Signage Tips & Advice | Magnetic Vehicle Signs

The simple truth of it is: As you drive around, people see your vehicle. Doesn’t it make sense that you use your vehicle to advertise your business? The most inexpensive way to do that is with a magnet vehicle sign.

Magnetic vehicle signs need to be taken care of in order to make the most of your investment and to keep them looking nice on your vehicle. If made well and taken care of properly, magnetic signs should last two to three years.

Word to the Wise

Before you order, make sure your vehicle doors are made of steel. Some vehicles have fiberglass, plastic or aluminum bodies. If a car has been in an accident or has a lot of body putty on it, the magnet may not stick. The bottom line is that you should ensure a magnet will stick to where you want it to go before you order them.

Size of Your Magnetic Signs

Vehicle Magnet Signs are usually 12”H x 24”W. The size can be altered to meet the needs of your vehicle. You may want a larger magnet sign for the side of a trailer, a van, or the tailgate of a truck. The flatter the area on the vehicle, the better off you’ll be. If wind gets under a corner of the magnet, they can fly off, so the flatter they lay on the vehicle, the better it is. Visual Advantage Signs will be happy to round the corners of the vehicle magnets for you if you so desire.

Install and Care for your Magnetic Signs

Clean the vehicle prior to installing your vehicle magnets. Make sure there is no dirt or grit between the magnet and the surface of the vehicle. This will help to ensure the magnets do not fall off at high speeds. Take care not to attach your auto magnet over rust or trim or anything that will keep it from laying flat. Do not create air pockets. Never try to move or slide the magnet to reposition it. Just remove it and reinstall, thereby avoiding surface scratches to the vehicle.

Cleaning Magnetic Signs

Remove the auto magnets every week or so and clean them and the surface of the vehicle before reinstalling. This will help keep dirt and grit from accumulating underneath or scratching the surface of the vehicle panels. It will also keep the vehicle magnet signs flat to the vehicle surface so they won’t fly off.

Synthetic waxes are the best to use underneath your auto magnets. Real wax can actually glue the magnet to your vehicle. Avoid using auto cleaning solutions like Armor All on the back of the magnet. These will defeat the purpose of the magnet and make it fall off of the vehicle. Mild detergent or glass cleaners are the best choices to clean the front of the auto magnets. Of course, do not apply the magnetic sign before the vehicle dries completely. Last but not least, keep your eye on your auto magnets day to day, to make sure they’re clean and staying on the vehicle properly.

Care for Your Magnetic Signs When They’re Off the Vehicle

No not roll or fold the auto door magnets. Lay them flat, printed side up, in a dry, cool place and don’t put anything on top of them. If you’re storing more than one auto magnet, ensure the sides do not touch each other.

Taking good care of your Magnetic Vehicle Signs will ensure they look good and last, giving you and your business the most benefit.

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Signage Tips & Advice | Sports Event Signs For Impact

The goal is to make your marketing dollars last longer, right? We want to put our product or service in front of a lot of people for a long time so as to gain and keep their attention. There are places that a lot of us go to for long periods of time. Following are 5 locations where you can advertise your business to many people every week, for months at a stretch.

Gymnasiums: Decals of mascots and University letters are on basketball floors all over the U.S. Why not advertise by putting a decal of your business on the sidelines? Parents and fans will see it every week throughout the basketball season. And, if you want to keep it there, why not sponsor the volleyball and gymnastic teams? It will stay there all that much longer.

Football Fields: High School football fields have fences, bleachers, and concession stands. All are great places to put a printed banner or A-frame sign that advertises your product or service.

Hockey Rinks: Hockey has been popular for many years in the northern U.S. It is a fast-growing sport in the south these days, due to a more mobile workforce. People move south every day to escape the winter snows. But, they still love their hockey. Put a digitally printed decal or banner on the boards around the ice, or, if there is no room left there, hang a banner from the beams.

Soccer Fields: Soccer is gaining popularity in the U.S. by leaps and bounds. Every weekend, little children, high school kids, and adults play on fields all over town. A couple of A-frame signs on the sidelines near the bleachers, with full-color digital graphics are bound to grab attention for your business. You could also put those A-frame signs in the parking lot or hand a banner on the back of the bleachers.

Baseball Fields: Ah, baseball. What could be better than going to a baseball game, having a hot dog and a soda, while watching your child play? How about gaining more customers from your banner, hanging on the outfield fence? Maybe you can also sponsor the team by providing uniforms. If you support your community, especially people’s children, they’ll support you and your business.

Advertising at sports venues is a great way to raise funds for teams and leagues, while getting the word out, about your business.

Give Visual Advantage Signs a call at (919) 535-8492 or visit our website www.visualadvantagesigns.com to discuss how to take advantage of the advertising opportunities at sports events.

