Tag Archives: business image

Semiotics – How do they affect your business?

Posted on by

Semiotics

Oxford dictionary defines semiotics as “The the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation”

Semiotics can also be seen as the study of signs and symbols, in particular as they communicate things spoken and unspoken. Common signs that are understood globally include traffic signs, emojis, and corporate logos.

So how does semiotics impact YOUR business?

If signs – not only business signs, but SIGNS that we humans use to communicate – think facial expressions, physical showing of excitement, achievement, defeat and sorrow – can communicate simply because it is recognized, what does YOUR BUSINESS sign communicate about YOUR business?

At SignForce we believe your business gets judged long before a prospective client comes through your door. Your business is judged when a prospective client SEES your first sign. An old example we at SignForce use is a prospective client who decided to go with a competitor for his signs. When we asked why we were advised that the competitor had a ‘nicer’ sign outside his business premises. When asked how he found SignForce he was honest and told us he was at the competitor and followed our directional signs. But our directional signs and the (shared) sign in front of our premises were not as nice. We had to agree, as while our signs were appropriate for the location SignForce were in, the competitor’s sign was way more impressive. Our signs were practical and designed to do a job. The competitors sign was simply to make a statement. Sadly that competitor is no longer in the game.

If you are looking to get feet through your door, regardless of if you want practical, functional signs or signs that are WOW, SignForce are in the market to assist.

Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413

Find out more about SignForce at http://www.signforce.co.za

What is a CLIENT or CUSTOMER – and when is a ‘client’ neither a client nor a customer?

Posted on by
Printed Sandblast Effect Vinyl

Impressive Printed Sandblast Entrance Sign

What is a CLIENT or CUSTOMER – and when is a ‘client’ neither a client nor a customer?

As one walks into a Stew Leonads physical stores (https://www.stewleonards.com/) there is a large rock at the entrance which states the store’s policy. It reads, RULE 1: The CUSTOMER is ALWAYS RIGHT. Rule 2. If the customer is ever wrong read RULE 1.

This is an amazing policy and a great focus on superb customer service, especially for the retail market. (For those of you who have never been to the store it an EXPERIENCE of note).

But is the saying true and valid for businesses that are not retail based? I suppose the truest answer is YES and NO. Yes, as it is a great target for customer service, and NO because since customers are also human, there are times when they too will NOT be right.

As a designer, manufacturer and installer of bespoke, customized signage, SignForce is NOT a retail distributor, and while we strive to follow the policy of Stew Leonards, there are times when we have to question if the policy that seems to work so well for the retail distributor can work equally well for a manufacturer that also falls into the category of service provider of signage.

A simple Google search (http://www.google.com) of the word CUSTOMER says the following:

customer, noun, a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business.

On the other hand Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer) defines a customer as:

In sales, commerce and economics, a customer is the recipient of a good, service, product or an idea, obtained from a seller, vendor or supplier via a financial transaction or an exchange for money or some other valuable consideration.

In this writers opinion the Wikipedia is the better definition as it does not limit a customer to an INDIVIDUAL – the vast majority of customers, especially in SignForce’s business of supplying signage of all sorts, are businesses and corporates or institutions, NOT individuals.

What BOTH definition’s imply – or flat out explicitly state – is that a customer enters into a FINANCIAL TRANSACTION – meaning the customer receives something of value to said customer from the supplier who will receive FINANCIAL GAIN (read that as MONEY) for the goods supplied, so when a supposed customer does not pay for the goods, are they still a customer, or rather a liability and an expense?

I cannot speak for the world outside South Africa – but at the time of writing South Africa is a failed state (although many ill informed politicians and their cronies and ilk will argue otherwise) run by a poorly organized mafia (with no respect) known as the anc.

The once disciplined, moral and effective freedom fighters – or terrorists depending on one’s position (remember they are the two sides of the same coin) – did well to displace the apartheid government and have since failed dismally to show any morals or back bone or integrity or will or ability to build a nation – rant over.

