Epic Signs & Graphics Blog

When you think of wall murals, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Many people would respond with hiring an artist, messy paint and tools, in addition to an area that’s unusable for the duration of the project. Thanks to technology, however, installing a wall mural has never been easier. Let’s take a look at why a mural is the right choice for your business.

1. Affordability

Murals are an affordable way to change the look of a room dramatically. Rather than filling a room with furniture or cubicles, consider installing a full-color wall mural to change the feel of the room and make a significant change for a small cost.

2. Easy to maintain

Wall paper can be difficult to maintain. Instead of worrying about fading or collecting dust, digitally printed murals are easy to wipe down without worry; you can opt for lamination if you feel your wall mural needs extra protection, but it’s not always necessary.

3. Damage-free

If you’ve ever had a sign or 3D graphics installed, you know that the holes are pretty standard for application. With printed murals, there’s no need for drilling holes or hanging hardware in your walls before installation. When you decide to change the look again, you won’t be tasked with filling, sanding, and painting holes to bring your wall back to a blank canvas -- wall murals are pretty easy to remove and won’t leave your wall pockmarked.

4. Creates a focal point

Many companies use murals to carry their company mission and philosophy through the workplace. Or maybe they just want have a diversion. Because wall murals tend to become the focal point of the room in which they’re installed. Reinforce company values or strategy -- or several throughout your building -- representative of your overall mission.

DuPont Vespal, located in Valley View, recently commissioned us to install a couple murals. Their murals were digitally printed in full-color and printed with high-quality digital wide format printers on 50-inch panels. The resulting artwork was then applied to the wall from top to bottom, creating a bold visual, sure to catch the eyes of everyone who passes.

Now that you know that a mural is the right choice for your business call us today to get started. Our designers will work with you to create a stunning design within your budget.

There’s nothing worse than a sign that’s not been proofread; well, I’m sure there are worse things, but not in our world. If you’ve ever heard the saying, “measure twice, cut once,” it’s a common carpentry saying that emphasis the importance of accuracy; an inaccurate measurement can equal wasted wood -- bad for the bottom line.

At the end of the day, make sure you get a second set of eyes to look over a proof for interior or exterior signage. Writers and editors are no strangers to the phenomenon editing errors, especially when words have been combed through many times. In fact, writers will often overlook the most basic of errors and missing letters or words when they’re editing because their brain sees what they know they want to say. Having someone look over your sign text can help catch any errors before running the final product.

Life happens and business owners are too often crunched for time while wearing many hats, creating the perfect situation for errors to happen. Digital signage can be programmed with spelling and grammatical errors, and marquee signs can be left for a well-meaning employee to arrange, but if you don’t get a second set of eyes, you can easily send out the wrong message.

While hilarious sign errors go viral online, you don’t want your business to be the butt of the joke. Misspelled signs -- while often funny -- can have a devastating effect on your business by creating the wrong impression. Sadly, these misspelled signs are the result of trying to skim on a signage budget, where designers are found on cut-rate sites and deliver an inferior product at a highly discounted rate.

I’m sure you’ve seen roundups of sign fails, but today we’re going to share our own roundup to illustrate the hilarity of human error.

1. Subject to what??

    

    

    

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   Subject to what? The suspense is killing me... #badsign #signfail #atl

   A post shared by bardsworld (@bardsworld) on Nov 14, 2018 at 8:23am PST

   2. How many days are in a week?

    

    

    

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   I guess they know something we don’t. #signfail

   A post shared by Mike Souther (@southersigns) on Nov 9, 2018 at 10:00am PST

   3. It’s time for maintenance, a new sign, or just keep it off altogether

    

    

    

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   Who says there’s no such thing as a FE Lunch? 🤣🤣🤣 :: :: :: #freelunch #punstagram #sundaypunday #puns #neon #signfail #tigard #oregon

   A post shared by Beth (@bethmcshane) on Oct 28, 2018 at 10:29am PDT

   4. Design is everything

    

    

    

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   What kinda gym is dis? #signfail #thingsthatmakeyougohmm

   A post shared by J-Lue (@jenred316) on Oct 19, 2018 at 11:04pm PDT

   5. Great to know

    

    

    

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   Just NO. #sacramento #signfail

   A post shared by Cynthia Large (@cynthiabardoukalarge) on Sep 26, 2018 at 7:44pm PDT

   6. Confusing…

    

    

    

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   If you follow these instructions you will leave yourself exposed to an interrupted moment #youhadonejob #signfail

