How To Use Signage to Solve the Small Business Problem #2: Finding Reliable Employees

As business owners, we have all struggled on occasion to find employees that we felt like we could truly depend on to be a part of our small business.  There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, because we are small businesses, employees are often required to juggle multiple tasks and wear several different hats.  Sometimes our marketing team of one or two, also needs to be writers of blogs, salesmen of products, and customer service reps. This is often a part of the job that employees are not prepared for and can be an overwhelming aspect of working for a small business.

Another reason small businesses have to be picky when hiring is because they, as stated by  Holly Wade who is the director of research and policy analysis at the National Federation of Independent Business, “have less ability to absorb unexpected financial blows, making them more cautious when it comes to hiring anyone who doesn’t match the job description completely” (benefitspro.com).  This means that in the face of an employee wanting to sue a business for any number of subjective matters, a small business may not have the resources available to fight back, leaving them vulnerable to legal pursuits that could lead to them having to close their doors in order to save their name.

Still, others argue that colleges are not properly preparing their students for the workforce.  “ ‘There’s definitely a gap between what we’re training people to do and where the jobs are,’ said John Arensmeyer, founder of Small Business Majority, an advocacy group based in Washington DC” (Source).  While we can all agree it is important to show new employees grace when adjusting to the demands of the business world, it can prove to be very frustrating when it, except in rare cases, seems like even the most basic skills are overlooked.

Regardless of the reasoning, small businesses are suffering in their struggle to find employees they can depend on to stay loyal, work hard, and be trainable.  In fact, a recent report found that “More than 80% of small businesses that were hiring said they had few or no qualified applicants for their open positions.”  Eight out of every ten small businesses are looking for solutions to the employee problem. While we here at Landmark Signs cannot find those employees for you, (Although if we could…nah who are we kidding? We would hire them for ourselves) we can provide impressive signage that can help lighten this load.

#1: Signage is a Great Representation for Your Company

Commercial 3D Sign Designed, Manufactured, and Installed by Landmark Signs.

We’ve all been there before: one of our employees steps up to help a new customer while you are dealing with an IT issue on the phone.  Phew! You think, grateful that Daniel took the initiative to support you while you are occupied. As you return your focus back to your phone call, you stop and your throat drops into your stomach in horror.  Did Daniel just say what I think he said? Perhaps it was a well-meaning, but rather blunt piece of advice that did not go over well. Maybe it was that silly joke he thought the customer would enjoy but REALLY did not.  Or he might have misquoted a service at a lower rate than what you actually charge and you are stuck with either having to be the bad guy and charge the actual price or honor the quote and lose money.

It is a situation that every small business owner has found themselves in.  And in a people business, which is every business whether you are a service or product based business, it is an unavoidable situation.  However, with the right sign, you can trust a sign to shout proudly (an illuminated sign) or quietly suggest (a Gold Leaf Sign) that you are a top company.  The impression a sign makes will never be something that you cannot control, because with the help of an award-winning sign design team, you decide what your sign is going to look like.  A quality sign sends a message loud and clear about who your company is and what service or product it provides. Make sure you choose a sign that will tell the narrative you want it to tell.  Check out this blog to learn more about how a sign can make the best first impression.

#2: Let Signage Do the Work for You

First American Gold Leaf Custom Monument Signs by Landmark Signs

Did you know that if you are a brick and mortar business most of the customers you get will come from within 5 miles of your store?  This means that “the average person will see your sign about twice per day or about 60 times a month” (Read More). Those are a lot of opportunities to get exposure for your company without you having to say a word or lift a finger.  Once you invest in a top sign, you can count on that sign to keep working for you, even when everyone else has gone home.

Furthermore, studies have shown that “3 out of 4 consumers…have told someone about a store based simply on its signage” (Learn more). So not only does a sign serve as a salesman by proudly displaying your company to customers that pass it on a daily basis, it will also work as a marketer for you helping you build a loyal customer base through the most powerful type of marketing in existence today: word of mouth marketing.

So go ahead, take an extra long lunch break. As long as you have an impressive sign, there will always be someone working at your business (don’t forget to get an illuminated sign to keep the work going well into the night!).

#3: Rely on Landmark Signs to Get the Job Done For you!

With your busy schedule, we know the last thing you need is another job to do.  Which is why, we here at Landmark Signs, provide every service of the sign job.  After consulting with you on your goals and conducting a survey of your site ourselves, our award-winning sign design team will get to work creating a sign that is just right for you.  Then our expert negotiators will get the permits you need by cutting through the city’s red tape. After that, we will carefully manufacture your sign with the best materials and install the it with care and expertise.  

