Blog
No Comments Who You Know and What You Know Can Create A Business Sign of Delicious Proportions
Referrals and Recommendations
Earlier this year we had to opportunity to work on a project for Stephanie Page. It wasn’t business related, but when she needed a hand we were happy to lend one. We were pleasantly surprised when we received follow up emails letting us know that she recommended our work to her employer PINTY’S DELICIOUS FOODS. Pinty’s was in the midst of a business re-brand and needed someone to step in and take their designed logo one step further and create large exterior sign for the business.
Today we are proud to present Pinty’s newly installed building sign on the exterior of their building.
The Pinty’s outdoor business sign was designed to be very visible during the day and included a lit up feature for the building after the sun goes down. We are grateful for this opportunity to create a long standing business relationship with Pinty’s and thankful that Stephanie brought The Sign Depot to their attention.
We welcome your referrals as well. A great referral for us would be someone who is
- Starting out in a new business
- Rebranding a current business
- Moving locations
- Updating a building’s interior or exterior
- Has an existing logo that needs to be constructed
- Needs a logo to represent themselves or a business
They say it’s not what you know, but it’s who you know. Here at The Sign Depot we say it’s a bit of both! Want to get to know us better? We can connect with you and your business in several ways. Just send an email to sales@sign-depot.on.ca we can create a custom quote to meet your budget and exceed your expectations. We ship across Canada too! See why we we are Canada’s Award Winning Sign Company and lets chat about how we can help you with your upcoming sign needs.
It Was A Tall Order – Outdoor Electrical Community Centre Sign
Designing a Community Centre Electrical Sign
When were contacted to create a sign for the Township of Puslinch’s Community Park, we knew visibility would be a key component for this sign project. The outdoor sign was to be located on Brock Rd near Wellington Rd 34 in an area that is surrounded by trees, fields and four lanes of traffic. This meant that the electrical roadside sign would need to be visible from many directions. In order to achieve this, The Puslinch Community Park sign was constructed to encompass a 4’x7′ digital display. The digital display would provide info about the local community and in turn would catch the attention of those driving by. In addition the outdoor electrical sign would need to highlight the logos of local community organizations and information about the centre itself. In order to include all of these requirements a 20 FOOT TALL electrical sign was constructed and installed outside of the Township Of Puslinch’s Community Centre. It included a digital reader-board along with acrylic sign faces and vinyl graphics displaying the community organizations. Now that’s an attention grabber!
Size Matters
Choosing how big your outdoor sign needs to be can be a challenge. You want your sign to be eye-catching and display all the required info. Wondering how to tall your exterior signs need to be? Use this quick sign letter reference guide below.
|
If your viewing distance is 100 ft then your min. height requirement is 4″ *250 ft = 10″ *360 ft (city block) = 16″ *500 ft = 22″ *750 ft = 33″ *1000 ft = 43″ *1320 ft (1/4 mile) = 57″ |
You can also email The Sign Depot pictures of the front of your establishment and we can send you a mock up of how your sign will look on the exterior of your building. We design with your budget in mind. Big or small we have signage for all!
CRFA We Are Heading Your Way – Business Signs for the Restaurant Industry
Canadian Restaurant And Food Services Association Show
March 4-6, 2012
We’re ready to get in the SPRING OF THINGS by Springing Forward to the CRFA Show happening at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto Ontario.
This will be a top notch event for those in the Restaurant And Food Services industry. This exhibitor show is open to trade professionals only and the registration cost is $35 but FREE ADMISSION is granted to CRFA members.
You can find some of the Highlights of this year’s show through the online guide
Here’s a look at what you can expect from the CRFA Show
Additional Highlights Include
- Hockey great Bob Pulford to appear at 2012 CRFA Show
- Sportscaster Ron MacLean to join restaurant industry leaders at CRFA Show’s Breakfast with Champions
- Wine and glassware with Georg Riedel at the 2012 CRFA Show
- As well as several seminars and demonstrations throughout the show
- UPDATE The Stanley Cup will be at the CRFA Show on MONDAY
We hope that if you plan on attending the show you’ll come and find us at booth 130 , beside the Cooking Stage on the left end of the floor plan
Stop in to say hello and see what innovative ways we can help bring attention to your business. Custom designed restaurant signs can can display just how unique your establishment is and can help brand your business. We would be happy to chat more with you about our past restaurant sign projects and give examples of how they have increased traffic for our clients. The Sign Depot is able to design signs for entire restaurant. Exterior signs, wayfinding signs and menu signs are just a few things to think about when it comes to the restaurant industry. Need signs for your food service business? We have great example of exterior building signage on the Pinty’s Delicious Foods post.
