What do prospective sign buyers search?

 

 

Google

Google Search

When searching for a sign supplier, prospective buyers typically look for specific details and qualities in a sign supplier that match their needs.

Below is an in-depth look at what an average sign buyer might search for on Google or Bing, categorized by their intent and requirements:

1. General Signage Needs

Initial internet searches for a sign supplier tend to be broad. These broad, unrefined searches tend to indicate that the prospective sign buyer is exploring options without specific requirements in mind. Some common initial broad internet searches include:

  • “Sign suppliers near me”

  • “Custom sign makers [city / area]”

  • “Best sign companies near me”

  • “Sign manufacturers [specific industry, e.g., retail]”

  • “Affordable sign makers near me”

  • “Local signage services”


2. Specific Sign Types

Sign buyers with a clearer idea of the type of sign they need might instead use searches like:

  • “Custom LED signs for businesses”

  • “Outdoor business signs with installation”

  • “Metal signs for office branding”

  • “Acrylic signs for interior design”

  • “Neon sign makers near me”

  • “Large format printing for banners and signs”

  • “Digital signage providers for restaurants (or other specific industry)


3. Industry-Specific Needs

Some buyers of signs with a greater understanding of their signage requirements may do industry-focused searches help buyers find suppliers with experience in their specific niche or industry, searches such as:

  • “Retail store signage suppliers”

  • “Restaurant menu board signs custom”

  • “Healthcare facility signage experts”

  • “Real estate sign printing services”

  • “Event signage and banners”


4. Services and Features

More advanced signage buyers might search based on the services or features they need, including:

  • “Custom sign design services”

  • “Quick sign printing near me”

  • “Sign installation services near me”

  • “Eco-friendly signage materials”

  • “3D sign letters for businesses”


5. Pricing and Budget

Price-conscious sign buyers will likely include budget-related terms in their searches, including:

  • “Cheap sign makers near me”

  • “How much do custom signs cost?”

  • “Affordable outdoor signs for small businesses”

  • “Cost-effective signage solutions for startups”


6. Urgency

When the need for a sign is urgent, sign buyers may include speed or availability in their search:

  • “Same-day sign printing near me”

  • “Rush sign services [city / town]”

  • “Next-day banner printing near me”

  • “Quick turnaround custom signs”


7. Reviews and Recommendations

Some sign buyers often seek credibility by checking reviews and testimonials. These searches may include the following:

  • “Top-rated sign companies [city / area]”

  • “Best-reviewed custom sign suppliers”

  • “Reliable sign makers with good reviews”


8. Inspiration or Ideas

Some sign buyers might be looking for creative input or examples, with their searches including search phrases such as:

  • “Creative sign ideas for businesses”

  • “Modern office signage inspiration”

  • “Unique sign designs for restaurants”

  • “Trending business sign styles 2024”


9. Location-Specific Queries

Buyers of signage often prioritize proximity for convenience:

  • “Sign companies in [specific city or neighborhood]”

  • “Signage solutions near [landmark or zip code]”

  • “Local custom sign makers [area or near me]”


10. Advanced or Niche Needs

For specialized projects, sign buyers may include known and specific technical or niche requirements:

  • “Weatherproof outdoor signs for harsh climates”

  • “Digital wayfinding signage systems”

  • SABS compliant signs for offices”

  • “Custom illuminated signs for trade shows”

  • “Vehicle wrap and signage services”


Key Factors Influencing Searches for Sign Suppliers:

  1. Location: Proximity often drives searches like “sign supplier near me.”

  2. Type of Sign: The buyer specifies the sign type (e.g., LED, acrylic, vinyl, light box, cut out sign, 3D sign).

  3. Industry: Industry-specific terms may help narrow the search for relevant signage, although this is seldom the case, as signage tends to be universal and sign TYPE specific more than industry specific, apart from casino signs which tend to be very industry specific.

  4. Budget: Sign buyers on a budget might include words like “cheap” or “affordable”, however it is important to be aware that cheap signage may not always achieve the desired objective.

  5. Timeframe: Sign searches like “same-day” or “rush” indicate urgency – and while this is possible for off the shelf signs, it may not be possible or practical for custom signs, when custom signs are made FAST, the rushed signs do tend to come at an additional COST.