And unlike when you hire an employee, you will not have to worry about your us not taking your business as seriously as you do.  You see, as a small business, we treat your company’s sign as if it was our own because keeping your businesses doors open keeps ours open too!

Conclusion

A sign is a great problem solver for small businesses who are facing the difficulty of hiring reliable employees.  With a sign from Landmark Signs you will have a sign that represents your company in the best light and keeps working even when you are not. Additionally, at Landmark Signs we take care of every aspect of your sign job and treat each job as if it was a sign for our own business.

Trust Landmark Signs with your sign!  Call us today at (714) 637-9900.

Experience and innovation have been the backbone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

© Landmark Signs 2018

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How To Use Signage to Solve the Small Business Problem #1: Not Enough Time

“Thirty-three percent of small-business owners reported working more than 50 hours per week, while an additional 25% said they work more than 60 hours a week, according to a poll of readers of the New York Enterprise Report” (Source).

One of the reasons people go into business for themselves is because they long to experience freedom.  Freedom to make their own choices, freedom to be their own boss, and freedom to use their time the way they want.  However, what begins as one of the motivations for entrepreneurs starting their own business, getting back more time, often ends up being the most difficult thing to come by once that business is underway.  And even though the numbers mentioned above are not unusual for small business owners, it reflects one of the most difficult challenges of owning your own business.

As business owners ourselves who serve other business owners, we understand this struggle on a personal level.  However, we want to let you in on a little secret. A well-made sign can actually give you back one of the most precious commodities on the planet: time. You may be thinking, how can an inanimate object hanging above the door, in the lobby, or on the street, give me back something like time?  Well, the first step in allowing signage to free up your time is to stop thinking of signage as an object. Instead, think of it as a key to success that is alive with potential and profit, and is an employee that will work for all day every day, without asking for a raise.

How Can Signage Give You Back Your Time?

 

 

Skyline Push Thru Graphic Monument Sign by Landmark Signs

Commercial 3D Sign Designed, Manufactured, and Installed by Landmark Signs.

That is what you really want to know right?  Well if you invest in your signage, you will most certainly see that investment returned to you exponentially.  If you are still not sure why any type of signage at all is even necessary for your business, much less a well-made sign, check out our blog here to learn just how valuable signage can be for your company.  

One of the things you will see is that over two-thirds of consumers see a direct correlation between your sign and your products and services (see more).  What this tells us is that if you have a poorly-made sign, than you risk losing 2 out of every 3 potential customers due to the fact that they will think that what you provide is of poor quality just like your sign.  If you step outside and see an unappealing Wall Sign, Monument Sign, or Pylon Sign, you are most likely losing 68% of your potential customers.

Time Saver #1: Stop Chasing Down Potential Customers

This statistic shows us that businesses may be wasting a lot of time chasing down potential sales all because their sign does not live up to the quality of their company.  Investing in not just any sign, but a well-made, quality sign will allow you to spend less time cold-calling and more time focusing on the product or service that only you can provide.  Because while a poorly made sign can deter customers, an elegant sign can draw in 2 out of every 3 customers saving you loads of time that you can devote to doing what really matters, making your business a success.

Time Saver # 2: Market Your Business Without Lifting a Finger

According to the website smallbiztrends.com, “a small business owner — along with another employee — will spend an average of 20 hours per week on marketing, according to the survey.”  Assuming that you are working a 40-hour work week, although most likely it is at least 10 hours more than that, you are spending about half of your time as a business owner marketing your business.  Not only is this eating up an enormous amount of your time and energy, it is most likely also causing undue stress due to the fact that their are so many ways to advertise your company (Facebook, Google Ads, blogging, etc).  Whether or not you are a company who does most of their marketing through LinkedIn or you prefer to use Instagram to send your message, all of these types of marketing require your time.

However, with a well-made sign, your business is being advertised for you without having to update a single status, post a new blog, or type of business hashtag.  Choosing a sign that reflects your business is an extremely effective way to get the word out about your business.

Plus, over the past few years, the business industry has learned how important it is for a company to be referred through word of mouth marketing. Signage can help you out with that one too!  In fact, 75% of consumers have told of referring a sign to someone else based solely on a business’ sign (learn more). Through advertising that keeps on giving (our Landmark signs come with a 10 year warranty) and word of mouth marketing, a sign will free up loads of your time.

Time Saver #3:  Let Landmark Signs Do The Work For You

As an A-Z sign business, we handle every aspect of you acquiring a sign.  We handle your sign every step of the way. We will survey your site, design the sign for you, deal with those pesky permits, manufacture your sign, install it, and even create a sign program for you!  

First American Gold Leaf Custom Monument Signs by Landmark Signs

With over 45 years of experience in the sign industry and an award-winning sign design team, let us give you back more of what you so desperately need: your time.

