Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Does Your Landscaping Company Need Magnetic Signage?

If you run a landscaping company, you're always in the market for new business. Even the most delighted clients still move, change jobs, and disappear for all sorts of reasons. You always need to find new customers to take the place of those who leave - even if you're doing do everything right. It's not enough to be the best landscaping company -- you must find a way for new customers to understand that you have a great landscaping company company and how to find you. One of the best ways to handle this marketing/advertising need is to invest in a set of high-quality magnetic truck signs.

Read on to learn how magnetic signage can get customers calling you, and imagine your landscaping company enjoying the benefits:

1. Your magnetic vehicle signs create an immediate response. There's no need to wait for printing and distribution like with other advertising. With a good message, you'll get customers calling instantly. A number of my clients have received calls from people driving right next to them to see if they could schedule a time for a bid.
You can't get much faster than that! The magnetic signs absolutely do work and they will pay for themselves over and over again.

2. When someone across the street sees your sign, they assume you're worth the risk. Since a neighbor has thought you were a good choice, they’ll avoid looking someone up in the phone book. A number of my clients have get asked to come down the street to give an estimate while they're in the middle of delivering an estimate to their neighbor.

3. Magnetic signs are a one shot expense. After you have your magnetic vehicle signs , they're yours forever. Unlike a lot of other advertising, there’s no monthly payment to keep bringing in new customers. Simply by doing the driving you already do or keeping your truck parked in a good location, you are putting your landscaping business name in front of people who are in the same boat as your current customers.

4. The signs are removable. Neighborhood associations limit the kind of signage acceptable while in the neighborhood. Since you can take the magnetic vehicle sign easily - you taken care of the problem in a jiffy. Just take your magnetic sign from your vehicle, and you're good to go.

5. With attractive and well-composed magnetic truck signs, your service stands out from the rest and have your message noticed. The key to this is spending enough time planning the layout of your vehicle signage. You need to work with a magnetic sign maker who will partner with you to create a powerful marketing message. You are an expert at landscaping, and you need to partner with a magnetic sign maker who is an expert at bringing you more customers. Request and review a proof before your signs are finished.

6. Your signs are easy-to-maintain and long-lasting. Simply follow the directions your sign maker provides. Every month or so, the magnetic vehicle signs ought to be removed, washed with a mild detergent, and then air-dried. Quite a few of my clients have had magnetic signs for years that look as great as they did when they were made.

7. This is a great, cost-effective tool for attracting customers. Magnetic signs are so much easier to afford than nearly every other form of advertising. The cost of a couple of magnetic signs will only be about $80 - that's far cheaper than yellow pages or newspaper advertising.

Consider the possibilities: since magnetic signage is so cost-effective, if you get help from your friends and family, you could have a fleet of cars all around the area advertising your landscaping company and phone number. That would bring in so much business you might need to expand just to keep up with the demand.

Before you drop one red cent on your magnetic signs, though, you must understand that not all sign makers or magnetic vehicle signs are alike. You need to get the free consumer report available on http://www.magnetic-signs.info prior to selecting a magnetic sign company. You'll save a lot of time, money, and pain.

Daiv Russell is a small business marketing consultant with Envision Web Promotion specializing in small business marketing and internet marketing. Visit our site to get your free report on how to transform your Landscaping company website from dumb as an ox into a cash cow.

The Benefits Of A Quality Custom Magnetic Vehicle Sign

There are circumstances when you may want a sign on a truck, trailer or steel surface, but not permanently. Magnetic signs fill that gap. While there are virtually no limitations on the design of a custom magnetic vehicle sign, they are not as durable as permanent installations such as vinyl lettering. Even with that said, Magnetic Signs are great for enhancing the look of a personal vehicle or an entire commercial fleet while maintaining the ease of a one minute removal.

Magnetic signs work great for:

• Commercial Fleets

• Official Vehicles

• Service Fleets

• Novelty Magnets

• Realtor Vehicles

• Delivery Vehicles

Magnetic signs are made of a magnetic material backing with high quality vinyl adhered to the front side of the magnet. Depending on the design, the vinyl adhered can be a full sheet of digitally printed vinyl or die cut vinyl decals placed on the magnet.

