Giving your community a new face with revamped signage

We would like to share some insights on a project we did for one of our customers in Tampa, FL, rebranding their entire community from creating a new logo and color identity, then redoing all their signage.
Our work involved assessing Timber Trace Apartments‘ needs for a renewed identity, offering consulting services and project management to help create and implement their new branding.
Beyond the main larger signs, we created new routed (cut to shape) plaques for different areas, such as office spaces, specially-designated rooms (laundry, maintenance etc), building numbers, building directional plaques, gate signs, door numbers etc.
Now finding any building or area in this community is easy: you can spot them by our signs displayed along the roadside and in front of the respective buildings.

Attractive and alluring signs give the community a refreshed look. Residents grow a stronger sense of community and are more prone to refer friend and/or renew their lease.

Timelines

It is important to remember that understanding the correct timelines are key on this type of implementation. Creating the best logo design for your community can take time, including many revision and approval cycles. Once the logo is defined the best colors for the signage must be determined. Colors must be in-line with the building color schema.

We will then walk through the community and make an assessment and recommendations for all the signage we see necessary.
Once we are all in agreement, deciding on a design for the community plaques, smaller signage, and more importantly, the monument for the main entrance can be complex, as each location is under a unique jurisdiction and rules and regulation for placement, size, type etc will vary.

Community signage for maintenance rooms
Once we sign-off on the design, we start multiple processes in parallel. Critical path is the permitting process and application, then manufacturing the monument, as we are looking at multiple weeks for city approval. We will not start production on the monument until permit is fully approved, so we add 3-4 more weeks for the monument itself.
While this is being done, we will work on creating all files, printing and laminating, then adding them over the right materials. Once the sheets are ready, we cut them to shape in our CNC router and add finishing.

Custom door numbers

Installation

This is another process that normally requires a lot of focus, potentially being lengthy. Most likely we will have over one hundred plaques to install, and to do it correctly, we need to remove the existing signage, paint/cover the original damage, then measure, level, drill, and install – most of them on a ladder or man-lift.

Brushed aluminum office sign
Yes, we agree: it does sound like a lot of work… but this is what do best: guide you through the process so you do not have to worry about it – just enjoy the end result!
Please fee free to contact us at Signs Insight for a free consultation: 813-523-3128

Custom Office Signs

Beyond multimedia ads, posters, product labels аnd other marketing collaterals, уоu ѕtіll need tо keep уоur company’s image оr “presence” visible іn places оr situations whеrе уоu аnd уоur employees mау bе tоо busy tо speak fоr thе company. Custom-made office signs саn hеlр dо ѕоmе оf thаt talking!
When уоu use office signs outside уоur door, уоu саn almost imagine thе inevitable big sigh оf relief frоm thоѕе seeking уоur services. Mоѕt businesses look mоrе, оr less, alike аnd only high quality, easily seen office signs саn spell thе difference between missions accomplished аnd being lost іn never-never land.
When іt comes tо thеѕе signs, clear spelling, a nice upbeat color аnd eye level installation dо a lоt tо ensure thаt thе signage уоu chose wіll dо thеіr job іn getting уоur clients іn уоur front door.

Outdoor signs

If уоur business depends оn walk-in clients, уоu need аn outdoor sign ѕо thеу wіll find уоu. Mаkе sure уоur outdoor signs reflect thе same company logo, fonts, colors, style, marketing tagline, etc. аѕ іn thе rest оf уоur marketing campaign.
Standing ground signs. Installed оn thе front lawn оf уоur office, thеѕе need tо bе durable аnd weatherproof, wіth аt least two display sides thаt саn bе easily read frоm nearly аnу angle аnd аѕ far away аѕ possible. Thеѕе саn bе made wіth cedar posts аnd treated plywood (i.e., Crezon Plywood оr Alumiclad Plywood), wіth garden floodlights tо illuminate іt bу night. Yоu саn аlѕо hаvе a backlit sign, wіth durable semi-transparent plastic displays аnd аn aluminum frame tо house thе lights within.
Building IDs. If уоu don’t hаvе a lawn оr spot оn thе sidewalk, tаkе іt higher. Place a “building ID” sign prominently аt thе outer wall оf уоur office building, оr аѕ аn overhanging sign facing passersby. Thеѕе signs аrе best dоnе аѕ backlit “light boxes,” made оf durable plastic оr semi-transparent material аnd aluminum framing.

