Are estate agent sign boards still relevant in the digital age?

We’re often told that in the so-called ‘digital age’, many of the oldest and most traditional marketing tools have been rendered obsolete. Smartphones have meant that everyday life – from grocery shopping to banking, buying clothes and booking restaurant tables – has all moved online and onto the small screen, because it’s so easy to access via the gadgets in our pockets. The rapid growth of online retailers and service providers over the past two decades has also meant that many companies with a High Street presence are struggling to compete.

In the property sector, the sudden, unprecedented rise of online agencies and property search sites have put the traditional model for buying and selling houses under threat, with the likes of Tepilo, HouseSimple and Emoov muscling in and attempting to undercut the High Street agencies we’re so used to. So where does that leave the bricks and mortar estate agents, and are the traditional marketing tools of estate agent signs and estate agent sign boards still relevant in the digital age? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’.

Online/offline

While most people’s first port of call when they first begin house hunting might be Rightmove or another online property search site, chances are that when they start looking more seriously, they will want to visit a ‘real’ estate agency. We can all surf the web and dream, but the reality of parting with that much cash means that the vast majority want to benefit from the expertise, advice and guidance of an estate agent that they can talk to, one to one.

Just as competition with the online estate agencies is fierce, it’s equally competitive between High Street companies. Chances are there are at least two or three estate agencies in the area where you live, and all of them are chasing a steady stream of new buyers and sellers. Making sure that potential customers choose your estate agents over the one down the road is, therefore, crucial to the success of your company.

Even the most tech-savvy and modern of buyers and sellers are cautious when it comes to property, with most people taking their serious searching ‘offline’ and following the more traditional route of walking the High Street and looking in windows. You can have the best properties on the market on your books, but if you can’t catch the attention of that passing trade and encourage them through the front door, you’ll be missing out. That’s where estate agents sign boards really come into their own.

By prominently displaying those properties which are likely to generate the most interest from casual house hunters, you stand a better chance of picking up the passing trade. A bold, beautiful and creative display in your shop front window cannot help but get you noticed all year round, whether people are drawn by the warming glow of LED signs on a chilly winter’s afternoon or the vivid colours of the high-quality sign printing.

Why good signage matters

Having a window display which really makes an impact is absolutely key if you want to attract potential customers and persuade them to choose your estate agents over those of your rivals. Installing new estate agent sign boards which are well-designed and perfectly tailored to match your brand identity can make an immediate and lasting impact to your marketing campaign, putting you head and shoulders above the local competition.

Signage can be a fantastic way to capture your brand image and project it to the world, ensuring your company is the one which remains fixed in people’s minds even after days, weeks or months of searching for the perfect pad.

People are naturally drawn to attractive displays, and eye-catching window boards which showcase your hottest properties are highly likely to capture the interest of passersby and encourage them through the door to enquire about your services. Whether they’re keen to buy or sell today, or they simply remember your signage and come back at a later date, using your estate agents signs to make a lasting impression on them could be a real boost for business.

Traditions for the digital age

There’s no doubt that while technology has changed much about the way we live now, people still cling to the traditional, good old-fashioned ways of doing things when it comes to buying and selling the places we call home. We still prefer the human connection and the one to one experience over the impersonal online one, which is why keeping your estate agency attractive, welcoming and up-to-date is still so important.

Good estate agency signs reflect well on your company, and well-crafted, well-maintained signage shows potential customers that you take pride in the work you do and that you can be trusted to reach the highest standards at all times. People are far more likely to want to engage with you and enlist your services if you have a strong and memorable brand identity and a shop front worth stopping at.

The Sussex Sign Company specialises in designing, manufacturing and fitting the highest quality, bespoke estate agent sign boards for companies across Sussex, London and the South East. With more than two decades’ of experience in this field, we are ideally placed to help you create a stand-out display which is sure to catch the attention of all who pass by, setting you apart from the competition. For more information on the services we can provide, simply get in touch with our friendly, expert team today.

The Summer Property Boom: Why Your Estate Agents Display Matters

The summer months are a bumper time of year for many businesses, and for estate agents, there’s usually a boost in trade to accompany the nicer weather

We’ve just weathered a cold snap, but believe it or not, summer is almost upon us. The summer months are a bumper time of year for many businesses, and for estate agents, there’s usually a boost in trade to accompany the nicer weather. People are quite often reluctant to buy and sell over the autumn and winter months, as nobody wants the added stress of moving on top of Christmas, and houses never photograph as well on dark and miserable days at the tail end of the year.

