class="tag"Posts Tagged ‘business’
4 Comments Signs Of Fall With Custom Signs
Notice The Signs Of Fall All Around You
While the leaves begin to change colour, that is not the only sign of the autumn season arriving. We have a few other tell-tale signs that the summer season is coming to an end. Take a look at how custom signs can hint at fall’s arrival.
Toronto International Film Festival Time
September brings a lot of buzz to Toronto, otherwise known as Hollywood North. The Toronto International Film Festival brings some of the biggest names in the film industry to the year festival. Last year we crafted a custom sign for Ivan Reitman’s Montecito Restaurant and this year the establishment is still a TIFF hotspot.
Fall Farm Markets Are Celebrating The Harvest
As the fall season starts, the harvesting time for many local farmers begins. This means many local farm markets will be celebrating Ontario Food Week with local Harvest Festivals. Read about the most recent Farm Market signs that we created for St. Jacobs.
Trade Shows Starting
Soon arenas and conference centres will be filled with the fall trade shows and seasonal consumer events. Make sure your booth stands out from your competitors by using custom signage.
Time To Close Up The Cottage
As the air begins to chill it means it is time to close the family cottage for the season. There are lots of steps to closing up a cottage, but when it comes to your custom cottage sign we suggest applying some spray turtle wax to protect your sign from the winter weather.
Get A Jump On The Christmas Shopping Season
While you still have time on your side, now is a great time to get your personalized sign orders in. They make great gifts and with many customized options you are sure to find a style that fits perfectly.
Looking for a fall refresh for your business? Be sure to visit our CONTACT US page. Our expert signmakers can assist you with your upcoming custom signage needs and get your prepared for the season.
How To Order A Custom Sign With INFOGRAPHIC
What Your Need To Know When Ordering A Custom Sign
There are a lot of steps involved when it comes to creating a custom sign for your business. We decided to break down some of the importanct factors required for making a custom sign for your company. These items will give you a basic idea of how timelines, materials, designs and budget factors into the custom sign making process.
The Path To Successful Signage
Now that we have set you on path towards a successful sign package, be sure to set a course for full brand awareness. Remember your sign is a 24 hour advertisement for your business. The items in the infographic were listed to give you some inspiration, but remember to get input from an expert sign maker to ensure your idea will fit your budget and the signage needs of your company.
Custom Sign Letters For Velocity
Creating A New Custom Sign For Velocity
While many of you are familiar with the custom sign we created for Velocity Garage in 2012, they decided to rebrand their technology incubator to encompass all of their facilities. Their original sign was created with individual cutout high density urethane letters (otherwise know as HDU or sign foam),
so it HDU was the logical choice when it came to choosing material for this new batch of custom signs.
The custom sign letters were cut on our CNC router table but this time they were finished in black to give them a sleek and sophisticated look. The letters were prepped for pin mounting and different wording was used for each location.
Velocity Four Ways
Even though University of Waterloo’s Velocity had a different focus for each area, it was important to show that Velocity Garage, Velocity Residence, Velocity Science and Velocity Foundry are all connected and they used signage to establish this connection. You can see the similarities in the posts below. Each image shows the signs as focal points but lets the text speak for the space.
It's packed in the Velocity Science Open Lab! Don't worry, everyone will get a chance to see/hear about the new lab. pic.twitter.com/uqHpythejb
— Velocity (@UWvelocity) May 27, 2014Custom Signs Are Great Ways To Grab Attention
Velocity understands the importance of standing out in the startup community. Grabbing the attention of entrepreneurial leaders is always an important factor when it comes to creating a new business. Finding what makes you unique from others in your industry can get you well on your way to success. We specialize in attention grabbing custom signs. We want ensure your business stands out. Our custom signs create impact without looking intrusive or out of place. When you are opening a new establishment or rebranding an existing business always look for ways to grab attention in a pleasing manor.
Velocity managed to grab our attention by including The Sign Depot installers at the end of this video. They have certainly made an impact!
Del Dente To Dels Dimensional Signs
Adding Dimension To The Dels Enoteca Pizzeria
If you have visited Kitchener Waterloo Ontario there is a very good chance you have noticed the Charcoal Restaurant dimensional signs on the exterior of their building.
