Epic Signs & Graphics Blog

The need to stand out from the competition is the difference between success and failure. A sharp image that connects your message to your customers results in leads and calls that drive sales. 

The challenge is finding a professional sign company that can deliver excellent results at affordable prices. But that alone is not enough, finding professionals that are local, reliable, trustworthy who are responsive to your needs is even harder.

It seems like an impossible task

• To find professionals who have the skills to install amazing window lettering and decals
• To have custom window graphics done by caring,responsive master craftsman
• To get window designs at an affordable price- without stressful negotiation
• To install “see through graphics “ that are so expertly done that people pay attention and call you to learn more about your business.

How to find true professionals:

We encourage you to find professionals who:

• Are reputable with excellent testimonials and a strong customer base.
• Are responsive to your needs. Your call should be answered quickly with a friendly helpful staff member assisting you at every turn.
• Cares about you as a person. The size of the job should not determine the level of customer service you receive.Your sign and graphics company should care if the images worked - and your phone rings with prospects for you to convert to sales.
• Respects your time. They are never late or laden with excuses. You are the most important job they have ever done.

These standards are impossibly high for the ordinary sign and graphics companies to replicate day after day..

But Epic Signs & Graphics is not Ordinary….. ..We make the impossible possible:

What is impossible for others is routine for us. When you are seeking professionals who are experts in their field - who deliver on their promises, look no further than Epic Signs & Graphics. You don't get a second chance to make a great impression.

Business owners, entrepreneurs and consumers seek us out for our knowledge, but soon realize we offer more than just signs and custom window lettering and decals. We are providing a key tool to help our customers succeed in a marketplace dominated by instant messaging and social media.

We have built our company on:

• Professionalism that is without comparison.
• Reliability - You can count on us, each and every day.
• Customer service where you are the most important job we have ever done
• Results- Our signs work, the phone rings -leads are created for you to convert to sales

Lets get it done . Call 440-799-8235 Today for your custom window tinting, window lettering, see through graphics and more, or use the below click through link for a on-line request.

If you are undecided about where to put your advertising budget this year, consider truck lettering and truck decals as an option. It is hard to deny the fact this is a full time option that works with little effort once it is in place. The following article give you the ins and outs for this opportunity.

First off, every one calls vehicle graphics wraps. Technically not all vehicle graphics need to be a wrap and cost thousands of dollars. There are ways to avoid the large expense of a full truck wrap. Designing a layout for your fleet of vehicles can effectively be accomplished with nice lettering and full color decals. See the examples to the right and you can see what I mean. Some times they can look like a wrap but in fact, they are not. The messaging will be delivered just the same.

The important factor in  any mobile marketing strategy is to make sure the message is communicated for people driving by at least 35 miles per hour. With that in mind, you only have a few seconds to let people know where your vehicle is from. There are also  instances, however the vehicle could be parked in strategic places for a longer impression time. So you need to strike a balance of large clear lettering and a few specific services or products you provide in smaller lettering. A benefit is these can be updated easily with cut vinyl incase you change a service.

Another component to keep in mind in a truck lettering program is to ensure consistency. If you have even just one vehicle and you are driving around daily, it is remarkable how much people see you around town. It is that very fact if you have memorable vehicle graphics on your car or truck, that impression will stick in people's minds easier. If you have a fleet of 2 or more, the message is compounded as those vehicles also travel around town.

At Epic Signs & Graphics, we can design using full color graphics so any logo can be reproduced. Even if full color is not needed, we can provide a wide array of cut vinyl colors to go with the vehicles or support your brand image. Give us a call for a free consultation and potential design ideas. We would be happy to work with you to get a design that you would be proud to show off.

Are you looking for a sign company as a partner?

If have a consistent need for signs, everything from banners to ADA compliant signage, dimensional lettering, window graphics, vehicle wraps or lettering, to monument signs, or custom wall murals, commercial sign companies provide solutions for many types of companies that use signs as a way to communicate their brand consistently.

But, how do you choose the best commercial sign companies in Northeast OH with so many to choose from? This blog should help you in picking the best company for your purposes.