Get your time back today with your own Landmark Sign!  Call us today at (714) 637-9900.

Experience and innovation have been the backbone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

© Landmark Signs 2018

10 Quotes To Inspire The Small Business Owner

“Small business is the backbone of America.” – Chuck Fleischmann

Where would our country be without the contribution of small business owners?  As small business owners ourselves, we understand and appreciate those courageous enough to take the entrepreneurial leap because it is these brave men and women that provide the services, products, and jobs, that the each and every community so desperately needs.

In fact, entrepreneurship goes back to the founding of our nation.  Furthermore, according to J.D. Harrison and Sarah Byrne, authors at Free Enterprise “America’s enterprising roots and enduring entrepreneurial spirit won’t be a surprise once you understand the backgrounds of our founding fathers–many of whom, it turns out, were successful small business owners themselves.”  Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and several others, all owned their own business as newspaper owners, founders of banks, farmers, and lawyers. These experiences profoundly influenced their ideas on freedom which they would bring with them when it came time to establish freedom for the country we live in today.

While owning your own business is most certainly something to be proud of, it is not without its challenges.  Due to the increased competition, taxes, and government regulations, it is more challenging than ever before to be a business owner.  However, it is vital that we continue to support and encourage our fellow business owners to keep on fighting.

Over the next several weeks, we will write a series of blogs that breaks down some of the biggest challenges that small business owners face and how Landmark Signs can provide the services and products (signage, sign installation, sign manufacturing, and more) to help business owners overcome these difficulties and provide a real solution for the problems you face everyday.

For today’s blog, though, we wanted to provide a series of quotes to encourage you in your small business and provide you with the stamina you need to continue your journey as the backbone of America.

“More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin.” Orrin Woodward

 

“Leaders lead for the joy of creating something bigger than themselves.” Chris Brady

 

“I can’t imagine a person becoming a success who doesn’t give this game of life everything he’s got.” Walter Cronkite

 

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” Steve Jobs

 

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

 

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass

 

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” Karen Lamb

 

 

“Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done. Life’s too short to think small.” Tim Ferriss

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Thomas Edison

Experience and innovation have been the backbone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

© Landmark Signs 2018

3 More Reasons Your Business Can Fight Back at Amazon with Signage

“You can’t build a consumer brand in 2018 and ignore the 800-pound Gorilla that is Amazon” (Sophie Baker, How to Beat Amazon). Amazon has exploded onto the business scene the last few years and it has become a force to be reckoned with for any product, consumer-based company.  They provide any number of products, from the largest like a 1,325-pound gun safe to the tiniest item like the world’s smallest Bluetooth speaker that can fit in the palm of your hand.  There’s the clever product (a mug that won’t tip over for all those clumsy drinkers), the helpful item (IFetch – your dog can play fetch all by himself), and the downright bizarre (a Nicolas Cage pillow because why not?).  Virtually anything a consumer can think of, Amazon can provide. And to top it all off, a shopper can order any of these products without even having to get out of bed. How can any other business possibly compete?  Amazon literally has it all.

Well like any Titan, there is an area where they are vulnerable.  Achilles had his heel, Macbeth has his blind ambition, Marie Antoinette had her cake, and Amazon has its customer experience.  And by that, we mean it doesn’t have the customer experience.  How can it possibly create an experience for its customers when the customer is in control of all of that (will Michelle buy her Shea Moisture Curl and Shine Shampoo from her iPhone 8 sitting on her green velvet sofa or on will Brian purchase his Sony Extra Bass Wireless Headphones on his Apple MacBook Pro on his lunch break?).  

This is the chance to get the upper hand.  In our last blog, we explored why signage can help you fight back at Amazon because of this very reason – that it helps create a better customer experience.  Furthermore, because signage is the original form of marketing and it gives consumers back some control, it is the ideal way to stand out from the Amazonian giant.  Today, we will look at 3 more reasons your business can fight back at Amazon with signage.

Signage Can be Made of Quality Materials

First American Gold Leaf Custom Monument Signs by Landmark Signs

This may seem like an odd place to start. Isn’t something concrete like material usually something you get to after you have gone over all the fluffy, vague reasons like “draw your customers to you” or “tell your best story”? While it is important to emotionally appeal to our readers, we know that you are in a business and so you need to literally get down to business.  And you may be reading this blog sitting in an office that has a sign hanging right outside your store. Which means you need a reason to keep reading.

Well, here it is.  Excuse me while we get emotional for a second.  Take a look at your sign. What type of message is it sending?  Does it tell of a quality business that takes its customer’s needs seriously or does it look like a sign that was quickly ordered and quickly made?  Was it a priority marketing tool that you invested in just like you will invest in your customers or was it an afterthought that might lead your clients into thinking that they themselves might become an afterthought?  

