Epic Signs & Graphics Blog

You’re likely familiar with the quote, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” which especially rings true when it comes to your business’s signage. The lobby is the first thing your customers and clients see when they enter your facility, and very often, it’s your first opportunity to make a lasting impression. Cleveland company, FrameCo, features a lobby sign that literally stands out in their new facility.

Your entry way sign is critical in branding and representing your business because it’s the first thing clients and customers notice when they enter your business premises. Your lobby’s appearance is what your clients will use to form their initial judgement of your company, and it creates a lasting impression as they leave. Office entry signs typically feature a business name and logo, and FrameCo recently installed a lobby sign that absolutely pops.

Routed from ¼” thick aluminum, FrameCo’s custom lobby sign is cut to work with the accent wall on which it’s mounted. Featuring a center logo, routed out and installed as a separate piece to show the logo shape, FrameCo’s office sign uses the accent wall to give the logo dimension and stand out with bold color. The aluminum surface is nicely finished in satin brush. The larger panel features letters routed from acrylic and applied directly to the panel. Once complete, the entire lobby sign was installed on a masonry wall with decorative offset mounts.

FrameCo’s lobby sign features a neat, clean font for optimal readability. The size of the lobby sign is appropriate for maximum impact, and the bold color of the accent wall makes their logo stand out, reinforcing their brand identity and creating a lasting impression. You can check out more examples in our gallery.

If you’re looking to update your business space, consider creating custom interior signs to incorporate throughout. Not only will it breathe new life into your existing space, it can inspire employees and leave a positive, lasting impression upon clients. Call today for a consultation and develop a plan!

Interior business signs can literally be your bread and butter, functioning as a silent salesperson. Not only do interior signs communicate your brand message, they can communicate product information and advertisements, create a seasonal atmosphere, and help your customers better navigate by communicating exact locations. If that’s not enough to convince you to take another look at your interior signs, then know that research shows that signage directly impacts business performance. Let’s take a look at four of the benefits of interior signage for businesses.

Branding

Consistency among interior business signs helps solidify your company’s brand, and more importantly, your brand message. Your exterior signage has done its job, drawing your customers in, so don’t let your interior signs ruin that positive first impression. Consider this statistic, from the Sign Research Foundation (SRF):

• 34 percent of North American shoppers associate sign quality with store and product quality

Regarding the impact of signage, almost 86 percent of consumers believe that signs convey the personality or character of a business.

What does your interior signs say about your business?

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Your exterior signs can help get customers in the door, but it’s your interior signs that can keep your customers on-site. Placing signage that clearly communicates current specials or sales promotions can effectively make a customer convert. Consider this SRF statistic:

• 29 percent of North American shoppers make store choices based upon the information communicated by store signs

How are your interior signs converting?

Information

A staff member may not always be available to a customer in the moment they need information, which is where your interior signs work for you. Thoughtfully placed signs can convey product information, pertinent to purchasing decisions. In this regard, consider your interior signs your silent salesperson, communicating important information that influences your customer’s purchasing decision. Again, almost thirty percent of shoppers will make their choice based upon the information communicated by store signs.

What are your interior signs communicating to your customers?

Atmosphere

Whether it’s 3d letters, wall murals, vinyl wall lettering or window graphics, each lends itself to creating the atmosphere you want you want your customers to experience. Is your business minimalist, focusing on clean lines, neutral colors and unobtrusiveness? Or, are you trying to create a lively and fun atmosphere, with wall quotes, a color-popping wall mural or dimensional letters? Whatever the feel you wish to create and communicate to your customer base, you’ll want to reinforce that with your interior signage.

Call us today to see how we can make your Cleveland business benefit from an interior signage upgrade or update.

One of the many benefits of business truck decals is that they make your fleet look streamlined, and your logo is easily identifiable, whether on the road or at a job. Vehicle branding, however, is one of the best ways to passively market your business to the public. We recently had the opportunity to produce and install logos on ten of Advance Asphalt Paving’s pieces of equipment and vehicles, making their business stand out in and around Cleveland.

