Custom Wall Coverings | Vinyl Wall Graphics Transform Dealership

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:18:00 GMT

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Surf's Up at West Broad Volkswagen - Get ready to catch a wave of exciting wall and window graphics!

Think all car dealerships are the same? Well, a couple of trailblazing Volkswagen dealerships have decided to challenge the everyday and put some adventure spirit into their showrooms by stepping away from the metro/zen look so many have adopted to a free and breezy, beachy, sporty feel reminiscent of days past.

Auto dealerships, like hotels, get facelifts every 3-5 years or so. This is a great opportunity to re-invigorate the business brand and freshen the look. National franchises especially take the uniform application of their brand very seriously and require franchisee locations to update on a regular basis. Branding creates the personality for the business and what better representation of who/what VW is than the iconic beach vanagon replete with surfboards and bright orange colors. Or, at least, that's what our clients at West Broad VW thought.

It wasn't enough to put a couple of restored cars in the showroom to bring in the feel of the often off beat VW legacy. A complete mood change had to be created starting with the interior decor. Bright orange accent walls were complimented with digitally printed wall graphics to give pop to the space and to bring in the iconic images of freedom and adventure synonymous with Volkswagen.

Custom wall graphics were added to the showroom and waiting area walls. Snowboards had graphic wraps created to celebrate local colleges and universities. Even the service drop-off lane was completely transformed using graphic vinyl specially formulated for rough surface textures and perforated options for windows. Now you feel like you are on vacation when you stop in for an oil change.

Every opporutnity was taken to display the rich legacy of the Volkswagen experience. A tiki juice bar was installed to celebrate new vehicle purchases. Island music is piped in through the PA system to set a fun and festive mood. There is a modified VW bus you can sit in and play video games while waiting for the paperwork to be completed. Walking into this car dealership you expect to have a good time buying a car.

All of the steps taken to create an unique shopping (and hopefully buying) experience came together beautifully. The look and feel of the showroom and service areas speaks to their target client and celebrates the best of their brand past and future. This would not have been possible without the high impact digital graphics used to set the scene for this dramatic transformation.

Don't get left on the beach! Ride the wave of custom wall coverings and digital wall graphics to bring your brand to life!

Wall Graphics Richmond | Custom Look for SolarGard

jennifer tompkins — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:52:00 GMT

When SolarGard Saint-Gobain opened their first ever retail outlet in Richmond, VA, a whole lot of design and brand thinking went into the look, feel and layout of the space. Branding is extremely important for this internationally recognized manufacturer of light blocking films, and this would be their first forray as a retail shop where car owners, home owners, business owners and architectural specifiers could come and see products in action as well as arrange for professional installation.

Making the location friendly and welcoming was as important as providing the proper technical support for the products. The shop is a working demo lab and showroom. Various films have been applied to the front windows to provide clients with the opporutnity to see how the products perform as well as how they will look on the inside AND outside of their homes or offices. Vehicle tinting is done on-site while you wait in the comforable coffee area. A vibrant vinyl wall graphic was applied to draw you into the waiting zone. The imagery conveys SolarGard's wide variety of product applications while providing visual interest to an otherwise blank wall with high ceilings.

The custom wall covering picks up the general color scheme which was echoed across the display units using digitally printed and laminated vinyl graphics and vinyl striping. Oversize cut vinyl letters displaying the company motto ("it's all about performance") were also applied to the back wall of the installation bay which can be seen from the large windows in the showroom. Logo signage draws attention from the street using LED Channel Letters on the building facade and monument sign.

It was great being a part of this new business model launch and we wish our good friends Jim and Brian much success. To learn more about the energy saving solar films and services offered, check out SolarGard today.

Want to take your brand to the next level with custom wall graphics, signs and large format prints? Call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes TODAY!

Signs Richmond | Top 3 Branding Mistakes

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:59:00 GMT

The most challenging part of starting a business, I think, is coming up with your brand. It isn't enough to have a great idea. If it is not properly branded it is unlikely to succeed. When I was thinking about my business and how to brand it, I was keenly aware of these three common mistakes (and did my best to avoid them.)

1. What's in a BAD name?

There are plenty of things that can go wrong when starting a new business. Too often choosing a bad name is one of them. How do you know if the name you want is bad?

Your name is hard to say- if you choose a name that is particularly challenging to pronounce or articulate clearly, it is unlikely to encourage folks to repeat it. This can often be the case with names based in foreign languages, hybrid or contracted words, repetitive consonnants, etc. There are some exceptions to this rule (as with all rules) but new ventures would do themselves a favor by choosing easy to say names that bear repeating rather than fighting this up-hill battle out of the gate.
Your name is embarassing to say - it can be so tempting to come up with a tongue-in-cheek name for your business but will it offend potential customers or cause embarassment to repeat it? Steer clear of the double entendre and field test any names you consider with a variety of audiences to gauge their reactions before committing to a name.
Your name is hard to remember - names that are very long, contain bland service descriptions or have no relevance to what you do are very difficult for potential clients to attach to and remember.

2. How NOT to win friends and influence people:

If you are looking to gain brand followers and advocates, the worst thing you can do is to force your clients to buy or subscribe to services they do not want. Hiding a price increase by forcing your clients to add on a product or service they do not need is not the way to instill brand loyalty. Offering additional, related services can be a great way to enhance your clients' satisfaction but only if they have the opportunity to choose the services or products that they want. Terms of service can be just as important. Changes to privacy rules or other internal policies can enrage a client base and turn users to other, more sensitive, suppliers.

3. The Politically Correct product:

It may sound pretty simple but good branding should not offend your customers. Of course, no one intentially plans a campaign that way but there have been times when the product or its positioning that internally was considered to be "innovative" or "market capturing" was construed as offensive. Trying to convert a commonly used item to a niche product by proclaiming it "for Him" may sound like a clever marketing strategy but gender based strategies have backfired because the market found the campaign condescending or discriminating. Test your marketing not just with your target audience but perhaps also with its counterpart to see how the message is received and internalized. Similar situations can occur when selecting photography or other graphic images for brand marketing. It is difficult to step back from our cultural biases (corporate culture or societal culture) to see what others may see in a particular image so it is always a good practice to have outsiders look at your creative materials and provide feedback on how the images are perceived.

As a brand partner for many of our clients, we are often revisiting these 3 rules when creating vehicle advertising campaigns or other custom signage for their products and services. It isn't enough to produce high quality vinyl graphics or other visual branding if the message isn't clear, is offensive or misses the target market. Taking time to make sure the image projected for your busines or brand is the right one is part of what we do.

Want help visualizing your brand? Call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. for a free consultation today at 804-980-7111.

photo credit: http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com

Vehicle Graphics Richmond | Fleet Wraps for Your Business

jennifer tompkins — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:50:00 GMT

We like to think BIG here at SignScapes. So when we talk to clients about their fleet vehicle graphics, we tend to consider not just the vehicles and the locations you have now, but what your fleet might look like in the future.
Ask yourself these questions:

"As my business grows and expands, will my fleet of service and delivery vehicles grow as well?"
"How will the vehicle graphic design translate to newer models or larger sizes?"
"What about adding locations? How will I maintain a consistent brand image when I have trucks out of state?"