Summer is often seen as the ideal time to go property hunting. People like the idea of finding a new home and being well settled before the festive season, and given the length of the process, the next few months seem like the best chance of finding a new pad and sealing the deal on it. With the nicer weather, you may see a surge of interest in your estate agents, so ensuring your estate agents display and the front of your premises are looking in top condition is key to getting people through the door.

Sunnier climes

Lots of people will be thinking about buying and selling their homes around this time of year. Houses photograph well in glorious summer sunshine, when the garden’s in full bloom and there’s plenty of light to flood rooms during viewings. It works well for those selling, but many people thinking of looking for a new home are also tempted out by the good weather – if they’re doing multiple viewings in one area, who wants to traipse around town in the cold and the wind of winter and autumn?

Good weather tends to bring more people out onto the High Streets too, so increased footfall means more people passing by your windows. Catching their eye with a high quality estate agents display therefore becomes all the more important, as this may be a good opportunity to capture the interest of people who might not often pass by. They might not be interested in buying or selling at the moment, but if your display creates a lasting impression, then they may well remember you and return to you when they do eventually decide they need the services of an estate agent.

This is also the time of year when there may be more tourists in the area, and tourists are often tempted to investigate houses and house prices in the area, if they’ve fallen in love with the place. If you’re lucky enough to have an estate agents in a tourist destination city, town or village, you might find there are more people making spur of the moment enquiries. Making sure they enquire with you rather than the agency down the road could all be down to how impressed they are by what they see in the window, so a standout display could really help you capture this whole new group of potential customers.

What makes a good estate agents display?

A good window display can make a massive difference to how people see your estate agents. Illuminated LED window displays act as great advertising for your business, and because they use very little energy, they can be left on all night, which means your window display is working for you 24/7 and 365 days of the year. A bold, bright window display is difficult for people to ignore, whether they’re currently interested in buying a new home or not.

Your window display could be used to promote your contact details or the most stand-out properties you have on your books – the ones which are going to generate the most interest and get the maximum number of people into your offices. Few people can resist the temptation of actually setting foot through your door, when they’ve seen that immaculate modern apartment in the window, or the spacious semi with the big back garden. Showcasing the cream of the crop with a visually stunning display is the ticket to attracting passing trade and getting people to stop for a closer look.

Time to act?

The time to act isn’t when the summer property boom is already in full swing. In order to be truly effective, your window signs need to be in place and doing their work well in advance of the boost to High Street footfall. It’s not just estate agents who can expect to see an increase in business at this time of the year – companies across all sectors and industries benefit from an increase in trade, and many of them will also be interested in upgrading their signage or window displays in the coming months.

If you want to beat the rush and make sure you’re at the front of the queue, the time to commission your new estate agents display is now. Having a new LED window display designed, installed and up and working ahead of the summer rush may well be the best way to stay ahead of the competition this summer.

For more than two decades, The Sussex Sign Company have been providing estate agents with the highest quality window displays. All crafted to your exact specifications, our expert team can design and install your new display well in advance of the summer property boom, giving you the boost you need to stay ahead of your rivals during the busy season.

For more information call us on 01273 417057 or contact us using the contact form.

School’s Out! Why the Summer Holidays are the Ideal Time for New School Signs

We’re approaching that stressful time of year when exams loom and revision seems to dominate every waking moment – for kids, parents and teachers alike. As soon as ‘time’s up’ is announced for that final paper, however, thoughts will immediately turn to the long summer holidays and the lazy, sunny days of freedom. It’s not just the students who look forward to the well-earned summer break, teachers are no doubt desperate for the holidays to start too!

But just because things will soon start winding down at schools and colleges, it doesn’t mean that this should be an unproductive time in the school calendar. If you’re a head teacher or the person responsible for maintenance around your school, the summer holidays are the perfect time to carry out all those jobs which need doing before the start of the new academic year – and that might involve replacing or sprucing up your school’s signage.

School signage: what can it teach us?

As a school, you might not think you need to ‘advertise’ yourself in the same way that a business might. However, simply because you’re there, you have a catchment area and children will always need educating, it doesn’t mean you can simply sit back and let things take their course. Class sizes might be getting bigger, but students and parents still have some say in where they send their children, and appearances really do matter when it comes to attracting new pupils.

Whether you’re a nursery, primary, junior or secondary school, public or private, co-ed or single-sex, the way you present your educational establishment can make a big difference. Schools play a vital role in the local community, and you want to be sure that the community sees your school in a positive light and is more willing to support you. If your school building looks run-down and a little bit shabby, you may well be letting your students down. The expectations of all are lowered if a school looks unappealing. It follows, perhaps, that educational standards are also lower, or that pupils will be less well-behaved and take less pride in their school.

