Signtronix: Resume of a Sign

Many challenges face business owners who are striving to create a profitable business in the midst of innumerable challenges. Since 1959, Signtronix has been creating signs that have become one of the few constants in the life of the business and its owner. All of the headaches associated with business ownership would vanish if every supplier, employee and customer had similar credentials to the signs. Most people tire of the overload of information that faces them whenever they drive down a busy thoroughfare in a popular business area. If those reliable sentries are removed from the landscape, the impacts are dramatic because the sign has an unmatched role in the life of a business.

· Attracts attention – Sign draw the attention of approximately 80 percent of all passersby in vehicles and on foot. Attractive signs will become the landmark for other businesses in the area, which creates free advertising for the sign owner.

· Explains offerings – Potential customers will begin to understand the products and services offered by the business because of the information displayed on the signs. Existing customers will look for the familiar brand elements from the sign on the business website and ad copy whenever the business is mentioned.

· Professional appearance – Beautifully designed signs present the very best possible image that comes to represent the business. If a sign is damaged by the elements, timely repairs indicate that the business owner values the external appearance of the business because his image is attached.

· Always present – After the employees and owner go home for the evening, the sign stands guard over the premises. Weekends, holidays and at all times, the sign reminds the public that the business is ready to greet them.

· Never sick or absent – A sign will never call in sick or be late for work, which cannot be said for people. Everyone can rely on the sign’s commitment to the job of telling the public where to stop.

· Improves sales – When new signage is installed, businesses will realize increased sales. Some business owners have seen their sales double over the course of the months that follow the sign installation.

· Inexpensive – The price of the sign will be repaid to the business over the course of time because the one-time cost will be repaid many times over. Signtronix designs effective signs for businesses in every conceivable industry. The cost of most signs average approximately 20 dollars per day.

Signtronix: Electronic Message Centers

Signs have been transformed into flexible message boards by the technological advances realized through LED lighting and computerized displays. Signtronix offers a full line of electronic message centers, or EMCs, for clients with the need to advertise constantly changing information. Many different types of businesses, including restaurants, theaters and sports venues realize the following benefits from EMCs:

· This dynamic form of advertising is so much more than a matrix of LED lights. High- resolution screens allow illustrated messages to be placed on the screen for easy viewing by everyone who can see the sign.

· Messages are changed at a moment’s notice by end users that can tailor the message on the board to convey their immediate marketing needs.

· An electronic message board provides an effective form of communicating with the public as they pass by the location on foot or in automobiles. Since the message changes frequently, more attention is paid to the sign.

· Time-sensitive promotions can be placed on the EMC throughout the day. Potential customers can check the EMC in front of a restaurant to see what will be offered as a lunch or dinner special.

· Outdoor EMCs can draw new customers from high-speed thoroughfares. Messages that are concise and informative are very effective for people who need updates at a glance.

· As one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising, an EMC sign will cost $10-$20 per day to operate. A typical ad in the Yellow Pages will average $99 per day. Radio commercials cost almost $250 per day and a newspaper ad can run $700 per day. The return on investment makes the EMC a great choice.

Once a client realizes the effectiveness of advertising with an EMC, Signtronix works with the client to understand how many ways the EMC can be used to communicate with the public. Selection of the right EMC is an important part of the process. Certain facts will assist with the final decision, including:

· Site location with respect to traffic flow on major thoroughfares.

· The size of the sign with respect to distances at which it can be seen.

· Monochrome or full color must be selected based on the use of the sign and the budget of the client.

When the EMC is utilized to its full capability, the client sees an increase in the interest of their business. Concise message wording will answer questions for people who need information as they pass by the sign.

Signtronix: How Clients Know Signs Work

Business owners struggle to find the perfect means to communicate their offerings to the public. Signtronix specializes in working with every client to design effective signage for roadsides, building exteriors and interior locations. Since the entire process is interactive, business decision makers have the opportunity to explain their products and services to someone who wants to increase their sales through the use of signs. Existing brand elements are used to create signs that will be recognizable from a distance.

Public awareness is one of the most important benefits from installing signs that do more than display the company name. Signtronix has been a premier sign manufacturer since 1963. The goal for every client is to increase their visibility, which draws more customers into the establishment and increases sales. Even during slow seasons, awareness of the business is important because of the need for a steady stream of new customers. Loyal customers will learn more about the existing product lines and increase their purchases as well.

