The hardest question to ask my clients when we discuss a new sign project is "what is your budget?" This is a real challenge because either the client hasn't thought about it or they are afraid that whatever number they say will be wrong. Most clients have some idea of the look that they want or another sign in town that they like, but they haven't thought about how much the sign is worth to their business and what that translates into in terms of level of investment.  Here are a couple of strategies for considering how much to spend on the primary sign (monument, pylon or lobby) for your business:

• Who am I trying to attract to my business and what sort of image am I trying to communicate? The more "luxury" or "high end" your brand, the more luxe your sign should be to reflect that brand. If you own a high tech business, you would want a cutting edge sign to show that your company is on top of the latest technology. If your image is more creative, then you might want to consider alternative or recycled materials.
• How much space do I have for a sign and how big of a sign (type of sign) am I allowed to have? Zoning, building covenants, night sky ordinances, tenant build out, and other restrictions may apply. Don't get your heart set on a super-sized sign if your zone only allows for 1square foot of sign per 10 linear feet of frontage. If the reception area is 25 feet wide, putting a 2 foot sign on the wall probably won't work well.
• How long do I expect to be in my current location and/or how long do I want the sign to last? Don't think about the sign as a lump sum expense. It is really an ongoing advertising and marketing tool so try to put it in terms of how much you think you should spend per year promoting your business through your sign. If you think
  000 per year (that's less than

  00 per month) works in the scope of your marketing plan and you have a 5 year lease on your space, then maybe a budget of $5000 is an appropriate place to start.
• Can I negotiate signage into my lease or does the landlord have data on other sign projects in the complex? Many properties have signage guidelines that limit the size and type of sign you can have on your space. Talk to the property manager or landlord to get an idea of what other tenants have paid for signs or ask you neighbors directly. Some leases come with a signage allowance or landlords will provide signage as part of the lease agreement.
• Check out signs you see around town and ask the business owners what they paid for their signs. Although your design may not be the same as theirs, you can probably get a pretty good range of costs for different types of signs. You will also probably hear about who built their sign and how satisfied they were with the process which will help you source your sign company.