The Charcoal Group, known for their foreward thinking in the food industry, made the decision to rebrand their Del Dente Restaurant to Dels Enoteca Pizzeria. As described on their website the new logo was born out of the idea that our cuisine is an art form. The shape behind the word dels is a graphic representation of a hand-made pizza dough as well as a spot of sauce that might have splashed onto the chef’s coat when they took the first taste-test. Or, it is the splash of paint from an artist’s paintbrush. The customized font to represent ‘dels’ reminds us of spaghetti or linguine noodles and it exudes a fun and approachable feeling. The logo and identity will embrace that feeling that will flow into all touch points that the guest might see or touch. To bring the brand identity to the forefront during the establishment’s renovations, our expert sign-makers created dimensional signs to reflect the restaurant refresh.
Rebrand, Remove, Renew, Refresh and Repurpose During Restaurant Renovations
There were several steps involved in the Dels Enoteca Pizzeria Signage Package. Once the rebranding renovations began, time was of the essence to change over the Del Dente dimensional sign to #TheNewDels signs.
Removal of the iconic sign
Installation of temporary signage
Construction of new dimensional signs
Refurbishing of previous sign pieces 
Installation of the new signage package 
If you check out the video below you will see that several artistic signs were fabricated for Dels as well as some of their other signs were repurposed for the project.
Although they are no longer in their original spots they have been installed in new locations around the building. If you happen to see any of these dimensional signs while you are at the restaurant, be sure to tweet us a pic!
Business Sign Grants And Funds
Investing In Local Businesses
Many businesses are looking for economical ways to raise awareness of their company in hopes to increase profits. Mashable suggests that brick and motar businesses should act like startups when it comes to funding. That is one of the many approaches that businesses should look at when it comes to their finances. Another way is to look into grants and funds that the local area has to offer. Many City Halls and Business Improvement Associations offer Facade Grant Programs to revitalize areas in their communities.
Facade Grants And Funds
Many Facade Upgrade programs see business signage as a big part of improving storefronts and streetscapes. They will want to know that you are working with a professional sign maker before the approval process can begin.
Steps To Sign Up For A Business Sign Upgrade
There are several steps in acquiring approval for a Facade Grant. These are some starting points to find out how much your business qualifies for when it comes to funds and grants.
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Talk to an expert sign maker about what type of sign you will want to have placed on your storefront
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Let them know if they should request the sign permit or if you will be taking the task on yourself
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Contact the administrator of the grant/fund program to find out about any stipulations and/or timelines you need to meet
Although this may seem like a big task to undertake, a grant can take your business from this
to this
You can read more about this Business Sign Project on our post about giving Downtown Kitchener A Facelift
Below are list of 10 areas in Ontario that are offering Facade Upgrade Grants. If you think your company qualifies for a new business sign, be sure to Contact Us and we can help start the process!
Custom Wood Signs – The Fruit Of Our Labour
Happy Pi Day
March 14th is known as Pi Day. Pi is a measurement tool, for our purposes, it’s the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, approximately 3.14. Pi Day celebrations often include the baking of actual pies. We thought it would be best to celebrate this year’s Pi Day with our E.D. Smith custom wood sign, being they are well known for their pie fillings!
Crafting Custom Wood Signs For Big Businesses
Many big businesses choose custom cedar sandblasted signs for a variety reasons. The ability to customize the sign to fit their company image is just one of those reasons. Customization in terms of size, shape, colour, graphics, text, font and finishing techniques are what makes a wood sign unique and allows businesses to stand out from others in their industry. Crafting a sign from western red cedar is what the sign experts here at The Sign Depot excel at. They have been carving wood signs for two decades. You know with that kind of longevity making custom woods signs is a labour of love and signs like this E.D. Smith sign shows off the fruit of their labour literally.
Thinking Of A Custom Wood Sign For Your Company?
Are you thinking your company needs a custom sandblasted cedar sign? Athough it may not be as scientific as calculating Pi, but here is the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY when it comes to wood signs.
WHO – Who will be seeing this sign? Think in terms of vehicle traffic and people walking by.