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Signage Tips & Advice | How To Make The Most of Your Car Wrap

We all see them.. vehicles with too much information splattered all over the place. Too many products, too many services, too much information. Sometimes it’s a busy vehicle wrap with too many colors. Sometimes it’s too many services or products written in vinyl graphics and sometimes it’s just a simple door magnet with the wrong information, too much information, or just plain poorly designed. How do you know what the right information is to put on your vehicle? How do you know what the right amount of information is? Answer: Ask a professional. Better yet, keep reading and I’ll tell you how to make the most of your vehicle graphics.

1. Business Name and Logo – Be consistent and make these large enough to read when you’re on the road. Your business name and logo are your company’s “brand.” People need to see it and recognize it. Consistency with all of your advertising and marketing materials is very important.
2. Phone Number – Again.. make it large and easy to read. Put your main business phone number in a prominent spot (or spots) on the vehicle.
3. Website – Make sure it’s on the vehicle in at least one location. I don’t know many folks who use the yellow pages anymore so if they don’t call you, they’ll search the web for you. If you don’t have room for the www, that’s ok. It’s just as easy to find visualadvantagesigns.com.
4. Services – Three. Yes, three. No more than that and no less than that. Most businesses provide more than three products or services. However, less is more in this case. Pick three of the many products and services your business provides. People will ask what else you do if they’re interested. Adults are the people you’re probably after and we (adults) have pretty short attention spans and we don’t have much time to read while we’re driving anyway. Give ‘em the most important ones.

Although a vehicle wrap provides more bang for your buck than most advertising, it is still an investment of your marketing dollars. Make the most of it and have it professionally designed and installed. Your business deserves a professional image.

Give Visual Advantage Signs a call at (919) 535-8492 or visit our website www.visualadvantagesigns.com to make the most of your vehicle graphics.

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Signage Tips & Advice | Retractable Banner Stand for Versatility

Pop-Up Banner Stands are mobile, inexpensive, and quick and easy-to-use. Bright, digital graphics with your logo, products, and services are easily printed on our special, non-curl pop-up banner material and installed in a retractable banner stand.

The pop-up banner and retractable stand are staples for tradeshows and business expos. They are easy to put up, take down, and bring along.

They offer other great options as well. If you are speaking, set it up next to your podium. How about using it in your showroom? Maybe you own a restaurant or butcher shop or bakery. Just think how beautiful your food will look on a full-color digitally printed non-curl banner. If it’s raining, keep it in your shop, showroom, or lobby. If it’s a nice day, put it out on the sidewalk to bring in more customers.

There are many uses for a retractable banner stand with a digitally printed pop-up banner. It’s great to have something that sets up in about 60 seconds and advertises your business.

Give Visual Advantage Signs a call at (919) 535-8492 or visit our website www.visualadvantagesigns.com to discuss the many opportunities to use a pop-up banner stand.

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Signage Tips & Advice | Good Directional Signage Gets You From Point A-to-B Easily

Do you think you could get from the front desk of a hospital to the 6^th floor of the C-wing Radiologist office in Room #658C without clear directions? What would we do without directional signs? How about an airport? Imagine trying to get to the right ticket counter, identification and screening line, correct concourse and gate number without good, clear directional signage. We use directory signs many times every week to guide us through buildings, malls, and outdoor plazas.

Have you ever been to a building that had old, incorrect, or even missing directional signage? Or, maybe the fonts, or colors, or sign sizes were not the same. We’ve all seen it and, honestly, it doesn’t present a very professional image for the building or the business(es) that lease space in it, right?

Your directory sign should be up-to-date, easy to read, and professionally designed. Your company image is at stake. Make sure you hire a sign company that knows how important directory signs are and that cares about how your business is presented.  An experienced sign company will ensure your signage, directional and otherwise, represents the professional image of your company.

Remember that people who look at a directory or other directional signage are most often in a hurry. Your sign must be easy to read and navigate.  The fonts must be legible and large enough to read and the sign should not contain unnecessary information. It should never be confusing.

Here are some basic rules for a good directory sign:

• Use an easy to read font – script or trendy fonts make it harder for users to read.
• Ensure there is enough space between locations.
• Use color to highlight floors or sections of a mall or building. This makes it easier to navigate.
• Clearly categorize options so that users can quickly find the information they seek.

People are likely to see your directory sign before they even see your business sign so it is very important to make sure it is clear and consistent with your other signage. This may be your first and only chance to make a good impression on that potential customer. A beautiful lobby and offices “inside” will not make up for a tired and run-down image on the “outside.” Put your best foot forward from the very beginning, with your clear, concise, easy to read directional signage. Your business will look professional from the very first impression. You can then carry that impression and image throughout your business by using a professional sign company.

Visual Advantage Signs is a full service sign manufacturing company, located in Cary, NC. We are happy to help you with any signage you need. Please call us at (919) 535-8492 or visit us at http://www.visualadvantagesigns.com/.

