Southern California Sign Blog

Los Angeles Sign Company | Using Business Signs Effectively

Posted by Julie Ramirez on Mon, Jun 2, 2014 @ 06:06 AM

Los Angeles Sign Company | Using Business Signs Effectively 

One of the main goals you have with your business is to increase its visibility and reach out to everyone. A great way to help you accomplish this goal is through the use of business signs. Of course, many people make the mistake of choosing flash over substance. The main thing to remember about your business sign is that it needs to rely upon all the elements working together. This includes the colors, graphics, text, message, and even the size of the sign itself.

Increases Visibility:

One of the most important purposes of your business sign communication is to increase the visibility of your business. In other words, your sign is a way for you to get noticed. It helps to think of this more as business communication or sign communication rather than simply 'a sign.'

This also means that you need to make your signage seem obvious. Place it in such a position that customers and potential customers cannot help but see it. Use the proper size and height. Think about how the various colors and images will contrast and work together with each other. Even the actual colors chosen and their brightness or font sizes might make a difference in how visible and noticeable your sign ends up becoming. For more information, Download our Visability Guide.  

Provide Information:

After reading your business sign, the prospective customer should come away with knowledge they didn't have before. This means making it informative, which leads to a higher level of effectiveness. An easy start to this is including all of your business contact information: name, logo, phone number, website, email, and even physical address.

You can also include additional information to enhance the effectiveness of your business sign communication. Make an announcement of a special sale, discount, or offer. Maybe you could even display store policies for refunds, exchanges, or include specific product descriptions.

Using Outdoor Signs Effectively:

An outdoor business sign should be able to help guide people to your location. Even those who might not really be in the market should end up with a clear idea of who you are and what you do. Making the sign legible (the proper size and location) and colorful are some of the keys to an effective outdoor sign.

Proper Use of Indoor Signs:

Once someone is inside your business, your indoor signs should continue offering help and guidance. There should be signs to help identify the various store departments and specific areas can help customers find exactly what they are looking for quickly and easily. These types of signs can also be used to give information about specials and promotions as well as guiding customers to new and popular products and services.

Indoor signs can also include menu boards, digital signs, service lists, and anything else that is a display inside your business. These offer helpful solutions and guidance during the actual time of purchase and can even increase profits by suggesting impulse and additional items at checkout. Of course, you should ensure that your point of purchase displays are organized, visually appealing, and provides information in an organized fashion.

Other Types of Signs:

Signs really come in many different forms. Consider the vehicle wrap or a promotional product to be another type of business signage. They have an amazing ability to get your business noticed and help increase your sales and profits. The same is true of trade show displays, which can help promote you all over the country. To find more about how The Sign Studio can help your business increase its visibility, reach sales and profits, contact us today at (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at Info@SignStudioLA.com. 

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Topics: Business Signs, Visual Signs, Sign Communication, effective advertising signs

LA County Sign Co | Say it With a Sign: The History of Signage

Posted by Julie Ramirez on Wed, Apr 23, 2014 @ 11:04 AM

Say it With a Sign: The History of Signage

The need to advertise a product or service has been around for thousands of years. So long, we can trace the use of signs communicating a good or service back to the cavemen. Basically, advertising through the use of signage has been around as long as the early humans, who first discovered how to communicate things through writing. This early form of advertising is much different than thousands and thousands of years ago, but the principle is the same. The cavemen needed to advertise something for sale (or trade) just as much as business owners need to advertise their services. What’s the common thread? Let’s take a step back in history and explore the use of advertising with signage.

Symbols and Signs

The earliest documented us of signs can be traced all the way back to the Paleolithic Age, around 18,000 BC. This age is characterized as a prehistoric period of human history. Early humans used primitive tools as well as primitive artwork to create and communicate. It’s difficult to know exactly what early humans were trying to communicate from these crude remains of crave paintings, but we do know they were a major form of communication. From illustrations of wildlife, rituals, and portraits, we know they were instrumental in communication between tribes. It only makes sense to believe drawings of animals, food, or goods were used as an advertisement of trade. The cavemen may have drawn symbols on the outside and inside of their caves advertising skills and goods they were willing to trade with other’s in their tribes. Advertising services was born!

