Getting The Right Business Signs Can Make All The Difference

Business Signs You Will Need

We often have new business owners come to us unsure of what kind of business signs they need.  There are several options, but we know that there are many costs involved in starting a new business venture so we want to ensure you get a great signage starter package that fits your brand.

According to Entrepreneur’s post on Creating Memorable Business Signs

“Great signs are always the most interesting piece of scenery in their vicinity. This is why they’re noticed even when people aren’t looking for them”

Below are the Top 3 Signs you will need to start your business.

• Custom Exterior Signs

Whether you need retail sign to advertise your restaurant or clothing store or an outdoor sign to let you people know you are doctor / lawyer / professional in the area, custom exterior signs are key to informing potential clients about your business.

These signs are a 24 hour advertisement for your business and should serve as memorable landmark. It should be made from outdoor quality materials that can weather the elements and the sign(s) should look attractive to your target market.

• Reception Signs

Once someone comes through your door, you know they have an interest in your business.  This is where a fantastic reception sign can make a difference.  Your entrance-way is a welcoming area where everyone should feel comfortable upon arrival.

The reception sign should be the focal point of the office / showroom / waiting room to reinforce brand recognition.  It should work with all the other marketing materials there. IE it should have the same logo as the pamphlets, brochures and business cards that sit in that area.

• Wayfinding Signs

If someone has to ask which floor your office is on or where to find the exit, then you know you need to improve your wayfinding signs.  They keep your clients informed without making them ask the awkward questions like “Where is the washroom?” or “Do you have an elevator?” Wayfinding and interior directory signs are often subtle signs that blend with the decor

and provide clear information.

The Next Steps For Your Business Signs

The above 3 types of signs are a great place to begin when it comes to starting a business.  To further establish your business we also suggest, vehicle graphics, window decals, A-frame signs and signs for your trade shows.  As you can see getting the right business signs can make all the difference when it comes to beginning a new business.

To get quotes on any of the signs listed on this post visit our CONTACT US page.  We look forward to hearing from you and want to #StepUpYourSignage.

       

Custom Signs That Leave A Lasting Impression

Who Said It First?

No one really knows who coined the phrase

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression!”

While, this rings true when it comes to storefront signage and reception signs, but our stance here at The Sign Depot is a little different.

Because you never get a second chance to make a first impression, make sure your signage leaves a lasting one.

We want your business to look impressive from the moment that a potential customer sees it, but we want your company signage to leave a lasting impression as well. Choosing to brand your business with custom signs is the best way to ensure your company is memorable.  This is of great importance when it comes to current clients recommending your business to others.  They want to refer their friends and colleagues to well established professionals.  If your signs don’t convey that sentiment there is less of a chance that your will get that word of mouth recommendation.

What Do Your Custom Signs Say About Your Business?

Springtime is always a good time to take a look at your building’s curb appeal.  Take some time to pass by your business.  See how it looks to those traveling past in a vehicle or just walking by.  Will they be impressed by what they see? What is your signage saying about your business? If it’s not conveying the message that you are the expert in your industry, it would be a good idea to change it. You may just change the impression of your business in your community.

Have The Last Word

Choosing to create a custom sign that elevates your brand is the best way to make a statement both visually and in your field of business.  It acts as a 24 hour advertisement for your company, so be sure to consult the expertise of a professional sign company.  They will make recommendations that fit your business and your budget. Your custom sign might start a conversation with a potential customer or help influence a decision maker looking for a new supplier. Here at The Sign Depot we want to ensure your company is always top of mind and leaves a lasting impression.

 

The Importance Of Custom Signs – Global Entrepreneurship Week

Global Entrepreneurship Week Information

Mid November means the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week.  This is a week for entrepreneurs world wide to celebrate their accomplishments and tackle new goals. It is also a time for governments to look how to assist businesses from a political point of view.  Here at Sign Depot we recognize Global Entrepreneurship Week as a time for companies to look towards the new year and see how their custom signs can be refreshed to increase brand awareness and push sales.

How Custom Signs Assist Entrepreneurs

Whether you are a startup, an expanding business, a family run business or a business to business company, the right kind of custom signs can elevate your company in the marketplace.  Below are a few examples of businesses that use custom signs as part of their marketing strategy.

Supporting Startups With Custom Signs

Thamlic Labs is a great example of a company that began as a startup in the Communitech Tannery building an has gone from tech startup to an Internet of Things business.

Another way we custom signs have been used is by startup incubators such as Velocity.  They have changed their branding as their involvement with startups changes.