WHAT – What do you envision for this business sign? Do you have a logo ready or do you need a sign expert to design it for you?
WHEN – When is a good time for the project to begin? Do you have a completion date in mind?
WHERE – Where will the sign be situated? Does that align with local sign permit regulations?
WHY – Why do you want to choose a wood sign? We have LOTS of answers for that! Just contact one of our sign experts and they can help you choose the sign that works best for you.
Business Branding With Signs – Why 2014 Will Be All About Brand Trust
Focus On Branding
In earlier posts we have discussed business branding and why focusing on branding better is so important to your business. Finding ways to make a visual impact with a custom sign to match your branding, adds to your company brand recognition, as well as brand trust.
You’ve Built Your Brand – Now What?
Remember your branding needs to be a representation of what your company stands for and how your clients feel about your business. Use the quick checklist below to see which terminolgy best represents your brand.
You can read more about this on our blog post about showing your best attributes.
Now that you have a grasp of how to best represent your brand, you need to ensure your company reflects that image. You want your business to stand out among your competition by ensuring you are the best of the best. When you always strive to be at the top of your industry, you are building trust with your clients. Brand trust helps increase the word of mouth advertising about your company. Here are four focus points that can get others talking about your brand.
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Quality – Everyone wants a well made product
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Service – Taking the extra step to exceed expectations
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Sourcing – They may come to you for additional projects that were not part of their orginal inquiry
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B2B Relationships – Happy clients are sure to refer your company to others
While these may not be the top points for all companies and services, they are ones the expert sign makers at The Sign Depot focus on. Well made custom signs that exceed our clients expectations. Full branding from exterior signs, interior wayfinding, vehicle decals and window graphics make it easy for our clients to refer us to their colleagues.
How Will You Improve Your Branding In 2014? We want to hear about the steps you plan to take in the new year. Leave us comment, send us tweet or update us on facebook with your branding ideas for 2014
3 Dimensional Signs Are A Smashing Pixels Success
Adding Dimension To Your Custom Business Signs
With winter just around the corner, now is a good time to look at your interior signs. They are one of the first things that your clients see upon entering your establishment, so be sure to leave them with a memorable image of what your company represents. The best way to stand out is to have a 3 dimensional sign custom crafted for your office interior.
Making A Branding Move
One of the best times to work on your business branding is when your company is moving locations. This was the case for Smashing Pixels. Smashing Pixels, a digital marketing and website design agency located in Brantford Ontario, was in the midst of moving their office when we first heard from Kevin Magee. Kevin was looking for custom dimensional sign with the Smashing Pixels logo that fit with the brand both he and Trevor Cherewka created in the Brantford business community. Trevor is no stranger to The Sign Depot either, take a look below when he first visited our workshop for our inaugural designers’ demo day (you can see Trevor’s comments at the 40 second mark in the video below)
With both Kevin and Trevor looking to give their office a professional look, the Smashing Pixels 3 dimensional office sign took shape.
Below are a few images of Smashing Pixels sign being crafted here in our Sign Depot workshop.
The Smashing Pixels sign was a mix of sign substrates. It began with a sandblasted cedar backer
Followed by custom cut acrylic letters mounted to the cedar backer. The combination of wood and acrylic adds dimension and interest to the sign.
The sign was then installed at their new location at Dunsdon St. in Brantford.
Business Signs And Branding
Just like the Smashing Pixels team can help with your online digital branding, we want to assist you in all aspects of your offline branding through our custom signs. If you require any additional info about 3 dimensional signs be sure to send us a tweet, message us on facebook or send an email through our Contact Us page.
Signs That Discovery Channel Took A Page Out Of The Red Bull Branding Playbook
Signs Of Branding Better
Several months ago in our post Better Branding – Red Bull Wins we discussed how the Red Bull Stratos sponsored Felix Baumgartner’s Live Jump. In that post we talked about how Red Bull took the opportunity to get the logo in front of the cameras that were broadcasting both online and on television. Further down in that post we spoke about the differences between the Live Jump and Nik Wallenda’s High Wire Walk across Niagara Falls.
