Epic Signs & Graphics Blog

Every day you encounter window graphics, even running a quick errand will present many window graphics. Maybe you haven’t given window graphics much thought, but that little sign above the door handle telling you to “pull” is the perfect example of a hardworking window graphic. While window graphics are used in all types of companies and businesses, you may not have considered using them yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the ways window graphics can help your business. 

1. Cost-effective advertising

We’ll start with the obvious -- window graphics are an inexpensive form of advertising. Retail stores make great use of window graphics to advertise specials or catch the attention of passersby. The great thing about window graphics is that they’re a very cost-effective form of advertising (in addition to being extremely efficient).

2. Offer a better view

While we discussed the merits of using window graphics to advertise in retail establishments, they also have a place in corporate offices. Not everyone can have the coveted corner office, and looking at the side of a brick building or a view of an overflowing dumpster are not exactly inspiring productivity. If you have windows with poor views, consider using window graphics to liven things up, or at least partially obscure an uninspiring lookout.

3. Offer privacy

In a similar vein to the previous point, window graphics can also provide privacy. An excellent example of this is with a recent job we did for DuPont Vespel in Valley View, Ohio. DuPont wanted their engineers to utilize a conference room for brainstorming meetings, free from distraction and onlookers. We printed panels with full-color graphics on a translucent frosted film and applied them to each window surrounding the conference room.

Another set of panels featured white ink on clear film, and were placed on the inside of the glass panes. The films were applied as a wet application so that they could be repositioned easily during installation.

4. Promotion

I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out another obvious benefit of window graphics, that being the simplicity of using them for promotions. Window graphics are relatively easy to apply and aren’t permanent, making them ideal for advertising specials and promotional offers for passersby to see. Full-color graphics can make your message stand out boldly, while the ease of placement and affordability make window graphics ideal for quick, temporary promotions.

5. Brand recognition

Whether you’re retail or corporate, window decals are an easy way to promote and build your brand recognition. Full-color graphics can help your logo stand out, taking your offices from camouflaged to exhibited, especially when they’re located in areas with a significant amount of traffic. Window graphics can also help bypass the permitting process with hanging exterior signage.

If you’re ready to dress your windows and take them from bland to bright, give us a call today to work with one of our designers.

We know you have not been out for a while, but we're pretty sure you have had a wrapped vehicle catch your eye before. Whether it was a flashy design, vivid colors or highly recognizable branding, car wraps unavoidably grab attention wherever they go. The simple fact that vehicle wraps often feature designs, versus the solid colors of traditional paint jobs, make them stand out from the crowd. If you’ve been toying with the idea of wrapping your company vehicle -- or your entire fleet -- check out the answers to the most common car wrap questions to see if a vehicle wrap is the right choice for your business.

 

1. What exactly is a vehicle wrap?

Car wraps catch our attention because they’re typically bold, feature a precise design, and are often shiny like a beautiful custom paint job; in reality, car wraps don’t involve paint at all. Vehicle wraps are a custom vinyl graphic or decal that cover all or part of a vehicle. Vinyl is printed full color onto thin vinyl sheets at least 54" wide, dried and laminated. They are then trimmed into panels and then carefully applied to the body of the vehicle. This process allows vehicle owners to easily and completely change the appearance  of their vehicle.

2. How long do wraps last?

Well-maintained vehicle wraps can last over 5 years on average. If you keep your wrapped vehicle parked in a garage or covered area, away from extended exposure to pollution and the elements, your car wrap will last much longer before deteriorating or fading. As part of the process, we apply a UV resistant laminate over the printed vinyl. Wraps do a fantastic job of protecting your vehicle’s original paint job, which can help increase the resale value.

3. How do I maintain my vehicle wrap?

To keep your wrap in tip-top shape -- which you want to do because you want to advertise with your best foot forward -- you should hand wash your wrapped vehicle weekly. Your wrap provider will instruct you in cleaning, and you want to make sure you use the recommended cleaning agent to avoid damaging your wrap. After washing with a soft cloth, hand dry your vehicle’s exterior to remove any water spots for optimal look. There is no need apply wax.

4. How do I protect my wrapped vehicle from damage?

If you live in a harsh climate -- extreme heat or cold, wet, snowy or overly sunny locales -- you may want to store your wrapped vehicle under shelter when not in use. If you don’t have a garage to keep your truck or fleet, try to find some type of covered parking area to protect your vehicles from the beating sun or pelting rain and snow. Protecting the wrap will increase the life of the wrap.

 

5. Can I remove my vehicle wrap?

Wraps are removable but it does take quite a bit of elbow grease and the ease will be dependent on the length of time it has been on the vehicle. The other factor is the type of vinyl applied to the vehicle. It may take time, heat and special chemicals to increase the ease of removal. Contact a wrap professional to remove your car wrap to prevent damaging the paint underneath.

 

There are many options to consider before wrapping your business vehicle. If you’re ready for a consultation and to get wrapping, give us a call today to review your vehicle, and vision.

 

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??

    

    

    

   View this post on Instagram

    

    

   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?

    

    

    

   View this post on Instagram

    

    

   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

    

    

    

   View this post on Instagram

    

    

   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

    

    

    

   View this post on Instagram

    

    

   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?

    

    

    

   View this post on Instagram

    

    

   . — 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.