   A post shared by Anne sutherland (@aesthinking) on Sep 21, 2018 at 4:35pm PDT

   7. You think?

    

    

    

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   . — No shit Sherlock — #SignFail #YouHadOneJob #FoolsLogic #WellDuh #YeahDontDoThat #Doh #HaaangOnAMinute #NoShitSherlock #SayAgain #ShutTheDoor #Funny #FunnySigns #InstaDaily #JazzHandsInEnglishLands #Signposts #InfoBoard #ShitSigns #DoubleTake

   A post shared by 🅹🅰🆉🆉 🅷🅰🅽🅳🆂 🅸🅽 🅴🅽🅶🅻🅸🆂🅷 🅻🅰🅽🅳🆂 (@jazzhandsinenglishlands) on Sep 19, 2018 at 4:50am PDT

   8. And finally…

    

    

    

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   Some details are really big! #typo #signfail #fail #picfail #spelling #grammer

   A post shared by Jonathan (@jscott_1914) on Sep 18, 2018 at 9:00am PDT

   Don’t fall victim to shoddy signage and spelling errors! Here at Epic Signs & Graphics, we work with businesses to offer sign solutions within their specified budget parameters. Give us a call today for a free consultation.

Uniformity is a beautiful thing when it comes to vehicle company fleet graphics, presenting a clean, consistent look. If you only see your fleet simply functioning as utilitarian workhorses, we suggest making them multi-purpose vehicles by branding all of them!

Why brand your fleet?

Vehicle branding is one of the simplest (and oldest - it’s been around since the 1800s) forms of organic marketing, and you’d be remiss to overlook its usefulness.

When you invest in branding your company fleet, you’re using assets that are already at your disposal as marketing tools. You’re essentially creating a mobile marketing campaign that is pretty passive on your end -- it’s a marketing campaign that continues to sell long after the initial investment.

If you’re not already convinced, consider this: a study by the American Trucking Association found that 75 percent of people develop a first impression about a company and its products from truck advertising, and a whopping 91 percent of people report noticing ads mounted to the sides of trucks.

How to brand your fleet

Now that we’ve convinced you to consider your company vehicles as mobile marketing platforms, it’s time to decide how you want to brand your fleet.

Sure, you can repaint your vehicles with a consistent color and design, but painting is permanent, time-consuming, and messy. Instead of a full-body paint job, consider wrapping your vehicles or simply adding decals and lettering. Your company will be making an impact when they’re out and about. Consistency is key in branding to make sure that your company name and/ or logo is being ingrained in consumers’ minds.

Advance Door Co. in Cleveland, has added to their fleet over the years, and each time they come to us for vehicle graphics. Advance now has a full fleet of work trucks that go all around the Cleveland area each day with truck decals and lettering providing clearly communicated branding, services, and company contact information. Imagine the marketing done consistently every day with Advance Door Company’s fleet of trucks on job sites, providing estimates, and traveling through Cleveland neighborhoods!

Think about it; if you consistently saw the same tree or landscaping service’s trucks in your neighborhood, who would you call the next time you were in need of those services? Not only do consumers take note when they see trucks with consistent branding, seeing them parked at different homes in their neighborhood implies a trust in that company’s services -- you want to be that company!

Call us today for a free consultation to start marketing your company effortlessly.

Dimensional wall letters are just hard to turn down as an effective way to get your organization noticed. Great for both indoor and outdoor use, dimensional lettering creates a clean, sophisticated look. When installed professionally there’s the suggestion of establishment and permanence. Just say YES!

 When Northern Ohio Regional Multiple Listing Service (NORMLS) and Centralized Regional Information Service (CRISmls) decided to consolidate and combine to form a single organization, the merge entailed a name change: Yes-MLS. The newly consolidated service came with a new name and a new logo, which needed to be represented in their offices.
Already familiar with our work, Yes-MLS contacted us to create dimensional lettering to identify their building, as well as to create a directional sign for their driveway. We suggested routed PVC materials, painted to match their new corporate logo colors -- a bold red, black, and white.

We used the new Yes-MLS logo and rendered that in a photo to scale, based on our survey of measrements. Upon Yes-MLS’s approval of the design, we proceeded to obtain the necessary permits from the city for installation -- this is part of the service we provide. Once approved, and after permits were secured, we headed into fabrication for routing, painting, and finishing Yes-MLS’s dimensional graphics.

 Once the fabrication process was completed, we headed to Yes-MLS for installation. Using their existing white wall as a backdrop, we drilled holes to affix the dimensional wall lettering; dimensional graphics have studs mounted on the back so that they can easily be attached to the surface.

