When you are ready to make the decision to purchase signs – both interior and exterior – for your company, make sure you choose experienced professionals in the business.  From concept, to creation to installation, you need to feel confident in your choice and in the work your sign shop does for you.

As the owner of Forerunner Signs & Graphics, I am proud of my staff.  I love seeing them develop a concept for a client and walk them through the process.  Not only am I proud of the work they do physically, I am impressed by their intrinsic desire to make our customers happy.  The customer service they provide, along with their technical expertise is a reminder every day of why I started my business.  We love helping businesses succeed.  Period.  End of story.

How can we best serve you?

If you come in with a clear image of what you want, it helps our staff understand your thought process – saving us the time to develop from scratch. Time is always money and the more time you save us, the more money it will save you.

In addition, when you are deciding what type of message you want your sign to communicate ask yourself these questions:

• Is it visually pleasing – Make your sign easy to read. Use colors and tones that are vibrant but still match your surroundings and meet your zoning regulations.
• Does it match your brand – Make sure your sign leaves no question about what to expect inside your doors. If you’re a dog grooming business, use a picture of dog and brush. Or, just say it. Dog Grooming! Pet Parlor! Boutique!
• Is it easy to maintain – Most natural materials succumb to nature over time. Be sure to select materials like stone, treated metal, treated wood, etc.
• What/Who is the sign for - Is it for pedestrians to see, is it for cars to see, or is it for people walking by to be able to find you when they park? What direction should it face to attract the most customers?

In my opinion you’ll want all little bit of everything included in your sign. That is, build it big enough for everyone to see, design it colorful enough to stand out and attract attention and build it out of a material that will last you a long time. Stretch your advertising dollars, by getting the most out your sign.

Common Mistakes and Final Thoughts

Mistakes are human nature. We all make them from time to time and all any of us can do is learn from them and move forward. But, when you are starting a business it’s important that you minimize early mistakes.

You can’t afford to pay for bad decisions that could have been controlled through a little research.

Here is a list of common mistakes our experts say try to avoid making when picking store signs.

1. Don’t budget enough money – When in doubt, over budget! You don’t have to spend it all, but it will provide you with piece of mind that you are covered!
2. Don’t think through brand/image – Consult with professional designers to make sure your logo, your image, your look is consistent with the brand you want to promote. If a person is confused about what you offer, they won’t purchase from you.
3. Design is too complicated – Abide by the K.I.S.S. motto. The more complex the design, the more confused your potential customer will be
4. Inflexible with design – Just because you like something doesn’t mean it will resonate with your prospective customers. Keep an open mind to other ideas.  More often than not the best ideas come out of collaboration!

As you can see, there are many types of signs to choose for your business. The materials and associated costs used to produce your sign will vary greatly.  Ask questions and do your homework up front. Have a clear picture of your image and over budget for signage. Rule of thumb? Budget 2.5 times the amount of the lowest cost you have found via research.  Many times the cheapest is the cheapest for a reason – you usually get what you pay for.

If you are looking for high-quality interior or exterior signage for your business or storefront, and need to meet a certain budget, contact the experts at Forerunner Signs.  Your business will thank you for it!