The point being made is as a failed and further failing state – South Africa under the anc is doing all it can to follow the economic downfall of Zimbabwe and Venezuela, meaning doing business in South Africa is becoming increasingly difficult and costs of materials in South Africa, even when converted at US$ 1 to R20, are still prohibitive, making it extremely difficult for South African businesses to compete in the international market.

In 2023 many signage products can be acquired from China (no surprise) or America or Europe or the middle east (all big surprise) at lower cost than the can be made in South Africa .

As a South African based business this is scary as it makes a country, even with an atrocious exchange rate less competitive and will most likely only lead to greater job losses and more imports. A recipe for continued economic destruction.

When one is operating in such an environment – dare one say a war zone – this is sadly true as there are currently more violent deaths per day in South Africa (as a result of crime) than there are in most war zones in the world. This writer is not a statistician so please feel free to fact check my comments – one needs to ensure that ALL work time is compensated for, which once again comes back to wolves disguised as customers who are more than happy to prey on businesses that believe that turnover is more important than profit.

Part and parcel of the writers experience of of the signage industry over more than two decades is for people to ask for the world – based on an idea – and then over time refine the ideas until they come to a place where they are happy with what they see – both in vision and in associated cost.

As a signage supplier the typical South African attitude of I can do it myself, better and cheaper, comes at a huge cost in time (and often money). This includes prospects who are not yet customers requesting multiple ‘minor’ changes in design, revision in quote, etc., as even every ‘minor’ change requires a rework that can take hours. As such a quote that may take three to five changes can take longer to produce than the production of the signage, and this is all expected to be done at the signage suppliers cost.

So now assume there have been three changes to a quote and the graphic, and the client then decides that either they do not have the budget or they shop around using your intellectual property (IP) to get ‘competitive quotes’ – (remember they have not paid for your time that you are entitled to charge for) this is a topic of an entire book, not only a blog, and surprise surprise, they can get it CHEAPER.

When this occurs is the CUSTOMER or CLIENT still a customer or client as they are not paying for any of the sign suppliers input – both time and intellectual property (IP) – or are they an expense and liability that needs to be dropped for good – or in the thinking of this writer, charged for time if ever they approach the supplier again with the carrot (or promise) of potential future business?

Another question is at what point does the signage supplier disengage with ‘customers’ with all commitments of the supplier falling away. If a customer is with-holding final payment (we assume no business will be prepared to work without receiving an up front deposit) because some possible ‘snags’ are not being addressed, is it to be assumed that the signage supplier MUST make good and then fight on to get payment or should the client pay in full to fulfil their part of the financial transaction and then hope the supplier will make good?

Why is it that the often smallest cog in the value chain is expected to cover ALL the costs of prospect’s multiple mind changes and revisions, and is expected to not charge for their IP and time?

Sometime people we consider to be customers need to be fired so we can focus on PAYING customers who do not expect suppliers to work for free.

This writer is asking anyone WHO believes they may have answers to the various questions and issues to please contact the writer who will gladly take anyone who can give practical ideas for a cup of coffee in order to generate new ideas on how an industry which is seen so poorly so as to be on a par with second hand car sales, can educate clients sufficiently for them to get a grasp of value that they receive from their professionally made business signage.

SignForce is a full service signage supplier

If you are in the market for signage that will get feet into your business contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413

Find out more about the services SignForce offer by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

Seven Important Benefits of Non-uniform Signage

Posted on by
non-uniform signs that work

Non uniform sign that catches attention and promotes your business

 

Seven Important Benefits of Non-Uniform Signage

Many – if not most – of us human animals tend to appreciate and enjoy visual stimulus being “uniform”.

I am not referring to people who are OCD and everything HAS to be PERFECT, but even for those of us that are quite chilled and un-phased, seeing a painting hanging skew, or a sign that just doesn’t ‘look’ and ‘feel’ right can be anything from a slight irritant to extremely off-putting and upsetting.