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If we move forward in time, we can find solid examples of advertising in the form of a town “crier”. These criers would stand at the gates to a city or in the city square to verbally advertise the goods their master had for sale that day. Though this form of advertising didn’t include signage, this is one of the earliest forms we can find of effective advertising tactics. Later, when merchants began to have a fixed place in town, like a marketplace or trade center, concrete forms of advertising began to pop up. Carvings in brick and stone advertising goods for sale can be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. From 3000 BC onward, signs became commonplace, as trade centers of surrounding areas were established. Trade became a booming part of the ancient world, and the marketplaces of many major towns held wealth and power in the ancient world. These symbols evolved into signs to lead the consumer to the appropriate vendor’s stall, increasing trade and competition in advertising. 

Artistic Trade

The Dark Ages saw a stall in signs and trade advertising. Since much of the focus in this time was survival, many people did not utilize the ancient trade routes as frequently. When the Roman Empire fell, a major source of trade fell as well. The interconnectedness of the Roman Empire allowed merchants to travel great distances to trade their goods in open-air marketplaces. A period of recovery followed, and trade was born anew. During the Dark Ages, trade was replaced with philanthropy, charity, and support of local community  - less importance was put on travel for trading. The fall of the Roman rule forced trade and many other things to become extremely localized. Due to the decline in large trade centers and basic communication, there are not a lot of written records from the Dark Ages – especially about the state of advertising.

After the Dark Ages, people began to gain more wealth and stability. With a return to large cities and kingdoms, trade and advertising came back with a new look. Trading goods was now about outshining your competitors with more artistic and elaborate signs. Merchants would use bright paint, ornamental iron, and elaborate carvings in an effort to impress and draw in more consumers. In fact, in the 1700’s the first regulations were put on signs in an effort to protect the public from low-hanging, overly ornate signs. Further into history, the 1800’s saw a true boom in advertising and signage. With the birth of printed signs, newspapers, and fliers, advertising became as far-reaching as the modernized forms of trade and selling. 

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From what we know, using signs to advertise goods or services has been around as long as we have. From the cavemen to our more modern Victorian counterparts, the need to show people what you had to offer hasn’t gone away. Signs may have evolved from mere cave paintings to vinyl banners and illuminated signs, but the purpose remains the same. If you have a business, you need a great way to advertise; and using a sign is a great place to start! 

If you have any questions or need any further information, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.

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Topics: Business Signs, #Sign & Banner Company in Los Angeles, #Advertising & Marketing in Los Angeles, History of Signage

Los Angeles Sign Company | Sign Systems for Businesses & Schools

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Fri, Apr 19, 2013 @ 06:04 AM

Business and School Signage of all kinds!

 

Over many years, The Sign Studio has provided signage systems for many public, private and parochial schools, as well as conference centers and corporate training facilities.

Campus (or multi-campus) signage for all levels of facilities - elementary, middle, high school; community, junior, and four-year colleges - must facilitate the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, both inside buildings and on the grounds. Buildings and rooms must be identified, often by their generic (functional) name as well as their proper name.

With our vast experience in this type environment, The Sign Studio can assist in the design, wayfinding, and implementation of campus-wide systems. Solutions must recognize the need for durability, flexibility, consistency, and economy of scale, while also sending an underlying message of institutional identity compatible with the organization's values.

Drawing from a wide selection of signage materials and manufacturing methods, The Sign Studio can help plan and design solutions to meet practically any budget.

If you have any questions or need help with your Business or School Signage, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.

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Business and School Signage

Topics: Business Signs, School signs, Pasadena & Glendale Sign Company

Burbank Sign Company | Exterior Business, Church and School Signs....

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Tue, Dec 25, 2012 @ 04:12 AM

Business, Church and School Signage of all kinds!

Over many years, The Sign Studio has provided signage systems for many public, private and parochial schools, as well as conference centers and corporate training facilities.