Common placement of magnetic signs include the left front door, right front door, or back of the vehicle. Magnetic signs should never be placed on fresh paint. Allow at least 60 days for paint to cure. When installing magnetic signs, ensure that both the vehicle surface and the magnet surface is clean. If even a small amount of dirt is left on the surface it increases the chances of the magnetic signs falling off and the chance that the vehicle paint job will be damaged.

Cleaning magnetic signs is very easy, use any household cleaner and a soft cloth. Wet the soft cloth or sponge and wipe down the sign. Always remove magnetic signs before taking your vehicle through any car wash. Also remember to periodically remove the sign and wash and wax underneath the magnet.

Removing a magnetic sign is simple, Start at one side of the sign, lift off and slowly roll back. Magnetic signs should always be stored adhered to a steel surface or laid flat. Never roll up magnetic signs for long period of time, as they will retain the rolled shape after awhile and will not stay flat on the surface of your vehicle. Also do not store your magnetic signs back to back as they will lose their magnetivity. Store them on a flat metal surface like the side of your fridge or a steel door.

Jamie has been in the Sign Industruy for over 35 years. He has recently expanded his business online to increase exposure and sales. Custom Signs Now let's users Design their Signs Online from the convienence of their homes. Custom Signs, Vinyl Banners, Magnetic Signs, Vehicle Graphics, Vinyl Lettering, Boat Registration Numbers, Digital Decals and Custom Bumper Stickers are just a few of the things produced.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

How to Make Your Vehicle a Moving Billboard

My Vehicle Can Advertise and So Can Yours!

Vans, trucks, cars-all have something in common. They're a key advertising tool. If you have a company vehicle that delivers products or transports people from your office to your customer's site, why not advertise along the way? Lettered vehicles provide enormous advertising power and legitimacy to your business. First, they're great big graphics, visible from a distance, even turning heads as you drive down the road. In your lettered step-up van, you look just like the "big guys" who maintain a fleet of vehicles. And while you may only have a single pickup truck, you advance your company into true "business class" when you add graphics to the doors and panels. Consider this: your lettered van is a very large sign. Park it as close and perpendicular to the road as possible so oncoming traffic can read it from both directions. This is particularly effective in towns and cities that have strict sign ordinances. If your identity sign (your permanent exterior signage) is small, or if you're disallowed from using sidewalk A-frames and other temporary signs, a parked vehicle will provide additional advertising legally and effectively.

Identify Yourself

Today, business names don't necessarily identify the type of enterprise you're in. They may contain a second meaning-a play on words, for instance-or set a tone without revealing the actual nature of your business. But a business name, logo, and motto or tagline remain integral parts of your professional identity. Take Nike. The swoosh all by itself is immediately recognizable. The tagline, Just Do it, extends way beyond Nike's plea to buy their product. It's a universal message that means "Seize the day. Push beyond your own expectations." The swoosh and Just Do it are seen on sneakers,magazine ads, and Nike's own shoe boxes. If you read "Just Do It" in an ad, don't you know whose product is advertised? So you don't produce world class footwear, but your logo and motto are equally important to your business. They're part of your identity. Your customers associate your business with your name, often just by seeing the logo or reading your motto. You promote this recognition by including your logo and motto on business cards, letterhead and advertising. Your advertising should include vehicle graphics as well.

Image is Everything!

We see our customer Mike's truck quite often-more than once a week-cruising down the road showing off its distinctive graphic message. It's proof that Mike is busy serving his customers and it gives the impression that Mike has more than one truck on the road. The truck says to us, besides the obvious message, that he has a successful business. And in fact, he does. While you're identifying your business with vehicle graphics, you're also establishing this type of positive image. Easy-to-read and graphically appealing logos are head-turners. Neat, colorfully applied vehicle graphics further your business reputation. People want to associate with a business that looks successful. A clean truck with quality vinyl graphics looks professional and conveys a feeling of good will to your customers.

How are the Graphics Made?