There’s a reason why undercover operations use unmarked, white or black vans to conduct surveillance -- no one notices them! Vehicle wraps and Vehicle graphics add a touch of color and help your brand stand out, while your fleet travels to jobs throughout Cleveland, helping you reach thousands of potential customers. In fact, 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.

Advanced Asphalt Paving is making their trucks and equipment work for them, now that they’re clearly branded with the company logo and contact information. We designed, produced and installed logos and business truck decals for about ten of their trucks and pieces of equipment, allowing them to reach customers over all of the roads they travel in the Cleveland area.

The decals we created for Advanced Asphalt Paving were printed on one of our digital wide format printers, laminated, and then die cut on our Graphtec plotter. The high quality vinyl we use will last for years, making it a solid investment for their marketing dollars.

Never underestimate the impact of mobile exposure when it comes to lead generation, as 91 percent of people notice ads mounted to the sides of trucks and can recall the ad up to three days after viewing. The flexibility of logo placement means you can reach potential customers from all angles, like the rear decal we made for Advanced Asphalt Paving, which makes their telephone number stand out, especially while sitting in traffic.

Our designers work with you to create business truck decals that work for you, within the budget parameters you set.

Contact us today to find out how we can make your business vehicles stand out in Cleveland.

Want to know how some of our most established customers built their business into a powerhouse? They installed high-quality vinyl decals and lettering on all their company trucks and vehicles. Fleet graphics simply works.

I enjoy telling people this because it shows how vehicle graphics can help an already successful business grow without a lot of extra effort on the part of the business owner.

Truck lettering not only reach perspective customers that you might not find otherwise but they leave a long-lasting visual impression on clients. That means your company’s name will come to mind when customers have a need for the service or goods you provide.

And if that isn’t enough, the rolling advertisements allow your company vehicles to do double duty as they travel around Cleveland and North East Ohio!

In the case of  Advance Door, their trucks take them to meet with customers everyday.  They also serves as a mobile advertisement while driving to the customer, while parked out front of the business and also on the way or at many stops along the way.

I often wonder why more business owners don’t consider truck decals and stickers and I’ve concluded they don’t realize the available options and price points. Especially when compared to wraps or other advertising methods.

Truck lettering and decals are versatile and easier on the marketing investment. There’s an endless range of colors, fonts, logos, symbols possible. Plus you can choose between small decals, large die cut decals, partial wraps and even full wraps if it makes sense on the budget and marketing goals of the business model.

The best part is that truck graphics can be as understated, funky, funny or classic as your business. Our designers have the knowledge and experience to partner with our clients to design the vehicle wrap that works for their business and sets it apart from the competition – at a budget-friendly rate.

You spend a lot of money on your vehicles. Put them to work with fleet graphics. Contact us today!

There’s no place like Cleveland.

We have our own culture, our own heritage, our own landmarks and our own successes....and yes our challenges. So why would you entrust your signage to those that don’t share your knowledge, passion and frustrations for our area? Who provide cookie-cutter solutions to your very specific business in our unique area?

Our company knows Cleveland and all the surrounding areas. So we partner with our customers to make sure that their signage reflects Cleveland as a whole and the individual personalities of the area in which they’re based whether that’s Lakewood, Shaker Heights, or any point in-between or beyond.

Every day we work with many types of companies, from small personal service consultants, to midsize retailers and any other company you can imagine. Our customers choose us because they know that we understand each client has unique challenges and every business has its own personality.

We partner with our customers to make sure their business signs reflects their own special business, personality, customer base and location. And works with their budget too.

We do that by talking to our clients, visiting their businesses and learning about their culture. Then we talk about their marketing and branding. We analyze their concerns and challenges. And then we partner with them to ensure their signage has the right look, the right message and the right design to suit their business and clients. Whether you need a window lettering for the front door, murals for the interior walls, lighted letter signs for the parking lot or something in between, come to us. We know Cleveland business signs.

There’s no business like yours. And there’s no place like Cleveland. Call us today to tell us about your sign challenge so we can develop your unique message.