School signs which are poorly designed and poorly maintained do not bode well, and when it comes to impressing prospective students, their parents and the wider community, ensuring your signage is in top condition is crucial. A school sign is often the first things people see when they arrive at the school gates, and first impressions can make a vast difference to how they approach what lies beyond.

Why new signage now?

The school holidays represent a perfect time for new school signs. Not only is it easier to carry out that all-important maintenance work with no students about the place, but getting things tidied up and looking good before the start of the next academic year means you won’t have to think about it come autumn or winter, when less favourable weather arrives.

Summer is the ideal time for new signage in any sector, but for schools which often have large premises to maintain and few occasions in which to carry out these vital tasks, the lull of the holidays is about the only time you have spare. With sunnier weather, having new signs installed can be a quick and easy task, which makes an immediate and very visible impact.

A new school term represents a fresh start for all, and with any luck, both students and teachers alike will be returning feeling renewed, enthused and looking forward to new beginnings. All children, from reception right through to sixth form, like to see change and improvements in their surroundings, and being welcomed back with a new, updated school sign is a great way to kick off the new term. Seeing the school’s name and logo set out on bold new signage can be a real morale and confidence boost, as everyone settles back into the routine of school life.

Time for a change

If your school signs are looking in need of a little TLC this summer, now might be the right time to consider what changes you might want to make. If it’s getting on in years, it could just be that you need your existing signage replaced like for like. It could be that you need to update the contact details on your school sign, or add the name of an incoming headteacher or deputy head. You might be considering something even more drastic – a complete change of colour scheme, for instance, or changing the school logo or motto altogether.

Whatever changes need to be made, it’s worth getting in touch with a professional signage company early on, before the school breaks up for the holidays. While schools are winding down, other businesses are gearing up for a summer rush, and that includes signwriting companies. Chances are that if new signage is on the cards for your nursery or school, other headteachers are having similar thoughts. To avoid being at the bottom of a waiting list, now’s the time to act.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we’ve spent many years supplying schools across London and the South East with bespoke signage. Our highly-qualified team of graphic designers and sign fitters can work with you to create bold and beautiful new school signs, perfectly capturing the ethos of your educational establishment. For more information on the services we provide, simply get in touch with our expert team today.

Lets Do Business Headline Sponsor

The Sussex Sign Company were proud Headline Sponsors for the “Let’s do Business” Exhibition in Brighton on the 11th May 2017

The Expo was attended by over 500 SME’s and they were kept busy with a packed itinerary which included a seminar given by The Sussex Sign Company’s very own Managing Director Norman Mayhew who gave a 30 minute talk on Marketing to the SME sector.

There was also other seminars such as making Facebook work for your business, a seminar on LinkedIn, Twitter Google and Google analytics. All topped off with wine tasting with the Local vinyard Ridgeview wine estate in the afternoon.

The main event of the day was The Key Note Speaker Rob Law MBE who gave an engaging talk on his journey from university student, studying product design to running his multimillion pound Trunki Empire.

Those of you of a certain age will remember the Dragons Den episode where Rob and his Trunki was unceremoniously rejected by the Dragon’s, clearly this was the investment that got away, as Rob has gone on to sell his Trunki ride on Luggage worldwide selling over 3 million units and bringing manufacturing back to the UK. Clearly great for our exports especially with Brexit underway.

The “Let’s Do Business” Expo is now a must do event in the Brighton SME calendar and is now in it’s 15th year of running successful events where businesses can get together and meet new contacts and clients.

The intriguing story of the pub sign, and why they still matter

Pub Signage – Restaurant signs – Night Club Signs

If you own or manage a pub, you probably know a fair bit about its history and possibly even about how it got its name. The names given to pubs and inns up and down the United Kingdom offer fascinating snapshots of the nation’s history, commemorating everything from battles, momentous events and monarchs to landowners, trades and the local landscape.

We’re a nation of pub-goers, and almost everyone will have their favourite local for a cheeky lunchtime pint or an evening out with friends or family. Pub signs have and will always have a very important role to play in capturing and preserving the history of our drinking dens, so if you’re thinking about upgrading your pub sign, here’s an intriguing glimpse into the fascinating history of pub signage.

What’s in a name?

The answer is, rather a lot. According to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), the top five most common pub names in Britain are The Red Lion, The Royal Oak, The White Hart, The Rose and Crown and The King’s Head, and we’re all likely to have propped up the bar in one of these at some point.

In the Medieval period, when few people would have been able to read a name written above a pub door, painted signs were used to tell travellers the name of the inn they were passing. As many people stayed at monasteries whilst journeying the length and breadth of the country, many enterprising landlords craftily gave their inns names with religious connotations in a bid to get into the hospitality industry – hence the prevalence of pubs named The Mitre, The Lamb and Flag (a reference to the Lamb of God) and The Cross Keys (symbol of St Peter guarding the gates of Heaven).

