Harford County Signs and Banners Blog

If you’re part of a committee or team for a new or remodeled school building, you’ve probably identified school signage as one more thing you’ll require as the project nears completion. Or, if your child’s school needs new signage, you’ll want to know the options before you propose it to the PTA or the school board.

Custom business signs such as monument signs or architectural graphic signs are good choices for schools. You must check your city or town ordinances regarding size restrictions prior to choosing a sign. Also, the signs must comply with the new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), having such characteristics as non-glare backgrounds and easy-to-read typefaces. Finally, the sign should reflect your school’s needs and school spirit – whether it’s a versatile sign with magnetic letters, or a digital sign that can change its message hourly.

Once you decide on the sign type and have it installed by a qualified Maryland sign professional, make sure your school keeps it clean through each season. Dirt and grime should be cleaned regularly, and you should check with your custom sign manufacturer about how to remove any possible graffiti. Also, if it is a sign whose message must be changed by hand, make sure there’s a plan in place to do that. Don’t let outdated messages remain on the sign – it’s wasted time and space that can be used for other messages. It’s also a poor reflection on the school. Keep the messages fresh, short and upbeat. Passersby will have only a few seconds to read the messages, even if the sign says, “Have a Great Summer.”

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Digital signage is becoming more prevalent at many Harford County and Baltimore businesses, schools and churches. It is delivering content that could never before be so controlled and targeted to the right audience. The Small Business Association reports that an upgrade to outdoor digital signage can increase business up to 150 percent. The signage can pay for itself in less than a year, at that rate.

Some of the biggest proponents of digital signage, both indoors and outdoors, are banks and financial institutions. Think about the last time you were in the bank. You waited in line for the next available teller. Most likely, you watched a big screen monitor with some informative video on it, and it seemed to make your wait time go more quickly. If you looked around you, probably other people were watching it, too.

The very concept of digital signage is ideal for banks. Consumers are a captive audience. Digital signage is also readily updatable as an information source. This works for banks and other businesses -- as product pricing changes, it can be updated right on the signage. Interest rates, CD rates and finance information can update almost instantly. Outside, digital signage for banks also affords the opportunity to promote financial products, or promote community service events.

Look for digital signage to continue its upward growth pattern, and watch those Harford County businesses that have made the investment take their money right to the bank.

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A recent news story that appeared in a variety of print publications and on websites highlighted a clever Minneapolis man who used billboard signage to get a job. He simply used the words, “Hire Me!” with a phone number and his website. He landed a job and lots of media coverage. Not only did he get the response he needed to his ad, he proved the importance and workability of outdoor signs. He used an electronic billboard, so his message was seen for eight seconds at a time by passersby. It was succinct and purposeful.

Billboard signage is a great way to cost-effectively reach a transient audience in and around Harford County and the Baltimore area. Outdoor banners in general work the same way. You must keep your message short and to the point. Have a call-to-action, and an easy way to follow up. The Minneapolis man’s billboard sign did all three. The message was only two words. It implored people to take action, and the phone number and website were easy for follow up. Billboard signs must be read in less than five to seven seconds.

You should also choose the traffic area that has the eyeballs of your target audience. If you are targeting businesses, for example, the roads leading into Baltimore that are heavily traveled by working commuters is a great space to place a billboard sign. If you are targeting mothers of young children, consider neighborhood billboards or those near schools and daycare facilities. All of the same advertising strategies go into creating billboard signage, but the same money does not. Additionally, the return on investment is greater for outdoor signage. If this were outside, our message would be: Check Out Blue Water Signs. www.bwsigns.com

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Towels, water bottles, visors, umbrellas, chairs…it’s summertime, and people are out and about in Harford County with all their gear. Whether it’s to the pool, the beach, or the baseball game, they’re taking necessities that can become moving billboards for a fraction of the cost of most advertising. That’s right. Your company name or logo on a beach towel or water bottle is worth hundreds, if not thousands of impressions. In fact, a study from the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) concluded that 94 percent of the 1,000 respondents surveyed could recall a promotional product they received in the past two years. 89 percent could recall the advertiser of the product. The study also showed that compared to advertising on TV, print or on-line, promotional products delivered higher recall rates of the brand or product/service.

Create your own moving billboard with promotional products. Work with a Maryland custom sign company and choose an item that relates to your product or service. For example, if you sell ice cream, choose an ice cream scoop or a spoon with a logo. Or, if you are a bank, select a pen, a calculator, or checkbook cover. Magnets are also great promotional options, because they can be custom shaped, and used on cars, refrigerators, filing cabinets and more. Choose something that will get lots of exposure by being carried different places.

Next, determine your message. Use your logo, and add a tag line that will be both memorable and a quick read. Remember that your message will be visible to a new Harford County audience every day. It will also find its way to many of the same people. Promotional items are truly like little billboards, but they offer more. They deliver valuable customer impressions, as well as foster good will for your company.

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