Electronic Message Centers (EMCs) are popping up everywhere and are proving to be a very cost effective form of advertising when compared to traditional methods.  Recent comparative data reveals the following:

• Television – Recent analysis suggests that about one third of viewers are watching less TV than they used to and that digital video recorders are also competing for some of that time.  Many consumers report that they skip commercials when watching recorded programming which further erodes the effectiveness of TV advertising.
• Radio – It’s been reported that radio listenership has fallen about 14 percent over the last eight years and that satellite radio, iPods, CD players and cell phones are eroding the numbers even further.
• Newspapers – Newspaper readership has been steadily declining over the last decade.  During the period October 2009 through March 2010 circulation was said to have dropped by 9 percent.  According to the New York Times in 2010 the top 25 papers in the U.S. lost over 10 percent of their readers.  Many newspapers are reporting steady declines in their marketing valuation as well.
• Yellow Pages – Fingers are still walking, but on computer keyboards and not through the phone book.  The cost of such advertising is also significantly higher with declining lead closure rates.

A study by the National Signage Research and Education Conference reports that businesses with EMCs reported double digit increases in sales and profits making the investment in LED signage worthwhile.  If you are considering and EMC or would like to discuss your options contact us at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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Project Identifications signs are signs that communicate important information about a particular building or structural project. Usually located in or around a construction sites, these project ID signs are often large and can be seen from the road or sidewalk. SignWorks was recently selected to manufacture some Project ID signs for a local construction company that is working on projects for BART and Cal Trans. These signs show the project title and the companies involved in completing these tax payer funded projects. There were a total of five wood (MDO) signs attached to posts, and 3 aluminum signs that will attach to wire fences.

Construction companies sometimes ask sign shops for the most cost-effective and durable material to use for Project ID signs.  Plastic, which is a less expensive material is not suited for long term outdoor usage, because the sun can potentially warp the material and cold weather can make the material brittle and susceptible to cracking.  Thick MDO (wood that has been sealed and weather treated) or aluminum sheets are the most cost-effective and durable material to use for outdoor signage. If you are interested in a quote for a Project ID sign, feel free to contact us at: 510-357-2000 or email us at: info@signworks.us.com

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For the past few years SignWorks has been creating signs for Madison Marquette, the property managers of Bayfair Mall in San Leandro. They’re usual sign order consists of vinyl graphics and parking signs and the occasional banner. Recently,  Bayfair Mall has changed the sign criteria and requires all temporary and permanent vendors to have dimensional routed signs for the interior sign above their store front.

Routed letters in acrylic, wood and foam can be expensive depending on the size and shape of the signs. SignWorks was able to meet the requirement for the new sign ordinance and to be very cost effective by using a plastic/foam hybrid material. Wax and Thing recently moved into a location in the mall and SignWorks was able to create very nice routed sign for their store front. Because this material is not solid plastic or foam, the price of each sign is significantly lower.

SignWorks has completed two vendor signs so far and will be doing more as additional vendors move into the facility.  If you are interested in a quote for a sign at your business, feel free to contact us at  510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com

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One of our favorite non-profits, Operation Hope, was in a bind recently.  They had a major event the next day focused on identity theft and the signage had not been produced.  It was a classic case where the local part of the organization thought their counterparts at headquarters in Los Angeles had ordered the signage and vice versa.  Thankfully the art was readily available and only required some minor changes.

The SignWorks designer worked quickly with headquarters personnel to ensure that a proof was produced the following morning and that the Headquarters approval process was expedited.  It was important that the prints be completed early in the day so that they could outgas and dry quickly.  (Attempting to mount prints onto any type of substrate when they aren’t fully dry can create problems including bubbles and wrinkles).  The event was scheduled for early the next morning, so the prints needed to be printed, dried and mounted, all within the same business day.

We hope you will agree that the event signage (pictured above) turned out great.  While we can’t always guarantee that we can rush all projects and complete them in one day, we always do our best to help out our customers when tight schedules require it.  If you are in need of event signage or some other type of sign that needs to be expedited just give us a call at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.  We’ll do all that is humanly possible to meet even the tightest deadline!

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In March 2012, new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines went into effect.  This new standard called the 2010 ADA STANDARDS FOR ACCESSIBLE DESIGN focuses on wayfinding signs for the visually impaired.  The new standards offer significantly more guidance for making wayfinding signs that are user-friendly.  Enhanced guidance in the area of non-glare finishes and recommendations of a 70% contrast between the background and lettering, as well as a formula for light reflective values, are included in the new standard.

In addition, changes that distinguish between sighted readers, Braille readers and raised letter readers ensure the needs of many types of ADA constituents are met, especially since only 10% of blind people read Braille, most notably, those who become blind in later life typically do not read Braille.  In the past the needs of visual and tactile readers were lumped together in an unfortunate compromise.   The new guideline now have requirements for character width (or stroke), including bolded upper and lower case characters for visual readers.   The new guideline for tactile readers is for thin, beveled, widely spaced letters.  In locations requiring both visual and tactile characters this will mean two separate signs or one sign with both visual and tactile characters, each meeting their own usability standard.

If your construction project or renovation has an ADA signage component please give us a call at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.  We will ensure that you have ADA signage that complies with the new standard.