It is not enough to just have a sign.  A business must have a sign that reflects with its quality of material the quality of the service.  Especially since “three out of four consumers say they have told someone about a store based simply on signage” (Source). Your company provides the best service it can, so make sure that your sign reflects that.  Choose from quality signs made out of the best materials like Gold Leaf Signs, Internally LED Illuminated Storefront Signs, or Wood Lobby Signs.  

Signage Sends A Powerful Message

Zadig & Voltaire 3D Sign by Landmark Signs

Once you have a sign that tells of the quality company that you are, your sign will show potential consumers that you are a company that takes itself and its customers seriously.  Your sign can send any number of powerful messages. A strong Monument Sign tells customers that you are reliable and dependable.  A custom-made 3D Sign shows consumers that you are are creative and interesting.  A Gold Leaf Sign sends the message that your company is literally “as good as gold”.

Why is this important?  Studies have been done that explain that when it comes to new business “a vast majority of what you’ll get comes from people who live within 5 miles of your store.  That means the average person will see your sign about twice per day, or about sixty times per month” (Source). Those are a lot of opportunities to send the right message or the wrong one.  Which one does your business sign send?

Signage Impresses Clients

Word & Brown Lobby Sign by Landmark Signs

“Your business can survive only if your customers feel attracted to your products and services” (successstory.com).  You can have the best Chinese food in the whole city, the most helpful college consultant anyone has ever met, or even be a part of the famed Michael Scott Paper Company, but if your potential consumers don’t feel drawn to your businesses, you will never get the chance to close the deal.

Signage is a powerful tool to make the best first impression because for many of your customers, it is their first interaction with your business.  Whether it is your powerful Monument Sign that they see when driving by your business on the street or the graceful Lobby Sign they see hung on your wall when they walk into your store, signage gives you the opportunity to sell your company without having to utter a single word.

Conclusion

While Amazon may have an advantage in its range of products and its speedy delivery, there are several areas in which you can beat them.  Signage provides the chance to fight back at Amazon because it gives customers back some control, it is the original form of marketing, and it enhances the customer experience.  Additionally, if your sign is made out of quality materials, it will send a powerful message to potential buyers and impress your clients.

Fight back at Amazon your own quality sign. Call Landmark Signs today! (714) 637-9900.

Experience and innovation have been the backbone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

© Landmark Signs 2018

3 Reasons Your Business Can Fight Back at Amazon with Signage

Brick and mortar stores are no strangers to competition.  In fact, roughly ten years ago, small businesses were in trouble whenever a new Walmart would pop up in a town. Studies found that the closer a small business was to a Walmart, the more likely it was to end up closing. For every closer a mile was to Walmart, it was 6% more likely to close, while a whopping 35-60% of stores that were located the closest would go out of business. (Source).

Walmart was certainly an entity to be reckoned with.  However, this was mostly a threat for smaller businesses that did not have the same marketing budget as the bigger companies, like Best Buy, JC Penny, and Toys R’ Us who managed to weather the Walmart storm cloud.  Fast forward to today though, and these brick and mortar stores are quaking and folding in the force of a much more formidable foe, one whose omnipresence makes it a threat no matter where a store is located. Being that most of you are business, you most likely have already guessed that I am referring to the online giant, Amazon.  

JC Penney closed 140 of its stores in 2017 and announced that it will continue to close stores this year.  Best Buy plans to close all 250 of its mobile phone stores.  Toys R Us just recently released a statement saying that it will close or sell all 735 of its stores bringing an end to the only store that really seemed to be ours as children as we strolled happily through aisles and aisles of dolls, games, and action figures (we are in intentionally leaving out the countless temper tantrums that could easily ruin the nostalgia we’ve reminded you of).  Even Walmart is not immune, which will close 63 of its Sam’s Club locations impacting 9,400 employees.

So what does all this mean for you and your business?  Well, whether you are a small business like ours, or a Fortune 500 company, upping and adjusting your marketing strategy and making the in-store experience more authentic for customers seem to be the direction many are recommending. We concur with these strategies and luckily, we are in a business that provides a solution to both of these methods. Let’s break down a few reasons why signage can be the answer to fighting the competition.  

#1: Gives Consumers Back Some Control

Research has found that customers go to brick and mortar stores because they are looking for authentic shopping.  In a world where they are bombarded by constant in their face marketing, customers are tired of being aggressively sold to.  We cannot even look at our cell phones without getting a text from some company advertising their products even though we have no memory of signing up for these messages.  When we reply to this communication with STOP in all caps, we really mean it!

