Sign Builder April 2023

SIGN BUILDER ILLUSTRATED

SIGNMAKERS '23 YOUNG

AWARD WINNERS

IDENTITY SIGNAGE: APPETITE FOR EPS FOAM

HELP WANTED: HOW TO HIRE DESIGNERS

MANAGING CLIENTS

By Joe Arenella

Six tips to keep customer expectations in check.

LEADING ONLINE STRATEGIES

By Jim Hingst

Harvesting more leads from social media.

SAME SIGNS, DIFFERENT RULES

By David Hickey

DEPARTMENTS

EDITOR’S COLUMN

This month’s issue honors young sign makers, so Editor Jeff Wooten checks out a recent workplace survey focused on this age group.

IN THE INDUSTRY

Historic Hillcrest district sign is illuminated for Mardi Gras, a new survey reveals the best state to be a graphic designer, and celebratory window wraps.

SIGN SHOW

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

SBI OPERATIONS

Chris Biscuiti speaks with a retiring shop owner about his ageless tips to run—and eventually sell—a business.

EMC installs can prove very varied. 30

42 46

MEET 2023’S TOP YOUNG SIGN MAKERS

By Alex Marcheschi

This year’s Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award winners.

DESIGN HELP WANTED

By Russell Toynes

Generalists, unicorns, and the dos and don’ts of hiring designers.

GRILLED TO PERFECTION

By Jeff Wooten

The recipe for making a giant bratwurst sign.

April 2023, Vol. 37, No. 333

Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Subscriptions: 402-346-4740

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

President and Chairman

Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr.

Group Publisher

Gary Lynch

1809 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102 O ce: 212-620-7247; Cell 646-637-5206

EDITORIAL Editor

Je Wooten 323 Clifton Street, Suite #7, Greenville, NC 27858 212-620-7244

jwooten@sbpub.com

Managing Editor

Alex Marcheschi

513-490-6227 amarcheschi@sbpub.com

Contributing Writers

Joe Arenella, Chris Biscuiti, David Hickey, Jim Hingst, Russell Toynes

ART

Art Director

Nicole D’Antona

Graphic Designer

Hillary Coleman

PRODUCTION

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers

CIRCULATION

Circulation Director

Jo Ann Binz joann@qcs1989.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Sales Manager

David Harkey 212-620-7223 dharkey@sbpub.com

Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Gary Lynch at 212-620-7247 or e-mail glynch@sbpub.com.

EDITOR’S COLUMN

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Minding One’s Business

How goes mental health for Gen Z?

This issue marks the return of our annual “Top Young Sign Makers” special focusing on notable sign professionals under the age of forty. We’ve reformatted this year’s edition, asking applicants to provide us with details on notable sign projects they’ve worked on over the past twelve months. Our editorial staff then judged submissions and selected Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners.

To quote the late professional wrestler Randy Savage, these young sign makers are definitely the “cream of the crop.” We know you’ll enjoy their stories this month.

Honestly everyone who applied for this year’s honors was top notch. All appeared to enjoy their work and being creative.

But I also took notice of a new mental health survey recently sent to me by the Mary Christie Institute, an organization dedicated to the emotional and behavioral health of young adults.

Did you know that Generation Z (born between 1997 to 2013) is now the youngest demographic with adult members?

This group is also the demographic making up the majority of most recent graduates. The Mary Christie Institute surveyed over 1,000 working adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-eight with at least a bachelor’s degree and found that 51 percent of them reported needing help for emotional or mental health problems in the past year. Meanwhile 45 percent thought that their work environment had taken a negative toll on their mental health. More than half (53 percent) experienced

burnout from their work, with 42 percent already planning to leave their jobs in the next twelve months.

It’s a fascinating report that can be found online as well as on our website. It does make me wonder how much of these numbers apply to the sign industry, especially since there has been an increased visible push to attract college graduates toward possible careers here.

The great thing about signage is the opportunities here (sales, design, production, installation, etc.). But the purpose of any business is to make money, which can lead to overtime, increased workflow, and tighter production due dates. Is that affecting anyone new you may have recently brought onboard? Would they answer the same as these survey respondents?

Another stress-related problem that can affect new hires is that imposter syndrome feeling—not feeling they are right for their role or being part of the team. How many shops out there are still taking on interns and apprentices to help prepare these students physically and emotionally?

While this issue highlights some of the young sign makers striving in the industry, don’t neglect the ones at your shop who you notice may be experiencing issues. Do what you can to help them succeed.

Note: All events listed below are subject to change. Please check show sites for the most up-todate information.

APRIL 2023

APRIL 12-14:

ISA International Sign Expo 2023, encompassing the sign, graphics, print, and visual communications industry, is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pre-show conferences, workshops, and boot camps will take place April 11. (signexpo.org)

MAY 2023

MAY 7-10:

NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson will be the keynote speaker at Dscoop Edge St. Louis World Expo, an event uniting print professionals to learn new strategies, discover new tools and technologies, and network. (dscoop.swoogo.com/stlouis)

MAY 21-25:

LightFair, North America’s largest architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow and conference, will occur at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The organization has announced that this show will be transitioning to a biennial schedule after this year’s event. (lightfair.com/new-york-2023

JULY 2023

JULY 17-19:

Think Ahead 2023, an event for Canon Solutions America production inkjet customers, takes place in Boca Raton, Florida. (www.thinkforum.com)

AUGUST 2023

AUGUST 24-26:

2023 SEGD Conference Experience Washington DC promises four inspirational days of interactive workshops, tours, networking opportunities, case studies, and programming from renowned speakers celebrating the evolution and challenges of fifty years of experiential design. (segd.org)

JEFF WOOTEN Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com

Photo: Shutterstock.com/Antonio Guillem.

HISTORIC HILLCREST SIGN ILLUMINATED FOR MARDI GRAS

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH— This past February, YESCO, the 103-year-old company headquartered in Salt Lake City and known for manufacturing and maintaining internationally recognizable signs, took on the job of illuminating the historic hanging Hillcrest sign in festive traditional purple (representing “justice”), yellow (“power”), and green (“faith”) colors to celebrate Mardi Gras. The Hillcrest district, located in San Diego, California, has long featured a colorful selection of stores, restaurants, and nightlife, so this retrofitted sign

proved to be a shining complement to the spirit of Mardi Gras in that area.

The Hillcrest sign has long been a source of pride for the community as it has stood at the neighborhood’s entrance for sixty years now. However the sign had encountered some fading over the years, which sometimes meant that district officials wouldn’t even turn it on, in fear of dampening the mood in the area.

