Speedpro Kingston

Lost? How Directional Signage Enhances your Experience

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:50:04 EST

Wayfinding or directional signage is the kind of signage that helps guide you to or through an area. It can be used in airports so passengers can find washrooms or terminals, and it can be used in museums to help visitors learn and enjoy the exhibit experience. When this type of signage is done well, customers barely notice it. But when done poorly, customers can become frustrated and confused, and that is not the type of experience you are wanting to promote at your business.

The two major kinds of wayfinding signage are thematic and physical.

Thematic signage is what would be found in a museum exhibit. It is signage that complements other marketing initiatives, often showing logos and being more graphic in nature. Physical signage is about orientation and navigation. It helps you get places. It is critically important that this type of signage be located in the appropriate places, at the appropriate heights and be as easy to follow as possible.

Whether you are renovating or building new, working with Kingston Speedpro signage experts can help ensure your wayfinding signage works to enhance your customer experience.

"Branding is Consistancy"

tags: wayfinding, directional, customer experience, branding,

3 Reasons Companies Cut Back on Advertising

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:24:36 EST

AND WHY THEY SHOULDN'T !

There are three typical reasons that companies choose to cut back on advertising during hard times. Here are a few of the more common reasons, and an explanation as to why it isn't such a great idea.

#1: People do not have the money, so our advertising would be wasted.

Despite being a common view among businesses, studies of every recession since 1940 indicate that recessions have little impact on disposable income. In other words, people may be spending less, but there is money being spent, especially in terms of business to business purchases. All businesses need products and services to stay in business. While the overall spend may be down, they are still buying. If you decide to "turn off the lights" for the next few months and wait it out in silence, your customers will end up buying from your competitors.

#2: Our competitors aren't advertising.

Measuring what to do by watching what your competitors are doing can be a misguided decision. Rather than waiting for business to return to normal, savvy businesses should cash in on the opportunity that the rival companies are creating for them. If you are courageous enough to stay in the game and keep promoting when everyone else has backed down can bring about an increase in market share.

#3: The money saved on advertising helps us to control cashflow.

Even more tenuous is the argument that advertising should be cut in order to free up cashflow. Playing 'catch-up' to your competitors is costly and risky. What if you don't regain that favourable position? Your 'freed-up' cashflow won't help much if you've lost customers. When a business stops advertising, they are likely to experience a fast erosion of their brand, making room for competing brands to grow. Consistant advertising message and frequency will help you through the tougher economic times than any drastic measure you may be taking, and you'll end up in a better position because of it.

TIP:Park your wrapped vehicle in a place that gains the most exposure, such as near the road at a restaurant, or in an open area in a mall parking lot. This way your graphics are easy to see!

tags: advertising, wrapped vehicle,

Questions We Need To Ask

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:17:58 EST

Since not all signs are the same, we need to find out a lot of answers prior to the design and building of the sign. We need to determine the customer's needs. Since the sign is not for ourselves, listed below are some of the questions we need to have answered.

WHERE IS IT GOING?

Is it going outside or inside, on a vehicle for example. What are the conditions it will be under? If it is going outside, will it be subject to any kind of abuse. We need to determine how far away people will be viewing it. Is it a roadside sign, or a sign in a mall store window?

HOW LONG DO YOU NEED IT?

Do you need the sign for 6 months or 2 years or even longer? All depends on the weekend event or permament location. Also, if it is going to be a print, we need to figure out different types of laminate might it need to last.

WHAT DO YOU WANT ON THE SIGN?

I know this is generally a tricky question, but invariably customers want more information than should be put on a sign. We need to find out what the primary message is, then add the rest if possible. We do stress that the simplier the better.

WHAT SIZE DO YOU NEED?

Sometimes where the sign is going determines how big it can be. If you can't come to us with the product, then a salesperson will come out to your location for measurement purposes.

WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU LIKE?

Some signs have to conform to existing colour schemes. If the sign is being mounted on something, we need to know the colour of whatever it is being mounted on. If it's going on a vehicle you need to know the colour of the vehicle. If it vehicle is anything but black or white, we may need to see it to determine which colour will contrast properly with it if you are just lettering it.

WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET?

Ideally, we would like to know what your budget is then we can suggest the best product possible for your needs. We will then show you 2 or 3 options regarding substrates.