Zadig & Voltaire 3D Signs by Landmark Signs

Signage, like Monument Signs or Store-Front Signs, gives consumers the chance to take back some control of when and where they choose to learn about a store and its products.  If they see your sign and are interested, they will come to you and if not, they can move on without their day being disrupted. Furthermore, according to the research, with a brick and mortar store, most of your consumers come from within a 5-mile radius, which means that potential customers will have the chance to see your company twice a day or roughly 60 times a month.  That gives them plenty of time to decide if they want to check your business out without the frustrating experience of being bombarded wherever they go. Don’t be just another company that tries to aggressively convince consumers to give them a try with the next “best deal”.  They get enough of that. Let them see your impressive signage and come to you.

#2: The Original Form of Marketing

It does not get much more authentic for customers than signage, which is a form of advertising that dates back to the ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks.  The Romans used stone or terracotta signage to announce public events. Later, during China’s Song Dynasty, people started using signage for effective branding.

Signage continued to develop and from the late 1890’s to the 1960’s, when chipped- glue

The Chili Pepper Gold Leaf Chipped Glue Window Display by Landmark Signs 

 window displays, gold leafing, and sign painting were the norm for signage advertising (our owner actually learned to create signage with his dad painting by hand).  We can still see hints of these past signs today!  Then in the 1980’s the emergence of neon signs took center stage and since then, this more permanent, long-lasting type of signage continues to dominate the sign industry today.  

In a world of online businesses and temporary, ambiguous marketing that floats through the internet like a cloud in the sky, advertise your long-lasting, permanent business with signage that dates back to ancient times.  What can be more authentic than that?

#3: Enhances the Customer Experience

Bloomberg Businessweek survey revealed that “delivering a great customer experience” has become the new imperative: 80% of the companies polled rated customer experience as a top strategic objective. This is different than simply providing great customer service, which is an aspect of a customer’s experience.  

First American Title Gold Leaf Lobby Sign by Landmark Signs

But what exactly is the elusive customer experience?  Well, according to the Harvard Business Review, it is “the sum-totality of how customers engage with your company and brand, not just in a snapshot in time, but throughout the entire arc of being a customer.”  It is said that all the little things add up in the end, and this is another way of looking at the customer experience. It is all the ways that a customer interacts with your company from the coffee and snacks that are served in your lobby to the day they sign on the dotted line.  And one important component of a customer’s experience is your signage. With more than two-thirds of consumers believing that the quality of a business’ signage is directly related to the business itself, it is imperative that the signage component of the customer experience (from Monument Signs to Lobby Signs) make the right impression on your customers.  

To stand out to your potential customers, choose not just any sign, but a Landmark sign.  Call us today at 714-637-9900!  Or shoot us an email to get a quote.

Experience and innovation have been the backbone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

© Landmark Signs 2018

3 More Reasons Why Monument Signs Are a Must-Have For Your Business

Last week, we learned 3 Reasons Why Monument Signs Are A Must-Have For Your Business.  These three reasons were to show the permanence of your business, reach more local customers, and be easily located from the street.

But maybe you are still are not convinced.  You have a storefront business sign and window graphic for your business, isn’t that enough?

Well you are in luck, because today, we are going to look at 3 more reasons why Monument Signs are a must-have for your business.

They Are Extremely Customizable

Skyline Push Thru Graphic Monument Sign by Landmark Signs

The wonderful thing about Monument Signs is that they are extremely customizable. This means that you can have a Monument Signs that reflects the exact message that you want your customers to understand about your business.  And being that recent studies show that more than ⅔ of consumers think a sign is directly reflective of the business and its products and services, the importance of this cannot be overstated.

If we are doing the math right, that means that if a sign does not reflect well upon a company, it risks losing 2 out of every 3 potential customers.  Wouldn’t that be a shame for a business like yours, that works so hard to take care of its clients?

So just how custom-made are these signs?  Well, the possibilities and combinations are endless thanks to our award-winning sign design team and expert manufacturers.  Want to make sure your Monument Sign is visible at night? Try an illuminated Monument Sign. What about a Monument that reflects the elegance of your company?  You cannot go wrong with a Gold Lead Monument Sign. Maybe you want to appear solid and dependable. Try a Wood Monument Sign. Do all of these options appeal to you?  Get a Monument Sign with all three!

Just make sure it sends the right message to your potential clients so you have the opportunity to wow them with your service as well as your sign.

They Are Long-Lasting Marketing

South Coast Neon Monument Sign by Landmark Signs

In a marketing world that bombards customers with Facebook and Google ads, having a quality Monument Sign not only helps you stand out from all the other forms of advertisement, but they are also marketing that keeps on giving.

Need more proof that Monument Signs are one of the best forms of advertising?  What about that for a local business, the “vast majority of what you’ll get comes from people who live within 5 miles of your store.  That means the average person will see your sign about twice per day, or about sixty times per month!”