The thing is sometimes we as marketers can and SHOULD take full advantage of these predicatable and almost universal traits, as often, that feeling of discomfort helps a viewer look again and again and again – either in an attempt to see what is WRONG, or to find closure and not have to look again or to wonder what other ‘ERRORS’ can be found or to try and figure what FOOL could get the signage SO WRONG!

The reality is that there are a number of benefits to non-uniform signage. In fact any marketing material that can get the viewer to look again and again, especially when the medium is static, has definitely helped improve the client’s investment when measured by engagement for consistent views or time per view.

Seven of the most important, seldom considered benefits of non-uniform signage are:

  1. Increased visibility – Non-uniform signage can be more visible than uniform signage, especially in highly areas highly populated with signage. Non-uniform signage can thus help attract more customers to your business

  1. Cost-effective – Non-uniform signage can be a cost-effective form of marketing for businesses that have limited marketing funds because they can make their professional sign get more views simply because of it’s placement.

  2. Increased reach – Non-uniform signage can increase the reach of marketing campaigns due to increased visibility. Think of a television or social media advert. Chances are the one’s you remember the most either made you laugh or irritated you.

  3. Easily catches attention – A non-uniform sign can easily catch the attention of target customers and passerby. There is a saying that there is no such thing as negative publicity. While this si debatable – think of politicians worldwide – from a business perspective the higher one’s visibility, the greater the chance of being front of mind and hence the greater the chance the customer will remember, relate to and feel comfortable with your brand.

  4. Differentiates from competitors – Non-uniform signage can promote brand identity by using unique designs and colors that are not commonly found on other signs. This helps make your brand stand out from the competition AND is also a great step in brand identification and creating greater awareness of your brand.

  5. Customizable and Increases customer engagement – Non-uniform signs can be customized to your specific businesses brand or unique campaign which can and does increase customer engagement by providing a unique experience that is not found elsewhere.

  6. Promotes creativity – Non-uniform signage promotes creativity by allowing businesses to use unique designs and colors that are not found on other signs, and subconsciously lets your prospects and customers know you are available and open to different ideas.

SignForce is in the business of making custom signs. We design signs that WORK! Work can depend a lot on your specific requirements, which is why not all signs are the same and our customized sign designs do not have a one size fits all approach.

SignForce has been in the signage market for over three decades, and have built our reputation on giving the best possible signage advice and producing quality signs.

Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or WhatsaApp +27 (0)82 558 6413 or call +27 (0)11 440 7525

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

What is the value of CONSISTENCY in Branding?

Posted on by

Consistency makes a sign successful

What is the value of consistent branding?

In reality I, as the author, am not in the pay grade to give a number that will answer this question, but I can make a number of observations

Generally speaking brand consistency refers to the practice of maintaining a cohesive (solid) and unified brand identity across all touchpoints and communication channels.

Brand consistency involves presenting a consistent brand message, visual identity (such as signage and packaging), tone of voice, and overall brand experience to your target audience. The value of brand consistency can be significant (think Coke, Amex, Pepsi, Epstein, Cosby and Weinstein) and can impact various, if not all, aspects of a business.

Here are some key benefits of brand consistency:

1. Brand Recognition: Consistent branding helps customers recognize and remember your brand more easily. When your brand elements, such as logo, colors, typography, and messaging, are consistently applied across different platforms and marketing materials, such as signage, vehicle branding, packaging and letter heads, the consistency of the visual identity creates a strong brand identity that stands out in the minds of consumers. This brand consistency facilitates brand recall and can lead to increased brand recognition and awareness. Coke is an excellent example of brand identity using color and font. Think of coke’s visual marketing (signage) and you can see that they consistently use a SPECIFIC red and a specific FONT making the coke red and coke font (universally?) recognizable.