Indoor signs

Once inside уоur office, уоu need tо impress visitors bу restating уоur company’s presence іn a mоrе polished manner.
Lobby wall signage. Thеѕе аrе large versions оf уоur company’s name, logo, аnd tagline (if any) made оut оf metal (i.e., polished, cut оr cast), formed plastic оr acrylic, оr even foam, аnd mounted оn уоur receiving area’s mоѕt prominent wall (usually whеrе уоur receptionist’s desk is). Fоr thе best effect, use raised mounts (spacers between thе mounting surface аnd thе actual signage). Fоr drama, hаvе ceiling spotlights trained оn thе signage оr attached tо thе signage itself.
Office nameplates. Thеѕе аrе signs fоr doors оr areas designated fоr particular departments аnd officers. Though simpler, thеѕе signs ѕhоuld ѕtіll bear thе same style аnd personality аѕ уоur official logo. Use thе same font аnd colors аѕ wіth thе lobby sign tо mark important areas ѕuсh аѕ “Product Development,” “Sales & Marketing,” “Accounting,” “President’s Office,” аnd even “Cafeteria” аnd “Restrooms.” Instead оf using cheap static cling оr decal signs over each department’s glass doors, dо уоur best tо budget fоr thе same material уоu used fоr thе lobby’s wall signage – іt does mаkе уоur company look mоrе credible tо both clients аnd employees!
 
Contact us at Signs Insight for a free consultation for your office signs: 813-523-3128. We are specialized in custom signs and graphics, servicing the Tampa Bay area and beyond.

Custom Lobby Signs

The lobby is one of the most important locations for targeting a major source of people with maximum exposure. The first thing a new or existing client should see is your lobby and/or indoor signs, which help identify the brand of your company, and show that your business is well-established and not temporary. Lobby signs aren’t simply markers, but help define the visitor experience when a new or existing customer walks into your building. Whether creating indoor signs, office signs or routed signs, the lobby sign is the first impression you make on a client.

A Clear Destination

When customers walk into a commercial building, the first thing they do is look for your company. This location is the most important location for your lobby sign to be well-defined with a clear indication of where your company is located. You want your customer to immediately recognize your logo from the website/social media account, and be comfortable in the knowledge they have the right location.

Clean and Precise

Your company logo should define your brand and resonate with potential visitors. When choosing fonts, you want them to be clean and crisp, making them easy to decipher. Never sacrifice legibility for style, because a hard-to-read sign can be off-putting and easy to ignore. The size of lobby signs is also important, as you don’t want the sign to dominate an entire wall, but you don’t want it to be too small either. A balance is important, so always keep the proportions of office signs in mind. Lobby signs are not an advertisement, so all your lobby sign requires are the company name and the logo. Typically lobby signs stray away from mottos or tag-lines, but if you have room on your sign and it looks clean, you can put those things in.

Things to Consider

Custom Lobby Signs are all about the details. What coloring should you use? The human eye is able to discern 32 million different colors, so the color combination is important for its viewers to recall the information included in your lobby sign. How thick should the letters be? If you flush mount thin letters onto a wall, often they can look painted on and cheap. In order to gain some dimension to your lettering, make the letters thicker or have them leap off the wall by attaching the lobby sign onto studs. If your logo contains thinner letters, mounting spacers on studs is a less expensive option. The shadows created by the spacers makes the letters appear thicker than they actually are. Thick letters are typically mounted onto the wall with no space in-between. You can also mount lobby signs onto a panel, which then mounts onto the wall. The panels are typically made from acrylic or metal. If you want a flashier look for your logo, office signs and interior signs can be illuminated, greatly increasing the impact and visibility of lobby signs.
 
Call Signs Insight for a free consultation. We are specialized in custom signs and graphics. 813-523-3128

Tips on Making Community Signs Effective

Having community signs is an important safety feature that is required in any residential area so as to prevent common accidents and other safety concerns. However, having the correct signs put in the correct areas around the area is not the only thing that you need to worry about; you should ensure that they are effective at what they do. This means that they should serve their purpose in the best way possible otherwise it will be the same as not having any signs at all. There are a few things that will help you in making sure that the signs that are installed are efficient at what they do.

Clear and Straight to the Point

There are some signs that are very confusing to the road users or even pedestrians. This makes it difficult for them to understand what is being communicated. This is why any installed community signs, if they have words and/or directions, should be clear and go straight to the point. They should use as few words as possible so as to remain objective and make it easy for one to read it even when in a hurry. If the sign has a diagram, ensure that it is large enough and that it communicates the right message.

Should Be Placed Correctly and in a Clear Place

A common mistake that people make when installing community signs is placing them in the wrong place, so they do not communicate effectively. This can cause accidents for example in an area that one should lower their speed, then the monumental signs are not placed in the correct position to alert a driver, they may not be able to slow down on time. Also ensure that the signs are not obstructed by anything such as trees, sign boards or even buildings that may make it difficult to spot it.

Maintenance

Most community managers do not remember that signs need to be maintained and repainted once in a while. This can be a dangerous thing since once the paint has worn off, the message may not be too clear which is bad since people won’t know what is being communicated. An easy way of going about this is to have a community signs maintenance schedule so that it is not forgotten.

Use Contrasting, Bold Colors

Signs need to be seen by everyone whether or not the message is intended for them. This is why it should be attention grabbing to ensure that the person receives the message clearly. Dark colors are not suitable for any type of signs since many people may not notice them.
Signs are there to protect people and to do that; they need to be in a perfect state and should also be easily understood. This will prevent whatever the monumental signs are trying to alert people about especially if they are road signs. Pay special attention to the location and even try passing at the place to see if you are able to see it if you aren’t, then most people would probably not see it either.
 
