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Yard Signs: What They Are and What to Know

Matt Medel 1Comment
Yard signs fresh of the press!
Yard signs fresh of the press!

Why Yard Signs?

Signage has been around for quite some time, to put it modestly. More specifically, however, yard signs are being used as of more recent. Some would even say as early as the 60’s and 70’s, but why. Security alarm companies from that time wanted a new way to thwart burglars from entering a particular premises. What they started to do was put aluminum window signs on to real estate stakes and then introduced the combination to the customer’s yard. Since that time lawn signs have made their staple in advertising and don’t appear to be going anywhere but outside.

Corrugated plastic and a weather-proof ink are what most lawns signs are made of. Of course if you have some cardboard, a magic marker, a wood stake, and a sunny day then you can make a yard sign at your own leisure but that’s why we’re here. We can assist you with all of your sign needs. Our ads vary from real estate, campaign, special events, and much more. Have a custom design that you want to see on a piece of corrugated plastic? Then look no further because our design team is here to help. Or if you just wanted a blank piece of plastic to write your own message on then we can send you that too.

Get Your Yard Signs Noticed!

Now we have to get those signs to stand out and stand on their own. The most commonly used supports are wood stakes and/or H-wires. However, keep in mind our corrugated plastic yard sign material comes not only in 2 colors, but also 2 flute directions. The small spaces located on the bottom and top, or the sides of the plastic are called ‘Flutes’. If you want a sign with wood stakes then you’re going to want the flute direction to be perpendicular to the stake itself. With H-wires the flutes are going to be parallel. The 2 colors we offer are white and yellow, and come in a variety of sizes. Our standard is 18” x 24” but we also offer yard signs in the sizes of 12” x 18”, 9” x 24”, and our biggest of 24” x 32” that can be screen printed. Whether you need signs for your business or political campaign signs, here’s where you can get started!

Keep It In the Community: Local Marketing

Matt Medel 0Comment

In our incredibly shrinking world, “local” sounds almost anachronistic. When we can have BFFs across the country or across the globe up close and personal at the stroke of a screen, when couples have transcontinental relationships, when our food is shipped fresh and bright to grocery store shelves from another country, does GPS makes sense anywhere except in a vehicle?

Surprisingly, yes. The Go Local movement is gaining ground. From farmer’s markets to Yelp reviews, Google Maps to hyper-local ezines, people are hungry to learn more about their immediate neighborhood. Until we can drink virtual latté, this trend will likely continue.

What does Go Local marketing mean for signage?

  • Sign up for the local angle. Consider affixing “Buy Local” decals to your products or packaging to remind customers you’re a local business, and that by buying your products, their dollars remain in the community to boost the local economy. Your in-store banners and external marketing products such as sandwich boards and spinner signs should all carry the “Buy Local” theme.
  • Socialize locally. Social media is global, but that doesn’t mean your business can’t play up the local focus. On your Facebook page, for instance (yes, your business definitely needs to have one), you can reward new and existing customers who “Like” your page — which also tells other site visitors that they prefer to shop locally. The thank-you for a “Like” can be anything from a one-time discount to a small gift with their next purchase — a simple way to acknowledge support and let them know you appreciate their business. Be sure to include an image of your “Buy Local” signage on your Facebook real estate.
  • Support the community. Does the high school football team need signage for their stadium? Could your town’s SeniorCenter use some help hanging holiday banners, balloons or lights? Every community offers numerous opportunities to make a difference — and the positive PR for your business is a nice side benefit.

Who knows, with all this local emphasis, you might just find a new best buddy across town, rather than across the world.

Foam on the Range: Foamboard signs

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Everybody from kids to grandparents loves foam. Think Nerf balls, foam baseballs, paddleballs, mattress toppers, yoga mats…the list goes on. So if you’re foaming at the mouth trying to come up with creative ways to say the same thing differently with your advertising, think foam, foam on the range: foamboard signs, that is!

Foam is where the art is. Foamboard is a backing material widely used in framing art: a superior quality, versatile foam sheet sandwiched between PVC plastic to give you reliable results every time.

Foamboard is fabulous for advertising everything from your store’s holiday sale to a new product display. You can write on foamboard with Super Cheap Signs’ permanent markers, creating a personalized message for your special audience. You can even use foamboard for spinner signs, adding to its adaptability. While they’re ideal for indoor use, foamboard signs are relatively durable in outdoor weather, too, holding up for awhile even in the rain before beginning to dissolve. (This can also be a fun experience for employees with a quirky sense of humor.)

When you use our foamboard for indoor advertising, however, the main caveat is to prevent people from wanting to play with it the way they do with packing peanuts. Maybe you’ll want to keep some play foam around to distract your more artistic customers. A game of Nerf baseball, anyone? Super Cheap Signs got you covered.