Henry VIII was directly or indirectly responsible for a number of our most well-known and widely used pub names. Big on his hunting and sports, the Tudor king’s love of falconry inspired many landlords to rename their inns The Bird in the Hand, while others plumped for The Greyhound, in celebration of the monarch’s favoured hunting dog. When the king sold off monastery land to wealthy families, many landlords tried to curry favour with their new lords of the manor by rebranding, and so pubs named after various Dukes, Earls and other landed gentry became more common.

While many drew inspiration from common local trades (The Sailor, The Plough, The Golden Fleece), others used their pub signs as more overt advertising. Pubs named The Bear or The Bull, for instance, were promoting the fact they put on bear- or bull-baiting, while other sports such as fox hunting and hare coursing were celebrated in names such as The Fox and Hounds or The Hare and Hounds.

Pretty as a picture

Given literacy rates remained low until well into the twentieth century, it’s easy to see why the image on a pub sign mattered so much historically. As both an indication of the pub’s name and a form of advertising for their wider services and forms of entertainment, the picture above the door really could paint a thousand words. Clever branding on behalf of landlords meant they were more likely to capture the ever-flowing passing trade, as people journeying on foot or horseback sought out places to stay for the night. But do pub signs still matter in an age where potential customers can simply read online reviews?

Arguably, they matter as much as they ever did! We’re all acutely aware just what a difficult time pubs around the country are having at the moment, with the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) suggesting that close to thirty pubs are being forced to close every week. With every pub forced to shut down, all that rich history goes with it, so it’s little wonder landlords are constantly on the lookout for ways to attract new custom and keep their heads above water.

If you’re a landlord, one of the best ways to stay ahead of the competition is by upgrading and maintaining that historically significant signage. A new pub sign says that you mean business and have sticking power, despite the difficult economic circumstances. A well-made, well-maintained sign shows just how much pride you take in your establishment. After all, how many people really want to while away an evening in a pub or bar which looks run-down and shabby from the outside? A well-kept façade is a warm and welcoming invitation, and good signage is the key to that.

Making a statement

Bold, bright and beautiful signage which celebrates your pub’s history and looks to its future will encourage both regulars and passing trade to venture in. Pub signage is often the best advertising you can invest in as a landlord, because it is the most prominent, visible way of announcing your presence and getting people to take an interest.

Pub signs hold a very special place in the hearts of many. Quintessentially British, they have been copied the world over, so whether you opt for something traditional and timeless or something more modern or tongue-in-cheek, making sure you get the highest quality, most well-designed sign is vital.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we’ve spent many years supplying pubs both large and small with bespoke and beautifully crafted signage. We understand the cultural and historic significance of pub signs, and will work with you to create the perfect sign to capture your establishment’s unique character.

For more information about the services we can provide, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with The Sussex Sign Company today. Celebrate the past and look to the future with new pub signage.

For more information contact us on 01273 417057 or contact us using the contact form.

Afraid of Change? How New Signage Could Revolutionise Your Business

New Signage Adds More Profit For Your Business

Change can be a frightening thing. Everybody has a comfort zone they like to stay within, and change frequently represents a foray into the unknown and unfamiliar, which we’re often reluctant to make. People trust and like things they know and have always known – just look at the uproar caused when Toblerone changed the shape of its iconic pyramid chocolate, or when High Street giant GAP changed its familiar logo and were forced to do a U-turn within the week. Not all change is bad though, and when it comes to branding and signage, a little well-executed change now and then can inject a whole new lease of life into your company.

In fact, when it comes to business, you could argue that change is necessary if you are to avoid dying a slow death. Retailers already know that if they didn’t change their product line now and then to reflect what people want to buy, they wouldn’t be around five years from now. If retailers don’t move with the times, they soon become obsolete, so standing still is not an option. The same goes for restaurants and bars. If you don’t change your menu every so often to shake things up a little, customers soon get bored and look elsewhere.

Not all change is scary, then, and in many cases it’s a positive, helping us push beyond our limits, adapt and progress to something better. That’s certainly the case when it comes to signage. While we’re always told that people like familiarity in their local area and are slow to adjust to change, new signs outside your business premises can transform the appearance of your shop, bar, restaurant, pub or other High Street establishment – and for the better. Changing your signs can, in fact, revolutionise your business in ways you’d never imagined.

Updating Signage; Change For The Better

If the signs outside your premises are starting to look a little worse for wear, it’s definitely time to consider a change. Your signs say a lot about you as a company, and worn-out, tired looking signs which have not been well-maintained suggest a lack of interest and pride in what you do. By upgrading your signs, you instantly elevate the overall appearance of your establishment, projecting a much more professional and attractive image to the world.