The Hillcrest Business Improvement Association maintains the sign, and they thought it was time to freshen up the appearance of their iconic piece with a much

more colorful “spruce up.” (Note: The last update of the sign took place thirteen years ago, when older neon lights were switched out for LED neon.)

To make this monumental sign refurbishment happen, the Hillcrest Business Improvement Association fundraised the necessary money and then contacted YESCO to upgrade their landmark sign with color-changing flex neon.

e sign was taken down from its longstanding spot at the entrance to the San Diego neighborhood and delivered to the YESCO facility where the sign company

retro tted it with the necessary colorchanging lighting components. To be speci c, this illuminating project involved 106 man-hours of work from YESCO covering a two-and-a-half-week period.

Once it was ready, YESCO returned the back to the Hillcrest district just before the commencement of Mardi Gras. Sign cranes and boom trucks were set up late overnight to lift and guide the sign back into its regular perch.

Forward thinking on the part of the Hillcrest Business Improvement Association during the early planning stages

CERTIFICATIONS

DIRECTORY UPDATE

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA—The NCCCO Foundation’s Crane Type Advisory Group (CTAG) received notice from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (CCO) that it launched national certifications for the Fixed Telehandler Operator and Rotating Telehandler Operator as of January 31, 2023.

Based on the availability of the new certifications for specific equipment currently listed on the Most Similar Certifications Directory, a corresponding update was made indicating that these certifications must now be obtained to operate the equipment per OSHA regulation[29 CFR 1926.1427(c)(2)].

The Directory currently lists nearly thirty types of load handing equipment and the most similar certification needed to operate that equipment according to determinations made by the CTAG. Operators, employers, training firms, and others in the industry are encouraged to refer to the Directory when unsure of the type of certification needed for a particular type of crane.

resulted in the new color-changing flex neon lighting. The beloved sign is now outfitted with 16 million color hues, which means it can be pre-programed for light shows celebrating various other holidays and events—red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July; red and green for Christmas; etc.

“Many residents expressed how fond they are of the sign’s historic charm,” said Andrew Russell, sales service manager at YESCO, “so we kept the retro look and simply restored the lighting with colorchanging flex neon.”

FASTSIGNS CONVENTION RECAP

CARROLLTON, TEXAS—Themed Choose Victory, the multiple-day 2023 FASTSIGNS® International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, taught best practices as well as celebrated franchisee achievements and the continued growth of the franchise network in sales volume, profitability, and number of locations.

Over 1,200 people attended. This figure included FASTSIGNS franchisees, center team members, exhibitors, and corporate staff members, including 186 first-time attendees. Meanwhile 142 vendors exhibited at the annual Vendor Show.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER SURVEY: BEST STATE TO BE A

NYC, NEW YORK Web-based photo editor Pixlr.com analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data on industry job opportunities, average salary, and cost of living in each U.S. state and Washington, D.C., to discover where is best to work as a graphic designer. (Note: All data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau.)

Nebraska topped the list, as graphic designers can earn considerably more than the state’s average salary. The median annual salary for people working as graphic designers in Nebraska is $48,930, a full $10,000 more than the median across all jobs in state ($38,780).

In addition, Nebraska has a considerably higher-than-average number of people working in the profession, with two graphic designer jobs per 1,000 overall jobs in the state—the second highest rate of employment in the country (behind only Washington, D.C). at, combined with the thirteenth lowest cost of living in the United States, means that Nebraska is the best place for graphic designers in the country.

Kansas ranks as the second-best place to be a graphic designer, thanks to the fourth lowest cost of living in the country and a median salary of $47,090 for the

job (which is 23 percent higher than the state-wide median of $38,050). It also offers good employment opportunities, with 1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the state being a graphic designer—above the national average of 1.33 per 1,000.

Minnesota places third on the list as it performs strongly across the board, with a median salary for graphic designers 26 percent higher than the state median ($60,110 vs $47,590), a cost of living just below the national average, and 1.81 graphic designer jobs per 1,000.

Fourth place belongs to Rhode Island followed by Georgia. However the Peach State misses out on the top spot as graphic designer jobs are harder to come by there—just 1.31 jobs per 1,000, which is below the national average rate.

At the other end of the scale, Hawaii ranks in last place, with only 0.66 graphic designer jobs per 1,000 and a cost of living that is nearly double the U.S. national average. Alaska ranks fiftieth, as it has similarly low numbers of jobs in the profession and a median salary barely above the state’s media salary. Rounding out the bottom five—Maine (forty-ninth place), Delaware (forty-eighth), and Vermont (forty-seventh).

Attendees had the opportunity to participate in general sessions, educational sessions, peer panels, and engaging roundtable discussions.

New FASTSIGNS President Andrea Hohermuth shared her vision of victory through proven growth strategies, embracing technology, and driving efficiency, while ensuring business preparedness in the face of uncertain economic times.

The FASTSIGNS Award recognizing the franchisee who best represents the FASTSIGNS name in both the business community and within the FASTSIGNS network was given to Jeff Parsons and Wes Snyder.

Grimco was presented the FASTSIGNS Vendor of Year Award for the U.S., and Grimco and Spicers were both honored as theVendor of the Year for Canada.

For more details, visit https://bit. ly/3EZglzu.

Photo: ( above, left ) Mikechie Esparagoza/Pexels.

CELEBRATORY WINDOW GRAPHICS

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA—Creative professional Anabella Bergero collaborated with the wide format division of printer manufacturer Mimaki to produce a striking window installation that was printed on Drytac ViziPrint Impress Clear for the “Constructing Identities” MUSA exhibition in Miami, Florida. The graphics were printed on a Mimaki UCJV300-160 UV LED roll-to-roll printer.

SIGNIFICANT ADA VICTORY FOR SIGN PROFESSIONALS

ALEXANDRIA, VA International Sign Association sta and volunteers on ISA’s ADA and Building Codes Subcommittee worked within the International Code Council’s A117.1 committee to defeat several proposed changes to the Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities that, if implemented, would have been di cult to measure, enforce, or demonstrate compliance.

Recently ve very signi cant changes were proposed to the ICC A117.1 standard that would have negatively impacted how sign professionals work to design, fabricate, and install accessible signs on permanent rooms and spaces. e ISA and its SEGD partners have been strongly opposed to these changes since their release in February 2022 and were prepared to argue tirelessly to defeat these proposals on their merits

Faced with signi cant industry opposition, the ve proposals were “recommended for disapproval:” Proposal 07-06 (visual character height increase from 5/8-inch to 1-inch); Proposal 07-08 (contrast formula for signs); Proposal 01-05 (de nitions of contrast terms); Proposal 05-13 (contrast formula for stair striping); and Proposal 07-19 (contrast formula for detectable warning surfaces).