We routinely have these discussions with clients to make sure we are making good use of their marketing and advertising budgets. The same essentially holds true if your business is already in multiple locations. You need to consider these same suggestions:

Work with an experienced sign and graphics company that specializes in custom car wraps and fleet vehicle graphics. A qualified designer can look across makes and models to create a design that will be flexible enough to work on cars as well as heavy-duty trucks.
Make sure your marketing strategy and growth strategies are aligned. If your growth strategy calls for expansion in the next 3-5 years, your marketing may need to include such things as toll free numbers, both commercial and residential customer perspectives, etc. The last thing you want to do is to vinyl wrap your fleet and then find yourself having to redo it all a year later.
Set up marketing and brand standards to be adhered to by branch managers, franchisees, etc. Stipulate the type of art, pantone colors, proportions and/or provide specific designs that are permissable.
Have your vehicle graphics produced centrally and installed locally. Work with your local custom sign company to design the wraps for the various types of vehicles so they are consistent. The same shop can then produce the wraps and arrange for local installation. This way you are assured of the same high quality materials and print output at all of your locations.
Be consistent but different. Have a consistent branding element to all of your wraps but vary the images and styles to suit the vehicle. Large commercial job photos for your box trucks, residential photos for smaller service vans, and logo decals and text for the sales vehicles may be an example.

Of course, transitioning your fleet to its new look should also be well planned. Timing is critically important in terms of business impact (e. g. vehicles out of service) as well as how the project funding will be handled (e. g. 3 vehicles per quarter). Some strategies include:

Wrapping only new vehicles as the fleet inventory is rolled over and replaced.
Planning segments of the fleet to be wrapped during specific lull times or holiday periods when demand is low.
Immediately following the busy season when cash flow is high.
In conjunction with some other financing.
To coincide with a larger marketing effort.

Regardless of how you choose to handle your vehicle graphic project, make sure you work with a qualified, experienced and recommended vehicle graphic specialist. Check out their portfolio of work. Call clients featured on their website to inquire about their experiences with the company. Pay attention to the type/variety of businesses, vehicle styles and designs they have worked on in the past. Ask about the brands of digital wrap vinyl they use for vehicle graphics and the qualifications of their wrap installers. High quality work will cost a little more but the last thing you want to do is to cut corners with your brand image.

Need help planning your fleet transformation? Call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. today!

RIchmond Custom Signs | What Problem Are You Trying to Solve?

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:09:00 GMT

The phone rings (thankfully) every day with someone asking for a price on a sign. And as much as I enjoy the opportunity to make new friends and, naturally, sell a few signs, I find that most people really don' t know what kind of sign they need or even if they need a sign at all. This shouldn't come as a surprise as most people outside of the custom sign and graphic industry probably don't have the occasion to think about or deal with signage needs very often.

Why then do so many of my competitors start off the conversation by asking "what kind of sign do you want?" when the client probably hasn't had the opportunity to learn about the vast array of materials and options available or to even begin to understand what may be permissable in his or her area. Don't even think about asking the prospective client how much they want to spend. It is rare that a customer of mine has any idea at all what a set of 24" LED channel letters will run let alone have budget in place for the sign AND the installation.

So, what is a sign shop owner like myself to do? Well, my first question is usually about what problem the client is trying to solve rather than expecting them to provide me with a construction specification. There are a few common scenarios we run into such as:

Opening a new business and want to get the word out
Refresh the look/message of an established business to attract new clients
Help clients find their location
Undergoing expanding and want to promote new products, services or locations,
Upcoming special event for which they want to feature sponsors and guide guests to various locations.

OK, so now we have an idea about the project but that is not the whole story. We also need to know things like:

Who is the client targeting?
What other marketing and advertising collateral/campaigns are already in place that can be leveraged?
How long will the need persist (short-term or ongoing)?
Are there rules/restrictions/guidelines/approvals that need to be considered?

Getting into the problem specifics will help to narrow down material and construction options. The answers will also inform various design elements and/or allow for some "repurposing" of existing designs. The life span of a solution will also give us some ideas about where we need to go on budget and quality.

Then there is the money. It all comes down to the money, right? Not exactly but yeah, it is pretty important. Budget is a critial factor when designing custom signs and vehicle graphics. The most frustrating situations occur when we have designed a beautiful lobby sign that the client absolutely loves but cannot afford. Not only have we wasted expensive resources designing something we cannot sell, but anything else we come up with will feel like a consolation prize to the client. We try to avoid this situation whenever possible by tackling the budget up front:

Is there a budget for the project? Or are there funds in a marketing or construction budget that can be allocated?
Are there sponsors/suppliers/marketing funds available to help offset the costs?
Is it something that can be lease financed?
Is the expected return such that the funds will be quickly recouped?

If the client isn't "there" on the hard numbers then we can have some other conversations to help explore the difficult topic of money:

What is the solution worth to your business? What percent of your annual sales will come from the solution?
What risks/losses can be avoided by solving the problem?
How many new customer relationships would the solution need to deliver to make it worth-while?
What else could be done with the same funds and would the return be greater?
What is the consequence (cost) of not solving the problem?

These questions can only be answered by the client within the context of his or her circumstances and comfort level. The wonderful thing about custom signage is that we can make pretty much anything. The downside is that since we can make pretty much anything, we really need the client to narrown down the options by providing some parameters. Balancing budget, square footage allowance, permittable usage, aesthetic and practical application is where the real creativity comes in. By not coming with a preconceived notion of how big or what type of sign you think you need, talented signage experts can come up with creative, cost-efficient solutions that meet you needs and address the problem at hand. We may even make some non-signage suggestions that will work as well.

The moral of my tale: Don't deny me an opportunity to wear my solutions hat! Describe to me your marketing, communication, safety, wayfinding, promotional, branding or other challenges and let's work together to find you the right sign (or non-sign) solution every time!

Contact the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. for a free consultation @ 804-980-7111.

photo credit: Signazon.com

Car Wraps Richmond | Great Vehicle Graphics Take More Than Just Templates to Create

jennifer tompkins — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:41:00 GMT

"Vehicle graphics" were once limited to the skills and imagination of the local auto striper or sign painter. The advent of digitally printed and conformable vinyl graphic media has changed all of that. If you can dream it up and put it into Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, you can get it printed and stuck on your car, van, truck, boat, vending machine, garage wall, etc. There are vehicle wrap templates available on the internet so you can design your ultimate custom car wrap for the dream machine you always wanted or create that gigantic rolling billboard with your face smack in the middle! There are also lots of sites where you can download stock backgrounds and images. It sounds pretty easy. I guess anybody who can use these tools can design a custom vinyl wrap, right?

Not so fast. Vehicle wrap design is like any other skill - experience matters. And although there are a lot of creative and innovative designers out there, when it comes to fleet graphics we find most inexperienced vehicle graphic designers run into problems in three key areas:

Templates: We use vehicle templates as a starting point for a car wrap design when the subject vehicle is not readily available or we don't have photography. Regardless, we always want to see the actual vehicle for photos and measurements prior to any production. Why? Because templates have two main drawbacks: first, they lack detail. Most templates are fairly generic and often don't exisit for all of the various model configurations and accessory packages. If you are designing for anything that isn't showroom new, you may also run into damaged areas, aftermarket accessories and the like that won't be shown on a template. And second, the templates tend to have limited (sometimes inacurrate) dimensional information. Even the 3D versions don't truly reflect the contours and recesses of the actual vehicle. When dealing with a conformable material, the surface contours DO matter. These factors can make it difficult to recreate the truck wrap design the client fell in love with on the screen in real life.