The final product of Yes-MLS’s exterior signage is an eye-catching dimensional design with bold colors that stand out against the existing wall color. Sans serif text makes the company name and street address clear and easy to read for those driving by and perfectly communicates their new corporate identity. The best part of choosing dimensional wall lettering in PVC is that Yes-MLS’s signage will last for many years -- it’s a great low maintenance choice.

 If your Cleveland area business is ready to say “Yes!” to dimensional graphics, contact us today to work with our design team to create a design that works with your budget and clearly communicates what your business is all about.

If you’ve spent any time driving around northeast Ohio or the Cleveland metro area, you’re sure to have spotted vehicle wraps in your travels. From simple to intricate and detailed, vehicle wraps are attention-grabbers and make your business stand out. Functioning as mobile billboards, let’s talk about the dos and don’ts of vehicle wraps.

Go bold

If you’re going to invest in a car wrap, you need to go bold [or go home]. A white or grey car with black lettering really isn’t going to stand out in traffic, but a vehicle wrapped in vibrant colors or with an exciting design makes people take notice.

Take J.V. Janitorial Services in Cleveland for example. J.V. Janitorial wanted to have a survey vehicle that was more noticeable around the community, so they opted for a vehicle wrap instead of simple lettering and decal design. We created a design that pops, with vivid blue and vibrant green, and installed the vinyl wrap.

Keep it simple

Vehicle wraps are meant to turn heads and provide the necessary information for your company -- what you do and how people can get in touch. When designs become too intricate or busy, the eye can’t focus on the important information, which is important when you only have moments to make an impact. Keep your wrap design simple and only include pertinent information. 

J.V. Janitorial Services included their logo, telephone number, web address, and three main services into their wrap design, keeping the wrap clean and easy to read.

Stay on-brand

As much as you may like to experiment with a range of colors and designs, be careful to stay on-brand with both your message and design. You want people to recognize your logo, so make sure that it’s integrated prominently in your vehicle wrap design.

While cartoon designs and color splashes catch the eye, they may not necessarily fit with your brand, so consider your design options carefully. Not to worry, you can still stand out with vibrant color and clean text.

Consider all sides

While vehicle wraps act as mobile billboards, they have the advantage of being three-dimensional, rather than a flat, two-dimensional stationary sign. Remember to use all three sides and integrate them into their design.

As you can see here, J.V. Janitorial Services used their rear window to highlight three of their main services, taking advantage of the additional time stop lights provide. Below their services, J.V. Janitorial again lists their contact information below, featuring their phone number and website address; while simple in design, their website pops just by featuring dark lettering against a white background.

Stand out, don’t blend in

While you may be a fan of neutral colors, you want to go outside of your comfort zone when designing your company’s vehicle wrap. If you’re going to get noticed, you want to go bold.

Call us today and let your design team assist you in designing a vehicle wrap that will get eyes on your business in northeast Ohio.

 If I told you that many businesses forego updating their interior signage because they assume it’s not in their budget, would you believe me? Instead of assuming it’s not in your budget, we’re going to talk about the costs of interior signage, specifically wall murals. So, how much does a wall mural cost to design and install in your business? Read on to find out.

Size matters

If you want a quick, down and dirty gauge for how much a wall mural will cost you, you need to first measure the square footage of the area you wish to be covered. Mural size is usually done as a per square foot price, but other factors can affect the pricing as well.

Type and texture

The type of wall your mural will go on -- drywall, brick, cement -- each requires different materials and application methods; these factors will also affect the pricing. In addition to the wall type, the texture of the wall a mural is going onto will determine what materials are used and the application method -- have you ever tried to adhere something to stucco?

Design

Finally, the graphics involved in your mural will obviously affect the overall cost; for example, using full-color printing versus standard die-cut color pieces of vinyl. If you’re supplying the image to be reproduced, the amount of work required to secure the best image when enlarging is also a factor in the pricing process. Worried about blowing your budget? We will provide information about the image quality before quoting and reproducing.

If you don’t have a design on-hand or in mind, we have a design team ready to assist you. Not sure where to begin? Let us know why you’re considering installing a mural, and what your vision is for decorating a wall. Providing logos and information about your business and mission helps our designers work to create a unique design for your organization. Not sure if a design team is in your budget? We charge an hourly rate for design services, and our designs typically cost between $150 and up.

How long will it take?