The Grandfather of Creative Genius

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In Marketing Magic/Part 1, author Debbie Millman discussed how to become a brand genius. Now she deconstructs the creative process itself as she recounts the wisdom of iconic graphic designer Milton Glaser, famous for the I♥NY logo and the poster of Bob Dylan in profile, his hair a psychedelic swirl.

Celebrated as the greatest living graphic designer, Glaser offers a wealth of insight that can help business owners create compelling signage. Take this story of how he became an artist:

“When I was a very little boy, a cousin came to my house with a paper bag. He asked me if I wanted to see a bird. I thought he had a bird in the bag. He stuck his hand in the bag, and I realized he had drawn a bird on the side of a bag with a pencil. I was astonished! I perceived this as being miraculous. At that moment, I decided that was what I was going to do with my life. Create miracles.”

While a sign doesn’t have to be fine art, there’s no telling where tomorrow’s critically acclaimed work will originate. You might think you’re simply designing a banner for your business — but if the combination of design, colors and verbiage strikes a chord, in the cyber age anything is possible. Thanks to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and many other social sites, unknowns become global sensations literally overnight.

Or maybe it’s a banner flag: the hybrid that makes a bold statement for your business, and is made to endure for seasons to come. At 11.5 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide, banner flags are hard to miss. And with our full-color UV-protected dyes and free design, proofing and logo re-creation, all you need to add is the creative genius.

So go ahead: create a miracle and let that banner wave all over cyberland, drawing customers to your door and kudos for your artistic brilliance. We’ll just remain quietly in the background.

Real Estate: Get Ready to Move!

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Table of Contents

Question: How is real estate like a Zumba class?

Answer: Spring is a super time to move!

And while the sign of someone who’s Zumba-ready is a spandex-clad body and athletic shoes, real estate signs can range from basic yard signs to big directionals to super creative car magnets. The key isn’t just the signage you choose, but how you use it.

So you’re ready to move: Selling a home involves a great deal of time, thought and effort. If a real estate agent or broker is handling the listing, one of their first tasks is creating and placing a real estate yard sign on the property that states the agent’s or broker’s contact information. (If a party is selling the home directly, the sign will usually state, “For Sale by Owner”.)

Next comes sign content. Most critical: the name and phone number of the contact person — unless the sign is advertising an upcoming open house, in which case the sign should state the open house date, time and location (if the sign is placed elsewhere than on the property for sale). And while it can be tempting to create a colorful sign, what’s most eye-catching is a real estate sign that uses only two colors, such as red on a white background on blue on a white background, both of which are easy to read. Red is deemed most effective for attracting potential buyers.

Real estate yard sign placement strategies

Once you’ve created your real estate sign(s), placement is crucial. You may want to use multiple signs, depending on where the home is situated. For a house located mid-block, a single sign facing the street will be noticeable to people driving by from either direction. For wider properties, or those where the home is set far back from the road, we recommend placing a real estate yard sign at each end of the property.

For corner lots, place signs on both perpendicular streets to attract traffic traveling the main road and side street. For country properties that may be far from the beaten path, add spinner signs or big directional signs to attract the attention your property deserves.

Finally, let the web bring you buyers. Today most real estate firms offer a virtual tour of featured homes on their website, so potential buyers can get a sense of their new home before ever setting foot on the property.

Seven Sure-fire Tips for Real Estate Signs

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Table of Contents

When it comes to real estate success, it’s not what you say so much as how and where you say it that makes the difference. Try these tips to create real estate signs that will have competitors asking for your secret:

Assess your audience

While some crossover artists are able to bridge diverse worlds (think Adele’s blockbuster album, “21”), this is a rare gift. It makes more sense to sing (or write) to your intended audience. Imagine a group of teen girls turning out to hear the latest rock band, only to watch the group take the stage and croon Frank Sinatra ballads! They’d request refunds. So if you’re selling upscale, designer homes, don’t create signs that appeal to young, middle-income families. Instead, make wealth your central message: “A home for people who appreciate the finer things.”

Tell them what to do!

It seems so obvious it’s often omitted: let prospective homeowners know what action you want them to take: stop by this weekend for an open house; call now for an appointment; email for a full-color brochure, etc.

Testing, one, two

Before you order dozens of signs, test your message on a market sample to make sure it generates the desired result.

Sell the steak

Yes, it’s common practice to sell the sizzle, but then your prospects won’t really know whether the house you have to show them will meet their needs. So give ’em the WIIFMs: “What’s In It For Me?” All the features — and all the benefits.

Be sure to proofread everthing

Did you notice the “y” was missing from “everything”? It’s all too easy to skip over a typo, or leave off essential information, such as your phone number or address. While the team at Super Cheap Signs takes pains to turn out a perfect sign every time, you have the final say. This is “y” it pays to have a fresh set of eyes review everything.