  6. Design and Creativity: Creative sign buyers might use terms like “custom design signs” or “unique signs.”

Understanding these search patterns helps SignForce optimize our website and online ads to match our customer queries effectively.

At SignForce we make GREAT SIGNS – signs that help our customers stand out with the intention of increasing our customers foot traffic, turnover and profits.

SignForce operate on the basis that generally, the simpler the sign the more likely the sign is to be noticed, and thus the more likely the sign will have a positive ROI.

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

For more about SignForce visit http://www.signforce.co.za

Is Seeing STILL Believing?

Should you believe your eyes?

In the modern world (is it modern?) of 2022 can and should one believe your yes – also know as should you believe what you see?

It is difficult for the writer to disassociate from the war that is raging thousands of miles away across the planet in Ukraine – yet already this war has a huge impact here in South Africa. This impact is on many fronts, financially, politically , emotionally and for many physically.

While we would like to think that the world has advanced in the last 80 years since WWII, this war highlights just how habitual, gullible and emotional us humans can be.

While the writer is not sure that the Russians are any more wrong than the Ukrainians in their political and other opinions, from a simple layman’s perspective, it is the Russians who went into Ukraine, and no matter how pre-emptive their action is intended to be, it seems to be seen as wrong by the vast majority of the western world. As an over simplified example, If I break into your house, unless your house is on fire and I am getting you out, the vast majority of the world would say I am a thief and should not be there.

When I look at both sides and the amount of information – and more specifically DISinformation – that is being produced, it is very difficult for me to not think about the second world war where propaganda was the name of the game and the people were intentionally kept ignorant.

Are we, in the 2022 world of instant communication, where everyone with a hand held device is capable of being an ON SITE reporter, any MORE informed than our forefathers from the 1940’s were? Are we any less ignorant? Are we less likely to believe the propaganda – aka disinformation – than our ancestors were?

It is for these reasons I question whether we as a species are capable of learning, capable of change and whether we are simply habitual, stupid and emotional beings, where our habits and lack of emotional intelligence will lead us to BELIEVING what we WANT TO BELIEVE, especially if we have SEEN IT with our own two eyes. As my darling late grandmother used to say, “if someone took the time to write it it MUST be true.”, NOT!!

It is for this reason that I posed the simple question “Should you believe your eyes?”

We want to believe what we see is true. In fact in many ways I do think that we NEED to believe what we see is true. The sad reality is that a LOT of what we see, especially in the ‘modern’ world of instant, emotive, DISinformation, is NOT true. What we see is so easily doctored, altered, edited, ‘Adobied’, ‘Photoshopped’ or however you want to refer to it, to create an image – whether that is a single sill photo or an entire hours long documentary or movie – that will play with and into our emotions, causing us humans to act in an emotive manner so that we play directly into the hands of the developer / poster of the information.

This manipulation technique is used extensively by amongst others, marketers, politicians, charlatans, snake oil salesmen (and woman if you like – in fact, more often, more women than men, but that is not a point to discuss in this article) – in order to get US (the viewers) to do their bidding, whether that is buy their products, vote them into power or whatever.

The manipulation generally follows the line of showing something that is out of alignment with the viewers sense of being. This causes emotions to rise. Then showing a possible SOLUTION to the raised emotions, and then closing the deal.

A large portion of this manipulation – is achieved through visual stimulus – hence being wary of trusting what you see.

We at SignForce have also seen this use of manipulation in the signage business over the years. While SignForce is sadly far from perfect, we do our best to supply our clients with quality work that exceeds our client’s expectations, and when this does not happen, we go back to rectify.

This striving to achieve is not something you will find on the SignForce website (http://www.signforce.co.za) or on our quote sheets. It is (hopefully) evident when talking to the staff of SignForce, but even then, unless you are looking for this ‘unspoken’ information, it is easy to miss.

The above is not to say that we don’t have many excellent competitors that operate with as high levels of integrity and service excellence, it is only to lay the groundwork to understand that while MANY sign businesses strive to do their best for their clients, there are those that strive more to do the best for themselves than they do for their client’s. This is sadly often at a cost – sometimes VERY HIGH – to the client.

While one can argue that Caveat Emptor – let the buyer beware – ALWAYS applies, it is a sad reality in the purchase of signs and signage that we as humans are so programmed to buy standardized, off the shelf products that provide instant relief, that we apply the same logic to the signs we buy – and the visuals we SEE of said signs.