Campus (or multi-campus) signage for all levels of facilities - elementary, middle, high school; community, junior, and four-year colleges - must facilitate the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, both inside buildings and on the grounds. Buildings and rooms must be identified, often by their generic (functional) name as well as their proper name.

With our vast experience in this type environment, The Sign Studio can assist in the design, wayfinding, and implementation of campus-wide systems. Solutions must recognize the need for durability, flexibility, consistency, and economy of scale, while also sending an underlying message of institutional identity compatible with the organization's values.

Drawing from a wide selection of signage materials and manufacturing methods, The Sign Studio can help plan and design solutions to meet practically any budget.

If you have any questions or need help with your Business or School Signage, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.

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Business and School Signage

Topics: Business Signs, Burbank Sign Company, School and Church Signs

Dimensional Letters Are All You Need For Your Business Signage

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Tue, May 15, 2012 @ 06:05 AM

Dimensional Letters Are All You Need For Your Business Signage

Make Your Business Stand Out with Metal and Dimensional Letters!

Are you looking for a way to really make your business stand out? Do you want people to remember you when they're gone? Then look no further than The Sign Studio! We are a full service sign company using the latest techniques to bring you the highest quality signs for the best price. If you really want your business to stand out to potential customers, you can't go wrong with our Dimensional Letters. Perfect for indoor or outdoor usage, Dimensional Letters will give your business logo a 3D look that will just pop out. Use your sign to reach out to future clientele!

Our letters are created to last, making our signs a great long term investment for your business! We use materials like acrylic, wood, and metal to ensure your sign will stand the test of time and be able to face any element nature throws at it. No more worrying about wear and tear after only a few years! Choose a sign with Dimensional Letters from The Sign Studio that will be as strong as your business!

We welcome you to check out our website at http://www.thesignstudioonline.com/ to browse through our many cost effective selections. And remember, A Business With No Sign, is a Sign of No Business!

If you have any questions or need assistance with anything, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.

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Gemini Letters

Topics: Business Signs, Dimensional Sign Letters, Sign Company

Signs Los Angeles | Looking for Signs?

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 @ 06:09 AM

Stand Out in a Crowd with Services from The Sign Studio

Want your business or event to turn heads? At The Sign Studio, we offer everything you need to stand out in a crowd. Whether you need indoor or outdoor, illuminated or non-illuminated signs, our years of experience combined with the detailed attention we give to your needs will provide you with products that exceed your expectations. Not sure what it is you want or unable to put your imagination to paper? The Sign Studio also staffs expert designers to help you create logos. No project is too large or complex for The Sign Studio.

We've helped a wide array of business, both local and national, sell their goods and services. We provide site signs, vehicle and window graphics, architectural and directional signs, and much more. We even create sandblasted signs, and dimensional letters. Of course, small projects are welcomed as well. Need banners for your corporate events or family gatherings? The Sign Studio can help you target your audience, whomever they may be. But our services don't end there. We are a full-service sign repair and installation company. We can envision it, create it, install it, and fix it. The Sign Studio is dedicated to quality over quantity. Our staff is proud to serve the greater Los Angeles area. To request a quote, see our many examples, and learn more about how you can put yourself on the map, check out our website or contact The Sign Studio today!

If you have any questions or need assistance with anything, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.

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Topics: Indoor and Outdoor Signs, Business Signs, Need Sign

Los Angeles Signs | A Business with No Sign is a Sign of No Business!

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Tue, Aug 23, 2011 @ 06:08 AM

A Business with No Sign is a Sign of No Business!

You know that hopeless, frustrated feeling when you're driving down the road looking for a business, and you simply can't find it? A GPS will say what side of the street you're on, but if you don't have a quality sign in front of your business, you won't be noticed by potential customers.
A Business With No Sign, is a Sign of No Business!

So come to http://www.thesignstudioonline.com/! Where we offer quality! No one wants to walk into any office or storefront with a cheap business sign out front. Your sign is your customer's first glance at YOUR quality. If you have a cheap sign hanging outside your front door, your customers are going to expect cheap work, or cheap product. It is as simple as that! 