Third Dimension: The majority of graphic design is still essentially two dimensional for flat signs, print or digital media. Even web design is primarily for a flat screen experience. Vehicle graphics must be conceived to work in a three dimensional space that will be viewed from all sides. The most often seen issue with inexperienced designers is they cut off the design on one side of the truck not understanding that there isn't a right angle at the edge of the hood as it would appear in a picture or with a template. The fender wraps around to the front where it meets the hood and that seam is where the design needs to break or bleed.

Installation Experience: The vast majority of graphic designers have never installed, nor do they have the desire to install, a vehicle graphic. Working with the vinyl wrap material and understanding its capabilities and challenges can really inform a design. Where to put information (or not put it) to have it read clearly, how and where to break text, as well as how to panel the design for a more seamless end product can only be learned through hands-on experience on several projects.

What does this mean to you? Well, you need to find an experienced vehicle wrap shop that can design from scratch and/or provide you with skilled layout services to take the design your marketing folks created and make it work in real life. Working with a knoweldgable and experienced team of vehicle graphic specialists will make all the difference in the end product.

Considering vehicle wraps and car graphics as part of your marketing strategy? Download our fee kit to learn more about how your transportation assets can be working for your business 24/7 or call SignScapes, Inc. today for a free consultation at 804-980-7111.

Custom Signs Richmond | Top Branding Considerations

jennifer tompkins — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:11:00 GMT

Image credit: envisionmt.org

As a sign shop, we are often asked to create custom signs and vehicle graphics to reflect a business' brand image. What we often find is that what the client really has is a logo or a color scheme and not a brand in its true form. So, when I recently heard the President of a local marketing company addressing a group of small business owners on the topic of branding. I thougth I'd share the highlights here for the benefit of our clients and others seeking to make the most of their brand investment. The speaker, Moses Foster of The West Cary Group, was quick to point out that this is not THE list but A list of considerations when it comes to branding.

1. Brand is not synonymous with advertising: Advertising is a push media - generally in bulk. You craft a message and send it out to your (target) audience in hopes that they will buy. The true disadvantage with traditional advertising is that it does not allow for feedback in a meaningful way so the company has no idea what the consumer is really experiencing or thinking.

Certainly your brand is part of/supported by your advertising message; but, brand is inherently more interactive which is why more and more businesses are relying on social media to provide windows into client experiences and why potential clients look to social media to get the straigh scoop on how well a company fulfills on its brand promise.

Your brand involves every aspect of the client interaction. Failure to deliver on the promised brand experience will be all over Facebook and Twitter within moments of the interaction. Companies can now engage in addressing these situations where before they were unaware.

2. Know your value proposition: You MUST be able to clearly explain the busienss that you are in and know that it is, in fact, what you are doing every day. If I can't articulate how my business is different in its approach, process, experience, etc., then how can I differentiate my company from its competitors? I certainly can't build an effective brand until I have nailed these things down.

3. You create a brand whether you manage it or not: It isn't like Hollywood where any press is good press. Your brand is being discussed, thought about and formulated even if you are not participating in the dialog. You want to be leading the conversation and setting the scene for what clients can expect when interacting with your business. Then, you have to deliver on that expecation consistently. This creates preference among brands, according to Foster. When bad things happen, and they will, companies that have lived up to their brand promise in the past stand a much greater chance for receiving 'forgiveness' from their clients.

4. The company you keep says a lot about you: Brand is as much about who you associate with as it is about what you do. The professional affiliations you make, the other organizations you associate with, the kinds of community efforts you support, as well as the people you hire all factor into defining your brand.

5. Culture may eat your brand for lunch: After all of the time and effort spent developing, implementing and managing a brand, the fastest way to undo a company's image is an inconsistent or poor corporate culture. If your people don't embrace the brand promise and have the tools and procedures to support it, no amount of advertising, PR, outreach campaigns or twitter comments will save your brand. You need to walk-the-walk to be successful because you are going to see these people again and again.

Looking for ways to get your brand noticed? Contact the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. for a free consultation!

Car Wraps Richmond | Finance Your Fleet Wrap

jennifer tompkins — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:01:00 GMT

Thinking about adding to your fleet in 2013? Well, before you sign on the line for that new van, truck or car, think about including a custom vehicle wrap in the purchase or lease package. Many of our clients find this to be a cost effective and tax advantaged way to maximize the value of their fleet vehicles.

In this case, the client negotiated a lease/purchase of several crew vans which included the cost of a full vinyl wrap in the total. The monthly lease payment includes a portion as a marketing expense. This means the client does not have to come out of pocket several thousand dollars per vehicle to have them completely outfitted with an advertising vehicle graphic. The custom wrap is treated appropriately as an expense and the accounting is very simple.

Already own your vehicle? Well there are a number of companies that will finance a vehicle wrap. Typically, financing terms are 3 years and the cost is treated as an expense by the business. Rates and terms vary, so do some shopping around but this is another option for those who understand the value of fleet vehicle graphics.

Don't want to advertise your business but looking for a secondary income stream? How about leasing out space on your fleet for other companies to advertise? This is a common practice for municipalities which sell advertising space on city busses, commuter trains, benches, trash cans, etc. and private taxi companies have a long history of this practice. If you have vehicles rolling around your town daily, why not take advantage and bring in some extra revenue?

You could also partner with a key product supplier to include their brand name as part of your advertising wrap - for a fee, of course. Leveraging suppliers and sponsors to underwrite a truck wrap is a common practice. So, set aside some of your 2013 co-op marketing funds to invest in some new vehicle graphics and make that phone ring!

Looking for more great ideas for how to finance and leverage your fleet graphics? Call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. for a free consultation today!

Signs Richmond | 10 Reasons Why Your CUSTOM SIGN is Your Best Employee

jennifer tompkins — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:57:00 GMT

Most of us don't think about how hard working our signage is or how important a sales tool it can be. Be it illuminated channel letters, banners, window graphics, vehicle wraps or countless other kinds of visual branding, custom signs work extremely hard for our companies and often, at very little cost over the life of the signage tool. Here are my top 10 reasons why my custom signs are my best employees:

My business sign/vehicle wrap works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.
It is never in a bad mood or is impolite to a customer.
It is the least expensive sales representative working for my business.
It never calls in sick or takes vacation.
It does not collect overtime or try to unionize.
It does not require health insurance or a retirement plan.
We never have to disciplinary issues or need to take time out to discuss personal problems that may effect the job.
It requires a minimal amount of upkeep to keep my sign clean and functional.
My sign never complains or asks for a raise.
When my sign gets old or starts to look worn out, I can replace it without fear of a discrimination lawsuit.

Sure, these are meant to be a little flip, but there is a lot of truth in those statements. Site signage and vehicle advertising graphics are extremely cost effective forms of advertising your business. They are temendous tools for attracting clients and generating interest in your business. A well-developed marketing strategy will include permanent and temporary signage as part of its plan because signage can fulfill many roles against a wide spectrum of budgets. Often a small initial investment in some flexible signage tools can offer a wide variety of sign and advertsing options for a business owner to leverage throughout the year.