Go Local

When you do a Google search for sign companies, your search results generally give you a list of franchises. Even some of the results that look like they are local are actually just a city or region specific site for a national chain. When you go with a national chain, you can expect cookie cutter answers that do not take your company’s specific needs into consideration.

Epic Signs & Graphics is a locally owned and operated company that serves the Rocky River, Lakewood, Seven Hills, Brooklyn, Strongsville, Middleburg Heights, Parma Heights, Cleveland, Bay Village, Fairview, Independence, Old Brooklyn, Brookpark, Berea, Olmsted Falls, and Parma communities. We believe our success is deeply tied to the success of our area, so we seek to serve it well.

Do They Listen to You?

A good commercial sign company in Cleveland OH will first listen to what the client wants. Then, they will work with the client to figure out what the best signage options are for their needs, including providing attention-grabbing visual branding when needed. Once the client is happy with the signage plan, the company should create the signs promptly and offer timely installation.

Many businesses, do not listen well when you are explaining what you want. This leads to signage that is useless to you or does not meet your expectations. Epic Signs & Graphics does it all for you, and we do it right the first time. If you are not satisfied, we are not satisfied.

Experience and Technology

Any commercial sign company should have a full staff of experienced workers who have access to the latest state of the art technology. There are new advances in signage technology making waves on a monthly basis. To ensure your business is getting the most out of its signs, you need to go with a company that is staying ahead of the curve with the latest equipment and has the know-how to use the equipment well.

The team at Epic Signs & Graphics has plenty of experience in the graphics and signage industry. We are constantly updating our technology and software. Our cutting edge wide format digital printers make printing any image or color simple on almost all materials.

With the appropriate signage, you can advertise your organization within a budget and we can help offer solutions. Epic Signs & Graphics wants to help your enterprise succeed. Contact us today for a free consultation!

Recently we were installing interior office signs for a business that was moving and as we were getting close to completion after a long day, I could here employees looking into the conference room where they had new dimensional letters installed and I can hear words like...WOW....AWESOME....and then laughing and then I see employees walking around smiling!

What a great feeling to see the excitement of a company either moving into a larger facility which means they are growing or they are launching a start up and every one is happy to be on a new exciting journey. It's not unusual to get that good feeling and it is one of the rewards of being involved in the sign business. After a lot of planning, adjusting, a few meetings and depending on the type of project, city approvals, it is great to see the end result go into place as planned.

If you think about it, the sign is one of the key items that's like the crowning statement that says "Come on in!....See what we have to offer! It is a large visible statement to the world that represents you, particularly if you are a business owner, but also if you are an employee because it provides a source of pride.

This is true with monument signs, lobby signs, office signs and even window graphics. A monument sign is the first thing a visitor see's on their way to meeting you. The sign begins the evaluation of your organization subconsciously as a visitors.

• A shlocky sign....oh oh, are they in trouble? Do they really have a well run business? I wonder how long they will be around?

Versus........

What does your interior signs around the company say to emplyees and clients? Not literally of course, but how do they look? Are the messages up to date? Have they been painted over a couple times over the last couple decades? Are there images of past products or services that have gone extinct? If you said yes to these questions....give Epic Signs & Graphics a call! Lets take a stroll around the company and see how we can help you with updating your internal branding program.

Lobby Signs

signs or put in new ones that have the same style as the lobby sign? This can be achived easliy by using similar styles of materials such as brushed aluminum letters and or brush aluminum sign faces for the offices plaques.

How many times have you seen a wrap, and wondered, what was that message? It happens all the time that the design gets in the way of the message, so much emphasis is placed on the design that the intent of the message is totally lost. A lost opportunity for sure!

It is fairly easy for anyone to get into the wrap business these days, printers are coming down in price all the time, but the key is within expertise and great employees. Then, if you cannot install it professionally ..... forget about it! You need all three phases of the game to work together, that is design, quality wide format printing and installation in order for the wrap to stand out. If you are missing one these three components, the risk of problems increases. But starting with an effective design is the first step.

Consider brand identity. We see many companies approach us with their logo and we find out it is one version of many, or it has been revised recently....again. People need to see your brand consistently repeated many times over before it sinks in that they really do see you getting around town. If the brand gets changed continuously, you never have a chance to educate the customer.