No matter what kind of business sign you need. Whether an exterior sign, or interior sign, we are a full service sign company and offer any kind of business sign that you need. We do Vehicle graphics, Banners, window graphics, site signs, monument Signs, architectural and directional signs, sandblasted signs, 3D lettering, illuminated signs, and professional graphic design.Our team of talented designers and fabricators are facilitated by state-of-the-art, computer-aided systems and sign making techniques. You will receive professional, eye-catching signs that will attract customers, and show them the impressive quality of your business before they even walk in the front door! And don't forget... A Business With No Sign, is a Sign of No Business!If you have any questions or need assistance with anything, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.
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Dimensional Letters @ The Sign Studio, Burbank, CA

Topics: Business Signs, Custom Signs, Signs, Cheap Signs

Los Angeles Signs | Business, Institution and School Signs of all KINDS!

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Tue, Apr 12, 2011 @ 06:04 AM

Business and School Signage of all kinds! 

Over many years, The Sign Studio has provided signage systems for many public, private and parochial schools, as well as conference centers and corporate training facilities. 

Campus (or multi-campus) signage for all levels of facilities - elementary, middle, high school; community, junior, and four-year colleges - must facilitate the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, both inside buildings and on the grounds. Buildings and rooms must be identified, often by their generic (functional) name as well as their proper name.

With our vast experience in this type environment, The Sign Studio can assist in the design, wayfinding, and implementation of campus-wide systems. Solutions must recognize the need for durability, flexibility, consistency, and economy of scale, while also sending an underlying message of institutional identity compatible with the organization's values.

Drawing from a wide selection of signage materials and manufacturing methods, The Sign Studio can help plan and design solutions to meet practically any budget.

If you have any questions or need help with your Business or School Signage, please give us a call at The Sign Studio (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at info@signstudiola.com.

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Business and School Signage

 

Topics: Business Signs, Institution Signs, School signs

Los Angeles Signs | Checklist for Ordering Outdoor Signage

Posted by Julie and Chris Ramirez on Tue, Feb 22, 2011 @ 07:02 AM

Checklist for Ordering Outdoor Signage

Before you select a sign for your business there are several things you need to consider. A competent sign company can help you with the answers to some of these questions if you are unsure how to obtain them.

1) Who are your customers?
Potential customers for your business are people who reside in your trade area. Most of your customers come from the immediate area within a half mile to a mile of your business location. Trade areas come in assorted shapes and sizes depending upon the business.

2) How do you get information on potential customers?
Plot a dot map of your customers as soon as you begin business. This is easily done by plotting the addresses of people who stop in your store (and particularly of those who purchase) as a dot on a street map of your city. Within a few months time you will have a fairly clear idea of the trade area from which you are drawing your customers. You will then be able to decide what type of sign would best meet the needs of the people in that trade area. For example, if your customers can only reach you by automobile or you are located on a very busy street, the type of sign that you use will be very different than if you have a shopping center location and people must walk to your store from parking lots.

Obtain your street profile from a city traffic engineer. Since your sign communicates to people who pass your business establishment, you can direct your message to potential customers if you know what type of traffic passes your door. Your city traffic engineer can provide information which will tell you: where people begin and end their trips, how people travel, when people travel by time of day, why people travel, and where they park when they reach a destination. Even small cities and towns have traffic volume maps available to tell you how many people pass by your business every day.

Know how many new people move to your area each year. This is a potential market for your business. This type of information can be obtained from any board of realtors, chamber of commerce or police department.

3) How are you going to communicate with the customers?
In order to communicate effectively, a sign must be noticeable and readable.

A sign must be noticeable. After a while a sign becomes part of the landscape. It loses some of its ability to attract attention. By periodically changing some small design element or by using changeable copy, a sign can continue to attract interest. Time and temperature devices or rotating and moving parts can be used to maintain interest in a commercial message. Time and temperature devices or rotating and moving parts can be used to maintain interest in a commercial message. Time and temperature units also provide a needed public service.

