Guide to Making the Most of Advertising Signs

Use a variety of advertisement signs to promote your business

By Andrea Buginsky, Freelance Writer

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find creative ways to use advertising signs to promote your business

Look at different sign production companies to see what kinds of unique advertising signs they can offer to promote your business. Outdoor signs are not the only way to display your advertising signs. You can also use flags, banners and other unique products to promote your business to prospective customers in your neighborhood.

I recommend: The Flag Company can create custom flags to advertise your business in a unique, creative style. SkyPuppet.com can create custom-made sky puppets for a fun, eye-catching way to advertise your business.

Order unique advertising signs

By using unique advertising signs to promote your business, you'll have an eye-catching display that can be placed around your neighborhood to grab the attention of many prospective customers. With today's technology, you can order signs that are colorful, digital and light up. This will allow you to make simple signs that you can use in multiple areas, and attention-grabbing signs that you can display in high-traffic areas of your business' neighborhood.

I recommend: Advertising Signs That Work creates custom screen print signs that you can display around your neighborhood. NAMS tv offers unique digital signs that you can display in your neighborhood.

Find unique ways to make your advertising sign portable

Along with unique, eye-catching advertising signs, you can order promotional products that feature your advertising sign design. You can then place these products in non-competitor's businesses in your area. Customers of these businesses will be able to see your advertisement products and take them home with them.

I recommend: Branders.com offers many different promotional advertising products. Vista Print offers high-quality advertising products at low prices.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use a vintage advertising sign to grab the attention of prospective customers.

1. A sign tells the public that your business exists.
2. A sign helps "brand" your company.
3. A sign attracts and guides your customers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose the best location for your sign

Are you placing your sign in a lobby or in a window, mounting it on your building, attaching it to tall posts to be viewed by traffic or affixing it to a bench at a bus stop?

I recommend: Get excellent advice on effective use of business signs from BuyerZone.com, the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Find a sign company

There's a wide variety of signs and the companies that specialize in them. Full-service sign companies will design, install and even get permits for you.

I recommend: For national directories of sign companies, start with the membership list of the International Sign Association or the United States Sign Council.Find local sign makers through the Retail Sign Shop Network.When you interview a sign company, ask the questions on this checklist from the Signage Foundation for Communication Excellence.

Figure out how much your sign should cost

Your business sign is a key part of your marketing strategy, so include the costs in your business plan. You can spend $10 for a simple 'We're Open' sign at the local hardware store or $30,000 to have 'Ye Olde Inne' chiseled into a granite monument. You can pay cash, finance or lease a business sign. Expect to put down a 20-50% deposit when ordering a sign.

I recommend: The U.S. Chamber and the SBA give you advice on calculating return on investment for signs.

Put up a billboard

If you've got the room on your roof or your property, these giant messages can grab the attention of your potential customers as they whiz by on the highway.

I recommend: Find a billboard company on the member list of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America or go through an outdoor-advertising agency such as EMCOutdoor.Read a comparison of pricing and effectiveness of billboards versus other media.

Light up with neon

Fun and flashy, these signs call attention to your business 24/7.

I recommend: Choose from a large selection of ready-made signs or design your own at online shops Everything-Neon.com and Buy-Neon.com.

Get LED for flexibility

Most signs are static – the message stays the same. On an LED (light-emitting diode) digital display sign, content can be changed quickly and easily. New technology makes them affordable for even small businesses.

I recommend: Check out this directory of LED companies from DMOZ.org.

Hang up a banner

Cheap and easy, a banner hung on your building can be an entry-level brand builder or an effective announcement of a sale or other special event.

I recommend: Besides local shops, there are dozens of online stores -- here are some that offer a good mix of services, price, and quality: Banner-Source.com, Bull Charge Banners, Creative Outdoor Advertising's OnlineSignShop.com, SignBanners.com, Display Signs & Design, SignOutfitters.com, and Sugar House Banners.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Signs can qualify as an asset when applying for a business loan. And many sign companies have arrangements with leasing companies.
• •  Most towns and cities have codes restricting the size, height and location of signs. A reputable sign manufacturer will know your town's regulations.
• •  Maintain your sign. Shabby signs are like unkempt people. Remember, first impressions count.

Guide to Advertising Signs Industry Overview

A look at the advertising signs industry

By Andrea Buginsky, Freelance Writer

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about leading advertising signs companies

By finding out who the top advertising signs companies are, you'll learn who many of your competitors are using to create their advertising signs. Learn about the types of ad signs they make, what their costs are, what their production time is and how long they've been in business.

I recommend: SIGNARAMA is the world's largest advertising sign company. FASTSIGNS is the leading franchise in the sign industry.

Learn about advertising signs associations

Advertising signs associations bring together advertising sign production companies, companies that use advertising signs and companies that supply advertising signs. By working together, the industry can produce more creative advertisement signs that will draw in more customers for businesses that use the signs. As technology grows and changes, these companies can keep you up-to-date by working together.

I recommend: The International Sign Association (ISA) includes 2,600 members made up of manufacturers, users and suppliers of signs and sign products. The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is an organization for design professionals to exchange ideas and information.

Learn about advertising sign production

By learning how advertising signs are produced, and the amount of work that goes into them, you will have a better understanding of the advertising sign industry. Advertising signs draw customers into your business, but it's the design of the ad that catches their attention and brings them in.

I recommend: The Advertising Educational Foundation (AEF) provides educational content to show the importance of advertising and its role in our lives. The American Advertising Federation (AAF) protects and promotes the well-being of advertising.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To gain more understanding of what sign production companies do, visit the advertising school of your local college or university.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Advertising sign

An advertising sign is any visual notice that directs a viewer or passer-by to a business in another location.

I recommend: The New York City Department of Buildings has a useful definitions that also explains what types of signs do not count as advertising signs.

Billboards

Billboards are large, stationary advertising signs that are placed along highways and busy roads. Often, billboard space is rented. These large signs make an impact in a few seconds as people drive by.

I recommend: WKBW has a detailed explanation of billboards, including different kinds of billboards, billboard costs and other considerations when using this form of advertising.

Mobile advertising signs

Mobile advertising signs are signs that move with a truck or car. In some cases, these signs are imprinted on a car or truck using foils or plastics. In other cases, simple cardboard signs are placed on top of a vehicle or on a trailer to advertise a business.

I recommend: Outdoor Visibility has a useful description of mobile advertising signs, with images of what the signs look like.

Digital signage

Digital signage refers to moving advertisements that are shown on monitors or screens. This form of advertising is very popular at shows, in workplace environments and at outdoor events (where large screens are used to display the images).

I recommend: Omnivex has a description of what digital signage is and how it is used. Broad Sign International has additional information.

Sign spinning

Sign spinning refers to an advertising practice where people are hired to stand in public places with cardboard signs advertising a company. These hired persons often will perform or do something entertaining - such as juggling or acrobatics - to draw attention to the sign.

I recommend: wiseGEEK has an explanation of sign spinning and the controversy that surrounds it.

Neon advertising signs

Neon advertising signs are made from tubes that are filled with inert gases that glow brightly when electricity is added. These signs usually are quite simple and include just a word or two but are great for nighttime advertising.

I recommend: Riofine Neon has a history of neon signs and describes what neon signs are made of and what they are used for.