Other changes were approved by the full

A117.1 committee; generally ISA and SEGD voted in favor of the successful proposals, which included:

• Clari cations about when visual characters are required below pictograms;

• Raised characters are to be horizontally oriented; Braille characters also are to be horizontally oriented;

• Braille characters already must be 3/8inch minimum separated from raised characters, now also 1/2-inch maximum;

• Changes to the symbols used and locations posted for assistive listening systems, sign language interpretation, and visual relay service booths;

• Variable message sign rules amended to address messages incorporating multiple screens (and not just a single frame); and

• Deleting rules for the obsolete Remote Infrared Audible Sign system technology. e rst dra for the next edition of the manual will be released for public review this summer without the new language that ISA and SEGD had opposed.

e International Sign Association is represented on the ICC A117.1 Committee by Glenn Dea AIA (Collaborative Access Studio/Cypress, CA), Lucy Pereira (APCO Signs/Atlanta, GA), and Kenny Peskin (ISA/ Alexandria, VA).

Bergero designed the window mural to recreate a Latinx visual universe, exploring gender identity, religious iconography, and Latin American pop art. (Note: “Latinx” is a gender-neutral term for people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the U.S.)

The project was the culmination of a three-year process, with research having been carried out in Argentina, Mexico, and the Latin American community in New York.

Such was the impact of the installation that the project was awarded the SUNY PACC Prize and showcased at the Argentine Consulate in New York, as well as the Art and Design Gallery at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

“The piece was a public art display that generated an intriguing conversation between the inside and outside of the building, visible to those indoor viewers and pedestrians circulating the area,” comments Bergero. “The mural caught the public’s attention for its colors, composition, and digital print technology.”

Photo:

( above, left ) Clarke Systems.

DISPLAY SIGNAGE

Now on Display: Orbus Releases

2023 Catalog Editions

Orbus Exhibit & Display Group ® is excited to introduce the 2023 editions of the Exhibitors’ Handbook® and Promo Handbook™ display product catalogs. These catalogs are well known for being an unbranded resource Orbus offers to dealers to assist with selling and marketing display products. Both catalogs provide one of the largest ranges of portable display products, fabric structures, modular exhibit solutions, display accessories, and related graphics. The Exhibitor’s Handbook is designed for dealers in the sign and trade industry, while the Promo Handbook is designed for those dealers in the promotional products industry. The 2023 versions of these catalogs feature a re-designed cover, an improved layout, new category images, and new product images for banner stands, Hybrid Pro™ modular kits, and table throws. The redesign of the interior is not only to enhance the catalogs' appearance but also to be easier for dealers to adopt and use with their customers. Offered in digital form, the catalogs are downloadable from the Exhibitors' Handbook and Promo Handbook websites. The Promo Handbook is also available on ZOOMCatalog™ and can be customized with a dealer’s logo. orbus.com

VEHICLE GRAPHICS

LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS

Illuminate

Your World with New Dakota LED Light Panel

The versatile, customizable Dakota LED Light Panel from LUMIRON Inc., is a revolutionary product that provides a unique and high-quality lighting experience for both residential and commercial settings. Its slim design and even illumination make it perfect for architectural and design projects, as well as retail, signage, and display fixtures. The panel’s ability to backlight onyx translucent stones and illuminate any translucent material makes it a valuable tool for creating bright, uniform backlit and vibrant architectural features or illuminated graphics and signage. One of the major benefits of the Dakota LED Light Panel is its low power consumption and energy efficiency. Additionally the panel is dimmable, allowing for further energy savings and the ability to adjust the light to the desired level for any given application. The panel’s lifespan is quite impressive—up to 70,000 hours. lumiron.com

Wrap Commercial Vehicles Using Less Effort with 3M's New Film and Overlaminate

In a performance-minded industry that demands creative ideas, bold designs, and flawless installations, graphic manufacturers and installers need access to solutions that exceed expectations and achieve the maximum return on investment (ROI) for their customers. With more than thirty years in the graphics industry, 3M knows that not only do graphic films need to look impressive, but the key to finishing first is by making them easier to install with exceptional conformability and less lift. That’s why 3M is proud to introduce its innovative 3M™ Print Wrap Film IJ280 with 3M™ Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8428G for commercial vehicles. Created for impactful installation and performance, 3M Print Wrap Film IJ280 with 3M™ Comply™ v4 Air Release and 3M Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8428G allows for efficient installations with less rework, helping save time and money. A new, proprietary adhesive provides optimized initial tack, slide, and repositionability. The film also removes cleanly at its end of life using heat. Installers can confidently wrap commercial vehicles with less effort so that every installation can be completed quickly without sacrificing quality.

3M.com/IJ280

877-87MEYER

DIGITAL PRINTING EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES

Latest Addition to Roland DG’s VersaSTUDIO Family Offers Increased Cutting Speed, Power, and Precision

The compact VersaSTUDIO GS2-24 from Roland DGA is the first vinyl cutter to be offered under the VersaSTUDIO brand. With its increased cutting pressure of up to 500 gf and a maximum cutting speed of 850 mm per second, the GS2-24 takes desktop cutting power and productivity to a whole new level. It’s capable of cutting a wide variety of materials—from thin heat-transfer sheets and window films to thick paper and rubber sheets for sandblasting, as well as commonly used vinyl sheets—quickly and accurately. The small footprint of the GS2 allows it to fit easily on a desktop, or if preferred, users can free up desk space by using the included stand. This next-generation desktop cutter is unbeatable for many different applications, including sports apparel, T-shirt customization, indoor and outdoor advertisements and signs, vehicle graphics, stickers, and more. The GS2-24 reads the four crop marks on the printed material and automatically cuts along the specified cut line, thus enabling speedy and precise finishing of stickers with complex shapes that would be difficult to produce by hand. Included Roland DG CutStudio design software makes it simple to create cut data such as text, simple shapes, and illustrations. In addition, extracting outlines from image data is easier than ever. The GS2-24 also comes with dedicated plug-in software for outputting directly from Adobe® Illustrator® and CorelDRAW® rolanddga.com/gs2

LIGHTING FIXTURES

Keystone Canopy Fixture Upgrade Has You Covered

With its chunky design, energy-hungry halogen bulbs, and limited features, the common canopy fixture has long been a staple of parking garages and outdoor walkways—and one known for providing basic lighting and little more. New Keystone XFit Canopy fixtures, on the other hand, show canopies in a whole new light thanks to Power and Color Select technology and a dependable Keystone LED driver. With three power outputs and three color temperatures (field-adjustable at the touch of a switch), you can pick the wattage and color temperature you want. It’s like nine fixtures in one product, giving you greater versatility for a variety of applications. Keystone’s innovative fixture bracket means there’s no need to juggle the fixture while trying to attach the wiring—your hands are free to get the job done, quickly, and safely. The built-in dusk-to-dawn photocell ensures XFit canopies turn on when adequate sunlight is not available. Need to add motion sensing?

