With all the sign companies in the Phoenix, AZ market available and eager to take on your project, how do you select the one right for you? What should you consider as you evaluate your options? What company is the best choice to help you promote your business, your cause, or your event? Here are my thoughts on the decision. First consideration:  you are NOT buying a sign or a large format graphic. You are buying marketing collateral for promotion. I like to think of this analogy – in Phoenix, tap water is safe (for the most part) so why do many people have water filters? No one buys a filter for the sake of having a device to show their neighbors and friends. Instead they buy the filter for what it provides – namely good tasting water free from chlorine and other chemicals. They don’t buy the filter based on how it looks, but on how it performs – does it do an excellent job of filtering water and can the throughput match your quantity needs? In the same way, no one buys a sign for the sake of having it. They buy the sign as a way to get their message across in the most effective way possible (within their budget). So a good sign company gathers information when they meet with a client the first time.  They want to know about the client’s business -- or their organization, or their event. They ask leading questions to understand the client’s product or service, and also perhaps more importantly, to understand why the client does what they do. The sign company will want to know the client’s passion and what makes their offering unique. In the client’s own words: why would a customer use them instead of one of their competitors? Or why would someone go their event vs. doing or going somewhere else? Once that is understood, the sign company can suggest ways to effectively promote the client’s offering. Second, what do you actually need? Is it merely to print and fabricate your own finished design? Or do you have an idea that needs expert refining? For the former, you need only a good quality company that meets your budget. For the latter, you need a company with a strong track record of effective design, one that understands promotion that does not overwhelm. This is particularly true in the area of vehicle graphics. Far too many wraps attract attention -- colorful and interesting -- and yet you cannot tell what the company does. For some you have to look closely to even figure out the company name. That is disaster on a vehicle graphic where you have only seconds for most viewers to see your message. Third, what should the project cost? A good sign company will ask up front what your budget is and how long the sign needs to last. This is not to make sure they get every penny you have available, it is to gage a starting point for the most effective alternatives. For larger projects, a good company will give you options at different price points and you can decide which level meets your needs. One caution, going back to the water filter analogy, the lowest quote is quite often not the best option. You are buying filtered water, not a water filter, and the cheapest is rarely the best for the task. In Phoenix, the sun is a major reason we live here but the sun is not good on printed graphics. There are different quality levels for materials used in signs and graphics, and a good sign company will use premium materials to get maximum effective life of the sign or graphic. The cost will necessarily be more than a shop that quotes lesser materials, but economizing on materials is not the most cost effective plan for the long run. A good sign company will ask the required life span of the promotion and quote accordingly. They may not be the lowest, but they should be competitive. Finally, is the company professional in their operation? Do they guarantee their workmanship? Do they keep you updated on the status of your project? Do they meet their delivery dates? There are three major components to a company’s offering: price, service, and quality – you get to pick two. A good sign company competes with quality and service. They will be competitive on price, but will not be the lowest. If price is your determining choice factor, be prepared for good quality but lack of service or good service with inferior quality. As I said, you pick the two factors most important to your decision. Designs Phoenix lives the ideals of exceptional quality and remarkable service. Contact us today for a free consultation.