Research has shown that the human brain registers and passes judgment on what it’s looking at in under a second, so you only get one shot at making a good first impression. Whatever industry you’re in and whatever goods or services you sell, bold and eye-catching signs are going to impress and make you memorable to potential customers.

It’s not just the physical signage you need to consider if you want to make a change. If you pause to look at the clothes you’re wearing today, they’re probably far different to the outfit you might have put on twenty years ago. Fashions change and move on, and the same principle applies to your signs. Company logos and colour schemes can start to look a little stale and dated after a few years, so updating your designs to make them more modern and aesthetically pleasing could be key to breathing new energy into your brand.

If you work with a professional design team to create a bespoke branding campaign, you could find you attract a whole new customer demographic. A truly great sign designer will be able to retain enough of your old branding style that loyal customers will not be upset by the change, while giving it a more modern twist which could capture the interest of new customers too.

Facing The Future

Nothing in life stands still, and that’s often for the good. They always say that ‘a change is as good as a rest’, so if you feel your business is slowing down and could be performing better, now is the ideal time for that change. Rather than take the ‘rest’ by stepping back and feeling disheartened, instigate change now and you’ll soon find that it has a massive impact on your business, boosting creativity, energy and morale among you and your team.

It’s amazing the difference something as simple as new signs and new branding can bring. When your business looks good from the outside, it starts to feel better on the inside too. Investing in new signs announces to the world that you’re a force to be reckoned with and that you having sticking power. at a time when many on the High Street are suffering.

Remember that you don’t need to rush at it though – change only helps when you do it in a considered and thoughtful way. You don’t want to rebrand so drastically and change so much that you’re unrecognisable, nor do you want to make such a big decision without seeking professional help. You know your business inside out, and a good designer knows theirs – put your faith in a trained and qualified individual and you can bring about a change which is subtle yet striking.

For more than two decades now, The Sussex Sign Company has been working with small- and medium-sized businesses across East Sussex, crafting bespoke and beautiful signs which can revolutionise how you and the rest of the world see your business. We understand that change can be a difficult thing, and that it’s a fine balance to strike between the old and new. Our expert team of designers is well-placed to help you make that change. For more information on how new signage could help transform your business, simply get in touch today.

For more information contact us on 01273 417057 or contact us using the contact form.

Why you should upgrade your shop front signs before summer arrives

We may only just have got Easter out the way, but the pleasant spring weather has probably made many people turn their thoughts towards summer. Long, lazy evenings with a cold glass of wine, barbecuing and dining al fresco, picnics in the park, days hot enough for ice cream at the seaside – not things the Great British summer treats us to every year, but who doesn’t live in hope? It’s also an important time of year for businesses up and down the country, and getting prepared for the summer rush should begin with upgrading the external signage on your premises.

Summer is the busiest time of year in all sorts of industries. People who have been putting off that loft conversion are frantically searching for a builder, and those with broken guttering might finally hire a handyman. Those looking to tone up ahead of a holiday might be in search of a gym or personal trainer, and those holidaying in the UK will be keeping an eye out for good places to eat out or enjoy a spot of retail therapy. Summer really is the time of year when people begin to stir and start to get things done after the lethargy of winter.

If you own or manage a company, making sure you’re the one to attract those suddenly busy people is crucial. One of the most effective, fail-safe ways of doing that is through upgrading your signage and making it more eye-catching and appealing, ensuring you stand out from the competition when those potential customers start to get round to their to-do lists and good intentions. There’s no point leaving it until the summer is underway, though, because by then it may well be too late. The perfect time to upgrade your shop signs and vehicle liveries is now.

Capturing the summer rush

Summer inevitably brings more people outdoors to enjoy the better weather, drawing them onto the High Street and into town and city centers. With more people out and about, there are more sets of eyes on your shop or restaurant front, more sets of eyes on your branded vehicles and more people taking an interest in the products you sell or the services you provide.

Signage is usually the first thing people notice about a shop or other business premises, so if your shop signs aren’t looking their best, you risk losing potential new customers. If you’re lucky enough to live by the coast or in a scenic city, town or village, summer tourist numbers may be boosting footfall in the area, introducing a whole new market that you have a chance to capture. Missing out because your signage is not bold enough to grab their attention would be a costly mistake, so having new shop signs in place ahead of the rush suddenly takes on a new importance.

It’s also worth remembering that investing in vehicle wraps or van signwriting ahead of the summer months could also help you market your business to potential customers. Research has shown that vehicles decked out with custom car wraps or unique vehicle vinyl are seen by between 2,000 and 9,000 people an hour on average. With more people out and about, you’re looking at numbers towards the higher end of that spectrum, and that’s not an opportunity you want to miss!