Keystone’s SmartPort microwave sensor installs inside the lens, protected by an impactresistant, polycarbonate diffuser. Installation is simple: screw in the sensor and you’re done! For an effortless way to group fixtures and set schedules for your project, Keystone SmartLoop RF controllers work with SmartPort technology for the same simple screw-in installation as a motion sensor. Keystone XFit canopies also feature a Keystone 0-10V dimming driver; a slender, low-profile design; and 160-degree and 110-degree light distribution options, so they can be used in a variety of spaces. The rugged construction ensures they’ll last for years, keeping maintenance costs low. keystonetech.com

With Over 45 years of experience Stamm Manufacturing’s Heavy Duty Aerial Lifts, have been meeting all your tough Aerial lifts needs. A wide variety of optional features gives Stamm Aerial lifts the ability to customize your aerial equipment needs to your specific requirements. Resolve your aerial lift needs today and put Stamm’s muscle to work!!

trucks and

in stock. Call for details.

ATR-45N with 3’ x 5’ Aluminum Platform 1,000 lbs Material Handler. The ATR is offered in a 41, 45, 52, and 58 and all can be built on a Non-CDL truck

ATR-45 2 man platform boom –Custom built to your specifications. We have

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Stamm ATR-45N with 3’ x 5’ Aluminum Platform,1,000 lbs Material Handler Mounted on a 19,500 GVWR Isuzu. Powered by the VanAir PowerFlex unit

BY JOE ARENELLA

Managing Clients

Six tips to keep customer expectations in check.

Managing clients’ expectations can be a challenge. I learned the hard way that clients have very little knowledge about realistic timelines and budgets regarding signs. Allowing them to dictate these aspects of my sign projects resulted in lost profits and unhappy clients.

But you can avoid the mistakes I made by educating your clients upfront and walking them through the process.

Here are six practical tips that will help you successfully manage your clients’ expectations, both ensuring their satisfaction and protecting your profits:

#1. Be transparent and honest. Set clear expectations from the beginning and communicate openly with your client about what you can and cannot deliver.

Take the time to talk to your production team, evaluate what you have in your fabrication pipeline, converse with your suppliers and wholesale manufacturing partners, and give your client a realistic plan based on your resource availability.

Take it from me, shooting from the hip on these issues will put you in hot water.

#2. Define the scope of the project. Clearly define the scope of work in the initial contract and make sure the client understands it.

This point cannot be stressed enough. Your client will never understand why your initial quote did not cover everything turnkey, if you are not clear.

My shop had a project manager (who was promptly fired) that verbally agreed with a general contractor on a project to a

$10,000 change order for additional work. The owner of the building would not pay, and the GC’s accounting department refused to pay because we did not have a written change order agreement.

Sign shops should have a strict policy that any changes to the original scope of work should be documented and agreed upon in writing. “ Don’t worry about it; we’ll just bill you at the end !” should never be promised on any project.

#3. Set realistic timelines. Do not overpromise and underdeliver. Set realistic timelines for the project and make sure that the client understands the timeline and the reasons behind it.

If they waited too long to engage with you on the signage portion of their project, this is not your fault.

All artwork: Joe Arenella.

Remember you have other clients you do not want to disappoint by over-promising delivery times or over-committing on more projects.

Your capacity has limits, and it is up to you to control them.

A centralized project management system that you and your team are committed to using will help a great deal with understanding your capacity.

#4. Provide regular updates. Keep your client informed of progress, setbacks, and changes along the way. Provide regular updates through email, phone calls, or on-site meetings, and make sure that the client is aware of any delays or changes to the timeline.

It is far better to over-communicate than leave your client in the dark about progress, so address any issues that arise promptly and proactively.

#5. Do not wait for the client to bring up a problem. Instead communicate issues and present potential solutions. Respond to client inquiries in a timely manner, even if it is not the update they were hoping for. This shows that you are engaged in the project and care about their concerns.

From the initial design meeting to the final sign being installed, keep your clients informed of the progress.

#6. Be available. Make sure the client knows that they can reach out to you or a key project manager with any questions or concerns throughout the project.

We always had a point person on a project, but as an owner, I always provided my

contact information as well. It was a nice touch and was rarely abused.

Conclusion

When you develop systems to ensure your client’s happiness with their project, communicate clearly, proactively manage their issues, and make them feel heard and un derstood throughout the process, they will come back time and time again.

Each project will get a little easier the more your clients come to rely on your consistency, and their happiness will grow because of the amazing results you deliver.

So go sell some signs and create cus tomer happiness!

Joe Arenella founded two sign shops before launching SignTracker, a soft ware program that helps sign shop own ers track their jobs, quote prices more consistently, and provide their team a birds-eye view into what is going on in the shop. Arenella is also the host of the Behind the Signs Facebook group and YouTube video podcast.

- Jeff & Kim Chudoff FASTSIGNS of Maple Shade, NJ (Formerly Arizona Designs)

Leading Online Strategies

Harvesting more leads from social media.

One of the biggest challenges that a small business faces is generating enough leads from all of its marketing activities to reach sales goals.

If you are investing time and money on social media, your efforts need to produce a return on your investment. With nearly half of the 7.9 billion people in the world using these platforms, social media not only can deliver a message to a broader audience at a lower cost.

But a major marketing challenge facing small businesses is choosing the best social media platform. Many experts feel that Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter (in that order) generate the highest volume of sales leads.

But providing useful content on social

media is time-consuming. You can’t afford to spend time on every platform; doing so will spread yourself too thin. Because small businesses have limited resources, limit your social media choices to no more than three platforms.

One of Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was to “begin with the end in mind,” adjuring the necessity of setting goals.

In establishing specific goals for a highly effective social media strategy, first answer these questions:

What are your target markets? Which social media platforms do your customers and prospects use? What type of content does your audience prefer? How frequently will you post content? What metrics will you track to gauge success for each social media platform.

Answering these questions will help in selecting the best platform for your social media marketing strategy. As you make your selections, you should develop specific goals for your program that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Moreover you should craft goals that are particularly suited for your business.

The best way to ascertain which social media platform is best to promote your business is for you and your salespeople to survey your customer base. Which plat forms do they use for their companies? In providing content to your business base, how would your customers prefer to re ceive information about your shop and your products and services?

In deciding which platform is best suit ed to realizing your marketing goals, you

Photo: Shutterstock/Twin Design.

HOW TO

MARKETING BY JIM HINGST

also need to decide which social media platform best complements your content and the business culture of your clientele.