Vehicle graphics are created with a computer, plotter, thermal transfer system and rolls of adhesive-backed vinyl. Or, they are printed onto vinyl in full-color using a wide-format digital printer. These processes include computer layout, scanning camera-ready artwork or importing computer artwork from disc or email transmission. With all materials in hand, the lettering and logos are arranged and sized by a computer graphics specialist into a pleasing design custom crafted to fit your vehicle. Simple vehicle graphics are typically one or two colors of text and a line drawing logo in one or two colors. The text and art are laid out using a software program that in turn drives a vinyl cutter. The adhesive-backed vinyl is then cut and trimmed to shape by the plotter and then applied directly to the vehicle surface. When graphics become complex-including lots of colors, fades or even photographs-the mechanism to produce them changes. That's when digital printing is used. With these methods, the complex image is ink-jet printed onto vinyl and then cut with a plotter as needed. Whichever method is used to create them, the graphics are durable for a minimum of five years of outdoor use.

Permanent Vehicle Graphics

The printed or cut vinyl graphics adhere directly to the sides of your vehicle. Their pliability and strong adhesive backing allow them to wrap around curves and moulding. For vehicles whose windows will be covered- such as fully wrapped buses and jet airplanes-a micro-perforated,high performance vinyl is used. This provides full graphic coverage while allowing passengers inside the vehicle to see out. Again, multicolored logos, shadows, and outlines can best be created with solvent-based inkjet-printing on vinyl.

Signs that Come On and Off

In some cases, you may prefer to have signs that come on and off. These are called magnetics. You've seen them; they're smaller rectangles, ovals and circles and are displayed on the doors of pickups and sides of vans. Magnetic signs-so called because they are held on the vehicle via a magnetic backing-can be cut to shape, made with any color background, and come in a limited variety of sizes. The material is manufactured in standard 24" high rolls that are several yards long, so graphics can measure up to 24" in one dimension and extend as long as desired in the other. Perhaps best of all, magnetics are removable when your company vehicle returns to its alter identity, the family car.

Consider this: If you change your business name or phone number, it's often easier to re-letter a magnetic sign than to redo a permanent vehicle graphic. To create the magnetic signs, your plotter-cut or printed vinyl is sized and applied to the magnetic material as usual. Magnetics are a popular and cost-effective way to letter your vehicle, but their impermanence and relatively small size may make them impractical for some business vehicles. A 12" x 24" magnet looks small on the side of a large van, but works great on a car or small pickup.

Final Thoughts...

Why leave your vehicle blank? OK, you don't need to cover it bumper to bumper (although that's called a vehicle wrap and is covered in a future article), but even your company logo and business name make heads turn and advance the visibility of your company. The more times and ways people see your business name, the longer it holds in their memory. When they need the products and services your business provides, who do you think they call?

Paula and her husband have served as outdoor graphics advertising specialists for more than a dozen years. Their focus on providing cutting edge signage coupled with their expertise in marketing and communications has helped them serve their customers well while growing a thriving sign business.

You can read more articles and subscribe to their free e-signs newsletter at http://www.signaramavt.com/esignsignup

Monday, June 9, 2008

6 Reasons Why You Should Use Magnetic Mortgage Signs

One of the best decisions you can make if you're originating mortgages is to invest in a quality set of magnetic car signs. Now...I know what you're thinking...you're not sure you'll like the look. Well, if that's true, you need to shop around a little bit and have a real professional, design and create your signs.

Before you click the "back" button or the big red "X" to close this subject for ever, let's take a minute and review some of the advantages of using this type of advertising:

1. This is a non-reoccurring expense. Just make a single one-time purchase payment and the signs are yours. There's no need to make a payment each and every month as would be required with a continuing classified ad in a newspaper or real estate magazine.

2. The signs are removable. Today, many homeowner, condo, and townhouse associations restrict and/or specify what types of vehicles and advertising is permitted in the complex. Since magnetic signs are easily removed...this solves the problem. It only takes seconds to add or remove your advertising from your vehicle.

3. Your signs can be attractive and eye-catching. Isn't that the whole purpose of your advertising? You want to stand-out from the rest and have your message noticed. Here's the key...spend some time planning the layout of your signs. Don't leave it entirely to the sign company. You know the mortgage business and the message you want to convey. You need to be 100% pro-active in the design phase. Remember to request and then review a proof before your signs go into production.

4. Your signs are low maintenance and have a long life. Yes...just follow the instructions that come with your signs. Every sixty days or so, the signs need to be removed, cleaned with warm soapy water, and then air dried. My signs have lasted for years and are as good as the day they were purchased.