Has it been a while since you took a look at your signs? Call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. for a free consultation.

RIchmond Custom Signs | Build Your Business Sign FIRST

jennifer tompkins — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:36:00 GMT

Starting a new business or expanding to an additional location is an exciting, allbeit stressful, time in the life of a business owner. There are a myriad of things to do, decisions to be made, endless rounds of review and approval, etc. With all of the activities surrounding opening a (new) business, it strikes me as odd that so often clients delay their business signage until most of the work is done.

Putting up your custom sign early will let the neighborhood know you are on the way. It is one of the best ways to generate buzz and build excitement for your grand opening. Temporary signage such as banners or construction site signage is good, but the sooner you can get your pylon sign or channel letters up on your storefront, the better.

Take a lesson from the big dogs. In the build out planning for a new McDonald's franchise location, the giant "golden arches" are part of the first phase of site development. Why? The answer is obvious. The sooner that branding gets out there in the form of custom signage, the sooner the community will start associating the site with the brand, referring to it as a landmark and speculating how soon it will open.

Too many businesses make the mistake of waiting until the fit up is almost completed or the inventory is on the way before starting their signage project. This is an unfortunate situation for two reasons: First, the client often needs the sign faster than it can be permitted and manufactured and, second, they have lost 45-90 days of "free" advertising to the community that is their target market.

How many times have you driven by a construction site only to wonder, "gee, what do you think is going on there?" Don't make your potential customers wonder. Get them excited!

Don't have room for a free standing sign or you are just taking a storefront in a larger facility? Ask your landlord if you can get on the marquee sign or directory listing ASAP. In the meantime, why not put a graphic wrap your construction barricade with images of what the new shop will look like or put posters in the windows advertising your products. It is a lot more attractive than that brown paper the contractor provides and you get the added benefit of engaging your target audience sooner rather than later.

Build out is also a great time to do teaser advertising, especially if it is a protracted construction period. Set up a campaign of hints as to what is coming to attract the attention of your audience. Major retaillers have been using this technique for a long time with great success but it can easily be applied to other industries and services.

The long and the short of it is: don't wait! Get some custom signage up at your new location as soon as possible to let your potential clients know who you are and that you are moving in!

Thinking about opening a new location? Call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. today for your

Custom Wraps Richmond | SignScapes Saves Christmas! (Sort of..)

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:23:00 GMT

The holidays are fast approaching and Santa's elves have been hard at work here at SignScapes to deliver a holiday custom vehicle wrap even Rudolf would approve! A last minute call went out from a couple of local businesses who had gotten together to work for a local charity collecting toys for needy kids this holiday season. Their big kick off was only days away and the sign company they originally intended to work with backed out on the project at the 11th hour.

OH NO!

We received the call shortly before 5pm on Thursday to see if we could get two vehicles into the holiday spirit by Monday. (Yup, Monday. That's like not even two days.....) Well, what can we say, we are a push over for Christmas and kids charities.

The SignScapes' elves worked tirelessly over the weekend to get the art files set up and output printed for a Monday installation. This is a "temporary" truck wrap and we didn't have much time so we made a couple of compromises with the client's permission. First, we did not laminate the print. Normally it takes us two production days to create full color digitally printed and laminated vinyl panels for a car wrap project. This wrap is only staying on the vehicles for a few weeks so we didn't need to spend the time or the client's money with the overlaminate. The design also called for a white fade with snowflakes at the bottom. We opted to cut lots of individual snowflakes in white vinyl and hand apply after all of the words and graphics had been installed. Good thing too because we didn't get the truck model shown in the proof so there were a lot of adjustments "on the fly" to make the design work. These were new vehicles on loan from a dealership so we were also working around the vehicle badging and other obstacles that normally we would remove for a custom vinyl wrap.

We are happy to report that the client picked up the vehicles on Tuesday morning and made their first remote radio broadcast later in the week. They were thrilled with the way the wrap design turned out and, we even had a couple of toys in the trucks just to get them started on the right foot.

It's great to be able to step in and deliver for an appreciative client and for a worthy community cause. Of course, we don't recommend waiting until the last minute.....

Considering a custom vehicle wrap or vinyl advertising graphic for your car, truck or bus? Whether short term or permanent, you can count on the vehicle wrap experts and SignScapes, Inc. to deliver. Contact us today for a free consulation.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Car Wrap Richmond | Energize Your Sales (Fleet) With Vehicle Graphics

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:31:00 GMT

Let's face it, a good looking car is great to drive and it makes us feel positive, successful and upbeat. We all love that great new car smell and we revel in caring for our new automotive "baby". Nothing says success like a fine European auto.... at least, that's what the ads tell us, right?

Ok, so if a new car is a mood and ego booster and successful sales folks are all about keeping a positive outlook, does this mean I have to buy my sales team new cars to keep them motivated in a tough economy? Not necessarily. If a new fleet is out of scope, consider instead investing in some sleek and snazzy custom vehicle graphics. Not only will they enhance the look of your sales vehicles and promote your brand, but will also have a positive effect on your team's morale.

Here is a great example. A client of ours came to our shop with a beautiful Saab. It has all of the bells and whistles you'd expect in a luxury sedan. The client spends a lot of time driving around calling on clients so she needs a comfortable ride.

Now this is a good looking car and our client keeps it in good shape but it has a lot of miles and is a few years old. She has considered buying a new car but is reluctant to make the investment at this time. She'd also like to capitalize on all the time she spends in traffic, driving around, to get the word out about her brand and the services she provides. It also wouldn't hurt to boost her (self) image as she gears up for a heavy sales season. The budget wasn't large and she didn't want a full graphic wrap that would overwhelm the car. Afterall, this is her primary vehicle so it has to work for her personal life as well as for her business life. We recommended a partial vehicle wrap that added some pizzaz, focused on her brand identity and drew attention to her vehicle in a way that did not overpower the car (or the driver).

Here is the result:

We have taken the colors, images and tag line of the company and incorporated them into the design lines of the vehicle to make a bold, attractive statement. The plain white car has been given added visual interest with some custom printed, full-color, digital graphics applied as a partial wrap. We kept to the budget by using a combination of printed and cut vinyl for the vehicle graphic and lettering. By spreading the design across the vehicle body and using the existing paint color as a background, we can give the illusion of a fuller coverage custom wrap while using less material and keeping cost to the client down.

This particular vehicle didn't have a lot of rear space for graphics so we kept it simple and to the point with the web address and tag line. Adding the tag line was essential to help the viewer understand what the company does since the brand is not self-explanatory. We leveraged the rear window area to repeat the logo without obstructing the view or going with a perforated vinyl graphic. Again, this manages cost and provides a cleaner look.

Now this ride has a little added pep. The client feels as though she is driving a totally new car and you can see an uplift in her pride and energy. These are great side benefits to the high efficiency and effectiveness of vehicle advertising graphics . Not only is this car working 24/7 for our client, she is pleased and proud to be behind the wheel representing her brand image.

Want to add a lift to your sales team and volume? Contact us today to learn more about how vehicle wraps and advertising graphics can boost morale as they boost the bottom line!

