Categories
Channel Letters

Why Are Outdoor Signs Necessary for My Business?

Outdoor signs are an indispensable part of any establishment’s image. A sign identifies the business, projects its branding, and has the potential to draw people in. Personalized outdoor signs can be found above the entrances of virtually all Michigan businesses, on sidewalks, and hanging from lampposts.

Custom outdoor business signs can do wonders for business, but you must choose the right sign. Using a storefront sign for promotional activity is as inefficient as using an A-board to try and advertise to motorists.

Keep reading to find out what makes great signage.

What to Look for in Outdoor Signs

Michigan Custom Signs works with all types of businesses for personalized outdoor signs. Whatever your design, whatever your requirements, we can make it happen. If you are considering external signage for your business, watch out for these basics.

  1. Type of sign

Channel letter signs, dimensional letters, blade signs, A-board signs, pylons, vinyl banners – these are just a few types of outdoor signs: which type is right for you depends on your purpose:

  • Gas stations and roadside businesses often install pylon signs.
  • Main street businesses use one of a variety of storefront signage
  • Eateries use easily changeable portable signs.
  • Sign design

It is common to hear that a sign must incorporate a business’s branding, but the priority should be design. Creativity in design makes a sign more visually striking and, therefore, more eye-catching. Attractive signage builds confidence in the mind of potential customers and will influence purchase decisions.

  • Sign location

Will the sign be placed close to the business or be installed further away from the premises? Regardless, the size of the sign must be maximized for its location, without it appearing awkward. Too many businesses make the mistake of opting for signs that are not big enough, wasting the space available.

  • Durability

Is your sign designed to handle the conditions it will face outdoors? Though outdoor signage is designed to bear the brunt of the weather, not all signs are designed with the same durability. A great example is a pylon sign, which is expected to face high winds, snow, rain, and freezing temperatures. A vinyl advertising banner, on the other hand, is designed as temporary signage that should last only a few weeks.

  • Cost of the sign

Discuss your budget with the sign company at the outset. It will prevent sticker shock once you start designing your sign and discover optional extras have exceeded your intended spend. Remember, complexity and material choice affect the cost of the finished sign; intricate elements may look good on paper but may not add much value to your sign. An experienced sign builder will be able to tell you what elements to include (and what to exclude). Illuminating a sign also brings an operational expense, but if you opt for LED lighting, it is a lot more cost-effective.

Speak to a representative about your custom outdoor business signs. Our team will work closely with you to understand your requirements and build signs that drive sales.

Categories
Vehicle Wraps

Using Truck Wraps as Advertising is Affordable And Effective

What is by far the most cost-effective form of outdoor advertising today? Not TV ads, not radio spots, not even billboards! With a CPM of just $0.48 (cost per thousand impressions), truck wraps are one of the cheapest forms of advertising around!

Truck wraps in Michigan have become extremely popular since the COVID-19 outbreak. Businesses large and small are trying a variety of ways to reach out to customers who are no longer visiting stores like they used to. And vinyl wraps are offering a fantastically effective way of doing that.

Why are truck wraps so effective?

It is estimated that about 90 percent of a business’s clientele is located within five miles of it. That means targeted, local advertising is of utmost importance. Custom truck wraps are extremely effective at such targeted outreach. Find out how vinyl wraps can be beneficial.

Target your audience – Commercial vehicles making delivery runs or service calls will project branding widely in the community you want to reach. For small businesses, this kind of ‘direct’ interaction with a potential audience can be invaluable for promoting a unique sales proposition.

Personalized messaging – Wraps avoid the big weakness of billboard banners and similar advertising platforms: broad, general messaging. Use wraps for truly local, meaningful promotions that connect with prospects. Inexpensive and easy to install, calls-to-action can be changed within a few hours too!

The market in Michigan – Want to advertise in the hottest spots in your city but don’t want to pay the exorbitant advertising fees? With truck wraps in Michigan, you can advertise for the low price of zero (cost of wrap excluding) anywhere you want.

Build brand awareness – Customers’ buying decisions are based on trust. It’s why even the largest, most well-known American companies continue to invest so heavily in branding exercises. Wrapped vehicles making regular runs have the same positive impact on branding.

How cost-effective are custom truck wraps?

Are you wondering how effective a wrap will be for your business? According to a survey by the American Trucking Association, 98 percent of respondents said seeing commercial wraps improved their perception of their business. Consider that wrapped fleets in large cities can generate up to 16 million impressions annually, and suddenly wraps look a lot more lucrative.

A study by 3M found that 96 percent of people thought wraps were more impactful than billboards. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America adds that wraps influenced the purchase decisions of more than 1 in 4 people.

What adds to the incredible value proposition of vinyl wraps is the fact that they are so inexpensive. They can be installed quite easily: depending on the size and complexity of the wrap, they can even be installed in a matter of hours.

Michigan Custom Signs works with businesses across the state to wrap their vans, pickup trucks, trailers, and trucks. Speak to a representative about your custom truck wraps today.

