Making a Sign Choice

Making a Sign Choice

Our world has been changing and evolving and with these changes the need and demand for signs has changed. Our lives no longer keep us in one place or one job. We move faster and travel farther, and we have the internet to instantly connect us anywhere in the world and to more information. As a result of this pace and access to so much information, the need to clearly, definitively show those passing/rushing by who you are, what your business is, and what your business has to offer, becomes critical to bringing customers in the door. You are a unique business and the design and type of sign you choose is essential to bringing your customers, and preferably your ideal customer, in the door. There are many design elements in combination with the type of sign that make an effective sign. It is important that the feel of your business and the products you provide are reflected in your logo and sign.

DESIGN

We find that our customers come to us in one of three stages with the design of their logo and therefore sign. In an effort to speed up the process, we’ve come up with a few ways to address where you are in the process of choosing a sign:

You have a Sign design already laid out:
You can either contact us by phone or email us your plans and a filled out quote page and we will contact you within two business days. Request a quote..

You have a design and/or a logo; but not sure what style of sign you want (or are allowed).
You need help with what style of sign best suits your needs. And we can “tweak” what ever needs to be done to the design to work best at your location. Note what your landlord’s criteria is for the sign??. this may limit your options. Then take a look at the different sign styles and see what type of sign is going to fit your location and the image you want to create. Look in Your signs to see sign options and Request a quote to give us some info about you and your sign.

You are not sure what is available and what type of sign fits your image and/or your budget?
Again you need to look at what image you want to portray to your clients. It is important to look at who your ideal client is and how you attract them to your doors.

What hours are you going to be open and what time of day will your ideal client come to your business. How long will you be at this location?
Study your location to determine where the best location is for your sign?. take into consideration what time of year it is and how it will look during all the different seasons. Then look at the types of signs in YOUR SIGN and what options there are for you. We are a custom sign designer and manufacturer; so the pricing is going to vary with the design of the sign. However, we have listed the styles of signs based upon an average sign cost from lower priced signs to higher end signs. This will give you an idea or which signs might fit your needs. Once you have thought about your sign fill out the Request a quote page and we will set up a time to meet.

PRICING OPTIONS

Signs can be one of the higher cost assets of your business. It is important to remember that this initial cost for a sign(s) is a long term cost. If you pay $16,500 for your sign(s) and you depreciate that cost over a seven year period with an additional cost of 10% added for service, than you are paying $274 per month for the advertising that the sign does for you. And since signs manufactured and installed by CLSC have a lower need for service, that cost per month would be even less. And remember the SBA says that signs are the most effective yet least expensive means of generating exposure.

An effective sign works for you daily and is your best form of marketing your business?. and can even lower your overall marketing costs. Surveys have shown that adding a sign to a site increases sales 4.75 %. Another survey asked when customers bought from stores with a new or replaced sign, how you learned about the store?. 50% said they came in because they saw the sign. So when deciding what your budget will be for buying your signs, keep the importance of the visibility the sign gives you and that it is a long term investment.

Leasing Signs: There is another option to finance your sign. We work with a local leasing company that will set up a two to five year lease program. You generally have to pay two months payments as a deposit and there is a $1 buy out at the end of your term. These terms can vary depending upon your financial status. To give you an estimate for a four year term on an $8,000 sign, the cost per month is $210.50 plus sales tax

CLSC is a custom sign shop and each project is a custom design, fabrication, and installation. Therefore it is difficult to give you an absolute list of signs from lowest price to highest price. For example, a non-illuminated flat panel hand painted and gold leaf sign can be as much or more than an internally illuminated sign. But here are some basic breakdowns of different types of signs. If you want a better description of any of the different types of signs, look them up in the Types of Signs section.