For most sign shops, printers, and wide format graphics providers, social media platforms that are more visually oriented (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter) are good choices for the visual communication marketplace.

On the other hand, LinkedIn might be a more suitable channel to communicate with CEOs, marketing and advertising executives, and purchasing managers, especially if your content consists of long articles.

It’s important to consider the demographics of those using the social media platforms. Some platforms are geared more for a younger audience, such as Instagram. Other platforms, such as LinkedIn, are better suited for business professionals and the B2B marketplace. In fact, more than 80 percent of B2B businesses rate LinkedIn as their primary social media platform.

Lead Generation

Setting a goal for leads produced via social media is a practical target, because you can easily track your results. An increase in brand awareness, on the other hand, is not so easily measured nor is gauging improvements in attitudes about your business.

Using likes or shares or numbers of followers also has little practical application that affects revenue or profit. Leads, on the other hand, are important because you can turn those into cash.

Facebook. Facebook is certainly a viable platform for businesses because it reaches 2 billion users—75 percent of whom are active on a daily basis. Half of its users visit the platform several times a day. What’s more, Facebook has broad appeal across the full range of age groups. As effective as this platform is for all companies, 90 percent of B2C marketers

regard Facebook as their primary social media channel.

Since nearly everyone is on Facebook, you can use it in building a comprehensive profile on a prospect. A prospect’s Facebook page is generally more personal than his business presence on LinkedIn.

As a sales tool, a prospect’s Facebook page generally reveals his personal interests, such as family, hobbies, political affiliations, and religious beliefs. You won’t find this type of information on LinkedIn.

In face-to-face selling, you can use this information to break the ice on an initial sales call as well as to avoid touchy subjects. In researching a prospect on Facebook, pay attention to which Facebook groups he or she belongs.

Twitter. What makes Twitter valuable as a marketing tool is that its reach extends to more than 200 million daily users. Albeit the vast majority of its users are

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polished single flute designed for easy chip evacuation. The specialized core geometry strenghtens the tool in cut resulting in slotting depths up to 8x diameter of the tool.

rarely a focused target audience for most consumer or business advertisers, Twitter’s vibrant activity makes it worthy of serious consideration.

Whether this tool harmonizes with your other marketing plans depends on whether your prospects and customers use this platform as well as accumulating a base of followers who could use your products and services and who have the money and authority to make buying decisions or influence purchases.

Content repetition reinforces your brand identity and boosts your credibility. To ensure that you sustain the frequency of your postings, you should develop a posting calendar to schedule your tweets.

LinkedIn. While LinkedIn does not have the broad user base of Twitter or Facebook, it is uniquely well-suited for B2B marketing and sales and is potentially your most viable social media marketing

tool. Consistently used, you can build a community of prospects, customers, industry associates, and influencers to generate leads that you can convert into sales.

Regularly posting on LinkedIn or other social media platforms improves your odds that your connections or followers will notice you and establishes you as an authority in the graphics market. That helps in lead generation.

When prospects use LinkedIn, they’re looking for products or content related to their business. This audience is more likely to have an interest in the products and services that a sign shop offers (such as corporate graphics, signage, or large format digital printing).

What’s more: LinkedIn users include those who are decision makers or who can influence buying decisions.

Posting relevant content on LinkedIn lends credence to your company’s stature as a competent and trustworthy graphics

HOW TO

MARKETING BY JIM HINGST

provider. Begin your posts with a benefit statement that answers the visitor’s question: What’s in it for me?

While “brevity is the soul of wit,” LinkedIn posts with at least five lines generally garner more attention than shorter posts. Skillfully use line spacing to aid readability.

Research which hashtags on LinkedIn are most popular for your topic and industry. For a posting on commercial graphics, you might use these hashtags: #visualdesign, #graphicdesign, or #branding. Limit the number of hashtags to no more than three. The LinkedIn algorithm will flag excessive use of hashtags as spam and penalize your posts in searches.

Whether you’re on LinkedIn or another platform, you may also find other opportunities to harvest sales leads by joining groups devoted to the signage and graphics markets as well as joining groups associated with your target markets.

The industry’s premier selection of aluminum composite panels with corrugated cores— perfect

HOW TO

MARKETING BY JIM HINGST

LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator can help you expeditiously identify and target professional people, such as mid-level managers, executives, and business owners, within your target market and generate leads that you can convert into sales. It not only nds companies with the money for signage or graphics but uncovers key contacts with the authority to spend that money.

Using the Sales Navigator feature requires you to proactively contact the sales lead either through phone prospecting, direct mail, email marketing, or a combination of approaches.

This feature, however, is not free. The least expensive plan is $79.99 per month. To see if the LinkedIn plan is a good fit with your sales and marketing strategy, you can try it for free for a month.

YouTube. YouTube has the potential to be the best platform for B2B communication. It is the second-most-used social

media platform next to Facebook.

What’s more, its search engine is the second-most-used next to Google. Each day, more than one billion hours of its videos are watched which is more viewing time than Netflix garners.

e challenge for many businesses is that YouTube content can take considerable time, as well as expense, to produce.

Postings on YouTube, however, don’t necessarily require an elaborate studio and production and sophisticated filmediting equipment.

For next to nothing some shops produce attention-getting and highly effective videos showcasing their graphics programs just using their iPhones. Other options to consider at your company include hiring a local videographer or using the talents of your employees.

Conclusion

Improving the visibility of your shop

among your target audience is integral to success in the sales process.

Here are examples of goals for your social media marketing plan: Increase the number of engagements on Twitter by 25 percent versus the number for the previous year. Add 500 LinkedIn contacts during the 2023 calendar year. Generate fifty links each month from Facebook to your website’s landing page.

No one has developed a surefire formula for what produces the best results on social media. The best advice is to do what marketers did fifty years ago in direct mail marketing: Test, Don’t Guess

In other words, experiment by testing one headline versus another, one type of content versus another, one set of hashtags versus another, and one call to action versus another.

By continually testing, you will develop an idea of what works and what doesn’t for social media at your shop.

Same Signs, Di erent Rules

EMC installs can prove very varied.

No one ever said making massive changes was quick. Or easy. But nowhere is that more pointed than in the International Sign Association’s work in Orlando, Florida. And what a long, strange trip it has been!

It all started in 2012 when ISA hosted a Planning for Sign Code Success ™ event. These events have trained thousands of planners over the years, helping them understand our industry and building key relationships.

During those events, planners nd ISA a credible partner and one that they can turn to when tackling new sign codes. One of those in attendance: the chief planner for Orlando.

Fast forward to May 2016, when an ISA member company contacted us asking for help in getting their client an

electronic message center (EMC). At the time, EMCs were limited to downtown and major attractions and required a special appeal.