Richmond Signs: Custom Window Graphics For Your Retail Space

jennifer tompkins — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:14:00 GMT

Thinking about opening a new retail store or service buisness? Well you are not alone. New business starts are up again this year as the sluggish jobs market pushes people into entrepreneurial roles they might not have otherwise explored. We are seeing a number of new businesses making the leap into a market with an excess of retail space. Hottest trends in Richmond: Frozen Yogurt, Cupcakes and Consignment

A great way for a new shop owner to dress up an old store front is with some custom window graphics, vinyl decals and vinyl lettering. For this bakery, the historic building district was so restrictive in terms of signage, we optioned for some oversized cut vinyl letters in the upper windows to grab the attention of folks in this busy block around VCU. To keep the costs manageable and to maximize the effect, we stuck with white cut vinyl against the tinted glass. This provides a lot of POP without spending a lot of cash. It will also look great day or night. To add some visual interest, we included full color printed vinyl decals (cupcakes) to break up the text stream as well as a custom vinyl graphic logo for the front door. (Photo of Mo's Sweet Minis)

As with the bakery, this consignment shop wants to leverage its display space and still convey some brand messaging. We used a similar approach for this new store and kept the lettering clean and white with a dash of color for the logo. There is still plenty of room for seasonal promotions and notices to keep folks on the lookout. (Photo of Tunic Consignment Boutique)

Finally, if you want to play in the bigs, follow the lead of national marketing experts like McDonald's and set up a regular schedule of window graphic promotions. A quarterly update of their windows keeps the eye's interest and gets this popular chain noticed. The perforated vinyl material provides great image clarity without sacrificing the ability to see out. (An added benefit is it will cut down on the amount of heat generated by south facing widows.) You know this kind of promotion works or they (and their competition) wouldn't bother.

Have some windows at your shop of office that could be working harder for you? Give the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. a call to day.

Custom Wraps Richmond | Disney Comes to SignScapes!

jennifer tompkins — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:42:00 GMT

There is no doubt that the folks at Disney have the 411 on all things marketing. Not only are they the masters of product promotion and wrote the book on brand loyalty, their parks and shops define the brand experience. All of their various divisions are tightly woven with the Disney brand identity, philosophy and goals; whether that be retail, television, music/radio, theme parks, or other entertainment outlets. Afterall, these are the same people who created the happiest place on earth, so it isn't a surprise that when they do vehicle graphic advertsing, they go all the way.

Radio Disney and Disney Television have teamed up to promote their hot new series "Gravity Falls". With a target audience of elementary school kids, Team Disney is often at State Fairs, Carnivals and other family-friendly events around the area to which they travel in custom wrapped vehicles. The success of the new show prompted the business to redo vechicles in each market with the full "Gravity Falls" treatment. In our case, it was bye-bye Jonas Brothers, hello Dipper and Mabel!

For a company like Disney, it isn't enough to put some vinyl decals and text on a van. Their designers went all out and designed a custom wrap that covers the entire vehicle, including the roof! The bold scenes and colorful detail bring the characters to life. The mini-van we changed over is hard to miss with its end-to-end coverage including printed perforated window graphics. These vehicle wraps will be appearing in markets across the US and that's a LOT of custom vehicle graphics.

You might be wondering why an established, dare I say iconic, brand like Disney would spend the time and money to put cartoons on a car when they are so well known? Here's why. Every great brand is constantly reinvesting in itself to stay current, fresh and top of mind. Not just in the entertainment industry but for all businesses, you need to keep your name in front of your target audience so they will keep coming back. And, a vinyl vehicle wrap is a great cost-effective way to get the word out to your local market.

Vehicle wraps will take existing assets like your delivery and service fleet and make them dual function as rolling billboards. The vinyl graphic material can also act as a protectant for the vehicle finish, thereby preserving resale value. A qualified sign shop can work with you on design, production and installation, often in 3 weeks or less. Leverage your other marketing and advertising campaigns by adding those images to your fleet to reinforce your message. At an average cost of $0.35 per impression, full color digital fleet graphics are still the most cost effective means of reaching a local market.

For more great ideas on how to get you brand in front of prospective clients and to keep your name top of mind, call the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. today.

Vehicle Wraps Richmond | Hokie Trailer Wrap - FINALE

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:28:00 GMT

Finally, after many hours of designing, printing, laminating and 20 hours of installation, we did it! This was one of the most complicated custom wrap projects we have worked on and certainly, one of the most creative. The final product exceeded all of our expectations and the guys were ecstatic.

Pick up was scheduled for 11am on Friday, two weeks before the season opener. They guys showed up an hour early, of course, while we were spot checking and doing some additional post heat. I was really surprised they had been able to keep themselves away during the installation. Not that it stopped them from sending curious emails asking for progress photos! We kept them in the dark as long as we could and they were so excited by the way the project turned out.

Take a look at some of the final photos. The design and installation crews were particularly meticulous while working around the shutter openings for the TV screens so that none of the jersey names or numbers were interruped. Although we did lose some of the design detail when the shutters were open because of the TVs themselves, the client really wanted to maintain the same look outside and inside of the shutters and were OK with the design interruption. Afterall, their team would be on the screens and that was more important.

The main view on the passenger side captured some of the tradition and lore of the team. The right side is the view from the team tunnel heading out to the field. Above the door is the Hokie Stone.

Each of the team members and coaching staff will tap the stone on their way onto the field for luck. The sentiment reads: "for those who have passed, for those to come, reach for excellence". We incorporated this tradition into the trailer wrap so that the guys can "tap the stone" when they go in and out of the trailer in solidarity with their team.

It was also important to get a field view of the team so we used some original photography from our own "Tech" technical consultant, Jason, an alum and big Hokie fan. Details were really important as well, so the inside of the trailer door was wrapped to blend into the exterior design when it is open. Design continuity had to flow outside as well as inside so adding some small details like maroon and orange vinyl pin striping to the cabinetry and the "fighting gobbler" vinyl decal to the AV console were definite must haves.

We even wrapped the ceiling inside the trailer to include a stadium view of a jet flyover, traditional in all of the Virginia Tech home games. (Photography of this view was really tough and none of our images really did it justice.... but trust me, it is totally COOL!)

We completed the project by adding custom wrap and vinyl graphic elements to the stainless counter tops that attach to the sides of the trailer under the shutters. The two long sides have bar rail style counters where we added "turkey tracks" to the surface. The larger bar counter for the back end was covered with a Tech helmet on an orange field. And, they loved the Hokie Stone so much, we made a second one to hang on the inside over the doorway.

What may surprise you, as it certainly surprised us, is that none of our clients are VT alumni. They are absolutely crazy loyal to the team and CFS is a proud and generous corporate sponsor. Realizing this, it was all the more important for us to find a way to show through the design the level of commitment and support these fans give their team and to make them feel as much a part of the team as we possibly could.

The guys wanted the trailer early so they could take it out to the campus for "Fan Day". They were so pleased that Coach Beamer and his staff all came out to see their trailer and even autographed the sides. We didn't want to hold up the article for the official photography, so we have included shots we took here as well as our installation video to give you an idea of the scope of the project.

We are really proud of the way this project turned out and were especially thrilled by the many complimentary email messages we received following the opening game from other fans who had seen our work at the stadium. The guys reported that they drew quite a crowd and were the envy of many that day. We hope they have a great season and someone from UVA will call us for a Trailer Wrap Rivalry!