We get it. No one wants their business or office space disrupted for extended periods of time. From the point of approval, and depending on the size of your mural, it can take from one day to one week to print and trim the design. The installation also varies according to size and can take anywhere from half a day to three days, if it’s a large or complex design. From start to finish, most projects take two to three weeks to produce after approval.

How much will it cost to install?

Installation is much like the design aspect and is charged by an hourly rate, dependent upon whether one or two people are needed for the job. The height of your mural and the type of surface of your wall are factors that will affect installation. You can expect to pay anywhere from $300 and up to install your mural, depending upon the size of the mural, the type, and texture of the wall, and the complexity of the design.

But what about a small budget?

We have nice wall mural material, both smooth and textured, that looks great on walls at an affordable price; sometimes we can do partial walls very effectively. Call us for advice on shopping for quality images that will look great when enlarged for a small space, that way you can provide us with design materials directly without needed to use our design team.

We have an unlimited budget, what do you recommend?

Use a very high-quality photo from a skilled photographer; the higher the resolution, the better the print. For a large mural, image resolution is critical. We can help with proofing and testing your image on actual materials. Consider adding dimensional lettering for a greater effect. Most importantly use a sign studio -- like us -- that is willing to go the extra mile to get the best results!

If you’ve ever purchased or sold a home, you’ve likely heard the term, “curb appeal.” Curb appeal isn’t just a residential real estate term, it also applies to your business -- how appealing is your business facade to potential customers? If you don’t know the answer or you’re not sure how attractive your business is to customers, it’s time to do a sign audit.

Get a second set of eyes

If you don’t trust yourself to be discerning, enlist the help of an employee, family member, or trusted friend to visit your business with a fresh set of eyes. The clichéd expression, “You never have a second chance to make a first impression,” rings especially true in business, where a misstep can easily send someone to your competitor. So, when you survey the exterior of your business from the street, what do you see?

Update your signage

Not only should your business have exterior signage that clearly communicates to consumers, but that signage should also be maintained and in excellent condition. If your exterior signage is old, outdated, in disrepair, or simply doesn’t accurately represent your company’s mission any longer, it’s time for a sign update.

Cleveland-based National Bias Fabric Company recently updated their exterior signage, breathing new life into their building and making their business clear to passersby. The old sign letters were small and difficult to read, in addition to being dirty and broken from age. We created new one-inch thick letters, fabricated from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and painted a rich, glossy black that will last for years with little maintenance. After removing the old letters, we drilled holes in the brick exterior to anchor and secure each letter to the building facade.

Flowers are a simple fix

Another simple fix to boost your business curb appeal is to add splashes of color and life by festooning your building’s exterior with plants and flowering bushes. Are the grounds well manicured, and is the grass kept trim and well-manicured? No grounds to speak of? Consider adding hanging planters, window boxes or planted pots outside. Flowers add a splash of color and create a welcoming environment for customers and potential clients.

Small Business Trends suggests looking at the small details as well, suggesting easy fixes such as making sure doors and windows are clean and smudge-free. Never underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint -- a simple color change can change the entire feel of a business, as well as update the look of an older building.

If your Cleveland area business is in need of updated signage, contact us through the link below today to work with our design team to create signs that work with your budget and attract your ideal customer base.

Are your employees well-versed in your company’s values and driving philosophy? The best way to ensure that your company mission isn’t lost in the day-to-day running of your business is to place it front and center. MMI Textiles in Westlake, OH wanted to promote their company values and contracted us to install a mural in a shared employee common area.

If you were to ask your employees what the core values of your company are, would they be able to tell you on-the-spot? Odds are, the mission statement and core values were brief pages in the front of the employee handbook they skimmed when they first joined the company. If you want your employees to be living those values each day, they need to know them inside and out. That’s not to say you should hang motivational posters on every available office wall, or conduct pop quizzes on the values your company embraces, but you should make your mission or driving philosophy accessible to your employees in an unobtrusive way.

Using a common area to reinforce company values reminds employees of your vision and mission in a medium that speaks to all types of people. Cleveland area MMI Textiles decided to design and install a mural on an interior employee wall. MMI’s core values surround the company logo and were created using custom-colored vinyl wall lettering and full color printed vinyl, laminated in a matte finish. The unique aspect of this is that the wall serves as a backdrop for their tabletop shuffleboard. Yep. You read that right, MMI has a shuffleboard for employees to engage in a little friendly competition over their breaks.

Small Business Trends featured 12 ways to communicate company culture on a daily basis, which included creating company traditions. Shuffleboard on breaks seems like a pretty unique company tradition, doesn’t it? The tradition also gives employees an immersive way to practice qualities MMI Textiles values in their employees, including teamwork, collaboration, culture, passion, and a competitive spirit.