After checking it out, it was confirmed that this particular business was prohibited from having an EMC.

But we did not take that “no” for an answer. Why should some more prominent Orlando businesses be allowed to use these kinds of innovative signs, while others could not?

ISA reached out to Orlando’s chief planner—the one who had attended our event a few years before—and offered suggestions that would not only allow EMCs but also be compliant with the then-recent Supreme Court ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert

By that fall, the planning department

began drafting new rules that would allow EMCs in the tourist area along International Drive (I-Drive). Once they saw how those were implemented, they would consider allowing EMCs throughout the city in the future.

Sign company leaders from the Southern States Sign Association (SSSA) joined ISA for an in-person meeting in Orlando with city and county officials. Things were progressing nicely.

Suddenly all communications ceased from Orlando officials. For nearly three years, despite repeated inquiries from ISA and SSSA, there was no word.

Finally, in early 2020, Orange County commissioners voted to allow what they termed “dynamic art” along I-Drive.

Within a month, the city began to consider allowing monument signs through -

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Noah Densmore.

INSTALLATION BY DAVID HICKEY

out the city to have electronic message centers. Stakeholder meetings were planned but then came the COVID-19 shutdowns. Gathering for public meetings was clearly off the table, and ISA endured another year of silence.

By the fall of 2021, an ISA-SSSA member tried to get an EMC for an end-user and was told that the city might change the code in early 2022.

By then, Orlando had a new chief planner. He was connected with ISA, seeking advice on the latest U.S. Supreme Court case, Austin v. Reagan , which focused on regulating digital signs. In return, the official shared the proposed sign code revisions, which would allow EMCs in commercial and industrial areas.

Working with member companies and SSSA, ISA submitted recommendations and proposed changes throughout the summer and fall of 2022.

Orlando incorporated many of our recommendations, including EMC brightness level, increased pixel pitch, removing outdated illumination standards, and no digital sign size limits.

The Sign Research Foundation’s Glossary of Signage Terms was incorporated into the language, clarifying any potential confusion for those enforcing the sign code.

At press time, the bill was working its way through the Orlando City Council, having received a positive outcome on its first reading. Now the bill will not be final until a second reading, but signs are pointing in the right direction.

Obviously not every sign code change takes this long to develop and enact. But this does provide a road map to success—the connection with planners, often initiated at Planning for Sign Code Success events or other training opportunities; collaboration between ISA, affiliates, and member companies, realizing that each has a critical role to play; and an unwillingness to give up.

ISA Sign Expo 2024 will be in Orlando. Maybe by then, we’ll all be able to enjoy the EMCs along I-Drive.

David Hickey is vice president of Government Affairs. He can be reached via email at David.Hickey@signs.org

How To Navigate A Changing Sign Landscape

SBI’s new webinar series—On the Floor—is your compass to all the challenges sign shops face. Our series provides actionable steps to help your sign shop thrive amidst the expanding digital signage landscape and everyday operational challenges. www.signshop.com/resources

SBI SPECIAL

BY ALEX MARCHESCHI

MEET

2023’s TOP YOUNG SIGN MAKERS

Over

forty nominations from all over the world poured in for SBI’s inaugural Top Young Sign Maker competition. Meet the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award winners!

For years, Sign Builder Illustrated has annually honored a handful of young sign makers in the industry with a feature in the magazine and some additional website content that highlights their work.

Past young sign makers that we’ve spotlighted have gone on to become leaders at large companies, top designers, successful salespeople, and more.

However, this year, we decided to add a competition element to the mix, rather than selecting a group of young professionals to feature as

we had in the past.

So we created the Top Young Sign Makers competition. We received forty- ve nominations from nominators all over the world who submitted three images of their nominee’s work from the past year with a short description of what makes them a Top Young Sign Maker.

Images of signs for brands from Coca-Cola to Royal Caribbean ooded in, along with anecdotes from managers, co-workers, owners, family, and friends. It wasn’t easy, but we chose three under-forty professionals in the sign in-

dustry who are making waves and breaking ground to take home our inaugural Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards this year (along with two honorable mentions).

GOLD MEDALIST:

JULIE QUIÑONES, 35

Manufacturing Operations Manager –Comet Signs

Julie Quiñones o en runs the show during big projects at Comet Signs as the Manufacturing Operations Manager. She’s worked her way up

Gold medalist Julie Quiñones led Comet Signs’ installation of 9,000 square feet of vinyl at the Port of Galveston.

the ranks using her work ethic and versatility to become a leader in the workplace.

“She leads production teams including assembly, print and vinyl, and logistics,” says Mikal Harn, Chief Operating O cer, Comet Signs. “Her leadership skills and ability to deliver great projects is invaluable to the success of our business and to Comet Signs customers.”

Quiñones developed her work ethic as a child on her family’s farm in a small town, where her father told her and her siblings that they had to care for the family property (including many farm animals) daily, even as kids.

“My parents are the sole reason for my work ethic and determination. My father taught us the value of a dollar, hard work, determination, and having a ‘no excuses’ attitude,” says Quiñones. “He always said we couldn’t eat until

our animals were fed; we had to do our chores before we were able to hang out with friends or have any kind of fun. I’ll admit, at the time, I wasn’t happy with these rules, but hindsight is 20/20. Now I realize I was learning life lessons that would set up my future.”

Her professional career started as an HR manager at a small family business. She moved on to work for Comet Signs in San Antonio, Texas in a similar role, but the company quickly realized her value.

“I’ve been able to grow signi cantly with Comet, moving from HR onto the production oor as a Manufacturing Coordinator. ere I gained extensive knowledge of our sign manufacturing process as well as logistics,” she says. “From there, I continued to grow into my current role as Operations Manager. I oversee the

For

custom side of our business including fabrication, paint, assembly, digital print, and vinyl and continue to manage the logistics department.”

Quiñones, the only way is up!

LED-illuminated rebranding effort featuring routed letters.

Illuminated logo with halo-lit LED letters.

Arenella-Toynes worked on reverse-lit channel letter signs for the lobby of Indeed’s “Champion” location.

SILVER MEDALIST: ELIZABETH ARENELLA TOYNES, 38 Co-Founder – Studio Dzo

Elizabeth Arenella Toynes was raised in an entrepreneurially motivated home as her father was running his own sign shop while his wife, an attorney, ran her own rm.

“Growing up, my dad owned one of the larger sign companies in Austin, Texas. It’s what’s known today as FSG Signs. I grew up in that shop. If you’ve ever had an entrepreneur for a parent, you know that you

get pretty involved in the business,” says Arenella Toynes. “I’ve de nitely done just about everything in a sign shop or have at least seen it done. I had every poster framed with huge custom frames built at the shop. I had vinyl all over my car [laughs]. I grew up around all of that.”