2. Building Trust and Credibility: Consistency builds trust among consumers. When your brand consistently delivers on its promises, maintains a consistent quality of product or services, and communicates a unified message, your brand consistency establishes credibility and reliability. Customers are more likely to trust and engage with a brand that appears professional, dependable, and authentic. An example of how branding can affect perceptions is an observation of an American Express (AMEX) sign in Cape Town a number of years ago. Watching prospective customers they would approach the bank, look at the signage, look at the rates and move on. VERY FEW prospects cam e back to do business. It is possible that the rates were excessive, but on further investigation it appeared that the branding had accidently been reversed so the sign looked like the store may be a ‘fake’ knock-off of AMEX, and thus people tended to not trust the signage.

3. Differentiation: In a crowded marketplace, having a consistent brand helps your brand stand out from competitors. By maintaining a unique and consistent brand identity, you create a distinct image and position in the minds of consumers. Consistency allows you to communicate your brand’s unique value proposition and differentiate yourself from others, making it easier for customers to choose your trusted brand over competitors. It is for this reason that large companies trade mark certain colors, shapes and slogan’s. In this respect think of ADIDAS, NIKE and Dolce & Gabana. In South Africa a recent example is WE BUY CARS who have named their business as such and as a result are able to take legal action against any other motor dealer who states WE BUY CARS – even if that is what their business does. I suppose this could also be seen as an example of KNOW THE RULES OF THE GAME – which we buy cars did and played well, even if morally and ethically frowned upon.

4. Customer Loyalty: Consistent branding helps create and maintain customer loyalty and advocacy – what in known s RAVING FANS in social media terms. When customers have positive experiences with your brand and consistently encounter your brand identity, they develop a sense of familiarity and emotional connection. The emotional connection can lead to increased customer loyalty, repeat purchases, and positive word-of-mouth recommendations, the ultimate aim of all marketers. Customer loyalty can be seen among many of the worlds top brands such as APPLE, TOYOTA, MERCEDES, COKE, PEPSI to name very few.

5. Efficiency and Cost Savings: Brand consistency simplifies marketing efforts and can possibly reduces costs in the long run. By establishing brand guidelines and templates, you create a framework that streamlines the creation of marketing materials, both online and offline. Consistency eliminates the need to reinvent your brand’s visual and messaging elements for every campaign or platform, saving time and resources. In signage brand consistency comes from the corporate hand book that every business should have. While a very detailed hand book can lead to less innovation, it certainly makes the life of the signage manufacturer simpler by specifying what materials should be used, how they should be used, where the materials should be used and what the outcome should be. It is possible that such specifications can add to increased cost, but the cost is certainly worthwhile when one considers what the alternative can be when people look at multiple signs from different manufacturers and they are all visibly different.

6. Employee Alignment: One often overlooked advantage of brand consistency is how consistent branding benefits internal stakeholders, such as employees. When your brand has clear guidelines and a consistent identity, it becomes easier for employees to understand and represent the brand effectively. Consistency aligns employees with the brand’s values, mission, and vision, creating a sense of unity and shared purpose. In the modern business world it is also know that if certain levels of employees do not SEE their employers branding they feel they are not working for a business that has MADE IT, or can even make it, so they prefer to go to the recognized market leaders.

Possible disadvantages of brand consistency can be in rigidity and cost. This is especially true in signage if you want to produce all your signage in one factory and then have to pay shipping costs to get the signs delivered to various locations, whether nationally or internationally. That said, the cost of centralized production also has the advantage of generating some (even if very little) economies of scale – something that is vary rare in the custom sign industry.


Brand consistency can thus be seen to play a crucial role in shaping how consumers perceive and interact with your brand. Brand consistency helps build recognition, trust, differentiation, loyalty, and efficiency. By investing in brand consistency, businesses can establish a strong and memorable brand that resonates with their target audience and drives long-term success.

If you are looking to partner with a signage company that takes brand consistency seriously, SignForce is the signage company for you.

Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

Is Branding, Signage and Brand Image Important – or are we all just Superficial?

Posted on by

Vehicle Branding creates brand awareness and familiarity

Is Branding and Brand Image Important or are we all just Superficial?