Nik vs Felix
Just a few months ago Nik Wallenda crossed Niagara Falls on a high wire. It is believed that millions tuned in to watch the event live and has since been watched by a billion. Imagine if a company had their brand name attached to that event. How many eyes would have witnessed it? How many companies are realizing now that it was a missed opportunity for brand recognition?
Bring On The Branding
With Nik Wallenda’s Skywire Grand Canyon Walk, The Discovery Channel “harnessed” the power of branding by sponsoring the man who walked across the Grand Canyon without a “harness”.
For this event Nik Wallenda’s shirt clearly displayed The Discovery Channel logo and a few other company logos. Another clear logo was Mitsubishi Motors and their 2013 Outlander was also featured in the pre-recorded Discovery Channel spots of Nik Wallenda’s days of trainging leading up to the walk.
Signs Of Great Business Branding
Finding ways to bring your company’s branding to the forefront is of upmost importance when it comes to running a successful business. Although you may not be able to dole out the dollars to sponsor a world wide event, you can always contact local events and charities to see how your company can partner with them. Having your company logo on signs and banners can help establish you in your community and surrounding area. Brand recognition will help you make a mark in the marketplace.
If you require any additional info when it comes to custom business signs and logos be sure to contact a professional to see how you can take your branding across the board with Store Front Signs, Vehicle Graphics and Walkway A-Frames.
Build Your Business With Julia Rosien
This month The Sign Depot is featuring a few of our Sign Depot Demo Day attendees that are in the Business Marketing Industry. When we wanted to improve the SEO of The Sign Depot’s website we went straight to Julia Rosien. Her ability to clarify and create focus for our online pressence has made an impact on our site as well as our custom sign business. We chatted with Julia Rosien of SocialNorth to get her take on marketing in the modern age.Get To Know Julia Rosien
Julia can you tell us the nature of your business, SocialNorth and how you got started?
SocialNorth is my pearl. It was that grain of sand that grew out of working for a company fast-tracking to bankruptcy. I was reporting to a president who allowed his employees to shoulder the burden of his mismanagement and the stress was unreal. As the communications director and the online spokesperson for the company, the negativity spurred a need to leave for my own survival.
Thankfully, I’m married to this guy who believes in me and together we dreamed up SocialNorth. He is an integral part of the organization and deserves kudos for his faith and patience in putting up with me.
SocialNorth specializes in social media (strategy and community management), SEO, copy writing and content strategies.
Knowing your background in journalism, what do you think are some of the differences between traditional media marketing and social media marketing?
As a journalist, I was trained to remove myself from the story – to present it from a non-emotional, balanced perspective. Social media puts your heart into the middle of your reporting – it’s expected that you’ll share your opinions and personal experiences. One thing hasn’t changed though – the need for strong communication skills. I’m always amazed when I see bloggers and community managers make silly typos or spelling mistakes. Quality is still far more important than quantity.
What knowledge do you hope your clients learn from you?
When I’m working with a client, I hope I pass on as many of my skills as possible – and the confidence to get out there and do it. I want them to be 100% successful after I’m finished with their strategy, training and coaching. They hire me to contribute to their success and I’d be disappointed if they didn’t soak up as much from me as possible during our time together.
What online marketing trends should we be watching for?
Mobile and video. If you’re not looking at how people are using both of these, you’re already late to the game.
How do you stand out from others in your field?
While SocialNorth is still a small company, we’re big with ideas and our team never fails to deliver in unexpected and amazing ways. I’ve always made working with younger people part of my strategy. People just beginning their careers are still full of big, beautiful ideas. Their fearless energy is contagious and it pushes me to think beyond what my training and career has taught me. When my clients come to me, they know they’re going to get a lot of great ideas coupled with a maturity that comes from being through more than my fair share of corporate crisis’.
I would also like to think that my clients come to me because they know I’m as ridiculously attentive to detail as I am to creativity. Failure is simply not an option.
Want to learn more about Julia Rosien and Social North? Make sure to RSVP for our Sign Depot Demo Day on June 20th to network with Julia and many other fantastic business industry professionals. There you will see the behind the scenes of The Sign Depot just like Julia did.