In her early twenties, Arenella Toynes swore o the sign industry because she wanted to blaze her own path. is led to acquiring a Class A Barber license in the state of Texas to put herself through college

to study accounting.

Her rst job a er college was at a tech startup that grew quickly. is led to her moving on to work for none other than a child fashion prodigy.

“My boss was thirteen years old!” says Arenella Toynes. “Isabella Rose Taylor was the designer. She was the youngest to ever have a New York Fashion Week runway show. I was there for that, and it was a really cool experience.

“What I took away from that the most

Architectural signage for Torre, a high-end student housing project.

was that you can run a business successfully and not be so serious. You can take a di erent approach to it, and everyone in the company can be a lot happier that way.”

Her next big role would be co-founder of Studio Dzo, which was initially a signage project of her father’s that he quickly realized he wasn’t willing to handle.

Arenella Toynes decided to take over the business with her husband, a talented

graphic designer n his own right.

Six years later, Studio Dzo is handling massive projects for large companies like Indeed, while also leaving their mark across Austin small businesses like Cute Nail Studio.

“We came together with a goal to disrupt the sign industry a bit and put our own stamp on it. A lot of the people I work with today, I grew up with at my dad’s shop.

ey’re all over the country now, but we get to come together for events and jobs,” she says. “My husband’s passion for design is strong, and what we’ve done is bring design front and center.

“We don’t do construction bids; we don’t work in that capacity. We work with architecture rms and interior designers. We bring the brand to life because we understand the importance of that brand.”

Cute Nail Studio, an Instagram-famous nail shop in Austin, came to Studio Dzo with an “Old Austin meet Kawaii” idea and Elizabeth and her team delivered.

BRONZE MEDALIST: ZAC BETHEL, 32 Senior Sign Maker – House of Signs

Zac Bethel and the team at House of Signs in Silverthorne, Colorado pride themselves on offering one-of-a-kind dimensional signage that withstands and shines in the extreme weather conditions of the state. Bethel, who got his

start working at a shop in St. Louis that specialized in vehicle wraps, has become the shop’s leader with his CNC designing and production skills.

“We specialize in carved 3D signs, so not necessarily like the channel letters or the light up cabinet signs that the majority of sign companies are doing. We use a special high-density urethane material

for our signage because we’re at 9,000 feet up here. As opposed to wood, it doesn’t shrink or grow in hot and cold,” says Bethel. “Colorado is known for having four seasons in one day, so the temperature can go from zero degrees to fifty in a matter of hours. There’s snow sitting on our signs all the time. Once upon a time, this company used wood, but we now

Bethel and his team are able to achieve weather-proof, hyper-detailed signage.

specialize in CNC and 3D modeling.”

So how did Bethel become a CNC expert? Well, to put it simply, he was taught by a legend.

Periandros Damoulis, a world-renowned Greek dimensional signage designer, worked at House of Signs on a special work visa for ten years. For three and a half of those years, he took Bethel under his wing.

“He changed the game for House of

Signs with his knowledge of CNC work and 3D modeling and design. He taught me all of his secrets and skills and trained me to take over the shop,” says Bethel. “He’s been gone for about a year and a half, but he still does 80 to 90 percent of our design work for us from overseas. The first three years of my career here, I was by his side every day.”

Bethel is now involved in most elements of sign design and production—

from beginning design phases to CNC milling to custom painting. His work led House of Signs Owner Paul Clukies to nominate him for this award.

“We take pride in using all water-based acrylic paints instead of oil-based paints. It’s just safer and better for the environment,” says Bethel. “I like to say that our signs are definitely one of a kind. We don’t see too many people producing the products that we make.”

Water Dance is a neighborhood in the area that was graced with a House of Signs custom sign design.

HONORABLE MENTION COREY SHANO, 32 Project Manager/Vice President – Associated Sign Company

As vice president of Associated Sign Company in Phoenix, Corey Shano knows what needs to happen to take a project from design to installation. From installing indoor and outdoor signage on an entire 300-unit apartment complex to branding athletic facilities for Arizona high schools to a comprehensive makeover of a restaurant, Shano and his team get the job done. He also implemented a business management so ware system at the company to improve e ciency at the shop.

Associated Sign is known in the area for taking on wide spanning projects that include di erent combinations of both indoor and outdoor installations, so their o erings and relationships with vendors are key to continued growth. is is an element of the business Shano prides himself on, and he hopes to continue to build the shop’s relationships.

Anoche Cantina in Tempe, Arizona got a makeover from Corey and his team.

HONORABLE MENTION BRITTANY GACSY, 36 Executive Director of Project Management

– Sign Producers Inc.

Brittany Gacsy and her team at Sign Producers Inc., in Orlando, Florida zeroed in on the ourishing amusement park market in Orlando and have become experts in the amusement park signage realm as a result. Gacsy’s projects start at a very broad level and then get nely tuned with her team as the discovery process goes along.

“Typically we receive a loose design from the owner, and we are tasked to design, fabricate, and install. On both the Velocicoaster and Super Nintendo World installations, I was operating as the design and project manager, and o en times, a creative liaison as well,” says Gacsy. “My role is to bring a concept to reality to enhance the story and provide guests with a sense of arrival when they embark on their adventure. rough innovative techniques and fabrication strategies, we were able to help bring these brands to the masses.”

Gacsy and her team may very well have designed the signage for your favorite rides!

BY RUSSELL TOYNES

HELP WANTED DESIGN

At Studio Dzo, our modus operandi, “Do Good Work”, is reflected in our brand-elevating design and amazing service. Over the last fifteen years as a designer, art director, creative director, owner, and design professor here, I’ve worked with, trained, hired, and fired designers at every level. I’ve learned a lot from the great hires—but even more from the bad.

Bringing on a new team member, especially a designer, is exciting and you and your team should embrace the opportunity and the process.

So just how does a sign shop nd and hire great designers? Is there a school somewhere cranking out “Sign Design” graduates or a certi cation that guarantees they know how to design monuments and pylons? Nope.

Regardless of the number of applicants you do or don’t receive, focus on the quality. De-

signers know designers, and if your business earns the reputation of being a great place to work, much like my shop, you’ll nd that you will have designers reaching out to you in hopes of joining the ranks.

ere are also a few Dos and Don’ts you should keep in mind when you’re ready to hire a designer.

Do: Make it easy. You aren’t the CIA, so there’s no need to make it di cult for anyone hoping to work for you to learn about who you are, what you do, or what compensation you’re o ering. Write a clear and comprehensive, but concise, description of the role and its dayto-day responsibilities, along with the salary range and any bene ts you’re o ering.