- Generally, non-illuminated signs are the most economical type of sign?. this can be vinyl applied directly to a window or wall, a flat panel sign, or a banner.
- As you add more structure or depth to the sign there are more materials and labor which add to the cost of the sign. So creating a frame for your panel or adding dimensional parts (lettering or logo) add to the effectiveness of the sign and the cost as well.
- Illuminated signs are generally more involved than the non-illuminated signs and are required to be built to meet certain codes (UL and NEC codes).
- Portable window neon signs can be the most economical way to have a lighted sign? these are neon signs that hang inside the window.
- Backlit signs are the next most economical type of sign. Commonly called box signs or plex signs, these signs have a metal box with a plex face that is backlit by fluorescent lamps. And rectangular or square shapes are more economical than signs that have curves (rounded corners, ovals, or circles). You can also have a backlit sign where the face is an all metal face that has the lettering and logo cut out. The cut outs are backed with translucent plex or dimensional acrylic is pushed thru the cut out. Again the added materials and more labor increase the cost.
- Awnings are a good form of signage, particularly in the Northwest where they serve a dual purpose of keeping people dry as well as advertising your location. There are awnings that are non-illuminated in both vinyl and canvas-like materials as well as illuminated vinyl awnings. Since awning range in size and complexity, they can be in the backlit sign price range on up.

- Exterior exposed neon signs are generally more than backlit signs but can be comparable when the metal face is added to the backlit sign. A very common sign that is used and required in shopping centers is the channel letter, open pan channel and reverse pan channel sign. All these signs are individual metal 3 in to 5 in deep letters with lighting inside. The letters can be mounted directly to the wall (with wiring and transformers inside the building) or mounted on a metal box or raceway that holds all the wiring and transformer. The lighting can be provided with neon or LEDs. Since LEDs are still a new type of lighting, neon is usually more economical than LEDs.
- Along with internally lighting letters LEDs are used for electronic reader boards that can be either one color to multicolor video signs. These signs with movement are becoming very popular because of our fast pace lives. You also need to be sure this type of sign is allowed in your zone.
- Finally there are signs that combine two or more of these different styles into one sign and where they are positioned in cost depends on what combinations are used.

TYPES OF SIGNS

Non-Illuminated Vinyl Graphics – comes in sheets with one side covered with an adhesive; solid colors can be cut out and applied to a surface such as windows and vehicles. The more complex and the more the colors used the more complex the vinyl project will be. Can be used to advertise your name, logo, products and services as well as a decorative way to block visibility on windows you do not want people looking through.

Digital Graphics – A printer up to five feet wide that will print onto vinyl so that all colors, blends, and gradients can be used. Adds one more step to the vinyl project with the printing on the vinyl. But for complex designs, printed vinyl is one sheet applied to the surface instead of many layers of colors applied. Generally the digitally printed vinyl is a more complex and extensive method.

Banners – There are several types of flexible banner materials that can be used to either apply vinyl to or to digitally print directly onto. This style of sign generally allows for better pricing if digitally printed since the design is printed directly on the banner. Banners can be installed on a wall, fence, between posts OR on brackets that allow it to project off a building or pole.

A-Boards – Also know as sandwich boards, these panels can be brought in and out at a business entrance. There are different sizes but the standard sizes are 32 in, 36 in and 48 in tall. It is important to understand that most municipalities have

laws against the use of A-boards. However, many allow the A-boards as long as there are not complaints. This is a sign that gets dragged in and out so keep the sign simple? it is going to get beat up. And often they get stolen so locking them up is not a bad idea.

Panel Signs: There are many types of materials that can be used as a backing for flat panels with non-dimensional lettering and graphics... These vary from wood, plastics, PVC, and metals. The panel signs can be a single layer of the backing material, the edges can be capped or framed in, and dimension can be added to the panel by creating a frame the backing material is mounted too. Finishing the sign by finishing the edges or adding dimension, will add to the complexity of the sign design. The other factors that affect the complexity of the sign is how the lettering and logo are applied. Again vinyl or digital imaging can be used as well as hand painting, and leafing the surface with gold, bronze, copper, aluminum, or verigated metal leaf. Signs can be mounted on a wall, double sided projecting off the wall or between posts.

Adding dimension to the sign:
Individual dimensional Letters and/or graphics?.. from 1/8 in thick to several inches thick. The materials used will very in durability, and thus, cost: gatorfoam, dinofoam, acrylic, PVC, High Density Urethane, aluminum and other metals. The letters and logo can be individual letters mounted flush to the wall or pinned off the wall to create the floating affect. Letters and Logos can also be used as part of layered backing.

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