Why signage matters when summer arrives

Signage matters all year round, of course, but it’s over the summer months when it becomes really key to marketing your brand. With more people keen to hit the shops, dine out or go for a leisurely drink after work, you may find competition between shops, restaurants and bars really hots up along with the weather. Ensuring you stay one step ahead of the competition isn’t down to luck, but to investment, to make sure you look that bit more attractive, distinctive and original. By choosing to install new, bespoke signage which really announces your presence to the world, you stand a better chance of stealing those customers from your High Street rivals.

It’s been a tough couple of years for businesses, with the economy still only slowly picking up after the financial crash. Let’s face it, the last few summers have been pretty terrible too, in many ways, with none of the heatwaves, hosepipe bans and barbecues of previous years. However dire things might seem, it’s still no excuse not to approach this summer feeling positive and full of good intentions. While new, high-quality signage might seem like an expense you could do without in straitened times, it is, nevertheless, a vital investment which will more than pay for itself.

Your signage is your calling card to the world, and acts as round-the-clock advertising for your business, whatever sector you’re in. Professional sign companies begin to see trade pick up around this time of year, so if you’re looking to invest in new signage in order to attract the summer crowds, don’t leave it until the last minute. Get in ahead of the rush and upgrade your shop signs before summer arrives, or you may be too late.

Sunny days ahead

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we’re already working hard to get businesses across London and the South-East prepared for the sizzling summer we’re all hoping for. Of course, we can still fit in your signage project before the glorious weather arrives!

Even if the weather does disappoint, there will be sunnier days ahead business-wise, when you outshine the competition. So if you’re looking to upgrade with new, top-quality bespoke shop signs, simply get in touch with The Sussex Sign Company’s team of professional designers today.

A unified brand: why corporate identity signage matters

Corporate branding is more important than you think

Getting your branding spot on is key when you’re running a business, because branding is how customers are going to recognise you. The combination of a name, logo, colour scheme and slogan can be a really powerful marketing tool when you get them right, helping to shape an image of your company within the minds of the general public and, hopefully, ensuring they remember and return to you time and time again.

When you think of some of the biggest brand names in the world – Apple, for instance, or Nike, Pepsi or Starbucks – the branding quite often becomes so deeply entrenched in public consciousness that it’s instantly recognisable just from the logo alone. With a presence in 119 of the 195 countries in the world, McDonalds’ golden arches are said to be more widely recognised than the cross.

While you’re probably not setting your sights as high as competing with the likes of Apple, strong branding and a unified brand across your company is clearly important. That means reproducing the same logo, font and colour scheme on everything from your business cards to your company car livery, your letterheads to your free promotional giveaways, and corporate identity signage also plays a major role in achieving a unified brand.

Signage is particularly critical in this regard because it is, perhaps, the most visual representation of your branding, prominently displayed outside your business premises and seen by thousands every day. So what difference does bold corporate identity signage make to a business?

Standing out

Signage is one of the most fundamental marketing tools your company has. On a walk down any average High Street, you’re likely to pass tens, if not hundreds, of external signs which announce to the world what the company or organisation behind the double doors sells or provides. Be they shop front signs, estate agent displays, signs for a gym or restaurant or even school signs, well-designed signage lets you know at a single glance exactly what you can expect.

With so many signs competing for the attention of passersby, making sure that yours stand out from the crowd can seem like a challenge. Bold and aesthetically attractive bespoke signage has been proven to have a significant impact when it comes to generating footfall, and people always react positively to anything which enhances the appearance of a building or area. If your signage is visually appealing and well-maintained, people are more likely to register it and take a second look, particularly if there’s something unusual, eye-catching, beautiful or entertaining about it.

You should think about signage as advertising for your business which is working round the clock and always on display. This is the showcase for your brand, the ticket to attracting footfall and the best place to ensure that your corporate identity is made as attractive and memorable as possible. Dull or badly designed branding turns people off. They may only remember the name, they may only remember the logo or colours, but if some element of your brand sticks in the heads of the people who see it, you’re on your way.

What makes a successful unified brand?

People tend to shy away from the phrase ‘corporate identity’, but ‘corporate’ doesn’t have to be synonymous with ‘dull’. Your corporate identity is simply the way you put your business across to the world, and that’s entirely up to you! Of course, you want to maintain professionalism at all times, but not at the expense of injecting a little personality into your branding.

If you work with a talented graphic design team, you will find that they can almost certainly distil the essence of your company into a branding package which is as simple as it is bold, and as memorable as it is beautiful. Every company has its own unique personality, regardless of the industry they’re in or the goods and services they supply. Capturing that uniqueness within your corporate identity branding is the job of any designer worth their salt, including those who create bespoke corporate identity signage.