Balance visual and verbal cues

Don’t create a gorgeous sign with lackluster content, or sparkling copy with poor design. Aim for both excellent graphics and high quality content to captivate your prospects. If you need help, just ask us.

Learn from the masters

Do your homework, study what works and what doesn’t, and incorporate the best ideas into your own real estate yard signs. Who knows, someday a recording artist might immortalize your business in song!

Thirsty for Success: A powerful slogan

Matt Medel 0Comment

Invest in a campaign you believe in! Give your customers something they'll remember and hold onto.
Invest in a campaign you believe in! Give your customers something they’ll remember and hold onto.

The stunning success of the California “Got Milk?” campaign is legendary, and the powerful slogan is now part of the American lexicon. While this kind of advertising accomplishment is exceptional, it’s not the exception; any brand can apply the same principles used to develop, launch and maintain a landmark campaign — or build name recognition for their business.

Here are some of the most valuable lessons from “Got Milk?”. They’re especially relevant for real estate professionals and investors looking to dominate their market, which our real estate signage solutions have been helping them to do for years:

  1. Make New Friends But Keep the Old. Focus first on keeping those who are brand-loyal, because they’re your best source of increased sales.

The California Milk Processor Board (CMPB) chose to target regular milk drinkers, who constituted more than two-thirds of the market and were already favorably disposed toward the product — and thus more open to influence, especially in the short-term.

Entice your existing customers with discount offers and specials before expending energy attracting new business.

  1. Be Candid. If you employ a “Candid Camera” approach to discover how consumers feel about your product or service, you’ll be able to develop strong brand positioning based on these insights.

The “Got Milk?” ad agency removed all the milk from company refrigerators, placed video cameras inside, and recorded employee reactions to discovering there was no milk. In another research study, consumers were asked to forgo milk for a week, then report back. Their stories provided fabulous fodder for future ad direction.

  1. Cozy Up. Find a strategy that speaks to the consumer’s heart — or stomach, or bank account — and go the distance with it.

When the CMPB tried to sell more milk based on its health value, people yawned. But when the CMPB heard what consumers were telling them — that food choices drive milk purchases — they came up with the winning “deprivation strategy”: chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches lost their cachet without the classic accompanying beverage.

What “goes with” your product or service like peanut butter with jelly? Put that on your yard sign or sandwich board and gauge how customers respond, then tweak your strategy accordingly.

  1. K-I-S-S (Keep It Super Simple). A great ad campaign that is too clever can lead to the opposite result from what you intend. Consumers must be able to easily grasp your message and understand what action you want them to take. This is where a powerful slogan is key.

    messypaws
    A great example of a simple, memorable slogan that could lead to an enlarged customer-base and generate new interest in your brand!

In two words, “Got Milk?” functioned as a hook, a call to action and a take-away that could be adapted to a variety of placements. Think, “Got House?” if you’re a real estate professional, or “Got Lumber?” if you’re a builder.

Got the idea? Great. Just order it on the yard sign, banner or car magnet of your choice, and we’ll take it from there.

QR Codes: Is Your Signage Scannable?

Matt Medel 0Comment

In a virtual world, the strange little black-and-white block patterns known as QR codes are a super way of marketing on the fly. Place a QR (“quick response”) code on your yard sign, banner or business card, and potential customers will be able to download all your relevant information into their mobile device.

QR codes are an excellent tool to help you capture people’s attention at the most unlikely times and in the most unusual places. Here are five quick ways QR codes can enhance your business:

QRCode

  1. Lose the wait. How do you spell boring? W-a-i-t-i-n-g: for a subway, a bus, a train or a plane. Help alleviate tedium and market your business at the same time with QR codes: add one to a political yard sign, sandwich board or real estate sign. People can download all the information into their smart phone, then peruse your website at their convenience.
  2.  Educate. Whether someone is a first-time home buyer or real estate investor, real estate can be a complex proposition. You can use a QR code to provide consumer information, enabling people to knowledgeably compare properties and cut to the chase when they contact you. Include the QR code on your commercial real estate signs, custom sign riders and business cards, too.
  3.  Show, don’t tell. Real estate professionals can use QR codes to create a compelling visual of homes for sale, such as a code composed of tiny images of houses. Use Fancy QR Code Generator to add graphics. Just be sure you test the code thoroughly first, to ensure it works properly! If you’re not sure how to do that however, you might consider using an SEO Reseller.
  4.  Tell, don’t show. On the other hand, political candidates may wish to use QR codes to send constituents to an audio or video of them addressing the pertinent issues of the campaign. When someone scans the code off a political yard sign or vinyl banner, presto: they’re taken to a link that plays your campaign message.
  5. Share and share a Like: Be a smart digital marketer: create a mobile-specific site or Facebook integration page that encourages people to “like” your real estate business or political campaign. People want to share what they like, and liking begets business — and votes.

