Every day I’m Spinning

Author: Amanda

Over the past six months I’m sure you’ve noticed the guys that stand on the corner and spin arrow signs. They flip them up and down, spin them around and every once in a while hold them still so you can read what it says. Before I had actually seen them, I had been making a few arrow signs, unbeknownst to me their spinning fate. It seems the idea started back in 2002 in Ocean Beach, California, with a few friends who decided to play around with a sign.

The sign itself is coroplast, corrugated plastic, a light weight plastic material that makes it easy to flip, and the corrugated chutes make it durable enough not to break. Sizes range from an arrow width of 3′ and 4′ and a length of 5′ to 6′. While most apartment complexes use this way of advertisement to show off their apartments or rent specials, I think schools and organizations with youth are really underestimating how useful these can be for their groups. It’s a great way to advertise car washes, cookie sales, and other events, plus the kids have something fun to do. And hopefully that ‘something fun’ doesn’t include fighting over whose turn it is to flip the sign in the air.

A picture is worth 1000dpi

Author: Amanda

To some people the most confusing part about ordering a sign is the exchange of artwork, pictures or files. I think it’s the jargon, you start mentioning dpi, pixilation and eps files and even a smart person can have trouble following if they don’t know the native tongue. (Even I get confused by the designers at times, which is why I’m writing this blog, so perhaps maybe we can both learn.) Let’s start with pictures, let’s say you have a family photo you want to put on a birthday banner. The first thing we’re going to ask is if you can send us an electronic picture with at least 125dpi. DPI means Dots Per Inch and is a measure of the resolution of the picture, it lets you know if making the picture bigger will turn it into lego blocks of pixilation or keep it’s realistic looks.

To check your pictures DPI, simply look up the picture under whichever file you have it saved under. Select the image and (for those using a PC) right click to see a drop down menu of options, normally at the bottom you’ll see ‘Properties’, click on that. In Properties there should be a tab for Details and under Details it will say the size of the picture and it’s DPI. The more DPI your picture has the larger it can become without getting pixilated. We once made a 4′ x 6′ banner out of one photograph, that photo had a DPI of 240.

Now that you know how well your pictures can enlarge, let’s say you go a step further and wanted to design your own banner and then send us the artwork. The best files for us to work with are .eps, .pdf, and .jpeg. These are simply file formats, and depending on what program you’re using (Word, Adobe, Photoshop, etc.) when you go to ‘save as’ you can select which format you would like. On our website across the top black border, the last option on the right side is ‘Send Us Files’, this leads you to our YouSendIt account which you can use to send us your artwork.

If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to ask! That’s why this blog is here in the first place, as much as I would like to think it’s because of my adoring fans.

The Progress of Signs

Author: Amanda

Have you ever been to the Columbus COSI and taken a walk through the ‘Progress’ exhibit? It’s pretty spectacular to witness how society has changed over the generations. I have two favorite parts, the first part is listening to the telephone calls, as there is a set of recorded calls that you can listen to if you pick up a phone. The second part is the ‘1962’ section of Progress, the storefronts that set to display the latest technological version of the refrigerator or television.  And of course, those famous diner styled neon signs.

If you really like those old fashioned signs, both in neon, aluminum and other substrates, did you know there is a museum for them? The American Sign Museum, located in Cincinnati, OH, has a variety of old signs from the gilded to the hand-carved, from Las Vegas to the east coast. With a collection that continually grows, the museum is in stage for a remodeled expansion that will open this Spring. Certainly a unique trip to make for both kids and adults, it could also be inspiring for any new business owners to remember what it was like for places like ‘McDonald’s’ or ‘Holiday Inn’ when they first started.

To find more information on COSI’s Progress Exhibit please follow the link of: http://www.cosi.org/exhibits/progress

And for more information on the American Sign Museum, please follow the link of: http://signmuseum.org/index.asp

Trade Show To-Do-List

Author: Amanda

I didn’t receive any questions on the last blog, but I thought I would continue on and answer the question of what one needs to prepare/set-up and bring to a trade show. First, you need to double-check whether or not the area of the trade show will be providing tables or not, it varies per show and location. 6′ long is the most common size for provided trade show tables, but it is possible to buy an 8′ long table if you need the extra space. Just keep in mind which size you would prefer incase you’d like to have a fitted table skirt with your business logo or special design.

On the table you’ll need your business cards, and a card holder. You should also consider if you’d like business pens or other promotional give-away items for the show and something to place them in. I can’t suggest enough to have a bowl of candy, it’s a great way to bring people by the table and have their attention for a little bit. Behind the table you have room to put up a sign, or banner. Horizontal banners are nice but can be hard to hang up if you’re against a curtained wall instead of a real wall. There is a great variety of vertical banner stands for trade shows, you can help narrow down which would be best for you by considering how many times you may want to change out your banner, if you need to have a stand easy to ship, or if you’d like a stand to be placed on the table.

I highly suggest that if you’re getting a banner stand that you’ll want to buy a light as well that can help keep your booth well lit.  With curtained walls up between stalls it’s easy to have the light blocked out and you’ll want to make sure people can see you and your business. Give yourself a bare minimum of two weeks to have all the preparations and items put together for a show. Yes, it is, on rare occasions when the Earth, Sun and Moon all align, to get things in a shorter time span than two weeks. (More so when all you need is one sign instead of a set.) However, I highly doubt you’re in need for the extra stress, so if possible, set plans into motion a decent amount of time before then.