A short while ago I was at a supplier collecting some paint when I looked out at the SignForce vehicle in the parking lot, the same vehicle I see EVERY DAY, the same vehicle that I drive when necessary, the same vehicle ALL our customers and prospective customers and our suppliers see, a SignForce vehicle that is on the road almost seven days a week, but which I only SAW for the first time in a long time, and realized the vehicle was EXCEPTIONALLY TIRED.

The reality is that seeing the vehicle day in and day out makes one unaware of how the vehicle looks. The slight smudge mark, the additional small scratch, the discoloring paint all seem to be the same as they were the day, week, month and year before because one gets used to seeing the same thing over and over again.

The problem comes in that we assume that everyone else sees the same thing we see, except the NEW EYES do NOT see what we see. Then new eyes seeing the vehicle for the first time do not know the company, do not know the product, do not know the quality and do not know the service. All the new eyes see is a vehicle that represents the business, in whatever manner the vehicle presents itself.

They say you only get ONE CHANCE to create a FIRST IMPRESSION, and your vehicle or brand or product or yourself will be judged on that first appearance and how the new eyes perceive it or you.

Does this FIRST IMPRESSION ‘rule’ make us viewers superficial?

According to ChatGPT, the latest Guru which knows it all, “people are not necessarily superficial because they make up their minds on first impressions. In some cases, people may form an opinion quickly based on a first impression, but there are many other factors to consider before making a judgment.” The writer tends to disagree as in many cases the judgement is made on the first impression because there is never any further engagement.

This brings to mind a story of the old STAX sore in the West Rand. Many years ago STAX was about to close one store while another was being built. The store had not been very profitable and management decided it would be better for the business to close the store and start from scratch in about 18 months when the new store opened. SignForce was asked to remove the current signage and make it more presentable (the 3D letters were not illuminating, were broken and had actually become the home for some birds with their nest being built in the broken letter. The signs were given a low cost refurbishment so the store could have a closing down sale and then the signs would be taken down and repurposed.

The signs were refurbished and before the closing down sale was announced the store sales started picking up. On investigation it was found that because the location was pretty much a white elephant with very few trading tenants, and because the STAX signs were in such a state of disrepair, patrons – existing and prospective – assumed the store had closed down and moved, so they were shopping elsewhere. The store did eventually close but only when the new store was ready some 18 months later.

To me this demonstrates the importance people, prospects and patrons place on knowing that the projected impression is a positive one, that the business image is what is expected and that the image is what the business WANTS to project.

In SignForce’s case the vehicle in question was certainly NOT projecting the professional image that one would expect from a professional imaging business, so the vehicle was given a non surgical face lift – inside and out – bringing the vehicle’s branding and image in line with the professional business the vehicle represents.

In reality the refurbished vehicle does more than create a better image for new viewers, it also makes the staff more proud and more aware of the vehicle – like getting a new vehicle does – so that everyone is more aware that the vehicle needs to be treated well – definitely better than the ‘old’ vehicle was treated.

The upgrade has also been noticed by existing clients who have expressed how they feel more comfortable with the NEW vehicle being on their premises. One seldom thinks about an old vehicle possibly dripping oil on someone’s paving, but new vehicles make one more comfortable that the vehicle will be running better.

As SignForce have seen with the perception created by the ‘new’ vehicle, our branding and business image are help create the important identity for SignForce. The same applies to ANY company or organization. If your branding and identity are not reflecting the image your business WANTS to project, it could be a simple thing such as the signage – read that as branding – is tired or dirty. (On the note of dirty signs how often do businesses clean or dust their signs, even though the TOP of the sign may not regularly be viewed? It is something we at SignForce are aware of and offer a s a service if your cleaners are not happy to clean your signs. A dirty sign has a negative impact on people who see the dirt before they come into the store and leaves them subconsciously wondering what else is not being cleaned.

Business image and branding in order to create a strong brand and business image can be essential to help differentiate your company from your competitors. In fact people are known to create EMOTIONAL connections with brands – look at Apple and it’s RAVING FANS – who swear by their emotional connection with the company, partly because of it’s branding and consistent image.

