Advertising is one of a business's biggest investments. It may not be the most expensive item in your budget, but a FedEx survey found that 68% of consumers purchased a product or service based on a sign alone. To draw in consumers, businesses around the country invest in custom metal signs.
While signs come in a variety of materials and styles, custom metal signs have unique traits that make them the best bang for your advertising buck. Here are nine reasons custom metal signs should be a part of your business's marketing plan.
1. Metal Signs Can Be Moved Without Damage
For retailers, seasonal promotions are lucrative events. A store may put up signs advertising the sale for a few weeks or even a few months. In the process of putting them up or taking them down, vinyl and plastic signs may be torn by strings, ropes, adhesives and accidents.
Before the next sale, a store would need to invest in replacement signs or use the damaged ones. In consumers' eyes, that's not a good look. Because they're made of more durable materials, custom metal signs are less likely to sustain damage when being moved and stored.
2. They Can Be Double-sided
When businesses have signs in storefront windows, the back is often blank. The same can be said for in-store signage. Blank signs aren't only eyesores — they're wastes of valuable advertising space.
Many types of signs can of course be double-sided, but ink and paint often bleed through and make messages difficult to read. However, metal signs aren't opaque at all. Both sides can be used for messages and directions that point customers to the right areas. When consumers know where to find what they're looking for, they're more likely to make a purchase.
3. They Can Be Lit
Any kind of sign can be lit with a spotlight, but that's not very exciting, is it? Metal signs can be lit in a number of creative, eye-catching ways. A light in front might project an interesting silhouette on a wall. Back-lit customs signs present logos in dazzling colors that draw attention and interest customers.
Because LEDs can be affixed directly to, behind or in front of metal signs, you won't have to rely on expensive and overheating spotlights. According to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, 40% of commercial energy consumption is sucked up by lighting. By combining metal signs with LEDs, you could shave precious dollars from your monthly expenses.
4. They're Easy To Clean
When storefronts are in high-traffic areas, everything gets a little dirty. Windows need to be scrubbed, floors swept and counter-tops shined. Over time, signage gets a bit dingy, as well. If it's made out of cardboard or canvas, washing can be damaging.
With custom metal signs, employees can simply take them down and spray them off. For more stubborn stains, they can be easily scrubbed without damage. When they're put back up, they look good as new.
5. Custom Metal Signs Can Be Cut Into Any Shape
Rectangular canvas signs convey messages, but they're a little plain. For new businesses, standing out to potential new customers is vital to making it past a tumultuous first year.
Custom metal signs, whether they're inside or out, make a distinct first impression. A tax office with clean, metal letters on the outside looks professional yet striking. For bars, boutiques and restaurants, a backlit custom sign cut into the shape of a logo lets customers know they're in for a unique experience.
6. They Can Be Extremely Detailed
Imagine you've come up with the perfect logo. It's intricate but not too jumbled. On your computer, it looks great. You send it off to get it printed on a vinyl sign. When you see your sign for the first time, you're disappointed that it looks a little fuzzy and pixelated.
By using state-of-the-art laser-cutting tools and printing techniques, a custom metal sign always looks sharp. Every line is distinct. Your sign, like the vision you have for your business, deserves to come to life in stunning detail.
7. They Add Texture and Layers
Speaking of logos, sometimes they look better with a little texture. For instance, let's say your logo is a complex geometric design. It weaves in and out of itself in a knot-like twist. Does a two-dimensional picture on a flat white sign really do it justice?
Custom metal signs are rigid yet durable. That means sign designers can actually bend the material to make patterns pop. When new customers see your intricate metal sign adorning your storefront, they see the pride you take in your business before they even come in.
8. Custom Metal Signs Fit Any Motif
Metal is always in style. It fits into minimalist architecture just as well as it fits into rustic atmospheres. Canvas, vinyl and cardboard, however, do not. Leave those materials in the storeroom.
Metal signs can be made of steel, copper, aluminum and many other durable materials. They can be left smooth or distressed. Using paint and finishes, metal signs can be just about any color you want. From down-home diners to bustling boardrooms, metal goes with any motif.
9. They're Reflections of Your Business
According to the same FedEx survey referenced earlier, 68% of consumers see signs as reflections of businesses themselves. A boring sign means an adequate yet probably cookie-cutter business. If you want customers to be as excited about your business as you are, you need to entice them with a unique custom sign.
Besides, who would trust a store or restaurant that can't even maintain their own signs?
Set Your Business Apart With ShieldCo of Frederick, Maryland
Since 2013, ShieldCo has helped businesses big and small stand out with custom metal signs. From the materials we use to the cutting-edge techniques and artisans we employ, we take as much pride in serving your business as we take in our own. For a free quote, contact us today.