Custom Signs For An Ever Expanding Business

If you are a fan of Dragon’s Den then you will recognize Balzac’s Coffee Roasters as one of their ongoing success stories.  As they continue to open locations their custom signs reflect the surrounding area of each location.

Finding A Way For Family Run Business To Stand Out From The Surroundings

Robin’s Goldsmithing is a locally run family business that is known well in the community.  To make their customers aware of a location change they used a mix of temporary and permanent custom signs to ensure they kept their current clientele and attract new customers to their establishment.

Help Build Your Business To Business Company With Custom Signs

Some businesses are not retail based, but rather business to business based otherwise known as B2B.  Little Mushroom Catering was known to many in Southern Ontario as the go to catering company for their business. Their focus on B2B, brand recognition and word of mouth referral has since brought them into the wedding catering space as well.  This opens a brand new sector of clientele to their company and thus and increase in sales.

Do you know an entrepreneur that uses custom signs as part of their sales and marketing strategy? We would like to learn more about them during Global Entrepreneurship Week.  Let us know their story in the comments.

As always, feel free to CONTACT US for any custom signs you require.

     

Signs That Canada AM Likes The Kitchener Waterloo Community As Much As We Do

Creating Community Involvement

Last week Canada AM came to the Kitchener Waterloo area to broadcast their television program from the St. Jacobs Market. The majority of that episode focused on the community involvement in this region, whether it be at the rural community, or the technology sector. Here at The Sign Depot we are thrilled to be part of both of those communities as well.

Crafting Custom Signs For The Market Community

We have been involved in the St. Jacobs community for years, whether it be businesses within the St. Jacobs Village, for farms in the region or at the St Jacobs Market itself.

Communitech Community Spotlight on Canada AM

While Canada Am spoke a lot about the local market they also stopped by the Communitech Hub to see how the technology community has evolved over the years.  We were thrilled that many of the custom signs that we have created for the HUB were featured in their video tour of that section of The Tannery Building.

Collaberation Is Key When It Comes To Community

If you watched the episode (if you missed it just click the image above) you would have heard them speak about collaberating within the community whether it be rural community, the urban area, the educational sector, regional governement or the business community. The key to this community is collaberation. It’s what gets things done.  It also encourages giving back to an area that is rich is culture and heritage. That is what creating a community like this is all about. Seeing how everyone can come together to evolve the area.

Our next Sign Depot collaberation project is with the Grand River Film Festival happening next month. Keep watch on Facebook and Twitter feeds for information about this year’s event. We look forward to this new sponsorship project for the company and hope you get a chance to attend this event and other arts and culture activities in the Kitchener Waterloo Ontario area.

 

Short On Time? Here’s The Quickest Way To Get A Custom Sign

Shortcuts To Sign Quotes

Need a custom sign in hurry? Below are a few ways to fast track your way to a quick sign quote.  These valuable tips will ensure your signage rush job will meet your deadline.

Seven Tips To Fast-Tracking Your Sign Quote

1. Look for online examples of the type of custom sign that would best suit you.
2. Know your budget. A professional sign designer can create a great sign that fits your style and budget.  Keep in mind when budgeting for materials, that better quaility substrates can drastically increase the longevity of your sign.
3. Take measurements of where the sign will be placed
4. Provide the sign manufacturer with a photo of where the sign will be located
5. Include any artwork such as logos, fonts, text, graphics and colours that will be on the sign in a vector format such as a PDF.  If the layout artwork is not ready, let the sign company know if they will be creating the sign design
6. Check that your sign complies with the local zoning sign-bylaws and inform the sign company if you will be arranging for the sign permits or if you require them too.
7. Be aware of the timeline and the season.  Most signage companies are very busy in the spring with exterior building signs, so if that is when you need the exterior sign package completed it is best to contact them in the winter so it can be ready to be installed after the ground has thawed and the conditions are no longer dangerous.

After you have all seven of these items organized,contact your custom sign provider.  Be sure to the give them as many details as possible.  This will minimize the amout of artwork changes and speed up the sign quoting process.  Once approved your sign provider will be able to give you an estimated turn around time and production can begin after the right permits and deposits are in place.  These tips apply to most custom signs whether is be for an architectural exterior,  a business reception area, or even for a custom wood sign for a cottage.  To get your quote visit our contact us page and one of our expert sign quoters can assist you with your upcoming signage needs.

Keep Your Custom Cottage Signs In Tip Top Shape And Other Cottage Closing Tips

5 Websites To Help You Close Your Cottage For The Winter

Wondering how to close your cottage for the winter? We have compiled a list of 5 websites with great information on how to properly close your cottage, cabin, or lake house property for the year.