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Signage Tips & Advice | Using Vehicle Wraps to Market Your Business

Using a Vehicle Wrap to Market Your Business: 5 Simple Ways To Increase Sales

A vehicle wrap is essentially a billboard on wheels.  What better way to gain exposure for your business? Below are five simple and highly effective ways to maximize your exposure and increase sales:

1. Park Wisely:  Your wrapped vehicle will grab attention while you’re inside conducting business or shopping.  Park your wrapped vehicle close to busy streets, intersections, or highways where they’ll get maximum exposure to traffic.  Think about who your target market is and where they are. Then park where they’ll see your wrapped vehicle, whether it is a car, truck, boat, or trailer.  – Let’s say you own a fitness center.  Park your wrapped car in the nearest grocery store parking lot or in front of the local health food store.  Park at various locations and see what works best for you.  Make sure you put a business card holder on your vehicle so people can easily grab a card and contact you.

2. Partner up for an Event!  Join forces with a town or local youth sports club.  These organizations hold many events and sports tournaments which attract hundreds or even thousands of potential customers.  Park your wrapped vehicle, place some outdoor flags around it, set up a table and do product sampling out of your wrapped vehicle.

3.  Looks like a Parade! If you have at least three wrapped vehicles, drive them around together, in a targeted market, once per month.  Pick a busy road and get some exposure with your wrapped fleet of cars, trucks, boats, or trailers.  People notice wrapped vehicles.  Just think how much of an impact you will get with your entire fleet driving down the road for part of a day.  After your ‘parade,’ park all of the vehicles in a parking lot where your target market will be.

4. Make Each Wrap Different. Alter the design for each new vehicle wrap that’s added to your fleet.  Consistent branding of your business is essential to your success but if you change up the graphics a little, people will remember you because they’ll be thinking “what will they do next?”  Imagine how clever it would be if a local pest control company focused the graphic of each vehicle on a different ugly bug.  Mix it up!

5. Where’s the Wrap?  Run a marketing campaign and give prizes to people who spot your car and tweet about it or write where they saw it on your Facebook page.  You could link the promotion to your radio or television ads.

Ready to take your marketing and branding to the next level with a vehicle wrap? Call Visual Advantage Signs at 919-535-8492 or send us an email at info@visualadvantagesigns.com.

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Signage Tips & Advice | Pop-Up Banner Designs That POP!

Pop-up banner designs that POP!

Pop-up banners are cost effective, versatile, easy to transport and are used by virtually everyone as a component of their trade show signage.  Here are 5 tips to make sure you get a design that pops!

1. Put important information towards the middle and the top.  Due to how the human eye works (and how cramped your booth space may be) the bottom third of the banner is the last to be viewed. Grab their attention in the top two-thirds so they’ll view all of the good things you have to offer.  You don’t need to leave the bottom blank but be sure to put your most important information up top if you want to make sure it gets noticed.

2. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!  Like in other areas of life, if there is too much clutter, important information can be overlooked. The brain cannot process it all in a few seconds and people will not stand there for several minutes reading all of the info on your cluttered banner. A busy design will ensure your message gets missed. Focus on a few key points that you want to get across to potential clients.

3. Grab their attention now! You have 5-6 seconds to grab people’s attention so don’t waste that precious time by putting your company name or logo in the way.  An eye-catching graphic or image will catch their eye and lead them to view what else you have to offer.  If you peak their interest, they’ll look closer for the name of your company and will want to talk to you about your products and services.

4. Visuals rock! People are visual by nature. Use graphics and images that will grab their attention.  Once they stop to look at your pop-up banner, then they will read text that may be included.  If you don’t draw them in, it doesn’t matter how well your information is written.

5. Make sure your branding and colors are consistent.  Share your corporate colors with your signmaker.  Ask them to ensure the colors are consistent throughout your display materials.  What could be worse than setting up your pop-up banner for the first time and finding out it is Carolina blue rather than Duke blue?

Need help designing your next pop-up banner or tradeshow display? Call Visual Advantage Signs at 919-535-8492 or send us an email at info@visualadvantagesigns.com.

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Signage Tips | The Benefits of Vinyl Banners

Vinyl banners are tremendously versatile. They are inexpensive, easily transported and reusable.
With the latest strides in technology, banners can be digitally printed on a wide-format digital printer, providing a full-color design for “pop.” When rolled up and stored properly when not in use, they can last several years when displayed indoors. Outdoor banners have a life-span of around 6 months. The weather and sun will take its toll on a banner after that.

If you need a reasonably priced option for your events, grand openings, conferences, etc., a banner is often a great choice, because these events are not always at one location. Again, banners are easily transported. They are light and can be rolled up or folded and transported and stored in a cardboard or pvc tube or a long box.

Ease of use at an event is another benefit of a banner. It can direct people to specific areas or attract attention, like “Grand Opening” or “Welcome Guests.” As stated above, the new wide-format, digital printers can print photographs and/or any graphics with eye-catching color.
A banner can serve as an “extra person” on your team. Banners can provide direction, advertise products or services.. basically anything at all can be printed on it.

A banner can make your business or message stand out. Use a banner to promote your business, products, services, and message to the public or your specific customers. It will provide you with the attention your business or event needs and, if designed properly, will remind your target audience of your brand, logo and message.

Make use of the new digital technology and order some banners. You may be able to think of many more uses for banners in your business and at your events.

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