Plans for World Domination…in ads

Author: Amanda

January – March is normally the hardest months in the year for most companies. Not many spend their leisure time outside, travel more than they need to or desire much materialistic with holidays having just passed. This is the perfect time to plan and implement a project to help promote your business, when you have the time to sit down, take a breath and consider what’s the best way to project your image.  How do your clients or customers normally find you? Maybe if they are searching for you on the internet you’re easy to find, but is that really the only time you want people to look at you?

The answer is no, you don’t want just the people who need you to look at you. You want everyone to notice you, because while perhaps a person that notices your store doesn’t need your services they’re going to remember you. And down the road when they do need you, they’ll know where to find you, or they’ll refer you to people who do need your services. Don’t let this winter pass by you in a haze, jump on this opportunity. Next Day Signs is here to help, leave any questions you have about signage, vehicle lettering, feather flags or trade shows, and I’ll answer them as quickly as I can.

Virtual Cosmopolitan

Author: Amanda

Google maps is a very underappreciated application. For its intended use, it’s very helpful, giving us a chance to use satellite imaging to see a location that we haven’t traveled to. Now, if you use Google maps you may have noticed the ability to use the satellite mapping from ground level. Instead of seeing the map from an aerial point of view, you drag the little gold stick figure located above to the zoom bar and place it on the map. Where the figure lands you are given a street-view of the area, in this map format you can ‘turn around’ and zoom in on different locations. What makes this such a wonderful application for the Sign shop is the ability to view existing signs.

Often we have customers arrive wondering how much it would cost to replace an existing sign. Most have just moved into the store location, they don’t know the size of the current sign, the material it’s made of, how high up it is, or how it’s bolted in, from the top of their head. Before Google maps there wasn’t much we could do to help our customers without having to do an initial site visit. However, with the new application we simply enter the customers address and zoom in on their current address. We’ve worked in the business long enough that we can make a valid guess of the material, and how it’s bolted in just by seeing an image. We can judge how high the sign is and whether or not it will need scaffolding for install. This saves us hours of travel from extra site visits, and we’re able to give more accurate quotes to our customers on their first arrival, e-mail or call.

I personally also like clicking on random places on the map to see how cities look across World. With just a small drag I can see Kyoto, Japan or Lyon, France over lunch break.

The Telephone Game

Author: Amanda

This past Friday I was making a call to another business, I dialed the seven digit number and waited for someone to receive the call. After perhaps one or two rings the call was picked up by Sprint (which was not the business I had called) the automated message that played for me said the business I was calling was no longer in business. They had an idea of who I was calling because they informed that if I stayed on the line they would give me a referral list. Confused I hung up the phone before the list could be given, I had spoken with the owner only two days prior and they had made no indication of closing up shop.

I tried the number again, this time using the area code to help it go through. Sure enough my call went to its intended receiver and I made sure to pass on what had just happened. They said that yes, Sprint was their service provider but that they were not and had no plans to go out of business. Later in the day they contacted me again after sharing some words with Sprint (I wouldn’t want to be the person receiving that call). According to Sprint, soon all providers will move phone numbers to only 10 digit numbers, failure to put the area code in means not getting a connecting call. I still want to research this a little more, but in the mean time, in case anyone calls and cannot reach our store, please try the 10 digit number 614-764-7446.

Wall Graphics and Pirate Ships

Author:  Amanda

I’ve noticed there’s been a recent interest in wall graphics. It’s pretty easy to pick up on new trends since I answer the phone and hear what it is everyone is asking for. I think it’s a smart trend because wall graphics only take up the room you’re not using on a wall. They also add a touch of personality which can largely be a deciding factor for customers on who they want to take their business to. The wall graphics are also removable, so if the company needs to move or you want to change it there’s no damage to the wall or paint. I’ve had one customer get a motivational quote placed above his office doorway, and Cheryl has decorated her living room with them, which I thought was cool. We’ve done some research on how people have decorated their homes with wall graphics. In one apartment located in the city someone had thin trees with wispy tendrils reaching across the wall,  another had atlas maps placed in their office.

Cheryl has asked me what I would do if I decorated my living room. I’ve only mulled on the idea for a little bit, but I think I like the idea of a motivational quote, or perhaps some lines of lyrics from my favorite song followed with an image.  I know a friend of mine would love to have the image on an old pirate ship, she’s a bit of a historical nautical buff in that area.

New Outlook on ‘Dollar Menu’

Author:  Amanda

The first day back at work for the new year is refreshing. I feel motivated and energized for the new year thanks to all the changes we’ve made recently. For one, the lobby has been completely reorganized, only one part of it looks the same as before. Having a new perception of the store helped inspire little brain storms of how else we can improve the store. Before long we were going through the entire store, reorganizing and disposing of what was no longer needed. A new idea that occurred to us was to have a ‘dollar menu’. Left over materials from large cut boards would be placed aside for the ‘dollar menu’. A customer can purchase each piece for $1 as is, and then pay an additional amount for any lettering or pictures they would like to place on it. It may not be the best solution for a professional sign, but it’s perfect for people who want a small sign for fun, as a personal gift or something they can use to decorate their office, home, den, garage, tree-house, pet-house,etc.