1. Cottage Life – Gives a thourough two day plan on how to close a cottage
2. Cottage Tips – Has tips on both your interior and exterior property winterization
3. Canada Safety Council – Helps to prevent break ins and loss of property during the off season
4. Canoe.ca – Cottage Home & Property Showcase  – Provides info on how to keep critters out of your cottage
5. Canadian Home Trends – Adds a great checklist for those closing down their cottage for the winter

One More Cottage Tip

If you have a custom wood cottage signs, there are a few steps you can take to add longevity to your cedar signs.

• Wash it with soap and water.  A mild liquid dish detergent will do the trick
• Let it dry
• Give it a polish with a spray car wax (ie Turtle Wax)

This will add luster to the wood sign and serve as a protectant against the winter elements.

In the spring just wash off the wax coat and you are good to go.  Our custom paint finishes last for approximately 7-10 years depending on the area your cottage sign is located and how much sun it gets.  After that we suggest bringing it in for refurbishing.  Refurbishing means we sand it down to remove the flaking paint and then recoat the cedar sign with brand new paint.  Your sign will look like new!

Looking for ideas for custom cedar cottage signs? There are lots of personalization options to choose from. Be sure to visit our CONTACT US page to connect with one of our expert signmakers.

 

Top Ten Picks For Custom Wood Signs And Personalized Christmas Gifts

Be Prepared For The Holiday Season With Custom Signs And Personalized Gifts

Even though we are still far from the winter season, always have the gift giving season in mind.  We thought we would give you some ideas for those on your shopping list.  Sending a custom sign or personalized gift can be a great way to do your Christmas shopping without ever having to step into mall.

Top 10 Picks For This Christmas

Because all of our signs are custom built in our workshop, the possibilities are almost endless. Here are our top picks for the upcoming Christmas season.

1. Custom Wood Cottage Signs – Our custom sandblasted cedar signs are always a great choice for the cottagers on your Christmas list.  You choose the size, shape, colour, text and graphics.  We have requests for scenery, pets and even unicorns!

2. Stone Garden Signs – If you know someone with a green thumb, then you know how much they would appreciate a stone garden sign or a granite path marker.  These items have the choice of text and graphic with one paint colour choice

3. Residential Welcome Signs – Always ensure your are welcome to great holiday events! Welcome signs and address numbers are fantastic presents for new home owners and also great hostess gifts

4. Interior Bar and Pub Signs – Do you know someone who takes pride in their bar, den or “man cave”? Perhaps a pub-style sign of their favorite beverage company would that finishing touch.

5. Family Heirlooms – Looking for something to pass down from generation to generation? A Moirs Toboggan may do the trick! Add a family crest to your Moirs Toboggan to personalize this winter themed gift.

6. Handcrafted Games – If you are looking for one of kind gift, we have our new toss games added to our lineup of custom wood gifts. These can be manufactured with any graphic which makes them great for corporate gifts and organization fundraising games.

7. Wall Decals – Our vinyl wall decals can easily transform any room. Why not give the recipient the gift of their favorite quote? They are easy to ship and can be applied without any hardware required.

8. Interior Decor Items – Big or small we can create 3 dimensional decor items and artistic signs that fit the bill. Whether it is natural stained wood or a custom finished ornamental piece our designers will find what fits with your decorating scheme.

9. Personalized Chalkboards – These make great kitchen gifts for aspiring chefs and creative cooks! They are also fantastic for kids. You never know what the little aspiring artists will come up with. With two options of handpainted chalkboards and projects with chalkboard vinyl we are sure you will find something that meets your needs and your budget.

10. Recognition Awards – Need gifts for your corporate donors, staff or maybe your sports team? Our custom recognition awards are always well received and show how much you appreciate receipients.

Have another idea in mind? Visit our Contact Us page and connect with one of our expert signmakers. As you can see by the image below we can create any Holly Jolly Christmas gifts to fit your gift-giving style and even some that may have trouble fitting under the tree!

Christmas Is Coming!

Are you wondering why we are talking about Christmas already? We want to ensure your order is completed and arrives in time.  Custom signs require a lot of detail and we want to exceed your expectations when it comes to our craftsmanship, so be sure to order early and make this a holiday season to remember.

Artistic Sign Design – Finding The Font

Find The Font That Fits

There are so many factors when it comes to artistic sign design. Logo colours, graphics and text are all important elements of custom sign creation. With all these variables it is often the choice of font that helps unify the overall look of the sign.  When it comes to displaying company names and branding messages it is important to find a font that fits.

Favorite Fonts For Designers

We took to twitter and asked our followers what their favorite fonts are.