Do you really need a photo on that vehicle wrap? This must be the biggest offender. When I see a vehicle wrap that fails to deliver a message, there is usually a lot of "design noise" in the background and many times it is a photo. If you feel the photo adds something to your message, then it can be used. Use them sparingly or placed strategically and make sure it is a high quality photo that shows your product or your service in action.

Don't use too many words. You only have a few precious seconds of time to catch someones eye so keep it simple, but catchy and pleasing to see. Your company name, your slogan, your phone number, website are the important first items to have figured out before a long list of services or products. If services must be listed place them on the back where someone could potentially read them while stopped at a red light or a long train stop.

Epic Signs & Graphics would love to help you with your next truck graphics project. We like to keep it simple so your name or your message does not get lost. Call us for a free consultation and quote. We would be happy to look over your vehicles and provide an assessment of how to implement your logo, brand message and colors into an effective vehicle wrap.

There are lots and lots of options available for designing and fabricating custom office signs. They can be done simply with white acrylic flush mounted to the wall and full color vinyl applied on the face, or they can be very complex with multiple layers, dimensional letters, offset mounts and second surface images applied....fancy talk isn't it? The point is we can fabricate almost any type of office sign to go with your decor.

Materials

Lets start with the materials that are used shall we? Most of the time the basic material used is acrylic. Acrylic comes in various thicknesses, but the common are 1/8" or 1/4" thicknesses. Acrylic is good for interior or exterior directional signs although some have laminate finishes that are better off left for interior use only, for durability sake. There are matte non-glare finishes, gloss and even those with a textured finish that come in a nice selection of colors. There are options for a mirror finish in various colors. Safety glow in the dark acrylics are available in red, green, blue or black. These are also known as photo luminescent signs and they meet specific guidelines according to ISO, IMO and MEA standards. The plastic absorbs normal ambient light, and they will glow when lights are unexpectedly lost, so people can still find their way. There is also an edge glow type system that makes for cool looking signs that get attention when illuminated with LED's. Applique is a dimensional letter or design that is mounted to the surface of a sign that is 1/32" thick. 

Colors

The acrylic we source includes hundreds of options for colors, shades and finishes. There are opaque (can't see through) colors and translucent colors. There are also laminate finishes to simulate metal or wood grains. The metals can look like solid gold or there are options for a brush metal look in steel or brass or copper colors. There are also options for a marble look that could come in handy for some applications like for a company that sells masonry or stone engraving services, or just because it would look good. 

Design

Now the fun part! By observing and listening to your goals, we can come up with a design that will blend with your office. We like to be sure though that we try to keep things simple for the sake of readability. Nothing irks me more than to see a sign that you cannot tell what it's trying tell you, don't over think the design, remember what it is intended to do for you. There are office signs that can be done in one layer with either vinyl applied to get the image placed, or we can engrave words and some times images if there is not too much detail. Another way to achieve lettering or even a simple design is to route out images. The layers can be applied directly over one another or they can be offset from each other by various depths. Signs can also be mounted either flush against the wall or they can be mounted with offsets, Even the size of the offsets come in various sizes, diameters and finishes. Don't forget ADA signs. This option can be worked in without a problem but they should be done with  certain requirements in mind such as spacing and positioned correctly on the wall so they can be found. Not a problem at Epic Signs & Graphics.

We have only scratched the surface as you can see, there are hundreds and maybe thousands of ways you can go with the design for an office sign. They key is to contact us to check out some options. Come on in or call for an appointment and we would happy to show you all of these ideas and samples to help you decide what is best for your office environment.

Before you leap into the process of shopping for a business sign that you expect to get attention for your organization, take a walk through this blog to learn a little about the terminology and types of signs so you can communicate with your favorite sign outfit about what your are looking to accomplish.

LED Signs

At the top of the list are LED Displays or also known as Electronic Message Center Signs. These are the latest in the sign arena that offer lots of messaging opportunities for your customers to see. You can rotate several messages, have full color images and text and you can control it all from the comforts of the inside of your office. Doesn't get any better than that! These usually require an investment of masonry and custom sign fabrication to accomplish but the results are very nice indeed. 