And while your company’s values may be important to you, they should be important to your employees as well. A Workforce Mood Tracker study found that employees who were well-versed in their company’s core values tended to be more engaged in working towards company goals. Tiny Pulse also highlighted the importance of using a visual reminder to communicate core values to your employees:

The keys here are that not only is it a breeze to read and understand, written in conversational language with examples, but it is shareable. It puts your organizational values front and center as representative of your company as a whole, unshakably intertwined. Company values are well and good, but they are absolutely moot unless your employees understand and live them. Ensure that communicating these values daily is a strong part of your employee engagement strategy.

If you’re ready to integrate your company’s mission statement and core values into your office design, our design team is ready to assist you.

If someone from outside of the Cleveland area were to be looking for services your business offers, would they be able to locate you quickly and easily? If your answer is, “maybe” or “I don’t know,” it’s time to take a look at how your business stands out amongst your competitors. Here are some ways you can increase your business’ visibility.

The mighty Google

If you’re not on Google’s radar, chances are that you’re not on anyone’s radar. Make sure your business listing with Google is complete, with the correct address, information, and hours. Once you’ve verified your data with Google, it’s time to tackle third-party sites, such as Yelp and TripAdvisor.

If you’ve not already claimed your third-party listing profiles online, you need to make sure that you do, and then review the existing profile to ensure that the information listed is accurate and complete. Google uses third-party sites to determine the importance of your business and rewards businesses by placing them higher in search results. Make sure you check to see that your business is listed on Google Maps as well and be sure to verify and correct any information there to increase your business visibility online.

Lastly, make sure your business information is complete on Facebook, and take the time to create a page to interact with customers; those small businesses who post to their Facebook pages multiple times per week see a higher ranking in Google search results.

Don’t forget the physicality

In this day and age, making sure your business is visible online is extremely important, but don’t neglect your business’ physical presence. Business signs still reigns supreme today, and having exterior signs and graphics that convey your business’ message and catch the eye of the consumer is equally as important as your digital presence.

GEICO Cleveland recently contacted us to help them increase their visibility in and around the city. With the GEICO Gecko both a people person and ambassador for excellent customer service and money-saving insurance quotes, it was a no-brainer to use the iconic figure in the vehicle graphics and window signs we created for them. With GEICO’s specialty being car insurance, we started by wrapping two vehicles so that the adorable Gecko could visibly promote the company while driving around town. GEICO Cleveland’s office now pops with the custom window graphics design we installed, drawing attention to the insurance company with the Gecko prominently featured.

If your business’ visibility needs a boost, don’t hesitate to call us! We’ve got a design team ready to work with you to create visual messaging that speaks to your customers and will keep you ahead of the competition.

Window graphics can solve problems besides providing a way to advertise. Interior office windows can be decorated for the enjoyment of employees and clients while also providing privacy and they have also been used to help with sun block. We currently have a potential client we are helping determine some options for that very reason!

In this particular case the sun is going to be blasting through large front windows and directly into work areas causing a distraction if the right treatment is not used. We will be offering solutions that will diffuse the high brightness and at the same time, utilize the space for letting clients know about their services.

Roll up window blinds. We can print full color graphic on mesh banner material and install on a roll up system that can be adjusted as needed. Window blinds with graphics! We provided this solution a few years ago and the graphics are still vibrant!

A popular option is to use perforated window film. There are types that can be applied exterior and also types that can be applied to the interior side of the window. The one benefit of interior application is that they are protected somewhat from humans and the sun. The tint from the windows can help reduce UV, but not completely. Also keep in mind that some of the color vibrancy goes away due to the tinting and reflection of the window.

Another nice application are window clings. These can be used more than once and then reapplied in a different location or another time. Full color graphics can be printed and there are currently some new options on the market for cling type systems.

We have had clients that wanted to add privacy to their offices and an effective way to do that is to add etch or frosted vinyl. This type of window vinyl can be installed as one piece or can also be die cut ti incorporate branding or just to have nice designs as part of the office decorating.

Windows, whether on the inside or for the outside can be used for placement of die lettering. It's a great way to provide a name to offices or work areas instead of the higher priced routed acrylic options. It sets the facility apart from other operations.

As you can see, windows provide opportunities to display information and advertise while solving other work environment issues. So if have a challenge with too much sun, or need more office privacy or you just need another way to advertise...full time, contact us at Epic Signs & Graphics and we would happy to provide a consultation and a quote.