Online ads require constant funding and do little to tell your customers that you are here to stay.  Any brand new business can create an online ad. But you are not just any business, and having a monument sign serves as a form of marketing that will be long-lasting and show that your company is not going anywhere because neither is your Monument Sign.

They Make a Positive First Impression

MLK Jr. Monument Sign by Landmark Signs

As we established in our last blog, much of your business comes from local customers. And if your store is not located right on the street where your 3D Sign can be easily seen or is in a shopping center with many other stores, then the first impression your customer will have of your company is not your Store-Front Sign or Window Graphic, but your Monument Sign.

It is vital that this first impression be the absolute best that it can be.  The importance of first impressions was confirmed in a study done by social psychologist and professor of psychology, explained that their “results [from their study] support the common observation that first impressions are notoriously persistent.”

If your company has a long-lasting, elegant, well-designed Monument Sign, then you have already made a wonderful first impression without having to lift a finger!  And we can see, this positive first impression is likely to last and be even more affirmed by their interaction with you and your wonderful products. After all, you are what works about your business.  Our sign business is just here to make sure people get a chance to find you and experience your stellar service first hand.

To make a positive first impression that lasts with your very own custom-made Monument Sign, call Landmark Signs to get started on your Monument Sign today!

Experience and innovation have been the back-bone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

3 Reasons Why A Monument Sign is A Must-Have For Your Business

Monuments: our country is obsessed with them.  From coast to coast: the Statue of Liberty in New York to the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii.  In fact, the United States has 117 national monuments, with a plethora of them located in our nation’s capital including the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, and the Martin King Luther Jr. Memorial.

What is it about these monuments that are so appealing to us as a country?  We travel thousands of miles across numerous states to gaze up at a large marble, carved statue of a historical figure or a graze our fingers across unknown, inscribed names on black granite wall while other tourists brush past us, bumping shoulders and elbows who are just as anxious as we are to see these same immoveable sights.

There is something awe-inspiring about taking in these monuments.  What they represent, their permanence, the message they send is of a country that has been free for close to 250 years and has overcome these struggles still together.

And that is exactly what a Monument Sign can do for your business and your customers.  It is not merely a large, stone, acrylic, or wood sign with your company’s name etched across it.  It stands for something more; it stands for your business and all that your company has done and will continue to do for your current and future customers.

Here are 3 Reasons to make a Monument Sign a part of your company’s message:

First American Gold Leaf Custom Monument Signs by Landmark Signs

#1: Show the Permanence of Your Business

Much like the Monuments in the United States, Monument Signs more than almost any other sign show your customers and potential customers that you have been here and you are not going anywhere.  

A Store Front Sign can be removed with little hassle, some patch, and a little bit of brush up paint.  A Window Graphic can be peeled off with some elbow grease and paint thinner. But a Monument Sign? That sign isn’t going anywhere.  

Your customers will see a Monument Sign and understand that you are a dependable, solid, and permanent company they can count on.

Brea Corporate Plaza Monument Sign by Landmark Signs

#2: Reach More Local Customers

As we discussed in our blog a few weeks ago, many of your customers come from within 5 miles of where your store is located.  According to Brandon Gaille, a marketing expert, in his article entitled 29 Striking Statistics on Effective Outdoor Signage, “That means the average person will see your sign about twice per day, or about sixty times per month” (Source).

With an elegant Monument Sign, you are sure to reach more local customers who are out there looking and needing to try what only your business can provide them.  They just have to know that you are there.

Redondo Village Monument Commercial Sign by Landmark Signs

#3: Be Easily Located From the Street

We’ve all been here before: we only have 30 minutes on our break to try out a new lunch spot that our coworker recommended.  After getting off the phone with a client later than planned, we rush out to our car, hit too many red lights, and finally arrive at the shopping center with only 15 minutes left to grab a quick bite.  We thought our destination was in this shopping center, but without a Monument Sign to assure us and with so many other hair stylists, grocery stores, and fast food spots in the same center, we can’t seem to find it.  Ugh! Forget it! Taco Bell it is.

Many businesses are located back from the street or in a shopping center with many other competing businesses.  While a store-front sign is almost always necessary, sometimes it is not enough to stand out from your competitors or be easily found by your customers.  Don’t miss out on a potential customer simply because they do know now how to find you. Monument Signs help bring in a customer and keep a customer.

To make a reach more customers, be easily found from the street, and show your customers that you are here to stay, call Landmark Signs to get started on your Monument Sign today!

Check back in with us next week for 3 more reasons why a monument sign is a must-have for your business.