At SignForce we refer to this as BUYING THE PICTURE.

Buying the picture refers to if you see the picture of the proposed signage from supplier one, and you see the picture of the proposed signage from supplier two and you see the picture of the proposed signage from supplier three, and they all look pretty similar, if not identical, it is simple to (incorrectly!) believe that proposed sign one at cost of X is the same as proposed sign two at the cost of 1/2X is the same as proposed sign three at 2X. Using this logic, it is easy to believe that proposed signage one is the median, and thus the most ‘reasonably’ safe purchase – or investment – while proposed signage two may be considered “CHEAP” and proposed signage three is seen as “EXPENSIVE” – while, in reality, proposed signage one may in fact be the worst option and proposed signage three the best option, DEPENDING ON THE MATERIALS USED AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION and the client service and possible guarantees offered. But HOW do we as buyers know what questions to ask? This will be a topic for a further discussion.

If you are in the market for any signs that make you or your business visible, are prepared to pay fair prices and are looking for peace of mind that a company that has been around for over two decades and is know to ‘make good’ when we mess up, then SignForce could be the signage business you want to partner up with for all your signage – aka custom visual communications.

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

Find out more about how SignForce can serve you by visiting the #SignForce website at http://www.signforce.co.za

Who is SignForce South Africa and what do they do?

Who is SignForce South Africa and what do they do?

SignForce is a full service sign design, manufacture and installation business specializing in giving advice on signs for all custom made signs.

What that means is that SignForce is in the business of designing, manufacturing and installing EVERY conceivable type of sign. If it is something that your marketing department want – like a pylon, billboard, banner, flag, name slat, sign or vehicle decoration – or something that your HR or administration department want, like name badges, desk names or office names, SignForce is in the business of getting you these.

Having taken over an existing business in 1999 the current management team has extensive experience in ensuring that your signs are an investment in marketing, meaning that we believe that any sign we supply should be capable of generating more income than it cost.

SignForce is based in Johannesburg South Africa and works throughout South Africa, with a number of our signs being shipped to destinations as far afield as New York and Malawi.

The following is a comprehensive list of all the signs SignForce can assist you with.

2D Cut out letters & Logo

3D Lettering & Logos

3D cut out Logos

Advice on signs

Aluminium signs

Architectural signs

Banners

Banner walls

Billboards

Brass signs

Chromadek signs

Computer cut out vinyl

Corporate identity design

Cut out signs

Directional signs

Directory boards

Door signs

Electronic signs / Electronic Billboards

Engraved signs

Entrance signs

Fabricated signs

Flags

Free Standing Signs

Front illuminated signs

Full colour digital printing

Illuminated signs – Front illuminated signs

Illuminated signs – Internally illuminated signs

Illuminated signs – LED signs

Illuminated signs – Neon signs

Illuminated signs – Rear illuminated signs

Individual cut out signs

Interior signs

Interior design – Office signs

Interior design – Reception signs

Interior design – Sandblasting effect

Interior design – Stained glass effect

Interior design – Wallpaper

Interior design – Window tinting

Iron signs

Labels

Large outdoor signs – Billboards

Large outdoor signs – Free Standing Signs

Large outdoor signs – Pylons

Large outdoor signs – Signboards

LED signs

Lobby signs

Machine signs

Mandatory signs

Metal signs

Mine signs

Modular signs

Monument signs

Neon signs

Office signs

Parking signs

Plastic signs / Perspex signs / Plexiglas signs

Plaques & awards

POP up banners

Printed signs

Printed wallpaper

Pull up banners

Pylons / Pylon signs

Reception signs

Road signs

Safety signs

Sandblast effect decoration

Sandblast vinyl

Sandwich boards

Signboards

Sign advice

Sign design

Sign manufacture

Sign writing

Steel signs

Stainless steel signs

Stained glass signs

Vehicle decorations

Vehicle signs

Vista Modular signs

Wallpaper

Way finding signs

Window tinting

For advice on signs and how to best project your business’s image, or if you are in the market for professional looking signs at “FAIR VALUE” so that you can consider any funds you spend on marketing and signs as an investment, please contact the writer at arnold@signforce.co.za or david@signforce.co.za and use the subject line: ADVICE PLEASE and we will get back to you.