"Why should I have a sign?" is a question often asked by business owners. The answer will vary depending on your business type and format. In a highly impulse oriented business, good signage can be the difference between the success or failure of the business. The profile of your trade area also impacts your signage needs. Good signage can increase a business's opportunity for success.
Signs are the most affordable means of advertising for many businesses, and most businesses -new or not -- don't have a dollar to waste. The United States Small Business Administration Bulletin Number 101 on signage for businesses says, "...signs are the most effective, yet least expensive form of advertising for the small business." What's more, signs are always on the job for you, advertising 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Building mounted on-premise signs may be attached to the roof, parapet, marquee, or building fascia. These signs may be either parallel or perpendicular to the building surface. Freestanding on-premise signs are generally supported by a structure attached to or cast in a foundation. . The structure and attachments to the foundation may be concealed with a decorative covering. Freestanding signs can be further enhanced by landscaping. On-premise signs can be either internally or externally illuminated. For retail businesses, on-premise signs should be illuminated to accomplish communication with potential customers during nighttime hours. Sometimes a building itself functions as a sign. This occurs most often with franchise and chain retail operations, where standardized (or "signature") buildings and colors, as well as traditional on-premise signage, announce the presence of the business. Buildings also may be fitted or retrofitted with "trade dress" to design a theme. Retrofitting of a building-façade is often described as a "face lift." Both building and freestanding signs should be designed to echo the theme or trade dress. Changeable copy boards or electronic message centers enhance a sign's effectiveness by providing space to advertise time dependent messages. Such sign or sign additions can be electronically controlled (the electronic message center), or changed manually (the changeable copy sign). Interior on-premise signs are those that advertise the location of businesses located in a common building such as a mall, office building, entertainment complex etc. They have two major purposes: (1) to influence buyer choices and encourage certain "point of purchase" transactions; and (2) to provide guidance in a safe and efficient manner, as required by local regulatory authorities (such as the Fire Marshall) and federal law, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Types of Signage:
Vehicle / Anything Wraps A "wrap" is a graphic or message that has been printed on a conformable, stretchy type of vinyl and then applied to, or wrapped around, some surface or object.There are many potential applications for wraps, but the primary uses are for vehicles and walls. These types of wraps provide a marketing advantage by placing your message in atypical locations for an extremely low cost in comparison to other forms of advertising.