International Sign Association Competition and Sign Depot’s Artistic Signs
Sign Depot Entries
In previous years we have entered and been rewarded in sign competitions, hence the name of our facebook page. We are very proud of our Award Winning Artistic Signs! This year we have several entries in the International Sign Association Competition. This competition is not a judged panel, but instead it is being turned over to the website viewer.
Because Sign Depot offers many types of signs solutions, we are able to fit into many categories for ISA Competition
Here are the signs we entered
Building Signage – Gusto 101 as well as Jacob’s Grill (although you can only vote for 1 sign per category, we liked them both so much, we had to enter them both)
Electronic Message Centre – STS Mortgage Pros
Free Standing Electric – Blackshop Restaurant and Sole Restaurant (again we couldn’t decide between these two wonderful landmark signs)
Free Standing Non Electric– Molson Canadian Brewhouse
So if you think we STAND OUT from the competition, have your say by casting your vote here
http://www.signs.org/EducationEvents/SignDesignCompetition/VoteforyourFavoriteSign.aspx
Valentine’s Sign
Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us The Sign Depot. To learn more Valentines Signs please take a look here
Comments Off on Solutions for Business Signs and Signage Systems Solutions for Business Signs and Signage Systems
Solving the Signage Dilemma
Often we have business owners walk in knowing they want a sign, but don’t what would be best to represent their business. We’re hear to help solve the problem. Being a FULL SERVICE sign shop means we can incorporate your brand message across the board.
Become a Show Off
Just because you have a logo on your business card, doesn’t mean that’s the only place it belongs.
Great places to put your logo are
-
All sides of your building that have walk & driveby traffic
-
On your front entrance
-
On all business vehicles
-
Inside of office buildings on directories and for wayfinding
Make sure you know what information you hope the passer-by will remember. A memorable logo is a great way to start, but you should decide what take aways should go along with it. Business name is the obvious answer, but what else? Do you want them to see what you have to offer from your website? Does your messaging direct them there?
Less is more
You want your sign to serve a purpose, but not be over the top. Too much information cluttering up up the face of the sign will make it difficult to convey the message in the short time that people will see it.
Freshen Up
Make sure your signage is a representation of the type of service clients will expect from you. If your sign is broken, chipped, weathered or burnt out, you will want to have it repaired right away. Otherwise your disregard for upkeep could be mistaken for lack of professionalism. A food critic once told me that clean restaurant windows are something they take note of first. If an food establishment has trouble keeping what customers can see clean, then imagine what the behind the scenes kitchen looks like. Show your customers that you care about the details.
Stand Out but Don’t Stick Out
Make sure you take a look at your surroundings. Think of ways your sign can be unique enough to stand out, without looking intrusive or out of place. Style over shock value is how you want to be remembered. You should want your signs to please the eye, not be known as an eye sore.
When you take all these factors into consideration, you can start to see your signage take shape. Now you just have to decide the shape of your sign!
Signs, Sticks and Superbowl. Why Brands Need To Build Community Spirit
Setting The Stage With Your Signage
By now you have saw the majority of ads that will be played during Superbowl XLVI, but this one is the real Standout.
http://youtu.be/y0qZYqdsYAgNotice The Signs
At no point in this commercial are there any beer bottles being opened or draught beer being poured. The only representation of the brand during this commercial is through the signage. It starts with the little signs on the announcers’ microphones, but then the 1:11 mark of the vid is when the impact of the banners hit. After that the brand image is shown on the arena boards. The brand message shows up at the end, displayed on the screen.
Creating Impact Through Community Involvment
Finding a way to impact a community is a great way to bring your brand to the masses . They become your audience and you just might convert some of those community members into clients for your business. Whether the community you hope to reach is online, watching on a television or in a hockey arena you need find creative ways to grab their attention and get them to recognize your brand and what it can do for them. Choosing new marketing ideas like social media, can be challenging, but creating a community of ambassadors for your brand keeps your business top of mind for many. Many don’t realize marketing is different than sales. Marketing is about bringing your business to market. Where do you fit in with your competition? The best marketers know that a community makes your brand. It’s how they feel about your business. That is what can give you the edge over your competitors and in turn can bring you more clients. Find a community to market to and do it in a way that makes them feel appreciated. Choose your method of communication. This brand chose signage. We commend them for that.
Not once through the commercial is the brand name spoken of. They let the signs speak for themselves.
