Business Signs

Good signs help businesses stand out, assist with wayfinding, and promote products and services. Using a variety of materials such as aluminum, vinyl, fabric, and plastics, vendors can provide signage for any situation: permanent or temporary, portable or stationary, indoor and outdoor.

There are countless designs, formats, and styles for business signs, but most of them fall into three distinct categories based on placement:

• Interior signs are placed inside of buildings. Interior signs are used to direct foot traffic in business areas such as shopping malls and retail stores, and to provide directions for visitors to hotels or multi-tenant buildings.
• Exterior (building mounted) signs are connected to the outside of buildings, to be seen by commuters and passersby. Building-mounted signs are easy to spot and put the name of your company where everyone can see it. They can be placed on canopies, in windows, on top of shopping centers with multiple businesses, on roofs, on the sides of buildings, or applied directly to a window using etching or stenciling.
• Exterior (freestanding) signs are self-supporting. They are typically attached to the ground with spikes or screws or stand on poles or legs. The most common freestanding signs we recognize are traffic signs and billboards. Businesses can have freestanding signs that are high-rise or low-rise, are part of a backlit display or awning, or stand at the entrance to your property.

Why do I need signs for my business?
Traditional signs are used to enhance the visibility of your business and to provide guidance to customers. Signs can also be used to indicate where certain companies are in office buildings, label executive offices and common areas, and to list prices or menu items. You can use something as simple as a vinyl banner to advertise a sale, or as high-tech as a plasma display screen for digital signage.

You can select from various materials for your signs. Standard sign materials include acrylic, PVC, plastic, wood, and metal. There are also options for neon signs, custom-made awnings, and electronic message boards. And some signs have hardly any "material" at all - one popular type of sign is a silk screen that adheres to windows or glass doors.

If you have a vision of what type of design you want for your signs, you can present it to a signage vendor to custom build a sign to your liking. They also can develop something that fits your business or use an array of templates with ready-made designs. Signs created from a template cost less than custom signs -- and they can be finished more quickly, too.

Depending on the complexity of your signage needs, a vendor can create your finished product by hand or with the help of machinery such as a CNC router. They can use different fonts, colors, and finishes to create eye-catching results.

Signage possibilities
There are nearly limitless uses for signs, some that can last for decades and others that only require a few days of use. Some of the more popular uses for signs include:

Sign purchasing checklist
Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for the signs that work best for your business:

• What type of sign do I need?
• What kind of material should be used?
• Have I worked with a sign company before?
• Is this a permanent sign or for temporary purposes?
• Will I need a weatherproof sign?
• Do I want to use my own designs or have a vendor create one?
• Is there any type of warranty on the signs I purchase?
• Can I get volume discounts from my signage provider?
• Who can I contact within my industry for references?

Sign costs
Costs for signs vary greatly depending on the type, size, and material of the sign, as well as how much labor and customization is required. Pricing is typically based on square footage, although there are off-the-shelf signs that require no custom work and can be purchased in bulk. You also have to factor in design services, shipping, and installation into your total expenses.

At the low end of the scale, you can find pre-made templates for 16" x 24" paper banners starting at $10. You will pay a few dollars extra for glossy paper or vinyl material and the price will increase with the size. Ready-to-apply vinyl lettering is available from $1 to $5 per square foot.

Basic banners - typically vinyl - go for around $6 to $20 per square foot. You'll receive volume discounts depending on how much material you need. Higher quality material like aluminum sheets or fabric will cost more.

Campaign signs, wayfinding indicators, and informational signs start at 12" x 18" and are typically sold in quantities of 25 to 2,500. You'll pay anywhere from $4 to $7 each, depending on whether the number of colors you choose and whether you need dual sided printing. Extra colors cost $2 to $3 for each additional color used. As you get into larger signs (48" x 96"), you reach prices of $50 to $90 each for 10-unit minimums.

Electric sign pricing starts at $60 per square foot. You can also find generic, non-company specific neon signs ("Open", "Welcome" "ATM") available from $75 to $300.

Depending on the customization and complexity of your project, high-end signs can cost thousands of dollars or more. Including raw materials and labor costs of $85 to $170 per hour for designers, engineers, carvers, and installers, one large, permanent, illuminated sign can represent an investment of $10,000 to $15,000.

Signage tips
Check with local zoning laws. There are different rules for sign size, placement, and content. Before you install your sign, make sure you are within legal limitations set by the state, city or town, and building management.

ADA compliance. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signs in transportation terminals, hospitals, and airports must be are easily viewable and readable for people with disabilities.

Experience counts. The longer a sign vendor has worked in the industry, the more accurate and reliable his quotes will be.

These things take time. Some designs and fonts take longer to work with than others. If you need a quick turnaround with your signage needs, you may want to factor in lettering styles that are easier for sign developers to work with.

Location, location, location. Depending on where you live and how high the cost of living is, you may experience vastly different prices for signs.

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