Experience and innovation have been the back-bone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

Why Do Signs Matter? Business Sign Statistics – Signs are Worth the Investment

“Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Over the last several weeks, we have explored four different sign statistics that have not only theorized, but proven, the benefits of having a quality sign representing your business.  Let’s take a quick trip back to recall what the numbers have shown us about signage.

Commercial 3D Sign Designed, Manufactured and Installed by Landmark Signs.

Business Sign Statistic #1: “More than two thirds (68 percent) of consumers believe a store’s signage is reflective of the quality of its products or services” (View Source).

What Do We Learn? Your sign reflects the quality of your business.  Perhaps you have a sign, but you know that the quality of it does not match the value of the business you provide.  But that does not matter to your customers, because they believe that there is a direct correlation between your sign and your business.

The Benefit of Signage: A quality sign will convince 68 percent more potential customers to try out your product or service.

Gold Leaf Chipped Glue Window Display by Landmark Signs

Business Sign Statistic #2: “Poor signage can deter consumers from entering a store, with over half (52 percent) saying they are less willing to enter a store with misspelled or poorly-made signs” (Source).

What Do We Learn?  It is not enough to have a sign, but it much be a well-made sign that accurately reflects your business and the service it provides.  A poorly-made sign will actually deter your potential customers.

The Benefit of Signage:  A well-made sign, like a Gold Leaf Sign, will prevent over half of your possible customers from walking away instead of stepping inside your store.

Couture Channel Letter Wall Sign by Landmark Signs

Business Sign Statistics #3: “Three out of four consumers saying they have told someone about a store based simply on its signage” (Source).

What Do We Learn?  That customers are referring your store (or even worse, not referring your store) based on what they think of your sign.  This is invaluable because 20-50% of new business is gained due to word-of-mouth.

The Benefit of Signage:  A beautiful sign will bring you more business.

Word & Brown Lobby Sign by Landmark Signs

Business Sign Statistic # 4: “When it comes to local business, a vast majority of what you’ll get comes from people who live within 5 miles of your store. That means the average person will see your sign about twice per day, or about sixty times per month” (Source).

What Do We Learn? Your sign is the first impression.  This may or may not be good news for your business.  Science shows us that these first impressions are usually the ones that last.

The Benefit of Signage:  An elegant sign will not only send a positive initial impression, but will lead to a positive lasting impression.

So What?

You may have read all our last four blogs and reviewed this current blog and completely agreed with everything we have written.  Especially since it is founded on facts, not merely the opinion of a passionate sign designer.

But for many business owners, it comes down to the cost.  And we get that because we too are a business and know that sometimes, decisions have to be made based on money.  If we are going to spend our hard-earned money, it better be worth the investment.

We can tell you that it is.  Because we know it is.  We have built our entire business around this belief.  Don’t just take our word for it.

Let’s once again, go back to the facts.

Business Sign Statistic #5: “A redesigned business sign that is onsite costs just $0.02 per 1000 views and it reaches more of your overall market than any other form of advertising” (Source).

 

Commercial Monument Sign Designed, Manufactured and Installed by Landmark Signs.

 

Yes, a sign is an investment.  We are not going to deny that.  But it is no doubt, a worthy investment, when you look at how little you actually spend in relation to how many views your sign gets.  For every 1,000 impressions, you are only spending 2 cents!

In comparison, when using Facebook ads, it will cost a retail business $6.33 for every 1,000 views of your ad.

Furthermore, For those considering or already using Google AdWords, “the average small business using AdWords spends between $9,000 and $10,000 per month on their Google paid search campaigns. That’s $100,000 to $120,000 per year”(Source).

Online advertising is not only more expensive, but can give the impression of a fleeting business.  Anyone can put an online ad together.  In fact, you do not even need to have a physical business to advertise online.

But business signs, like Monument Signs, send the message of permanence and give the impression of a business that is here to stay.  Your customers can trust that they can depend on you being there for them for years to come.

Looking for your own long-lasting sign?  Call Landmark Signs today! (714) 637-9900

Experience and innovation have been the back-bone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

 

 

Why Do Signs Matter? Business Sign Statistics – Signs Are Your First Impression

 

Stage actor, vaudeville performer, and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, Will Rogers, said it best when he stated, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”  Based on his success, this is a mantra that he lived by because by the time the 1930’s rolled around, he had made 71 movies, wrote more than 4,000 newspaper columns, and was the highest paid Hollywood film star of his time (Source).  Adored by the public and sought after by directors, editors, and even the world-renown Ziegfeld Follies, Rogers knew how important it was to make a first impression that would turn into a lasting impression.