Branding can help build trust and loyalty with customers, which in tern can lead to increased customer retention, higher customer satisfaction and ultimately a significantly better bottom line for the branded business.

Branding creates FRAMILIRIATY which makes people feel more comfortable and more likely to keep your business, your brands and your product front of mind.

In summary a strong brand helps create a strong business image which together with a positive experience when using your business, can also help to create a positive reputation,

If you are looking for a full service signage company to assist with you projecting the business image you desire through excellent branding contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413 or call +27 (0)11 440 7525

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

#Branding, #VehicleBranding, #Businessimage, #Signage

#

Complex signage looking simple

Posted on by
Printed Sandblast Effect Vinyl

Impressive Printed Sandblast Entrance Sign

 

Please let SignForce know your opinion on how this printed sandblast vinyl entrance looks.

In the very biased opinion of the writer this entrance vinyl for Lamna Financial (https://www.lamna.co.za/lamna-johannesburg/) looks phenomenal. All the colors came out well and the visual elements all line up.

The reality is this end product took multiple – 4 – yes FOUR  – iterations to get right, much to the very understandable frustration of the client and the team at SignForce.

You may rightly ask how or why such a simple looking vinyl entrance would take so many iterations to get right. While the answer is simple, it is also multi faceted.

The first iteration had the color of the dark blue coming out as green – this was because the yellow tiny of the sandblast effect vinyl did not get the message to look more like white. Grade 1 art teachers that mixing primary colors of yellow and blue makes green – hence the dark blue printed vinyl looked more green than blue.

The 2nd iteration was to correct the view from the rear – not the primary intended view of the sign but one in which the rear is visible (from the entrance foyer) and where any faults in the sign, the print and the vinyl, are highlighted because of the proximity of the viewer and light to dark ratio.

Unfortunately the vinyl also failed! Technically this is most likely as a result of the sandblast effect vinyl being too saturated with aggressive original Roland inks. The opinion of the writer (without any backup from the manufacturers of either the ink or the vinyl)  is that the edges began to curl because of the change in the physical compound of the vinyl which became much softer than normal once saturated with ink – (welcome to the chemistry of signage 001). The vinyl manufacturers were dismissive when approached with a failure claim because you would not guess, the vinyl is not made for printing!!

The 3rd iteration did not get the curves to line up correctly, making any errors scream out and making the entire logo and visual look WRONG.

At this point one could ask why the application of machine cut vinyl to a flat glass window would not line up 100%.

The answer is that life is not that simple! While the GLASS that the vinyl is being applied to is flat, the full windows – including frames (aka mullions) are not. In fact the aluminium ‘mullions’ between the glass panes are each approximately 80 mm wide and 50 mm deep. What this means is that when the vinyl is applied it would have to ‘climb’ the mullion, making it ‘short’ on the next window. This complication is fairly common in signage and is similar to the complication encountered when one has to make an ON PAPER 3D picture into a physical 3D sign.

The 4th iteration meant that each machine cut element needed to be modified so each printed vinyl element could be individually lined up and hand trimmed. This application required a two person team with one person doing the application work up close and the other being the ‘eyes’ behind the sign (from inside) in order to assess and instruct on the lining up in order to make the vinyl visually correct.

While the finished product looks amazing and, for the uninformed surely makes the job look simple, that simplicity could be the secret of a job well done. Going back to complete the work regardless of what is involved, making the client’s sign look great AND making it look simple.

If you are looking for a sign business that is capable of, and not scared to handle, simple and complex jobs, SignForce is the sign business for you.

Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413 or call +27(0)11 440 7525

Find out more about SignForce by visiting our website at http://www.signforce.co.za

The 4.5 Secrets of a Successful sign

Posted on by

The 4.5 Secrets of a Successful sign

“Almost any sign is better than no sign – but not always.”

A successful sign needs to follow some basic rules, the most important being:

Legibility, Contrast, Size, Color and Competition.