Ensuring that the branding you have created translates across all platforms means it’s easier for people to remember you and find you again. A successful unified brand is one which extends its brand image across everything the company does, covering signage, business cards, office stationery, banners on social media platforms, wraps around company cars and vans, menus and price lists, and giveaway gifts handed out to new clients.

Wherever there is a chance to put your branding on display, seize it with both hands.

Signposting success

Never forget the importance of your corporate identity signage. Your signage is the gift which keeps on giving, because it is the most direct route to getting your brand and company noticed, with no other branding tool so prominently and permanently on display. Who, after all, cannot conjure up the colour schemes of the major supermarkets in their mind, or walk down a street and fail to recognise the logos of our biggest High Street names?

Whatever goods you sell or services you provide, investing in strong corporate signage can make a massive impact on brand awareness. At The Sussex Sign Company, we have many years’ experience crafting the most eye-catching and unique signage solutions you’re likely to find. Our expert team of graphic designers can work closely with you, to ensure that your corporate identity is fully captured in not only your external signage, but on a range of other signs, car wraps and products.

If you’re in the South East and would like more information on how we can help you achieve a successful, fully unified brand, simply get in touch with us today on 01273 417057 or contact us using the contact form.

Your name in lights: how illuminated signs could get your business noticed

At some time or another, many of us have dreamt of seeing our name in lights. Treading the boards might be a distant hope and acting skills might be lacking, but you could still see your name in lights in another way, if you invest in illuminated signage.

It may not be your own name, but having your company, shop or restaurant name picked out in bright lights is one of the quickest and easiest ways of ensuring your business premises stands out from the crowds. Illuminated signs elevate your run-of-the-mill signage to make it all the more eye-catching and attractive to potential customers. A well-designed illuminated sign has far greater reach and pulling power than standard signage, largely because it’s more visible both day and night, creating a beacon for your business which is guaranteed to guide the customers in.

If you’re considering updating your signs, here’s how putting your name in lights could help to get your business noticed and generate that all-important footfall.

Brighten up

Across the United Kingdom, businesses everywhere and in every sector have been struggling against the uncertainties of the Brexit vote, which followed hot on the heels of a very trying year for the economy. With all the doom and gloom around, and with increased competition on the High Street, the time may well have come to brighten up and take the lead over your competitors through new illuminated signs.

Investing in new illuminated signage speaks volumes about your sticking power and how seriously you take your business. A company that wants and strives to succeed is one that invests in keeping up appearances and outshining the competition. Keeping up appearances is never more powerfully represented than through the signs outside our premises. Signage is your calling card to the world. Well-designed, well-installed and well-maintained, it shows you care. Let it fall by the wayside, however, and customers will be deterred by an unloved shop front or run-down restaurant façade.

Illuminated signage can be undeniably beautiful, if it’s of high quality and gives an accurate reflection of your business. Research goes to show that purchasing a thing of beauty can have a positive impact on wellbeing – in this case yours and your company’s. Elevating your own mood at the same time as injecting new life into your business and premises could be just the antidote to all the negative economic news.

Multiple choices

There’s a wide choice when it comes to illuminated signage. Most internal signs will use bright LED lights to bring them to life, while outside, there are a range of techniques used, both traditional and more cutting-edge.

You could opt for the good old-fashioned and reliable fluorescent tube lighting or standard up or downlights. There are also lighting solutions which use push-through acrylic letters, which are then built up in stainless steel, or powder coated letters which have stunning LED lights positioned behind them to give a truly incredible halo effect. Glowing out the darkness once the evening has descended, there’s something warm and comforting about the cheerful glow of an illuminated sign, whichever type you opt for.

The allure of lights

Like moths to a flame, people really can be attracted by illuminated signage. There are few other ways to make such a direct impact, and potential customers are instantly drawn to something which is novel, attractive and unusual, especially when it enhances the appearance and tone of their local area. Illuminated signage which brightens up your shop, restaurant, bar, estate agency or other premises doesn’t just make your place look pretty, it also tells customers everything they need to know about you.

If you can work with a professional sign-writing company to create bespoke, bold and beautiful illuminated signage, a graphic designer worth their salt will be able to tell your company’s story just through your signs. A well-made sign is one that customers can understand in an instant, and that gives a favourable impression as they make that all important snap judgement. A memorable logo, a unique but easy to read font and a standout colour scheme can all combine to tell customers what you do, sell or provide and how you can help them. Add illuminations to the mix and you have a pretty powerful message.