SUPPLYING ARTWORK READY TO USE?

Do you have your logo or artwork as vector ready or a digital image? This will have a bearing on the price and time needed to do the job.

WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS DO YOU RUN?

There are times when different designs are appropriate for different customers.

PAYMENT/DEPOSIT?

We require 50% deposit, and we accept all types of credit cards, including over the phone payments as well as cheque. Sorry we don't have DEBIT.

tags: Questions, signs, budget, size,

Sign and Digital Print - Part 2

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:42:56 EST

INDUSTRIAL & SAFETY

Large industries are always in the market for directional and safety signs. Most industries are always changing signs or they get damaged. The WCB also regulates constant rules of proper updated safety signage. The signs are generally wood or aluminum if they are to be permanent. Temporary signs are generally made out of coroplast. Also the industrial sites require decals of all types and sizes for their company vehicles, safety hard hats and safety directional lumeniscent hazards to name a few.

OFFICE SIGNAGE

In an typical office environment, they have a large sign in the front lobby that lists the companies in their building. Depending on the style, they are often rows of aluminum panels that have been formed or coated and then lettered with vinyl cut lettering. Sometimes they are engraved plastic signage. Most often, the signs on the office doors throughout the building are made of the same matching product to give that polished, professional look.

POINT OF PURCHASE (POP)

Many stores have signs not only outside their stores but inside their locations advertising their latest specials or itemthat are big sellers. Examples are Mike's Milk or any other convenient store. POP can be banners or plastic signs placed anywhere in the view of the potenitial customer. Point of Purchase signs can also be in the form of floor graphics. A decal is placed on the floor and covered with a thick laminate. They can be used anywhere for example mall entrances, walls, big box stores, sidewalks, to convenience stores.

SANDWICH BOARDS (A-Frames)

Typically made out of MDO, PVC or another type of plastic, their size is 3ft H x 2ft W though they can be made larger. Meant to go outside on sidewalks so they are constructed to withstand the elements. Another option of the A-frame is metal, and the frame is made so you can interchange and slide a sheet of coroplast or PVC at a moments notice. Recently, Kingston has changed their bylaws restricting A-frames to particular sizes, so make sure that you aware of the regulations for your area.

PYLON & POLE SIGNS

Some signcans are between poles or others are freestanding structure, these are called Pylon signs. Some are mounted on a single pole and these are known as Polesigns. Varies examples are at the big box stores or at various commerical retail stores.

NON LIT FASCIA SIGNS

Some store front signage is not backlit. Generally this is in areas that are semi-industrial areas where there is little night-time traffic or heritage areas where the bylaws prohibit them.

WINDOW GRAPHICS

It is vinyl applied to the windows, the vinyl can be cut or printed. Depending on impression you're looking for, frosted vinyl creates an etched glass look. Another idea, Window Perf can also be printed on, so for those inside can see out and people outside have a harder time looking into the building or window. It is installed on the outside of the window.

WALL GRAPHICS

This is graphics that are applied on the inside or the outside walls of a building. Traditionally this was done with paint, but the top manufacturers have developed a vinyl specifically for short term wall graphics. In historic downtown Kingston, there are many ideas for outdoor wall graphics for our four seasons, or advertising a prominent event occurring in the near future. If this idea is too big, then another option is mounting a frame to the wall and installing a large banner sign.

tags: Sign and Digital Print, graphics, window perf,

Sign and Digital Print

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:11:39 EST

BILLBOARDS

Make smaller billboards from several sheets of MDO and apply a printed adhesive to the face. You can also make them by using regular plywood and stapling a banner to the face. Then the next step is a matter of digging holes for the posts, attaching the MDO sheets to the posts, lifting up the sign and cementing the post into the holes and then bracing them from behind.

DEVELOPMENT SIGNAGE

When a new development is being proposed, the municipality requires the developer to post a sign explaining to the public what is being proposed if there is rezoning involved. After the approval, a sign may go up telling the public the name of the development and/or the developer, contractor or the designer. At times, several signs are required to convey this information depending on the scope of the property.

HOARDING

It is for construction sites that consist of sheets of substrate (usually MDO or aluminum composite sheets) attached side by side to the perimeter fence around the site. Another method is attaching a mesh banner to the chain link fencing. This purpose of the signage is to advertise the development that is being built.

tags: Sign and Digital Print