1. Legibility:

Regardless of the color used, the size and the beauty of your sign, if your sign is not legible, it is not likely to achieve it’s objective of attracting viewers and potential customers. Legibility is determined by a combination of factors including the TEXT SIZE, FONT, TEXT COLOR and CONTRAST.

If the text is too small or too large, it can make the sign difficult or impossible to read. Either way people will most likely not take the time to read or try understand the message, and the sign will not attract the necessary attention, and will fail in it’s objective of attracting prospective customers.

The font you use can have a massive impact the legibility and understanding of your sign and it’s message. The writer remembers a sign that he always believed was for a beer company as the legible part of the sign read BREW. Turns out when the signage was replaced it was a design company. Their sign was almost totally illegible, had too much ‘noise‘ and the font was exceptionally difficult to read, especially in the short time one had to read the sign while driving.

The color of the text relates to both the text itself and the contrast between the text and it’s surrounds.

2. Contrast:

If your sign has little contrast it may look fantastic ion paper and also be classy on small items – badges, folders and the like. The lack of contrast tends to become more of an issue when the sign is large, the time to read is limited and the contrast is so limited that it is not easy to IMMEDIATELY differentiate between the text and the background.

Successful signs need CONTRAST. The greatest contrast is between BLACK and YELLOW. It may not always be practical or possible to use black and yellow – for example if your logo is green or blue or red or a combination – but if your logo is red and you use the same or a slightly different shade of red for the backing, the chances are that if you placed that sign on a billboard, your message would be lost.

3. Size:

In signage, the general rule is BIGGER IS BETTER! While BIGGER IS BETTER is true in the vast majority of cases, it is not always so. The larger the sign the further away the reader can be. That is simple. The larger the sign the larger the text, hence it is more legible from a larger distance. However, if the text is TOO LARGE for signs that need to be read from close up, then size of the sign can distract from the intended message, and at worst end up with the sign looking gaudy and unprofessional – something which could negatively reflect on your brand.

The question of SIZE also impacts the distance the sign may be spaced off a wall or backing board.

Free Floating signage is great in that it enhances a 3D look, makes the sign look modern and professional and helps attract attention while making the business look GOOD. This positive effect can be reversed when a sign is spaced too far off a backing board. If for example, your text is 100 mm high, and you have it spaced 100 mm off the backing board, not only are all the fixings visible – which can look very untidy and unprofessional – the fixings being the same size as the sign (in this example) often makes it look like the owner skimped on the signage, which could have a negative impact on the brand.

4. Color

As already stated color (colour) and contrast are essential for successful signs and signage. It is the writers view that the color you use in your signage should be as close as possible to the colour you use in your other promotional material. A little secret – most people will never see your letterhead close enough to your sign to do an accurate comparison. That said, our subconscious mind is an extremely powerful tool, and will pick up even slight variations that may look incorrect. If your subconscious sees or believes that a sign is incorrect, it is not uncommon for people to rather walk away and try an unknown brand than to use a brand that they know, they recognize and they trust, BUT not the fong kong LOOKING replica. This phenomena has been demonstrated to this writer on a number of occasions. (For more information on this phenomena you are welcome to contact the writer).

siBold colors work well in signs, especially when they contrast with the back ground. Because bold color works well with signage it is always recommended to remember that signs, like music, are not only about what one sees and hears, but about the SPACE around what one sees and the space between the musical notes.

4.5. Competition

Competition is not it’s own number as it may seem a little strange to think about when designing one’s signage, however, like most things in life, signage is SLEDOM seen in isolation.

If you are the only sign on a long road, with nothing else around for miles (kilometres for those on the metric measuring system), you can most likely get sway with almost ANY sign. A hand written board that is too small to generally get noticed could attract attention on a long open road as it is simply not the same as it’s surroundings, and could thus stand out enough to be seen. [Please remember that being seen does not necessarily equal being read or legible].

On the other hand, if you are looking to install a sign in an area that is almost overpopulated with a variety of signs that create sufficient visual pollution to give prospective viewers a head ache, if the sign does not have any ‘special features’ that make the sign stand out from the competition, the sign may not get seen at all.