So what does all of this have to do with your business sign?  You already, no doubt, make a great impression upon your potential clients.  As soon as they enter your business, they are greeted by a warm, friendly receptionist who directs their attention to water or coffee available while they wait.  They happily sip their coffee while flipping through a Star magazine to catch up on who Taylor Swift is dating now in your lobby that feels more like a relaxing, welcoming spa than a cold, matter-of-fact business.  Soon, they are introduced to your best salesman, dressed for sales success in a tailored, navy blue Armani wool and single-breasted suit, and led back to a professional office with a mahogany desk and dark green leather chairs.  You have set up the perfect environment to give your potential customers the first impression that not only are they going to be taken care of, but that you are successful as what you do and your business is here to stay.

A business like that would have a harder time getting their customers to leave than getting them to stay.  However, for many possible customers this is not actually their first impression of you.  Their first impression of you is usually long before you have the chance to wow them with your personality and your professionalism.

Business Sign Statistic # 4: “When it comes to local business, a vast majority of what you’ll get comes from people who live within 5 miles of your store. That means the average person will see your sign about twice per day, or about sixty times per month” (Source).

Gold Leaf Monument Sign Designed and Installed by Landmark Signs Inc.

What this tells us is that many of your potential customers are actually getting their first impression about your company from your sign. Furthermore, they see your sign again and again, which means that whatever first impression they get of your company will most likely be solidified again and again. A study done by Bertram Gawronski, social psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, found that the “results support the common observation that first impressions are notoriously persistent.”

Think about your sign. In fact, you may even want to step outside for a minute and take a look at your sign.  Remember that much of your business comes from customers who see your sign first and that first impressions are notoriously hard to shake.  Consider what type of first impression is your sign making upon your potential customers. Are you proud of the first impression that your company makes?  Would you enter your own business based on your sign alone?  Does your sign tell of a business that is successful and longlasting?

If your answer to any of these questions is no, it is time to give Landmark Signs a call to make your best first impression. You will never be able to show your customers how valuable your services and products are if they do not even step foot in your door.

Experience and innovation have been the back-bone of Landmark Signs for more than 35 years.  Located in Orange and servicing all of California, our services include sign design, sign manufacturing, and sign installation.  Choose our specialized sign expertise to turn your ordinary sign into a Landmark!

Copyright Landmark Signs Inc 2018

Why Do Signs Matter? Business Sign Statistics – Customers Refer Based on Signage

 

“Word-of-mouth is the primary factor behind 20 to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions” (Source).

In last week’s blog, we briefly touched on the changing role of the marketer from production centered businesses to brand-based strategies and finally to today’s modern consumer-focused industry.

The current consumer is sharp, savvy, and even slightly suspicious of your company initially.  There are many unfortunate instances of businesses making promises to their customers and failing to keep them. In the past, many were powerless to do anything about it because of limited choices or the lack of a platform to express their upsetting experience.  But the tides have turned and now a customer not only has the place to vent their frustrations for all to see (Yelp-a business’s best friend or worst enemy ), they also have more options than ever before.  Which also means that you have more competition than ever before.

Today, the customer is in charge.  Gone are the days of the door-to-door salesman, the convincing catchy jingle (at least not the ones we wish were not stuck in our heads; most of them are worse than the small world song), and intrusive sales calls (why do they always come during dinner?).  They decide if they want to learn about your business, try your business, and whether or not they will recommend it (or strongly advice against your services) to their friends and family.

Think about it?  How often do we try a new company without a recommendation from someone that we trust?

So what does all of this have to do with your business signage?  Well, according to the following statistic, 75% of your customers think it has a whole lot to do with signs.

Business Sign Statistics #3: “Three out of four consumers saying they have told someone about a store based simply on its signage” (Source).

Most businesses are already well aware of the fact that a customer will make a decision whether or not to continue working with you based on their overall experience.  This is why we go above and beyond to make their time at our company the best we possibly can from the friendly greeting as soon as they enter our building to the follow-up calls after they have used our services to make sure we did everything for them we possibly could.  For example, Trader Joe’s actually delivered food to an elderly man who was snowed in after his daughter called worried that he would not have food to endure the storm.  Delivery is not a part of their service.  Talk about amazing customer service! (Read more about other amazing customer services here).

With a quality, custom sign (see what a gold leaf sign can do for your business), you are adding to the customer’s experience from the very start. However, you will never have a chance to impress your customers with your stellar service if they do not give you a try.  For many consumers, their first impression of you is you store front sign, monument sign, or pylon sign (more on that in next week’s blog).    Before they even have the chance to speak with you, they may have already made a decision about your services based solely on your sign.  A poorly-made sign (read more about that here) reflects on the quality of your service.

It is essential that we, as business owners, utilize every resource we have available to create the best customer experience possible, and that starts with our sign.

Copyright Landmark Signs Inc 2018