Categories
Parking signs

How Important No Parking Signs Are

No Parking signs aren’t something that only the local municipality can install. We receive requests from condos, office parks, shopping malls, manufacturing units, city authorities, event organizers, hospitals, and other establishments in Michigan that need to manage parking space.

Traffic control signage has become absolutely essential as more and more drivers take liberties with where they can park. Rideshare cabs have contributed to the unauthorized loading and unloading of passengers and improperly parked vehicles in Michigan.

What Do No Parking Signs Do?

Though the municipal body takes care of No Parking signs, for the most part, these are often not comprehensive enough to prevent unauthorized parking and don’t cover private parking. Keep reading to find out why businesses install No Parking safety signs.

Other parking signs include No Stopping, No Standing, No Idling, No Unloading/Loading signs.

  1. Reserve parking in front of an establishment

Office parks and shopping parks often allot a certain number of dedicated parking spots to every tenant. It is up to the business to mark its spot with a ‘Reserved Parking’ sign.

  • Keep loading docks clear

Warehouses and big-box furniture stores are prime examples where parking signs are required to keep loading docks are kept clear. This makes sure that when trucks arrive to drop off fresh inventory, they aren’t left waiting for a vehicle blocking the entrance.

  • Prevent exits from being blocked

Keeping a constant flow of traffic in a parking lot, on driveways, and at hotel/hospital lobbies requires signs telling motorists not to park for long periods of time. Add a time limit for waiting to prevent congestion.

  • Keep wheelchair parking clear

Parking in wheelchair-accessible parking spots is one of the most egregious breaches of parking laws. Tall blue and white ‘Parking Reserved for Vehicles with Disability Stickers’ are universally recognized as priority parking reserved for those with a disability.

  • Prevent parking in front of emergency services

Fire stations and hospitals tend to have warnings for motorists to not park near fire engine/ambulance entry points. However, most deploy additional signage to warn people to keep the driveway clear. Towing and trucking companies employ similar signs to keep people from blocking their driveway.

  • Keep unauthorized cars off private driveways

A private cul-de-sac can be mistaken for a public street, and people may park in a driveway unknowingly. Property managers and homeowners often install No Parking safety signs to warn motorists that they are on private property.

  • Provide fire hydrant warnings

We receive numerous requests from homeowners to install parking signs warning people of a fire hydrant. These signs mark 15 feet on either side of the hydrant (the minimum no parking distance in Michigan) and save visitors from getting tickets.

Speak to a representative at Michigan Custom Signs for custom parking signs for your property.

Categories
Interior Signs

How to Read Interior Signs: What You Need to Know

Interior signs are an integral part of virtually every business that has visitors. Whether you are a brick-and-mortar store on the high street or a commercial office in Michigan, you will need interior signage. In this, we explore the basics of why you need signs, how they should be designed, and how to derive maximum utility from them.

From ones that warn customers of low doors to elevator signs, interior signage for your business offers a lot of utility.

How should you use interior business signs?

‘Interior signs’ is a broad term that includes a wide range of signage used for decorating, branding, promoting, wayfinding, ADA-compliance, warning signs, and more. Therefore, for the best interior signage starts with a comprehensive plan. We suggest going in this order:

  • Emergency and warning signs
  • Essential wayfinding signs and directories
  • Long-term branded signs
  • Temporary promotional signs

Keeping a clear distinction between signs helps reduce wasted investment and lends the premises a more consistent look. What’s more, having a clear purpose behind each sign prevents clutter or, conversely, insufficient signage. 

Spend Time on Design

Beware of the easy way out – standard signs! Standard designs are forgettable, will not match your space, and offer a poor experience for visitors. Spend time incorporating branding into signs and matching it with your décor. The difference in effect between standard signs and interior signage for your business is vast!

Keep this simple formula top of mind: interesting but legible. Creative designs are great – as long as they don’t affect the utility of the sign.

Did you know ADA signs can be customized according to your branding too?

Changeable Messaging

Changeable elements in indoor signs are underrated. Signs such as door signs and directory signs are obvious candidates for changeable elements. Changeable lettering and digital signs reduce waste; businesses don’t have to replace complete signs simply because of a staffing change or reorganization. LED displays, in particular, can be changed with just a few clicks.

Lighting Options

Lighting has not often been considered an intrinsic aspect of interior signage save for lobby signs. Lately, advancement in lighting technology is helping make signs more attractive and more legible. LED lighting is so small that it can be concealed neatly in even the smallest of signs. Self-illumination can help signs stand out and make the premises easier to navigate too.

Ever since COVID-19 became a public health concern, hand sanitizing signs and reminders to wear a mask have dominated commercial spaces across the state.

Interior Signage in Michigan

Are you looking for a single sign or a set of the best interior signage? Michigan Custom Signs works with all types of businesses in Michigan for their indoor signs. Our team will work with your designs or recommend designs for you. We ship signs across the state. Speak to a representative today.