What is your favorite #Font ? #design — The Sign Depot Inc (@TheSignDepot) June 26, 2013

As you can tell by typography fan responses there are lots of great fonts to choose from.  We were then asked about the favourite fonts of The Sign Depot. Below are choices from our experts in sign design.

Peter’s Picks

Peter is the Owner/President of The Sign Depot Inc. If you come by our workshop many of the signs and artistic sculptures on display were created by Peter.

• Fute Bold
• Garamond
• Snell Bold

Ben’s Picks

Ben is the head of our vinyl department and also goes by the nickname of the Vinyl Master.  He know how to best display all your window graphics, vehicle decals, and temporary signage

• Euro
• Flash
• Aura

Adam’s Picks

Adam is our Lead Designer.  If you are looking for custom business signs, logo design and/or sign package consultations, Adam is your guy.  Watch for upcoming posts about Adam’s design work.

• Geared Slab
• Lobster
• Duke

Of course we have tons and tons of fonts to choose from, but choosing a font that can be clearly read from far distances is imperative when it come to signs. You can learn more about letter size and installation height by reading our post Visibility Is Key

Te learn more about how important it is to choose a proper font to display your message, be sure to check out our blog post on fonts and typography Artistic Sign Design

Tell us more about the fonts you like.  Leave a comment and let us know what catches your eye!    

Do You Run A High End Business? Do Your Signs Reflect That?

We Have The Solution

Do You Run A High End Business? Do Your Signs Reflect That? Do You Have a Lowest Price Promise? Is That Part of Your Slogan? We Have Several Business Sign Solutions To Show Your Best Attributes!

The best way to show off your best attributes is to figure out what they are.  Not sure where to start? Use the comparison chart below to figure out how you want to represent your business.

There is nothing wrong with any of these terms.  They are all great descriptive words but if your business falls more to one side than the other, then know that the terms on that side highlight what your business does best. Find ways to use some of these words in your text slogans or choose graphics that represent these terms in your logo.  If you think your business represents terms from both sides then a great mix of text and graphics from both sections can work as well.  These are the beginnings of a custom business sign solution for your business.

Other things to consider when it comes to creating business signage for your company are

1. Colour scheme to be used
2. Choice of font
3. Placement on building
4. Visibility from traffic areas
5. Competition awareness
6. Budget for the sign package

Perhaps you need some assistance with the items listed above.  That’s where The Sign Depot comes in. Our expert sign designers and sign manufactures have the knowledge to guide you through the custom sign creation process.  They can help with everything from Sign Permits to Sign Completion. They find ways to incorporate your estblishment’s message into a custom artistic sign that best represents your business and all that your company stands for.  Whether you are marketing to an upscale clientelle or the best bargain hunters make sure your potential clients take note of everything you have to offer. Make sure they “Notice The Signs“

 

Wayfinding Signs Point You In The Right Direction – The Rustic Loft

Helping St. Jacob’s Furnishings Find Their Way

When St. Jacob’s Furnishing wanted to find a way to lead their customers to their new Rustic Loft level, they came to Sign Depot for some direction. The wayfinding signage needed to be bold but fit in with the look and feel of The Rustic Loft area.  Creating a vintage theatrical look that would incorporate the purpose of the sign as well as making it a different component of the store required some innovation.  Choosing the right materials and colour scheme is what brought this sign to life.

The process started with metal arrow that was finished with our signature rusting technique.  This distressed look is becoming increasingly popular with our clients.

The next step was to add some pop to the project by creating arrow shaped layover to fit the metal box.  This was then painted red and than faded an quickly aged with through the rusting process.

To give the sign the look of a vintage lighted marquee,  bulbs equipped with LED lights (better on environment and hydro) were added to the arrow.

To incorporate the Rustic Lofts logo, the script was created with plexi and vinyl then a scratched-vinyl technique was used on the vinyl to give it the look of years gone by.

The script was mounted on to a stained wooden oval with epoxy to give the sign character and dimension

All the sign components were then attached to the metal arrow which tied the whole project together.

Not only is this sign eye-catching it serves the purpose of a wayfinding sign as well.  

Wayfinding Custom Sign Tips

• Choose an area that is visible to all
• Pick clear, easy to read fonts for your sign
• Find a way for it to stand out from the surroundings without looking out of place
• Make it simple to interpret the sign’s purpose (IE washroom, exit, parking)
• Check that your sign contains the correct info

 

This wayfinding custom sign is finding its way to St. Jacob’s Furnishings in time for The Rustic Loft Grand Opening today (June 21/12).  The event is in conjunction with company’s 25th anniversary.  More info about the event can be found here