What’s more, while signage might seem like an expense you could do without in cash-strapped times, it’s worth remembering that it’s an investment that ultimately pays for itself. If you look after your signage well, it could last you for years, and it works to advertise your business around the clock. The advantage with illuminated signage is that it’s constantly visible, even in the worst of the British weather and the depths of a winter’s night. No other form of publicity is quite so difficult to ignore.

A glowing recommendation

The Sussex Sign Company has specialised in illuminated signs for many years now, and we’ve worked on some of the most high-profile signage projects across London and the South-East. The quality of our signage work speaks for itself, and with a team of highly skilled designers and a professional installation crew on hand, we can help you craft bespoke illuminated signs that will help you outshine your rivals.

For more information on the services provided by The Sussex Sign Company, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today, to see how we could brighten up your business.

Disastrous rebrands, and how to avoid them

Companies rebrand themselves all the time, for a variety of reasons. Just as the clothing fashions which suited you a decade ago have probably changed, so too trends and fashions in branding can change over time, meaning that what suited your business back then might look a bit outdated now. Whether it’s a simple and straightforward update to your logo or a full-scale rebranding exercise to overhaul your entire company image, it’s important to get it right.

Rebrands can be a valuable exercise, modernising a business and injecting a new lease of life. Sometimes, however, changing too much about your branding can leave your company unrecognisable and lose you customers, who either no longer recognise you or no longer identify with your business. Sometimes, companies tinker with their branding at their peril, as we’re about to discover. If you’re looking to rebrand with a new logo, new font and new signage, here are some cautionary tales and useful advice.

Don’t kill your old brand entirely

There are certain things customers tend to associate with a business, namely their logo, colour scheme and the font they use in their branding. If you do away with all of these in one fell swoop, then you may find your customers no longer recognise you and can no longer find you. Hanging on to something familiar makes it more likely your rebrand will be a success.

Take the example of the Royal Mail. In 2002, executives there took the bizarre decision to do away not only with their iconic red and gold colour scheme and logo, but with their name as well, briefly deciding to call the corporation ‘Consignia’. The new name and less than inspiring branding led to public ridicule and the company was forced to slowly phase out the Consignia brand over the course of two years, quietly re-adopting the old branding it had so casually abandoned.

Keep your logo simple

People have short attention spans, and they need to be able to decipher your logo at first glance. Not only will an over-complicated logo not be easy on the eye, but it’s harder for customers to recognise in the future and if they can’t see its relevance to your business, they will quickly lose interest.

The widely-hated London 2012 logo is a case in point. The garish and over-stylised 2012 date became a costly branding disaster, and finding unusual images in the numbers became a national sport in its own right. While it was too late in the day to backtrack, you can only assume the organisers of the games regretted the reported £400,000 fee they paid for such an unattractive image…

Think about your font

Too preoccupied with the logo, people often overlook just how important a familiar font can be during rebrands. Many businesses have a font which is unique to them and is used across all their promotional materials, from business cards and letterheads to menus, price lists and their shop front signage. When you think of familiar High Street chains such as Debenhams, Marks & Spencer or any of the big supermarket brands, you can conjure up their fonts in your mind’s eye with no problem, so difficult is it to detach the font from the business.

Playing with your font can be a dangerous game, as GAP found to their cost when they tried to rebrand in 2010. Replacing the familiar elongated and capitalised letters of their name with a lower case, stubbier version went down very badly with loyal customers, who took to social media to mock and complain. The company did a U-turn within the week, and the moral of the story is that if you must tinker with the font on your logo, keep it simple, easy on the eye and make sure it extends across your entire brand.

Don’t rebrand just because you can

Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you always should. Rebranding can be an expensive exercise, and while change can be good, the upheaval of shaking things up every few years can be draining. Sometimes, all that is needed is a spruce up of what you already have, so if you still think your colour scheme and font look good, perhaps all you need is a simple new logo, some new signage outside your business premises or a quick update to the promotional giveaway goods you hand out.

Getting advice from a professional designer can be a good move if you’re considering a rebrand, as they will be able to point out the strengths and weaknesses of your current branding and suggest creative ways you might want to update or modernise your colour scheme, font and logo. You’re the expert in what your business does, but experts in the design industry probably know what works best in terms of rebrands.

Whether you’re going for a complete brand overhaul or simply adding a slight tweak to the branding you already have, new signage to promote your new look is a must. At The Sussex Sign Company, we have a dedicated team of highly skilled designers and sign installers who have worked extensively on rebranding projects for businesses right across London and the South East.

We can work closely with you to ensure your image makeover is a success, crafting bespoke branding packages which ensure you get the most from your rebranding exercise. For more information on the services offered by The Sussex Sign Company, simply get in touch with our expert team today.