5. This is a great low-cost...low-budget...mortgage origination idea. We're not talking about hundreds of dollars here. The last time I checked my local "Sign-A-Rama" franchise, the cost of a set of two (2) magnetic signs to include design layout and proof was about $80 plus tax.

6. Your signs generate an immediate response. You don't have to wait for publication dates and delivery dates required with other forms of advertising. If you've got a good message...you'll get calls immediately. Many times I have even received phone calls from people driving next to me wanting to know if they would qualify and seeking more information.

Now that's what I call an immediate response! Believe me...the signs do work and they are well worth your investment. Most calls you receive will come in that evening, which is still a great response. Your signs will pay for themselves many times over. Go for it!

Hmmm...just think...with such a nominal cost...and, if your friends and family would help...you could have a whole fleet of cars running around town displaying your mortgage message and cell phone number. Not bad! Not bad at all!

About the Author: Tom Domin has over twenty-five years of experience in sales and training in Real Estate and as a Licensed Mortgage Broker. He is currently publisher of "Tom's Mortgage Tips" a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter for Mortgage Professionals. You can sign-up by visiting http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com/

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Do Magnetic Signs For Your Cleaning Service Really Work?

If you're a cleaning expert, you're always looking for more business. Even your biggest fans simply change jobs, move, or disappear for a number of reasons. You need to constantly bring on new customers to replace those who leave - even when you do everything right. You have to do more than just be the best at what you do -- you have to figure out a way for potential customers to understand that you run a great cleaning service and how to locate you. One of the best ways to handle this need for additional sales is to invest in a set of high-quality magnetic vehicle signs.

Take a second to learn how magnetic signs can drive more customers to your door, and imagine your clearning service reaping the rewards:

1. Your magnetic signs will generate immediate response. There's no need to wait for printing and distribution like with yellow pages or valpak advertising. With a good marketing message, you'll get calls immediately. Quite a few of my clients have received calls from people driving right next to them to see if they could schedule a time for a bid.
You can't get much faster than that! The magnetic signs absolutely bring in the customers and they will pay for themselves in no time.

2. When someone across the street sees your sign, they assume you're worth the risk. Since someone in their neighborhood has already hired you, they'll just work directly with you and save time. Some of my clients have get asked to come next door for an estimate while they're working for their neighbor.

3. Magnetic car signs are a one time expense. After purchasing your magnetic signage, they're all yours. Unlike a lot of other advertising, there's no continued payment each and every month to keep bringing in new customers. Simply by doing the driving you already do or keeping your car parked in a good location, you are putting your cleaning business name in front of people who are in the same boat as your current customers.

4. The signs come off easily. Neighborhood associations limit the kind of signage that can be displayed. Since you can easily remove your magnetic sign - you instantly solve the problem. Just take your magnetic sign from your car, and you're in.

5. With attractive and eye-catching magnetic signs, your service stands out from the crowd and get recognized. The secret to this is paying enough attention to the layout of your car signage. You need to work with a magnetic sign company who will partner with you to create an effective marketing message. You are an expert at cleaning, and you need to partner with a magnetic sign maker who is an expert at getting you more business. Request and review a proof before your signs are done.

6. Your signs are easy-to-maintain and long-lasting. Simply follow the directions your sign maker provides. Every sixty days or so, the magnetic car signs ought to be removed, cleaned with warm soapy water, and then air-dried. A number of my clients have had magnetic signs for years that look as great as they did when they were made.

7. This is a great, cost-effective tool for attracting customers. Magnetic signage is so much more affordable than nearly every other form of advertising. The cost of a couple of magnetic signs will only run you about $80 - that's much cheaper than yellow pages or newspaper advertising.

Imagine the possibilities: since magnetic signage is so cost-effective, once you enlist the support of your friends and family , you could have a fleet of cars all around town advertising your cleaning service and phone number. That would bring in so much business you might need to expand just to keep up with the demand.

Before you pay your first dollar on your magnetic signs, though, you need to know that not all sign makers or magnetic signs are equal.

You need to get the consumer message available on http://www.magnetic-signs.info prior to selecting a magnetic sign company. You'll save yourself a great deal of effort, money, and heartache.

Daiv Russell is a small business marketing consultant with Envision Web Promotion specializing in small business marketing and internet marketing. Learn how to make your clearning service start bringing clients to your doo. Or get daily marketing tips from his Small Business Marketing Blog