Want to show your team or corporate spirit? Contact SignScapes today for a free consultation!

Vehicle Wraps Richmond | Hokie Trailer Wrap - Part 2

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:58:00 GMT

Typical vehicle wrap designs are more about name brand and logo recognition and less about telling a story or creating an environment. As mentioned in Part 1, we had the unique opportunity with this custom trailer wrap project to explore the best of both worlds: To make the trailer a true experience for the guys who are such avid supporters of Hokie Athletics but also a recognizable brand statement for thier business. This couldn't be just any "hokie trailer". It had to be the Container First Services (CFS) Hokie Trailer but without it looking like a big billboard for the company. Finding a way to integrate their brand imagery seamlessly into the story we wanted to tell would clearly be one of our

Another challenge we discussed in Part 1 was the hurdles associated with using licensed artwork. This was new territory for us and it took a fair amount of phone calls and research to get to the right folks. Once we found them, however, it was actually a simple process. We also mentioned that the guys had a pretty long list of elements they wanted included in their custom wrap. I say elements because these things were a bit disparate and the list had a tendency to expand over time. Here are some of the items we had to incorporate into the design:biggest challenges.

Names of all of the guys who share the trailer
Names of the wives/girlfriends of the guys who share the trailer
(added) names of the kids of the guys who share the trailer
Years the Hokies won the ACC championship
Memorial photos of two friends who had passed
A stadium "fly over" on the ceiling inside the trailer
Hokie Bird on the AV console
Hokie pinstriping on the interior cabinetry
(added)Hokie helmet on the removable bar countertop
(added) Turkey tracks for the side countertops
Beamer's 25 years of coaching emblem
Hokie Respect logo
View of the stadium with fireworks
View of the team entering the field

Sure we could have dropped images on the trailer and overlaid text but that didn't seem cohesive enough for this group. Also, nowhere in their requirements was any kind of CFS branding because they didn't want to detract from the "hokie spirit". What we really needed to do was come up with a way to have the CFS brand appear naturally in the scenes we would create on the trailer. As you can imagine, the design budget for this project was substantially larger than what would typically be seen on an advertising car wrap. Fortunately the clients were very interested in making a statement with their vehicle wrap - all we had to do then was deliver on the "WOW" factor.

Concepting the trailer was a little daunting but we ultimately came up with some "story panels" for each side. The most complicated elements were trying to get all of the individual names into the design without making a list and to include the various VT logo artwork without it looking like we applied a bunch of vinyl decals.

Design concept proofs were created with just enough art to give the flavor of the design without being a completed presentation. We really wanted to see if the guys were going to like the path we were taking them on before we invested in a lot of detail work but we also knew that they would need some good visuals to give us meaningful feedback. We sent them the following proofs in one of the early design meetings:

As you can see, we had a locker room concept put together and hand sketched in team jerseys for each of the guys with their names. We thought this would be a great way to make all of the crew really feel like a part of the team.

We floated a couple of branding concepts as well and added the spouse and kid names to the lockers. This felt like a natural tie in to inlcude them here. Ultimately we included branded items such as water bottles and hats to the scene.

The trailer itself offered some unique challenges because there are various shutters installed to cover the exterior facing TVs as well as the bar area in the rear. When this shutter rolls up it exposes the interior of the trailer. We had to consider the design with the shutter open and closed because whatever we did on the back had to make sense with the shutter in either position. In thinking about the team spirit, we came up with the idea of a trophy case where we could display the VT championships and various awards, honor those who had passed, etc. It also occurred to us that the business had won a couple of awards and we could include their "trophies" in the case as well. The display area of the trophy case worked well within the shutter and we tied the surrounding area to appear like a hallway or wall of honor you might see at the University.

The guys really latched onto the theme we were going for and had some terrific input for us. We ultimately switched some things around and added some other elements (as you saw from our list) but the concept held even after all of the modifications. By the time we had an approved design, we also had a group of really anxious guys waiting for the final product. Afterall, time was ticking away and the first home game was in a matter of weeks......

Stay tuned for Part 3 to see the completed project and installation video.

Looking for some bold ideas for your next digital graphics project? Contact the sign and branding experts at SignScapes, Inc. TODAY!

Vehicle Wraps Richmond | Hokie Trailer Wrap - Part 1

jennifer tompkins — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:14:00 GMT

As a custom vehicle wrap shop, we do a lot of what I refer to as advertising graphics. You know the application of a company logo, tag line and other info to a vehicle in an eye catching and appealing way. This is great work for us and we really enjoy helping clients who want to promote their business and their brand through car wraps, truck graphics, trailer wraps, and the like. As we have said in many previous articles, this type of marketing is highly cost efficient and sales effective so we recommend all of our clients take advantage of this particular form of advertising.

The other kind of vehicle wrap we don't get to do as often is a truly unique design where we are creating a detailed look essentially from scratch. These kinds of projects are really challenging and take quite a bit more art time than the usual advertising wrap; but boy, they can really be cool.

We recently were engaged to create a one-of-a-kind vinyl wrap for a football tailgate trailer. Now, this is no ordinary pull behind! It is a custom 20 footer with a bathroom, 6 televisions, bar, couches, the total works. We have been fondly referring to it as the "Mobile Man-Cave" around the office since we first saw the original specs. When we actually got a look at the trailer in person, we were even more overwhelmed by the clients' commitment to their team and knew we'd really have to come up with something spectacular for this project.

The trailer owners are a group of guys who bring out the "fanatic" in fan. They are die-hard, no-holes-barred, Hokie loyalists. (In case you don't know, Hokies are the football team of Virginia Tech and the local supporters tend to run to the rabid.) Needless-to-say, the guys had some pretty specific requirements for the new trailer that we weren't sure how we would integrate. Plus, we had to address the issue of licensing since the Tech brand is trademarked. (They had worked around the issue of licensing when they did the old trailer by purchasing licensed decals and applying them to a maroon painted finish. Although the old trailer captured the spirit of team support, it was not exactly a cohesive design befitting this level of loyalty.)

We reached out to the licensing group folks at Virginia Tech and they were extremely helpful. Don't take the chance of using unlicensed art; it is not as difficult as some may think to work out a one time use license and royalty agreement. You will eliminate the possibility that your client (and you) will be sued for copyright infringement and you will likely gain access to art (photography and other files) that you wouldn't otherwise. Check out the university or pro team web pages for licensing contact information.

Once we had the go ahead to work on a design, we took another look at the laundry list of elements the guys had provided. We had some functional requirements such as creating a place for the coach and team members to autograph on the trailer. There were some specific images to be included, names of all of the guys and their wives/kids had to be on there, views of the stadium, etc. They even wanted to memorialize two friends who were also big fans somewhere in the design. This was a lot to take in and think about. How were we going to make all of these elements work together in a single design? More importantly, we really wanted to make the guys feel like a PART of the team and, because we are always thinking brand, we wanted to find a way to also incorporate their business identity somehow.

What did we come up with? You'll have to stay tuned for Part 2......

Looking for a unique graphic design for your business or extracurricular vehicle? Contact the wrap specialists at SignScapes, Inc. today!