CNC Router Table Cutting For Dimension
Designing Dimesion
Have you ever looked at the logo on your business card and wondered what it would look like if it wasn’t flat?
By using a CNC router process we can give your logo/lettering the dimension it deserves. Take a peek at our CNC router table in action
This demo is just the base of the object. After the HDU (High Density Urethane) otherwise know as outdoor use foam, has been cut and stacked it will then it will primed and painted to give it that extra punch to make it stand out! Using a router table to CNC cut the HDU creates a custom carved sign that makes a impact. Dimensional signs that are created by CNC routering spark curiosity and often an grab the attention of prospective customers. These 3D signs are a great way to get your business noticed and they often serve as a memorable landmark that literally stands out from your competitors. You want your business to be easily recognized and CNC routered signs give you the opportunity create logo into a unique advertising opportunity. The next time you are in a busy downtown area, take note of what grabbing your attention. Is it because it is different from everything else around it? Is it dimensional? Would you like something like that for your business? If the answer is yes to any or all of these questions, then perhaps you are ready to make the leap to a custom carved sign. If you foresee a CNC sign in your future, make sure to contact The Sign Depot and we can walk you through our dimensional sign making process and find what fits for your business. You will be sure to carve out a niche with a High Density Urethane carved sign from our CNC router table.
De – VINYL Intervention Using Vinyl Graphics and Decals
The Change-Up
Sometimes the simplest items can be transformed with just a few additions. A great example of this is a stainless steel bar fridge becoming a collector’s item by adding a few artistic extras to the front of it.
This hum-drum, run of the mill appliance came in looking like this
and with the addition of some digitally printed vinyl graphics, will be leaving as the showpiece for upcoming Super Bowl giveaway at a local establishment. The artistic sign decals transformed the bar fridge into a promotional product, branded to advertise the business doing the giveaway.
Changing the outside of the refrigerator door, did not change how the appliance works, but gave it a unique look and changed it into a “collectible”
All it takes is a little inspiration to change everyday items into “must have” and “one of kind” items. The use of vinyl decals and digitally printed vinyl graphics can transform the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Simple Steps To Using Vinyls
- Know what type of surface you’re applying your vinyl to
- Make sure to measure (& then measure again)
- Take time to consider the colour scheme surrounding the object
- Ensure your vinyls are applied by a professional
Somethings Are Better Left To The Imagination
Not every surface should be left untouched. The Jennifer Brouwer Design Blog featured chalkboard paint as a design element. Chalkboard paint can be messy if not applied to a properly sanded surface. Why not try it vinyl form? Chalkboard vinyl is the newest addition to our vinyl lineup. Now it has me pinning what projects would look great in our new Chalkboard Vinyl. Check out our Pinterest Board USES FOR CHALKBOARD VINYL .
So whether you need window graphics, vehicle branding or just looking to spruce things up, think about how you can implement some vinyl into your next project and stage your own De – vinyl intervention.
Does Your Branding Travel With You? Try Artistic Signs In The Form Of Vinyl Vehicle Graphics
On The Road Again
If you run a business there is a good chance you are also running to meetings, and by running I mean driving. How much time does your vehicle spend on the road each day? How many different streets to do you travel on? How many people do you pass by?
Those are all questions to consider when thinking of extending your branding to your vehicle. When you stop and think about it, your vehicle is more than your mode of transportation, it’s an extension of your business. Choosing the graphics for your motor vehicle is just as important as selecting a the right size of car/truck/van to meet your needs.
What Do You Want To Be Remembered By?
Here are 5 things that you should think about when deciding on your vehicle graphics
-
Will it stand out on a moving vehicle?
-
Is it designed to look appealing when parked?
-
Does it have quick contact info? (IE website, social networks, and/or phone number)
-
Is the logo memorable?
-
Are the graphics a good reflection of what you specialize in?
Other things to consider are colours, durability and placement. There are also options of auto-body or car window graphics. Small details such as using reflective lettering can make a difference in your vehicle’s visibility to the public.
Where would Lightning McQueen be without his Rust-eze logo?
How else would you know to hide out from the Stride Gum Advertising Team?
and what makes this car look so familiar?
http://youtu.be/w1b4jnHJo4QMake sure to consider how your vinyl vehicle graphics will be displayed. If you are using the vehicle for promotional purposes it is important that you choose eye-catching brand design. Artistic signs in the form of vehicle graphics are a great way to grab attention and display what your business specialty is.
Whether you find yourself on the Lost Highway, Route 66 or The Freeway Of Love make sure that you are getting the most out of your transportation investment by making your mobile branding memorable.