A sign must be readable. A sign needs to be large enough to read. You need to know how far a person if from your store when he first sees your sign and the real speed of traffic on your street. With this information, a competent sign company can use a formula to calculate the necessary size for your design and build you an effective sign.

4) What are you trying to say?
Decide on a message that is clear and simple.
Focus on key words. Choose one or two words which describe your business. Clever or strange names may only attract certain customers.

Be Brief. The cleaner and clearer the message, the more impact it has. Listing or names or unclear symbols confuse rather than communicate.

5) What image are you trying to portray?
Design of your sign is very important. Your sign tells people a lot about your business. Stark simple design and materials may suggest discount prices and no frills. Elegant and expensive sign materials may suggest luxury goods and services. Two basic design considerations are important when ordering a sign.

Physical elements of sign design. These include considerations such as size, placement, materials and structure. The size of the sign is an important consideration for your business. The biggest sign that you can afford may not necessarily be the best one for your needs. A sign which is either too big or too small will not communicate your message effectively. The number of signs is also important. Too many signs compete with one another and reduce the effectiveness of your message by presenting an image of confusion to potential customers.

The materials used for your sign determine its appearance and performance. For example, differences in cost, appearance, color, durability, flexibility and reaction to extreme weather conditions can be found in the many types of plastics available. The structure of a sign also contributes to its effectiveness. Pole covers and cantilevered construction help portray an attractive message.

Graphic elements of sign design. Graphic elements of design include layout of the message, colors, lettering, shape symbolism, harmony, and daytime versus nighttime lighting conditions.

Legibility is a test of good design. If your sign is well designed, it will be easy to read. Legibility means that the letters or characters on the sign are distinct from one another. Some color combinations of background and letters give excellent legibility while others are very poor. To test your sign's legibility, drive past your business and see if you can read it from a distance. Look at it both day and night. Some signs are difficult to read because of illumination problems such as glare from street lights, signs on nearby business establishments, or shadows caused by buildings. A well-designed sign blends with the environment, has a message impact and overcomes viewing problems.

6. How much should your sign cost?
You should consider several factors when determining the cost of your on-premise sign.

A sign is an investment. Your sign is one of the most permanent parts of your business and is exposed to weather and constant use. The average life of signs varies from five to eleven years, depending on type of materials used, construction and other factors. Find out how many years of service to expect from your sign. It pays to purchase good materials if you intend to use the sign over a period of years.

Maintenance costs. No business can afford to have its sign fall into disrepair. A dilapidated sign tells the public that you are not concerned with your business image or their visual environment. Some types of signs are virtually maintenance free while other require more attention. Find out how to replace burnt out bulbs or tubes in your sign.

Energy consumption. New technological developments now enable some types of signs to achieve energy savings without sacrificing effects. Inquire about new energy saving bulbs and internal materials.

Owning or leasing. This may be more economical for a new business, especially if there is any chance that logos or names may change in the first few years of operation. Statistics show that if a small business fails, it will happen somewhere between the first and second year of operation. Leasing a sign during this period of time might help save some of the initial capital needed for operating expenses.

Custom or standardized. Some large companies offer standardized types of signs which are cheaper than signs which are custom designed and constructed. Many of these standardized units can utilize ingenious design techniques to bring forth creativity and individuality. Often the standardized units can be arranged in different configurations depending on your needs. Some standardized sign units use the highest quality materials and are designed to be relatively maintenance free. Mass production enables these units to be sold much cheaper than if designed and produced from scratch.

7) Signs communicate in a shared environment.
A sign's ability to send its message beyond its locations requires that you be sensitive to the effects of your message on others. Since you share your space with others, consider their rights and sensibilities too. They are potential customers.

Consider city or town planning goals and regulation when ordering a sign. Some types of signs are not permitted. Determine what the regulations are in your community before you discuss design with a sign designer. Most sign companies are well aware of the regulation in any given community and can guide you in selecting a sign which is not in violation of the law.

For further information or if you have any questions, please contact The Sign Studio at (818) 843-9200 or send us an e-mail at thesignstudio@sbcglobal.net

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Topics: Business Signs, Commercial Signs, Outdoor Signs