Signs Richmond | What's Your Type(face)?

jennifer tompkins — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:50:00 GMT

We are really enjoying this PBS Off Book series and wanted to share another video. This time, we are talking about typeface, a critical element in branding and custom sign making. Too often we pick typeface or fonts that work well in one medium and not in another. We may like the way it looks but is it synchronous with our brand image? A set of brand standards is hardly complete without the inclusion of a typeface discussion. Take a look at the video.... you won't see typeface the same way again.

Considering a custom sign or vehicle graphics? Let us help you choose the right typeface for your business communication. Click on our logo below!

[via PBS Arts]

Signs Richmond | Custom Logo Design - Older Than You Think

jennifer tompkins — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:01:00 GMT

PBS in their recent Off Book series, put together an impressive set of contributors who discuss the origins and importance of logo design. As a custom sign company, we found this 6 minute video really resonated with the branding consultation we provide to our clients. It stresses the importance of creating a uniform symbol to represent your business. The contributors discuss how this type of communication has been around for centuries as well as the elements to consider when creating a timeless brand image. Take a look and tell us what you think!

Need help creating an iconic image for your brand? Talk to the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. today!

[via PBS Arts]

Vehicle Graphics Richmond | Car Wrap Process

jennifer tompkins — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:35:00 GMT

There is no doubt, vehicle wraps and custom car graphics are cool, sexy even, as well as a potentially being a great marketing tool for your business. Most business owners don't have the first idea of what it takes to put together a vehicle wrap and what THEY need to do before they ever call a sign shop.

Marketing Objective: Why do you want to a wrap? What do you hope to get from your wrap? Just as you would evaluate any other business expenditure, what is it you hope to achieve with your wrap? How much do you intend to spend (aka what is your budget?). How long do you expect this "campaign" to last? How will you know it is successful? ---- These are tremendously important questions for the business owner to answer prior to getting caught up in the creative excitement of a vehicle wrap project. Understanding your budget (investment) and setting up a measurable goal (number of new clients, increase in name recognition) will help you to determine if a wrap is a good way to use your marketing dollars.
Design Elements: What kind of design asethetic do you want? Will the new truck wrap reflect the existing branding or usher in a new look or product? What existing artwork, materials do you want to include or is this a clean slate? Will the design work be done by your own creative team or by the sign shop's? ----leveraging a creative firm that you already use for your marketing and branding is a good way to keep your branding consistent and to ensure that your fleet wrap is integrated into your overall marketing strategy. A qualified sign shop can work with art renderings created by outside graphic designers or can design vehicle graphics which incorporate your brand standards and other visual elements such as high resolution photography, colorful backgrounds, and more.
Proof Concept: Coming up with a slick proof is only part of the story. The conceptual design, even if the designer uses a vehicle template, should always be reconciled to the actual physical vehicle to be wrapped. Door moldings, after market racks or body damage will often cause slight alterations in the design. A flat vehicle template also does not read vehicle curves or deep grooves that will alter the appearance of some text and graphics. An experienced car wrap designer/installer will be able to "read" potential issues prior to production and make necessary adjustments. If the shop is doing the design, be prepared to pay in advance at least a portion of the design fee up front. Design time is a significant cost to the shop and quality design work up front will save you money in the long run.
Fabrication & Installation:Before you move into production, there will also be a deposit required. Underwriting your wrap is an important part of the process. Remember, these are "custom" graphics so the shop can't reuse the materials or sell them to someone else. You will also need to prep your vehicle for the shop. Exising graphics/decals and adhesive should be removed and the car thoroughly washed (not waxed) before you drop it off. The shop will do a final inspection and surface preparation before the vinyl panels are installed. A holding time is recommended for full wraps especially. Usually an overnight stay is idea to allow the vinyl product to settle and any stray air bubbles or loose edges to reveal themselves and be addressed before delivery. Photos, of course, of you an your new vehicle wrap are always a must.
Activate Marketing: Engage your truck wrap marketing strategies to take advantage of this new advertising tool. Set up a contest on twitter or facebook for fans/followers to post pictures of your new look to win a prize. Park prominently where traffic passing by will see you. Make a bold statement at an event with multiple fleet vehicle presence. This isn't a case of "build it and they will come". You need to be proactive to get the most out of this investment.

For more information or to get started on your vehicle wrap project, all the branding experts at SignScapes, Inc. today!

Richmond Signs & Graphics | Custom Sign Components You Shouldn't Forget

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:22:00 GMT

We do a lot of fun and exciting projects at SignScapes where we can be highly creative and really push the envelope. But at the very heart of the matter, signs, whether they be vehicle wraps, window graphics, building signs or vinyl banners, it all comes down to effective communication with the intended audience. We want to let potential clients and customers know how to find you, who you are, what you do, etc. to generate excitement and, of course, orders for your business.

Custom signs are just one component of promoting (aka - marketing and advertising) your business. In today's highly competitive environment, we need a multi-pronged approach to reaching our next potential sale. We use traditional media products and newer social media platforms to make sure we find our target where ever he or she may be. It would stand to reason then, that we should let our target audience know how to reach us on these other platforms.

Adding social media links to your sign and other advertising efforts let your clients know that you interact on a variety of platforms from which they can choose how to engage you. For businesses with broad, multigenerational audiences, this may be especially important to not only have a website but a twitter account, facebook page, blog, toll free phone number and text message alert options from which clients can opt-in to communications from the business.

Promoting your multi-channel accessibility is as easy as adding familiar icons or "buttons" to your existing signs, window graphics, business cards, etc. You can also generate QR (quick response) codes to make accessing these platforms via smart phone, fast and easy. Just remember, it isn't enough just to have a hash tag or a fan page, you really need a process to engage with your clientel through these channels. Start out small and then expand as you find your audience and grow your support resources. Answer inquiries and comments in a timely and professional manner. Provide relevant content. Generate excitement and offer followers special value for their readership. Follow these simple guidelines and you will have a robust set of followers to engage.

Need help promoting your social media and other marketing strategies, give the brand experts at SignScapes a call today!

Custom Signs Richmond | Making the Most of Banner Stands

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:01:00 GMT

The custom banner stand or "pop up" banner stand is a staple promotional tool for any business which exhibits at trade shows, conventions, local Chamber of Commerce events or other sponsorship opportunities. Too many of my clients think that because they don't travel to Las Vegas for big shows or have the money for a $20,000 booth, that these types of banner stands and other tradeshow display items not only aren't for them, but are out of reach when it comes to budget.

Not so! There are a great many economical, versatile banner stands that can work within even a tight budget. They are simple to set up and come in a variety of sizes. The simplest of which is an "X" frame style. This little gem is what I start a lot of my businesses or those new to exhibiting with because it is very user and budget friendly. The typical X banner stand is a folding tripod base with two upper poles. It uses tension at the four corners of the banner to hold the custom graphic taught. The whole unit, including the banner, usually fits in a light carry bag and weights less than 3 pounds. Some of the reasons I like starting clients out with this style include:

COST-

The stand itself is a small investment, usually less than $60
The unit uses standard 13oz vinyl banner material, not expensive PVC or anti-curl products commonly used in retractable banner stands

VERSATILITY-

Because the banner is attached at the four corners only, the client can easily swap the graphics out for various audiences or events.
Outdoor stands are available with weighted bases and the same banner can work on either style of stand
Several stands can be stood together to create a "wall" or backdrop

EASE of USE-

Trade show "gear" can be a little intimidating. These banner stands are lightweight and compact, have no moving parts and can be set up single-handedly.
The banner stands can be stood on tabletop to create added visibility in high ceiling locations.
They take little room in a car or sales vehicle. Perfect for that last minute presentation.