Competition is a seldom considered factor in signage that has the potential to make a HUGE impact on the success of your sign.

For advise on signs that work contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call and ask for Arnold on +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp Arnold on +27 (0)82 558 6413.

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

Why sign when you can use social media

Posted on by

Why SignForce!

Posted on by
SignForce Pylon

Any Size pylon or billboard to suite YOUR needs

Why SignForce!

This ambiguous phrase could be a question just as well as an answer – as such, we will both ask and answer the question.

What makes SignForce unique?’

Obviously the people. No two people are alike, so the people make SignForce unique. However, that same argument is applicable to EVERY business. Not only businesses that design, manufacture and install signs.

SignForce’s USP – Unique Selling Proposition – is the experience we at SignForce strive to (and mostly achieve) create for our clients, as well as the fact that SignForce is a SOLUTIONS based SIGANGE business, meaning we seek solutions – whatever they may be – to your visual communication concerns, issues and questions.

SignForce has a fairly unique skill set in that we CAN and DO offer MARKETING advice, and we are fortunate hat said advice, while being largely logical, is also based on and backed by formal qualifications in the marketing and financial fields. It is for this reason that we firmly believe that ANY money spent on signs should be an INVESTMENT. If your sign does not bring in feet or catch people’s attention or achieve whatever it’s desired purpose is, then in our opinion, the expenditure on your sign is a failure.

Yes, we may offer some top left field  idea’s – but these tend to work. Talking to people much more experienced in international marketing than ourselves, it seems the more uncomfortable you feel when you see the proposed idea, the higher the probability that the sign will be noticed – and achieve it’s objective.

Part of SignForce striving to create a positive EXPERIENCE when dealing with us is to provide FAIRLY priced, intelligently made, value for money signs.

Part of creating value for money means that we need to stay ahead of our competitors when it comes to being informed about new materials on the market, and figuring out if and how the new products – or sometimes old products – can be repurposed to give our clients the best possible value.

Call SignForce today to see how we can help you get your name and message out there – our all time favorite activity, as when our client’s expand, it helps SignForce expand. We are definitely long term thinkers, in it for the long game.

Call SignForce today on +27 (0)11 440 7525 or email us on info@signforce.co.za

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

Time, Marketing, Business and #Signs

Posted on by
Signage, Business Signs

Beautiful, Effective Signage

.

Time Flies

Time is YOUR ONLY TRUE asset

Time waits for no man (you can insert woman, person or whatever pleases you in place of man)

All common phrases that many hear often, but seldom take any notice of. We humans tend to take time for granted, always believing that ‘tomorrow is another day’ and that where we are will simply always ‘BE’, as the sun will always rise TOMORROW as it did today.

This certainly seems to be true for the past many years, but just as certainly does not seem to be so certain – or true – for today and tomorrow.  While many in the world still carry on, for no other reason than it is what they are accustomed to, there are many who are in pure panic mode, as the world as we know if is certainly changing.

#corona19 has definitely made it’s impression and is being felt by many, so it may just be time to remember there is NO TIME LIKE NOW. This applies to living, marketing, business and SIGNS.

Signs have been around almost as long as business – I am taking the liberty to assume that the first business ever started before the sign was up, even if only for a day or two – for a simple reason. SIGNS WORK!

When business is disrupted and you need to kick start, marketing is paramount. Unfortunately traditional marketing can be extremely costly, which is why signage – which lasts for longer, is generally site and product specific and helps pull potential clients into your premises – should be your first choice in attracting clients to your business.

For any signage requirements SignForce is open for business and willing to assist. Simply contact us now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7524 / 5

Reminder: SignForce manufacture all sign types, including labels. If your business is sanitizing all people entering your premises, why not take the opportunity to CUSTOMIZE your bottle label. It is a brilliant opportunity to associate your business with everything that is good about preservation – and SignForce is here to assist you with printed labels  – with no minimum quantity