Monument Signs

Investing in an LED display sign may not be in the cards right now, but you can get a very nice exterior business sign out front that will attract attention if done with careful planning and design. There are various options that can be used to acheive the look you want, and it usually requires us to take a look  at your logo to see what would work well. Good old stone masonry is always a sturdy way to go, combined with a simple flat panel or dimensional lettering. Lighting can be involved either internally of the sign or a spot light on the sign some times provides an excellent dramatic look.

Channel Letters

Post & Panel Signs

If you have great signs around your business like on the building, on a monument sign or even throught the interior like the lobby and offices, I'd say it is now time to turn your attention to the truck decaling side of the marketing spectrum. Why not tackle that important area of the business this spring and be ready to roll through out the summer? Especially if you have multiple trucks going out every day, that is an opportunity to let potential customers know how much value you provide through out the community. Take a walk through the below visual blog to get inspaired with ideas for a fleet graphics program.

These recent examples show what new vehicle graphics can do for your fleet. The senior bus was brought in to us and we had it washed and buffed before vinyl decal application. The results were amazing because it looked like a new vehicle before the application of graphics and then BAM!!. The maroon truck above shows a great compliment with the gold color lettering. Cleveland Antenna wanted to use an image of a coax cable wrapping around the truck. These are only a few of the projects we have done for businesses all around Cleveland.

Whether your a sole proprietor of a plumbing company or a the Vice President of marketing that is responsible for visual branding, truck lettering and van decals will be a good way to get started without going all out with vehicle wraps. This is also true with trailer decals, bus graphics and box truck lettering. We would love to sell you a wrap for your next project, but if you woud like an introduction, then decaling and lettering vehicles is a fine way to start without breaking the budget.

We will use our wide format full color printing capabilities to produce bright vibrant colors and then apply premium laminate for solid protection from weather and harsh UV sun rays. Our plotter can then provide precision die cut decals for a really nice application of graphics that is second to none in North East, Ohio.

Give us a call or stop by Monday through Friday to see more pictures and get design ideas to get your truck graphics program started just in time for the warm weather. See below for other projects we have done in the recent past and we look forward to helping you soon.

It's kind of amazng that the Americans With Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990, not that long ago. It was ccreated to provide similar protections as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Braille was developed by Louis Braille of France in the early 1800's, out of necessity since he was totally blind starting when he was a young boy. He spent the rest of his life refining the system. Since that time it has been slowely adapted and is now used internationally.

There are 3 levels of Braille and each level refers to the level of complexity, grades 1, 2 and 3. Grade 1 is a basic version while grade 2 has 100's of abbreviations and contractions added. Grade 3 is not really used because it is made up of various versions of shorthand. For our purposes, ADA signage in the Unites States follows grade 2.

When planning for ADA tactile signs, be sure to understand the requirements so it is done right without the worry of having to rework them after it is too late. And besides, it is only right to provide a way for the visually impaired to be able to find their way around your organization. Contacting a reputable sign company that knows what is required will eliminate that worry.

Below are the guidelines for ADA capatable signs:

Sign Face

• Tactile logos and fonts. This means the lettering should be dimensional, so when you run your hand over, you can feel the letter shape.
• Typography - Use upper case and raised the lettering minimum of 1/32". And the font should be san serif, meaning a simple block type shape letter.  
• Yes there are font proportions to consider. The stroke (the width of the line of a letter) has to be 15% or less of the height of the letter.
• The height has to be between 5/8" and up to 2" maximum.
• The letter character spacing minimum is 1/8" apart.
• Line spacing (distance between 2 sentences) is to be between 135% and 170% of the capital letter from baseline to baseline.
• The sign must have as much contrast as possible and there can be no glare.
• Images must be within a 6" vertical area of space, the text must not be within that area.
• Text is to be placed directly below the image.
• Use standard international images.

Installation

• If possible, place on the latch side of the door.
• Install 60" up from the floor, verticle center of the sign.
• Finally, be sure to place far enough from the door so a blind person is not hit by an opening door.

Sure is a lot to consider isn't it? So that is a good reason to call Epic Signs & Graphics right now. We will help you from design through implementation of those important office signs.  Even if we do not have an immediate answer, we will research. Call us today for a free consultation to get your signs up to date and in compliance. Pronto!