Next time you are thinking that you don't have the budget for display materials, think again and call SignScapes, Inc. for more branding ideas.

Van Wraps Richmond | Update Your Look With New Vehicle Graphics

jennifer tompkins — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:16:00 GMT

For many years, contractors and service professionals have recognized the value of advertising their businesses on their fleet vehicles. Cut vinyl lettering with the business name, phone number and perhaps some services offered were the typical staple of these early truck wraps.

Here is an example of a well established brand in the Tri-Cities area. The Delta Oil folks, now The Delta Group VA, have been around for nearly 100 years providing heating oil and mechanical services to home and business owners. They recogized the value vehicle graphic advertising and, over time, have made various updates to their look which include vinyl decals for products they carry and associations with which they are members.

The firm decided about two years ago that the old logo didn't represent their expanded corporation. Since starting our in the heating oil business, they have subsequently entered the travel mart arena, provide portable toilet and septic services, have real estate holdings, and supply non-potable water. They embarked on a rebranding program that would encompass the full scope of services while still retaining their original identity.

The rebranding cut across all of the marketing and communication media. Not just the fleet wraps, but also the website, print collateral and advertising had to reflect the new brand imagery. After almost a century with the same "look", the team knew that continuity and consistency in the roll-out would be key.

New vehicle graphics were created to reflect the updated logo and to carry forward the new brand identity. The look is not vastly different from the old style- which was intentional. The client wanted to keep the same, traditional vinyl lettered look while reinforcing the expanded service offering of this well-known business. Refreshing their look will draw attention to their vehicles again, promote their expanded business services and reinforce all of their other efforts to promote the consolidated group identity.

Thinking about updating your brand's presence? Talk to the sign and brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. today!

Vehicle Wraps Richmond | Top Spots for Your Custom Vehicle Graphics

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:34:00 GMT

As vehicle graphics, or car wraps, are catching on, more business professionals from all industries are interested in adding some advertising graphics to their vehicles. We've even had an inquiry from a Funeral Director. Just as one could argue that not all businesses are equally well suited for custom vehicle advertising, not all of the 'real estate' or surface area of your vehicle is of equal value.

One of the first questions I ask my clients (after "what result do you expect to get from your car wrap?") is "how do you use or intend to use the vehicle they want to wrap?" That might sound funny but it is really important. If your vehicle is primarily used for delivery or is in transit (moving) the majority of the time, then the premium real estate would be the back end. This holds true for most vehicles where brand and contact information is most likely to be seen and actioned by drivers following your vehicle in traffic or in areas where there is predominantly head-in parking.

Vehicles that are stationary for extended periods like service vans or promotional vehicles can often take better advantage of the broad sides of their cars and trucks to make a bold, graphic impact or use a more detailed image that translates better when the vehicle is in place.

How about other areas? Have you considered the roof? Many vehicle wraps include a "call to action" or tag line on the vehicle roof/truck top in urban areas with high-rise buildings. Congested traffic will often block side views and upper story office dwellers who gaze out their windows can be prompted to order your falaffel with a simple car top suggestion - "What's for lunch?". I know I'd be hungry if I saw these catering treats drive by at around 11:30am when my tummy starts rumbling.

Another popular choice is the rear windshield. For many "wrap newbies" this is a great place to start because it is reasonably low-priced, uses the traditionally most visible part of the vehicle and is discreet. My more conservative professional clients as well as many home-based businesses use this approach to get the word out without being too flashy. This is also a great way to get graphics on your car without annoying the Home Owners Association (HOA).

If you do nothing else, get something on the back of your car to let potential clients know who you are, what your business does and how to contact you. There are many, many options and strategies to tie into your overall marketing program, you just need to get going and get noticed!

For more information on custom vehicle graphics and car wrap options, contact the brand experts at SignScapes, Inc. TODAY!

Photo credit: speedprosfbay.com

Business Signs Richmond | 8 Keys to Branding

jennifer tompkins — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 13:27:00 GMT

I came across this article in Forbes' written by Matt Symonds. It very concisely pulled together the elements of building a brand that we encourage our clients to consider when developing a new brand or, refreshing their exisiting brand, that I wanted to repeat it here. It is the brand, afterall, that needs to be in place before we can make your custom sign, vehicle wrap or other materials to promote your business. Many thanks to Matt for distilling these items and providing useful examples.

"Memorable. Is your slogan (or other brand element) easy to recognize, and easy to recall? Does it have ‘sticking power’? A striking image or a word carrying some emotion such as courage or bravery might help.
Meaningful. This can be achieved in a descriptive way, such as a clear link with what you do – a product category, the business you are in. Or it can be done in a persuasive way – emphasizing your unique selling proposition, or a key point of difference, such as a special benefit you offer. In either case, credibility is essential, as a slogan must link with customer expectations.
Likeable. Does it look good, and does it sound right? Try using linguistic devices like alliteration (Coca-Cola), unusual or incorrect spelling (Kwik-Fit, Vodafone), abbreviations (7UP), acronyms (Amoco), compounds (Cup-a-Soup), metaphors (Aquafresh), association with a particular quality (Midas), or what the branding experts refer to as paranomasia, and that we think of as a play on words (half the restaurants in London and New York).
Transferability. Is the slogan universal enough to cover new categories, new business ventures and international markets? Make sure the words are easily pronounceable in as many countries as possible and look out for possible misinterpretation. Particularly if you’d like to avoid following Pepsi whose ‘Pepsi brings you back to life’ turned into ‘Pepsi brings you ancestors back from the grave’ in Chinese, or Coors whose ‘Turn it loose’ became ‘Suffer from diarrhea’ in Spanish.
Protectability. Think about the aspect of copyrights, and make sure you can legally protect your brand elements internationally. Also, make sure you don’t invest in building up awareness of brand elements that can be easily and legally copied by others. When Molson launched their Ice beer they thought they were onto a winner. Unfortunately for them, however, you can’t copyright the word ‘ice’ and they quickly found themselves facing competition from Miller Ice, and then Bud Ice.
Authenticity. The best slogans reflect the essence of a company, its very soul. And the best way to achieve authenticity is to work from the inside out, by understanding what your people believe the business is about because every single one of them will need to be an ambassador for the brand in the outside world.
Simplicity. In an age of information overload less is most definitely more. Keep it short, keep it simple, keep it clear.
Adaptability. In a rapidly changing world you need to future –proof your brand as much as possible, which means making it as adaptable as possible. Look at how other companies such as Google and MTV play with their logos through the use of different colors and backgrounds to create new messages while retaining the essence of the brand. Brand consistency and brand relevance are not mutually exclusive. With courage and inventiveness they can be made to work hand-in-hand.

At the end of the day you need to own the identity or slogan you have come up with. And whether you are Fedex with “The World On Time”, or the guys at Chick-fil-A who aggressively protect “Eat Mor Chikin”, always make sure you can deliver on the promise you have chosen."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mattsymonds/2012/05/30/the-8-keys-to-successful-branding-why-mad-men-and-bourbon-are-not-going-to-cut-it/2/ to read the entire article.