I recently visited an historic college campus and saw many confused people wandering in search of specific buildings. All I could think is that the college had truly missed a great opportunity to show visitors that they have a strong commitment to their faculty, students and community.

Exterior signage not only saves customers time but subtlety underscores a commitment to quality.

When businesses – and certainly colleges qualify as such – treat exterior building signs as an afterthought it gives a few negative impressions.

One is that the leaders or owners don't care enough about their customers, visitors and employees to help them find the buildings, departments, or areas that are most needed. So those audiences believe that those in charge don’t mind squandering their time.

The other impression is one of, well, snobbery. If you truly belonged at our college or other business you’d understand where you should go without wall signs, the message indicates.

What a shame. Especially when you consider how easy it is to install signage such as simple post and panels that works and gives positive impressions.

Exterior signs ranges from simple, straightforward directional symbols and words to illuminated signs on the sides of buildings to parking, traffic and pedestrian signs.

Parking lot directional signs, just like its interior cousins, is tangible evidence that you are committed to customer service. Plus it is yet another avenue to underscore your marketing message and branding.

That’s not just important in large complexes, such as college campuses or health care complexes, but in shopping and strip malls too.

Ever had a customer or client say they knew that your business was located in a certain strip or shopping mall but had to drive and walk around multiple times to find it? It’s a rare business that hasn’t had that type of feedback.

It’s the same for Cleveland-area businesses that are located in the new mixed commercial/residential areas. And I’ve even driven to car dealerships and literally couldn’t find the entrance. You can bet I didn’t return to them for service.

Lighted letters, logos, and even temporary sales banners can help your customers find your business and give them plenty of obvious and subtle reasons to patronize it.

We understand that some landlords and property managers have restrictions on what outside signs is acceptable for individual businesses. That’s where our extensive experience comes in doubly handy. We can outline what signs would best suit your individual business and work to design a solution to please your landlord and property manager too.

It’s one thing to tell your customers you are committed to them. It’s another thing to show them in a tangible manner. Contact us today. We’ll show you how you can do just that while staying within your budget.

It’s always interesting to see how much time, effort and creativity my customers put into marketing their businesses. All business owners know that marketing is the lifeblood of their companies whether they own or manage auto dealerships, property management firms, health care offices, barber shops, boutiques or completely different Cleveland-area businesses.

The problem – even the savviest Cleveland business owners often miss one of the most obvious marketing opportunities available. Indoor signage.

It’s easy to forget that your office signs reinforces all of the marketing and branding you spend many hours and dollars to develop.

As a business owner myself I understand how vital it is to analyze your marketing. Your investment in top-flight advertisements, promotions and branding are wasted if your business doesn’t live up to the initial promises.

That’s why we spend the time talking to our customers, sketching out ideas and ensuring that office signs we design and fabricate for them not only matches their marketing and branding but also enhances their image.

Think of the different businesses you frequent.

When you enter a doctor’s office you don’t expect – and probably don’t want – to see signs with neon, bold colors or unusual fonts. You want to see sophisticate, classic lettering and logos behind the reception desk and throughout the offices. You may see 3d lettering perhaps done in a brush satin aluminum finish.

You probably also want to see other interior enhancements – perhaps such as frosted windows – that ensure privacy.

But if you saw classic, understated or old pictures at a hot new boutique, you’d be disappointed. That’s where you want to see trendy new wall signs. It indicates that the boutique and hair designer understands and embraces the latest trends. We can design custom signs made with various metals and acrylics.

My best advice to customers is to pursue your marketing and branding as if it’s the lifeblood of your company. It is. And that’s why you owe it to yourself to make sure your interior signage continues and builds upon your marketing and branding foundation.

That’s where we come in. We consult with our clients about their businesses, their philosophies, and the images they want to convey. Then we partner with our clients to develop the most appropriate, effective signage available that suits their budgets.

You spend a lot of time developing your marketing and branding. Complete the message with interior signage that work for you.

Aren’t the advertisements on cars clever? You’ve likely seen Merry Maids, U-Haul and any number of realtors zooming around Cleveland with “wraps” – basically signage --printed vinyl wrapped on their cars.

