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You see signs wherever you go. As discussed in previous blogs, signs are mainly used for business purposes because they are effective and relatively inexpensive. They do the job for you as they advertise your business around the clock. Not only can you increase your visibility with business signage, but you can also grow your business measurably by attracting prospects who will take notice of your existence due to your signage.

The following includes a list of sign types to consider for your business:

–          Outdoor building signs

–          Interior signage for your lobby

–          Construction signs

–          Wall murals

–          Real estate signage

–          Building directories

–          Retail signs

–          Free standing monument signs

–          Custom building signs

–          Custom banners

And do not forget about the mobile signage that could be displayed on vehicles through lettering and graphics. This is also known as vehicle wraps which will allow you to take your business anywhere you go thus expanding on your reach and target market.

Regardless of which way you decide to go, make sure that your brand is very well represented and your sign is visible. Also, do not forget to check with your city for a permit process. The last thing you want is to invest in a sign that will not be displayed.

Refurbishing outdoors or indoors existing signage is a great way to save money without the need to go through the process of creating a whole new sign.  Refurbishing signs can even be used for your own existing signage that needs some freshening up or if you relocate and need to re-use an existing sign.

Refurbishing signs is much cheaper than purchasing a whole new one and depending on your city you might be able to avoid going through a whole new permitting process which is usually required for new signage units. Unless you are changing the basics of your sign, there should be no need for you to go through a new city permit process but make sure to confirm with your own city. Also, refurbished signs often can be completed on a shorter timeline than brand new ones.

You may also want to consider continuous maintenance and repair services for your sign as a way to make sure that your investment is being leveraged to its full potential. Any and all signs will experience wear and tear at some point. Keep in mind though that at some point, your sign might need a facelift and this is where you can look into signage refurbishing services.

As soon as your sign starts looking worn and tired, consider putting in a call to freshen up its look through either a new paint job, new letters or even a new logo.

Your walls provide a great space to be creative and give life to your environment.  While some of us lean more towards simply painting the walls with plain colors, others take an extra step and add some designs and more color to make their homes and offices more appealing and welcoming through the installation of wall murals and wall papers. Your walls could be noticed by everyone. Consider giving them a unique touch and a more personal look.

                              

As you work on planning the design and installation of your wall murals or wall papers, take the following questions into consideration:

• Would it be a good fit to add more decorative items such as shelves and frames?
• What colors should I choose?
• Am I looking for a dark or bright space?
• Is nature something I would like to see every day on my wall? Or do I prefer more of an abstract design?
• How much of a design is too much for me to handle?
• Should I plan on doing it myself? If so, do I have the knowledge and time?
• Should I plan on hiring a local company to help me meet my designs needs?
• Can I see my design on a small scale first before committing?

As you grow your business, you want to ensure that it is standing out from the rest. Your commitment should go towards focusing on a range of professional marketing initiatives that allow you to concentrate not only on spreading the word but also building your business with the large picture in mind:

• Website – Having a website is crucial because it increases the chances of people finding you online.  Most customers will go online first and do their due diligence on the company before making a purchase decision. If you do not have a website, you will miss out on all of the potential business.

 

• Collateral Material– Although not all businesses will require the need of collateral material, keep in mind that having printed material is a significant component of how your business could be perceived by your prospects and clients.

 

• Business Signage – Be it internal or external, a creative and attractive sign can assist your business to stand out among the clutter in the marketplace and stand apart from the competition as you position yourself top of mind with customers.

 

• Wall Murals – Wall murals add a design element to your space but they also give an impressive impact through a totally creative and gorgeous feel with intricate and fun details leaving a memorable impression on your customers, partners and employees.

 

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – One of the important elements of SEO is making your website easy to be found by both users and search engine robots.  SEO helps search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing to figure out what each page is about and how it translates into search results from a user’s perspective.

 

Slogans constitute a cornerstone of your branding strategy helping you establish a long-lasting and memorable impression on your target market. Your slogan needs to be:

• Simple
• Effective
• Easy to remember
• Unique

The following list includes some of the most popular ad slogans:

• “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!” (Alka Seltzer)
• “You’re in good hands with Allstate.” (Allstate Insurance)
• “Don’t leave home without it.” (American Express)
• “We try harder.” (Avis Rent A Car)
• “A little dab’ll do ya.” (Brylcreem)
• “The ultimate driving machine.” (BMW)
• “Have it your way.” (Burger King)
• “I’d walk a mile for a Camel.” (Camel)
• “Just do it!” (Nike)
• “M’m! M’m! Good!” (Campbell’s Soup)
• “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.” (Charmin Toilet Tissue)
• “It’s the real thing.” (Coca Cola)
• “A diamond is forever.” (De Beers Consolidated)
• “You’ll love the way we fly.” (Delta Airlines)
• “Put a tiger in your tank.” (Esso)
• “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” (Federal Express)
• “Capitalist tool.” (Forbes)
• “When you care enough to send the very best.” (Hallmark)
• “Beanz meanz Heinz.” (Heinz Baked Beans)
• “I think, therefore IBM.” (IBM)
• “It is. Are you?” (The Independent)
• “Grace…space…pace.” (Jaguar)
• “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” (Kellogg’s Rice Frispies)
• “Finger lickin’ good.” (KFC)
• “Have a break. Have a Kit-Kat” (Kit-Kat)
• “Betcha can’t eat just one.” (Lay’s)
• “I’m lovin’ it.” (McDonald’s)
• “Where do you want to go today?” (Microsoft)

Do you  have a favorite slogan that you care to share? We would love to hear from you.

Branding is one of the most important elements that could contribute to the success or failure of your business. Branding goes beyond just your logo to include your colors, fonts, designs, imagery, collateral material, online presence, business signage, wall murals, vehicle wraps, trade show booths, and more… Your branding is how your customers perceive you as it promotes recognition, enhances your key points of differentiation, provides motivation and direction to your staff, generates referrals and sets expectations.

As you build on your recognition, you also create awareness among consumers, vendors and partners. Your brand becomes a leader in the industry as it symbolizes your unique selling proposition and signifies an emotional connection with your customers. With a job well done, brands can help you rapidly establish a strong reputation and high level of credibility in the marketplace.

Your brand, signage, logo, colors, wall murals and collateral material represent you and a promise to your customers. You are the brand. Your brand is you. Your staff is the brand; same with your customer service, marketing material… Think about every element. What does it say about you? How does it relate what you are going to deliver to your customers?

Consistency is key to achieve successful outcomes. You need to think high degrees of consistency when it comes to your visual, verbal and auditory identity in order to deliver a consistent customer experience while helping you to stand out among the clutter.