a selection of colors, sizes and styles, including:   

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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Greening Your Business: How to Recycle Old Signs

Signs are a great visual communications tool for many things: announcing a new product, promoting a sale or providing directions during a construction project. But when these timely messages are no longer useful, what can you do with the sign?

There are many ways to make your business greener by reusing and recycling old signs and signage materials. Aluminum, cardboard and most plastics can simply be put in a mixed curbside recycling container. Requirements and guidelines for curbside recycling vary from city to city, so check the guidelines for your specific area. If curbside pickup isn’t available, you can search for the nearest recycling center at Earth911.com.

Cardboard signs can be put in most curbside recycling bins. If the recycling is separated between paper, plastic and metal, cut off any plastic zip ties or metal grommets from the cardboard. Cardboard signs can also be cut up and used for garden mulch or a weed barrier under a layer of dirt. 

Aluminum Signs are highly recyclable. They can simply be melted down at a recycling facility and reused. Recycling aluminum requires only five percent of the energy used to make new aluminum. It can be recycled infinitely with no loss in quality. In fact, 75 percent of all aluminum produced since 1888 is still in use today.

Most plastic signs can also be sent to a recycling facility or easily repurposed. A professionally printed sign looks best for a business establishment, but you can reuse these signs for less important personal use. Print out a Garage Sale announcement and tape it to an old plastic sign to quickly make a sturdy neighborhood announcement. They can also be easily painted with new messaging.

Vinyl banners are an excellent choice for sturdy outdoor use. However, they take time to break down in a landfill once they have served their purpose and are thrown away. Instead of throwing out a vinyl banner, consider some of the following creative uses:

• Banners make excellent tarps for lawn maintenance or covering building materials.
• Old banners could be donated to a school to use as a tarp for arts and crafts.
• With a little sewing work, old banners can be made into reusable and sturdy bags for lawn clippings or laundry.
• They can also be sewn into a weatherproof outdoor cushion or ground seat. Cut the banner into two large circles or squares, fill with layers of newspaper and sew shut.

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

INDOOR DIRECTIONAL & WAYFINDING SIGNS

Whether you need small office directory signs for the interior of a small building with a few offices, or a larger directory sign to accommodate many tenants, The Sign Studio has a directory sign solution to fit.

As experts in the creation of high quality interior directory signs and lobby directory signs, we work with property management specialists and business owners of all sizes, around the country, to offer a wide range of directory signage that combines elegant design with ease of use. Using a variety of digital signage techniques, we create the ideal indoor directional and way-finding solutions that fit your business location.

Interior directories and way-finding signs can be attached to the building, suspended, or be free-standing. Many materials and configurations are used, depending on how often the signs will be updated.  Desired aesthetics, visibility requirements and budget, among other factors, all play a part in creating the look that is right for your business.

We offer custom designed and branded way-finding signs and ADA wall frame sign systems for room identifications that are easy to change and update. We can create attractive directional door signs and wall signs designed to help your visitors find their way. The options are limitless!

Choose from a variety of directional and way-finding signage styles, including: 

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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Retail Industry: Move Merchandise with In-store Signage

Whether the seasons are changing or the next generation of a product has arrived, every retailer faces the same challenge of moving older stock to make room for newer products. Well-placed, professional signage can help liquidate the last of your stock and make room for the new best-sellers.

Paco Underhill is the CEO and founder of Envirosell, a global retail research and consulting firm.  He offers many helpful tips about in-store signage in his book Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping.

“Putting the right sign in the wrong place is worse than putting a so-so sign in the perfect place,” according to Underhill, “Putting a sign that requires twelve seconds to read in a place where customers spend four seconds is just slightly more effective than putting it in your garage.”

Underhill says every store is a collection of zones and retailers have to map them out before placing in-store signage in the optimal spots. For example, it is very ineffective to place any signage or merchandise immediately inside the store’s entrance. Shoppers are adjusting to the abrupt change in stimuli from the outdoor parking lot to the store interior. They will breeze past anything in this “readjustment zone.”

Bob Radcliffe, Jr., Director of Marketing for Display Dynamics, Inc. recommends creating a “Power” display at the front of the store that acts as both a speed bump and a billboard. It doesn’t necessarily have to contain merchandise, but should encourage consumers to get in the shopping mindset. Target Stores has had great success with this tactic, creating a “1 Spot” Dollar Store power display at the front of the store. It encourages customers to begin shopping the moment they enter the store and makes them think other deals are available further into the retail establishment.

Once ideal sign placement has been determined, Underhill recommends the following for sign content:

• Get the audience’s attention. If you don’t get their attention first, nothing that follows will register.
• Present your message in a clear, logical fashion (beginning, middle, end).
• Deliver the information the way people absorb it- a bit at a time, in the proper sequence.
• If you tell them too much too soon, they’ll get confused and give up, ignoring the message all together.

According to research from the In-Store Marketing Institute product imagery on signs is highly effective:

Excellent content can be further bolstered by having signage professionally printed in contrasting colors. Radcliffe also says signs can multiply the power of a price reduction by a factor of six. Utilize the above tips to provide high-impact, point-of-purchase messaging that drives sales and liquidates older inventory.

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

Greening Your Business: How to Recycle Old Signs

Signs are a great visual communications tool for many things: announcing a new product, promoting a sale or providing directions during a construction project. But when these timely messages are no longer useful, what can you do with the sign?

There are many ways to make your business greener by reusing and recycling old signs and signage materials. Aluminum, cardboard and most plastics can simply be put in a mixed curbside recycling container. Requirements and guidelines for curbside recycling vary from city to city, so check the guidelines for your specific area. If curbside pickup isn’t available, you can search for the nearest recycling center at Earth911.com.

Cardboard signs can be put in most curbside recycling bins. If the recycling is separated between paper, plastic and metal, cut off any plastic zip ties or metal grommets from the cardboard. Cardboard signs can also be cut up and used for garden mulch or a weed barrier under a layer of dirt. 

Aluminum Signs are highly recyclable. They can simply be melted down at a recycling facility and reused. Recycling aluminum requires only five percent of the energy used to make new aluminum. It can be recycled infinitely with no loss in quality. In fact, 75 percent of all aluminum produced since 1888 is still in use today.

 Most plastic signs can also be sent to a recycling facility or easily repurposed. A professionally printed sign looks best for a business establishment, but you can reuse these signs for less important personal use. Print out a Garage Sale announcement and tape it to an old plastic sign to quickly make a sturdy neighborhood announcement. They can also be easily painted with new messaging.

Vinyl banners are an excellent choice for sturdy outdoor use. However, they take time to break down in a landfill once they have served their purpose and are thrown away. Instead of throwing out a vinyl banner, consider some of the following creative uses:

• Banners make excellent tarps for lawn maintenance or covering building materials.
• Old banners could be donated to a school to use as a tarp for arts and crafts.
• With a little sewing work, old banners can be made into reusable and sturdy bags for lawn clippings or laundry.
• They can also be sewn into a weatherproof outdoor cushion or ground seat. Cut the banner into two large circles or squares, fill with layers of newspaper and sew shut.

If you have any questions or need further information, please give us a call at (818) 843-9200 or visit our website at www.signstudiola.com – You can also reach us by e-mail at info@signstudiola.com. 

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