What you might not know is that those cars not only look fabulous but they draw in customers too. Now if you’re like many business people, you think that vehicle wraps are only for those that have national businesses or run fleets of business. Not true.

Todd Stuart, president of Sign Zoo, was quoted in Medium as saying that car wraps enhance small and large businesses because they reach more than 95 percent of Americans.

Now that clearly doesn’t mean those that see your business car wrap will become your customers today or tomorrow. But there is a good chance they may at some point or refer someone else. Vehicle wraps put your name in front of all those potential customers. When they think of a specialist in your line of work -- realtor, plumber, hair stylist or other professional -- your vehicle wrap will stand out in their minds.

Although you often see truck wraps, they can fit any size car. And professionally installed wraps aren’t that expensive – they range from just over $2,000 (partial wrap) to about $3,500, depending what's involved and of course the size of vehicle.

Stuart told Medium that he hears stories from business owners reporting leads’ shooting up $42,000 to $219,000 less than a year after a vehicle wrap is installed.

“Some tell us they gained new customers before they even got home with their newly wrapped car, while others literally took an order as soon as they left our offices", he said.

Ready to let your vehicles do some of your marketing for you? Call us today and let’s talk. As always, consultations are free.

It’s funny when you look at businesses today and how changes in one industry mirror those in others.

Take news. The Plain Dealer is still out there but now you have so many other print and online choices. There’s, of course The Akron Beacon, The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Blade and many other well respected dailies in this state. Then you have weekly, monthly, online and alternative papers. They all fit a niche – but do they all offer the same level of professionalism, accuracy and trustworthiness?

Of course not.

Signage companies are the same way. You have many options from the do-it-yourself print at home versions to the mass-produced and beyond. And there are corporate sites that often rely on coupons and other promotions to entice customers. Sure, some of those companies are great. They have terrific staff that take their time, listen to your need and give you options.

But, as you know, many are not as responsive to their clients. And some don’t have staff on duty that can accurately answer your questions and list your options.

That’s why so many businesses choose to work with Epic Signs. Signs – inside, outside, lighted, 3D, murals, and other types – are all we do. We don’t have staff helping make copies, print wedding invitations or ship packages.

Think of us like the Plain Dealer of sign companies. Dedicated, reliable and trustworthy professionals that are in this business because it’s our profession – not just a paycheck.

You know what’s sad? So many people are intimidated when they think of working with a company like ours. That’s a shame because we can offer you the most options, reasonable cost, and reasonable start time. We are sign professionals by choice not default.

Call us today for a free consultation and let us show you how we can partner to give your business the signage it deserves.

You’ve heard that it’s vital to make a good first impression. Fail and you’ll spend weeks, months or even years trying to overcome it usually futilely.

 That’s as true for your business signage as it is for your personal presentation. Think about it – do you feel good about a company that has a sign so small that you have trouble locating it? How do you feel when you see 1960s font on a sign for a contemporary business?

You may assume you don’t give it much thought. But we bet you do.

Consider the findings of a FedEx survey that found:

• Signage led 76 percent of customers into a store they had never previously visited;
  
  
• The majority of survey respondents (68 percent) believed signage reflected the quality of the business;
  
  
• About 60 percent of businesses reported changing signs boosted sales, transactions and profits;
  
  
• And half of those surveyed said that poor signage prevents them from patronizing the business.
  
  

Now if you’re like many Cleveland-area business owners, you likely think these survey results are important – but not vital to your business. Your customers know where you are, they like you, and they can tell others about your business. You think… 

But even if you’re right, what if you could boost your customer base, sales or profits 10 percent with new signage? What about 20% Or 30%? Isn’t it worth finding out if a simple change that requires no work on your part – new outdoor signage – can boost your business profile, customer base and sales/profits?

You know the best thing about researching new or revamped outdoor signage? It won’t cost you a dime. We are ready to talk with you about your current signage, your business goals and suggest options that will work for you.

The New Year is here and there are a lot of changes afoot in Cleveland and throughout the United States. Let us help you what outdoor signage changes will boost your business this year and beyond.