Color Combinations for Yard Signs

Matt Medel 0Comment

Have your ever walked by yard signs for a business and completely ignored them because you couldn’t read what it said? All of us have done it, and you think to yourself, “Why even have the sign up?” Unfortunately the reason you are unable to read the signs is simply because the color combination is just not a match made in heaven. Even though the rainbow is beautiful and has all the colors under the sun, one should not think their sign should appear as a rainbow.  We always get asked by customers what are the best color combinations for business yard signs or campaign signs. We have compiled a list of the good, the bad and the ugly. The main thing to ask yourself when picking colors is what would look good together at a distance of ten feet or more? If you know at that distance light green and yellow will blur together, it’s best to go in a different direction.

Below we have screen printing color combinations that will make your customers stop and read and others that will have them just walking on past.

Good:good color sign

  • Blue and yellow on white material
  • Red and blue ink together
  • One single ink color on white material
  • Good Primary Ink colors: Navy Blue, Blue, Forest Green, Green, Burnt Orange, Orange, Red, Maroon, Purple, Brown, Black
  • Good Contrast Ink colors: light blue, teal, light green, yellow, pink, grey, white(only an ink color on yellow material. Doesn’t cost extra on white material)

Bad: bad colors on sign

  • Pink on yellow material
  • Light green on yellow material
  • Purple on yellow material
  • Navy Blue on Black inks on any material
  • Purple on Black inks on any material
  • Forest green on black inks
  • Light blue as primary ink color (supposed to be a contrast color)

On your next purchase of yard signs keep these color combinations in mind and see if you get different results. You may just see a perk in sales just from your selection of colors.

Sign Design Basics: Logo Designs

Matt Medel 0Comment

I bet you can easily recognize all of these companies. That’s the hallmark of a good logo.

 

We’ve all seen them – they are everywhere we look. Whether in a book, on TV, on the street, or in a shop. Famous people stand behind them, children drive their parents bananas because of them, and people use them to decide if a purchase is worthwhile or not. Have you guessed what they are yet? No? Really? Alright then, in the spirit of fair play I’ll tell you… BRAND NAMES! I know you already knew that… you were just testing me 🙂

Every brand name in the universe (yes, I am almost positive that aliens are aware of them too) has one unique thing in common no matter how different that brand may be. This element is very important but sometimes overlooked by customers who contact us to buy signs. In case you aren’t already ahead of me again, I’m talking about logos.

A logo is the graphic element of a trademark or brand, which is set in a special typeface/font, or arranged in a particular, but a legible way. The shape, color, typeface, etc. should be distinctly different from others in a similar market.  The logo of a business should be a symbol or have a special meaning that defines a business. For example, if your business is in the computer industry such as a web designer, graphic artist, web developer, or data entry clerk, that symbol might be a computer, keyboard or mouse. When picking a logo for your business make sure the logo has a theme that matches your business and it is different from other business logos. You are looking for a unique image that will identify your business.

You would be surprised by how many people don’t even have a logo of some sort. And these things are imperative to branding your company. I want you to know, I understand. Logo creation can be a very large expense if you go to the experts (recommended), but you don’t have to spend so much. I believe in your creative potential and the power of your imagination. It IS your company, YOUR service, and you alone know exactly what the logo should represent. To get you started on that creative path, I have gathered a few resources for you:

https://www.logomaker.com/ – free logo designer (online)

https://www.designevo.com/– free logo designer (online)

https://cooltext.com/ – free text designer (online)

https://www.allgraphicdesign.com/logo.html  – tips and tools

There are a few things you should keep in mind when designing your logo:

1. A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does – it just IS
The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an airplane. The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc.

2. Not every logo needs a mark

Sometimes all you need is a professional logotype (text) instead of an image to identify your business.

3. Picasso had to start somewhere
You don’t have to be an artist to sketch out some basic ideas to get you started.

4. Leave trends to the fashion industry

Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key; don’t follow the pack. Stand out.

5. Work in black first
By leaving color to the end of the process, you focus on the idea.

6. Keep it appropriate


Designing for a law firm? Ditch the fun approach. Designing for a kid’s TV show? Nothing too serious. I could go on, but you get the idea.

7. Simplicity aids recognition


Keeping the design simple allows for flexibility in size. Ideally, your design should work at a minimum of around one inch without loss of detail. Look at the logos of large corporations like Mitsubishi, Samsung, FedEx, BBC, and the ever popular McDonalds. Their logos look simple and are easier to recognize because of it.

8. One thing to remember


That’s it. Leave your clients with just one thing to remember about the design. All strong logos have one single feature to help them stand out. Not two, not three, not four.

One.

Good luck with your logo design! We look forward to seeing it in the future J

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