After the signs are installed, the business owner finds that the nature of questions inside the store change. Many of the most common questions are answered by the signs that were installed. Now the questions are focused on how products work and which services would be best combined to meet needs. Every employee enjoys working with customers to solve their real needs instead of simply selling a product. Each sale brings in more money because customers are finding more of what they need in the store.

Each customer is asked how they found out about the business, and the brief survey reveals that the new sign is more visible than the old one. Since the business is easier to find, the entire day is filled with customers coming in to the store and finding products to meet their needs. Some people mention that the sign that was placed on the back of the building reminded them to pick up some things on their way home from work. Casual conversation reveals the ways that customers are benefitting from the investment in the signs. Instead of spending money on traditional advertising, the client has seen the increased sales that are the result of being more visible to the community. Passersby will notice the new sign and venture into the store just to find out what has changed. This steady stream of curious visitors is one of the most encouraging parts of installing a new set of signs.

Signtronix: How We Know Signs Are Valuable

A sign salesman was speaking with the storeowner when he was asked a very pointed question: “How do you know a lighted sign will increase the number of people who visit my store?” Instead of answering with a trite, “Trust me!” the wise sales man provided an informative and thought-provoking answer to this valid question.

The salesman asked the storeowner how many people visited his store each day, and the estimate was about 100 people each business day. His next question was about the number of passersby, out on the busy downtown street, walked by the door of the store between dawn and midnight. The guess was approximately 1,000.

After observing for a few minutes, the salesman believed that figure to be low, but he decided to use that daily figure, which would add up to 6,000 passersby each week. Since many of them would pass by multiple times, he decided to use 3,000 for his calculation.

The recent census estimated that the annual income in that community was close to $50,000. He continued his discussion with the storeowner so they could establish an estimate of the percentage of a household income that would be spent in his store. After deciding on five percent, which meant $2,500 per year from each household, or $50 per week.

When the final calculations were tallied, the 3,000 people each week multiplied by $50 per week would be a potential income of $150,000 per week that was possible in the store. Current sales calculations based on the 100 people who came in the store meant that the income per week averages $30,000. The remaining 80 percent of potential sales had to be won somehow.

Signtronix enables storeowners to communicate their offerings to the 80 percent of potential customers on that busy street. Every year sign specialists work with business owners who are uncertain of the power of signage.

Back to our story: the salesman explained that even if he cut the potential sales figure in half, there was $75,000 in potential sales each week. While paying the same amount of rent, taxes and insurance, the business owner could more than double his sales by spending some money on a sign.

This timeless story appeared in the December 15, 1913 issue of ST. Ninety-eight years later business owners are still asking the same question. Every dollar must be stretched to its limit in these lean times, and putting up an attractive sign might be the best decision made for the new year.

Signtronix: Measurable Benefits of Signs

Some of the most famous businesses on the globe have mastered the strategic positioning of their signs. Signtronix brings the overwhelming benefits of effective signage into the realm of small business. People must be aware of the presence of a business before they can become a patron. Advertising through various media is only as effective as the reach of the provider. TV commercials and print ads have become the least effective ways to reach the masses. Signs that carry important information about the products and services offered by a business will win more sales than most other types of advertising.

Studies have shown that effective signage improves safety for drivers on major thoroughfares. Drivers lose focus on their driving when seeking an obscure sign for a business that is located in crowded commercial locations. Unfamiliar surroundings can be made more navigable by well-placed signs that are visible from a distance. Signtronix works with each of our customers to determine the best placement for each sign. Signs that are mounted on the building are effective, but street side signs are a major factor on crowded urban corridors. Business owners are asked for their thoughts and opinions, and then our experts make some recommendations.

In-store signage can improve sales by providing detailed product information. Brief information can be followed by details that will make the sale without any salesperson interaction. Certain products draw enthusiasts to stores and businesses that would not be of interest without the one offering. All of these specialties should be posted on attractive signs. Once the signs are designed and posted, matching graphics can be added to the website pages to provide familiarity to website visitors before they attempt to find the physical location.

Every effort is made to evaluate the results of the signs that have been installed at customer sites. Most clients are amazed at the results that are achieved within days of installing the signs. An attractive sign will become a landmark used by other business owners to provide directions to their stores. This form of free advertising has been known to grow the interest in the company that owns that beautiful new sign. One of the way to find out how customers are finding the business is to take an informal poll of all the new customers who come into the store or business. Many people will state that they were unaware of the existence of the business before the new sign was installed.