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Target marketing using LED signage can have a big impact on local advertising even in small towns and cities.  LED signs can be the vehicle that fills the void and keeps the public informed of local happenings.  A business using an LED in small town can literally become a land mark while providing local weather, news, sports and event information to the community.

Our vendor Watchfire has gathered sign sales data demonstrating that LED signs are extremely beneficial in small towns across the country.  These successes include market specific messaging with the following results:

• Cresaptown, MD. (Population 6,263).  An LED celebrating the town’s anniversary was used to display inspirational messages and to congratulate newlyweds.  It garnered new members to its community along with a stream of compliments about the sign.
• Franklin, Va. (population 8,582).  A tire and muffler business was able to increase its special deals messaging tenfold drawing a marked increase in store traffic.
• Chanute, Kansas (Population 9,119). A bank increased its business while simultaneously reducing the amount it spent on advertising.  The bank is now a local land mark and promotes its services as well as community event information.

To learn more about electronic message centers and to see if one might be right for your business, contact SignWorks 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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As a retailer most would agree that activities that increase sales are worth doing so it was no surprise that a recent article from 3M, a major vinyl manufacturer, emphasized just that!  The company’s research and data analytics shows that the signs shoppers walk on can increase merchant sales.

In fact, 2010 study by the Center for Advanced Retail & Technology‚ using a colorful floor graphics featuring breakfast cereal and a lighted display was used in a major supermarket for a three week period.  When the data was compared to a baseline where no floor graphics were used the results clearly showed the following:

• A marked increase in sales of approximately 17%.
• An increase in the number of shoppers trafficking that specific shopping area
• Buying activity among shoppers who had not bought the product within the last six month increased about 11%.

Floor designs that are simple and geometrical will work best.  For example, circles, squares and rectangles will help to decrease the risk of failure over more intricate designs of floor graphics. As an added measure, all corners should be rounded.  Using the right materials like those from 3M with the appropriate air release channels will ensure a fast bubble free installation.  Multi panel graphics should have seams that butt together and several coats of floor wax atop the graphic and around the edge will help to seal edges and keep the floor surface consistent.

If you are a retailer who is considering avenues to increase in-store sales or you would like more information on floor graphics, give SignWorks a call at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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Neon signs were the original “light up sign.”   Neon signs are made by bending thin glass tubes then filling them with a gas. Once the ends of the glass tubes are closed off by electrodes, voltage is applied and the tubes start to glow.  The color of the glow Depends on what type of gas is pumped into the tubes.

One reason store owners prefer a neon sign is because of its visibility in the daytime and at night. Unlike lighted cabinet signs that can only be visible at night, neon signs emit such a bright glow that they still are visible during direct sunlight.  Due to the growth in popularity of LED lighted signs that are made overseas, neon signage is becoming less prominent and fewer sign companies are advertising them.   There are still a handful of sign companies such as SignWorks that can produce these hard to find signs.

If you are interested in a neon sign quote or any other type of signage feel free to contact us at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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The final Restoration Box truck wrap in the Los Angeles market was completed yesterday.  This was the end to a remote installation project in Los Angeles that SignWorks managed from our location in San Leandro.  The project took several months to complete and involved eight trucks.  The installers did an amazing job that involved coordinating drop off and pick up dates with individual drivers, as well as staff at Home Delivery Link (the delivery arm for Restoration Hardware merchandise).

We are thrilled to have been selected to help Restoration Hardware develop a truck wrapping strategy that solved some of their past issues with color banding.  In the past the corporate colors (both grey) had been printed onto vinyl and then applied or wrapped onto the vehicle surface.  Unfortunately, the process for printing grey, even on very high end printers can lead to banding.  (This is also true of a few other dark colors as well).  We proposed using a stock high performance vinyl in a grey that closely matched the corporate color scheme.  This approach provided uniformity of color though it required highly skilled installers because high performance vinyl is not a specialty “conformable” vinyl like those typically used on vehicle wraps.

We are excited about the follow-on project to wrap the Bay Area truck fleet and will keep you abreast of the schedule once it is confirmed.  If you are about thinking about a fleet graphics or wrap project here locally, or one that involves managing a remote installation component, give SignWorks a call at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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Most commercial property managers will agree that the challenges in managing tall building signage can be daunting.  The accessibility challenges required for stairwell, elevators and evacuation routes add a degree of complexity, making it all the more important to work with a sign company that understands ADA and compliance with fire codes and local ordinances.

Last year SignWorks worked on two multi story buildings that were being renovated.  Both required extensive project management skills.  In both cases the signage was being upgraded throughout each building and included new tenant identification, facilities signs such as telephone, utility and storage rooms, ADA and stairwell signs, floor directories and evacuation maps.  This meant multiple visits to each site, reviewing the building plans to ensure the maps were drawn correctly, and managing the required fire department approval process.

The exterior signs were also being updated to include new dimensional lettering, a refreshed monument sign at the Swan Way Building and in the case of the Atrium Building, exterior plaques.  SignWorks worked closely with the local commercial property manager, the fire department, and the individual tenants to complete the project in an efficient and timely manner.

If you are a Bay Area commercial property manager needing to renovate and upgrade your building signage we would love to hear from you.  Give SignWorks a call at 510-357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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