Contact us at Signs Insight for a free consultation on your community signs: 813-523-3128

Factors to Consider When Designing Lobby Signs

Your company brand is definitely your reputation, and it is built through customer’s experiences, impressions, and interactions with existing and prospective customers. The first impression will always count to the customer’s decision making. The lobby area is a perfect place to create customers experience. This is through use of lobby signs which help in communicating to the client what to expect from you. How well it is designed, will count when this client walks to your office and after receiving the service. Therefore, it is important to have office signs not only to illustrate the directions, but also to market your goods and services. Here are some of the tips to consider when designing/buying a readymade routed indoor custom sign.

Consider the Color Choice

Every company identifies with a certain color or a combination of colors. If this is not the case in your company, you should consider incorporating color into your business branding campaigns. Use the same color on letterheads, on online campaigns and also on the office signs. Therefore, the artist coming up with your lobby signs should design for you a lobby sign that matches your company color theme. Don’t just pick any color that is available.
You should consider a color that will help in delivering the message to clients. Not all colors are visible from far. There are those colors that will reflect the light making the office signs unreadable from far. You should avoid them and instead use the colors that will attract the client’s eyes. The color should be consistent with your brand.

Factor in the Quality of Material That You Are Using

Lobby signs can be created out of several alternative materials. Having a light and less expensive material is a good idea, but you should consider how well the material can endure harsh weather conditions and also cleaning. The lobby signs will sometimes become dusty, and so you need to clean them. Consider how well the material will suit the conditions. There are some materials that will easily fade hence making the lobby signs to look older and not impressive. These should not be used on the office signs.

The Lobby Sign Design

It’s important to consider how well the lobby sign design will complement the decorations in your lobby area. A routed custom sign looks better if it’s complementing the design in the lobby area. Therefore, find a suitable artist who will come up with an office sign that complements the lobby area design. This helps the customers visualize well who you are and leaves a lasting impression since the area will look beautiful and attractive to the viewer.

Should Show Your Personality

The lobby signs used needs to complement your personality too. Through the lobby signs, you will communicate who you are to the clients. Therefore from the choice of material to designs used, they need to complement companies’ way of doing things. You can add the mission, and vision as well on the office signs.
Always consult a professional to do your routed custom signs for your lobby area. This will make sure you have a good design that will meet your expectations. Call us at 813-523-3128.
 

Why You Should Be Using Vehicle Graphics as Preferred Advertising Method

The use of Vehicle graphics by companies is becoming one of the best marketing approaches, especially due to its potential impact and number of people being exposed to the advertised brand. Therefore, companies willing to take advantage of this method of advertising should have full confidence in it since it works and will definitely work for them. However, this is dependent on the quality of graphics so as to ensure it is visible and can be read from far. So what are some of the advantages of the use of vehicle wraps as an advertising method?

Allows Perfect Targeting

With the use of vehicle graphics, you will be able to target perfectly and therefore maximize your advertising. This works well since you can show the advert to customers by driving around the areas where these customers are located. Fixed on the delivery van, you will be able to recognize by retailers from far as you deliver the products to the already existing clients. Therefore, it is one of the best methods of advertising you can ever use.

Allows You to Pass the Message through a More Quiet and Non-Aggressive Approach

Instead of being a nuisance to customers trying to pass a message through noisy road shows, you can drive a fleet of branded vehicles around residential areas in a more decent and appealing manner. Some residential estates will not allow you to have loud music while advertising. But with the vehicle wraps on different cars, you can show your adverts to these clients without causing s noise pollution issue. You just have to make sure you drive slower and have people talking to the clients as they meet them. This makes you a more appealing product compared to causing disturbance through noise pollution.

Vehicle Wraps Allows You to Reach Wider Audience

An Advert on Television will pass without attracting the client’s attention as they discuss issues at home. On the radio, advert might not be heard if the clients are busy and switch the radio off. The billboard is only located in one area hence only those who pass through there will be able to see the message. However, the vehicle custom graphics will be seen and understood as people continue with their work will attract more attention to the eye because it is a moving object, and therefore you have higher chances of creating an impression. A car with vehicle wraps will also be driven far and wide hence wider audience. Companies should embrace custom graphics as a method that will multiply their sales.

Custom Graphics on High-Quality Vinyl Substrate Last Longer

The use of Vehicle graphics is better since the adverts will last for a longer time. This is only possible if done using high-quality printer ink and done on high-quality vinyl too. Hence it translates as cheaper method of advertising since it will last for longer time. This is compared to a billboard which will be subjected to harsh weather conditions and wear out fast. Vehicle graphics will be protected as you take good care of your vehicle.
Are you looking for a cost-effective advertising method that will enable you to reach a wider audience? Use vehicle graphics it is cost effective and long lasting maximizing the use.
Contact us at Signs Insight for a free consultation on your custom signs: 813-523-3128