Job seekers today want more than a paycheck. I’m not talking about healthy snacks in the breakroom or video games in the lobby. Skilled candidates want to know that the place

they’re applying to has values and integrity. Your company’s values and purpose should be easy to nd on your website. It should show examples of the work you’ve completed and the members of your sta .

It amazes me how many successful sign shops have severely outdated or permanently “under construction” websites or rely on social media sites to market themselves.

Don’t require applicants to complete forms, submit lengthy cover letters, or share professional references. You’ll nd the strongest talent when you simply ask for a link to their design portfolio.

If they don’t have a portfolio, don’t waste your time interviewing them. If you want to dial it up a notch, ask them to also submit their resume.

But remember, the road to sign design is an unconventional one. Don’t expect a fouryear degree and ten years of sign design ex-

Photos: Studio DZO.

Generalists, Unicorns, and the Dos and Don’ts of hiring designers.

perience. When you make the application process easy, you make it easy for everyone— especially yourself.

Do: Gravitate towards “generalists.” It might be tempting to focus on hiring someone who is a wizard with a particular so ware like SketchUp or AutoCAD.

But what happens when the work changes or you need someone to help out when you’re ooded with new projects? When you narrow your focus, you lose sight of the big picture.

Specialists tend to be weak in more areas than they’re great. You might soon nd yourself trying to nd work for them to do because you can’t assign the work you have.

Instead gravitate toward design generalists. Look for someone who has a good portfolio with a breadth of work that shows a strong sense of design fundamentals—concept, composition, color, and typography. Someone with

a wide range of design work is likely to have seen enough to quickly and easily grasp the speci cs of sign design and fabrication. When you need to shi with new projects or design trends, a solid all-around designer will prove to be the valued asset you can count on.

Do: Sweat the small stu . We all want a candidate that maxes out the talent, work ethic, and personality skill charts. e reality is that some skills can be learned and others people just possess. ree “so ” skills I focus on are: (1.) the ability to follow instructions, (2.) communication, and (3.) punctuality. e ability to follow instructions is a simple skill that reveals itself quickly in the hiring process. Even with very simple application instructions, like “submit your resume and a link to your design portfolio,” I’ve received numerous responses with no resume, photo attachments, links to Instagram accounts, etc. Did you even read the job post?!?

Communication is essential to design. If, when, and how someone replies to your emails will give you a good idea of how they are to work with. Punctuality, or the lack of it, shows whether someone respects and values time.

Signs projects have deadlines, and if a candidate can’t bother to be punctual during the hiring process, don’t expect that to change if you bring them on.

Don’t: Equate “being a designer” to “knowing software.” Each sign project comes with a series of challenges that require thoughtful and intentional design solutions. Designers are not “pixel pushers;” they’re

problem solvers. If you think you only need someone who knows their way around the design so ware, you’re wasting your time and money.

When hiring a designer, know that you’re bringing on a strategist, problem-solver, and creative thinker. Give them the freedom, time, and capacity to ponder, explore, and develop the great work that you need from them.

Unless you’re also a designer, your shop won’t be winning any design awards if your designers are being art directed by you, your salespeople, or your clients.

Your design team and the design process require open and collaborative discussion. Explain the project’s challenges and goals and trust that your designers are capable of doing what you pay them to do.

If you’re looking to hire someone to bring your ideas to life by being your “pixel pusher,” there are plenty of freelancers that will gladly take the easy money and let you do all the thinking and problem-solving.

Don’t: Require design skills tests. e trend of asking designers to perform a “design skills test” has been around forever. Not only is it insulting (demonstrating a lack of trust and professionalism), but you’re also asking them to do free work.

Design is a skilled position requiring education, practice, and experience. Questioning whether or not a candidate can do the work that’s showcased in their portfolio only shows your lack of knowledge and experience.

Skills tests don’t prove anything. If you need to understand how someone works, just ask them to share a source le of something

they’ve completed recently. If you don’t know what to look for, ask a designer on your team or any designer you might know to review it.

Digging into source les is a simple way to see if someone understands how to build out a production le and the cleanliness of their work. You aren’t requiring them to do any extra work and any designer you would consider

hiring should have les ready to share.

Don’t: Seek a unicorn. Many design skills and solutions are applicable across multiple industries and can transfer to speci c and unique projects. A design generalist can leverage their experience with logo design to develop creative and compliant ADA signage

and way nding.

But keep in mind, you’re hiring a designer and not a unicorn. Don’t expect a designer to also be a project manager, salesperson, web designer, copywriter, photographer, social media manager, and illustrator all-in-one.

I hate to ruin your fantasy, but unicorns don’t exist. Tossing any and every creative task to your sign designers won’t bode well for the success of your design team. You’ll soon nd that these extra duties take away from their ability to do what they were hired to do, building up resentment and frustration and ultimately leading to burnout and turnover.

Respect the role and its speci c job-related responsibilities. Respect your designers by setting boundaries and allowing them to focus on the job they were hired to do. e work they’ll produce will only get stronger and so too will your business.

Russell Toynes is the owner of Studio DZO (studiodzo.com), a multidisciplinary environmental and graphic design studio based in Austin, Texas.

Everything You Need to Know to Manage a Successful Sign Business

To run a successful sign shop, you need to run a successful business. Sign Builder Illustrated can help. Not only do we focus on the work you do on the shop

floor, but we also focus on the work you do to improve the success and wellbeing of you and your team.

IDENTITY SIGN

BY JEFF WOOTEN

PERFECTION GRILLED TO

The recipe for making a giant bratwurst sign.

steel pole and cabinets already attached to it. Other designs featured elements separate from the sign and installed next to it.

Wolfe and his team went back to the drawing board and came up with a new footing for the pole, as well as designing something more visually appetizing.

One of the biggest selling products at Grand Champion Meats is their bratwurst, so Indigo Signs decided to incorporate this into their sign rendering. ey arrived at an idea of a grilling fork handle covering the then-exposed steel pole and appearing to jut through the double-sided EMC and illuminated sign cabinet and topped with a 49-inch-tall-by-143.75-inch-wide bratwurst skewered by two grilling fork prongs.

numerous projects over the years,” says Jamie Kakacek, senior designer at Signs By Benchmark, “so we both understood the challenges involved. Each project creates its own unique challenges, and we can use those learned processed on projects moving forward.”

Signs By Benchmark used aged onepound-density EPS for the new sign pieces. “Since we weren’t supporting anything on top of our product, our nominal density seemed adequate for this application,” states Kakacek. e company hot wire-cut the EPS into the general shape of the bratwurst and then sculpted it further to give it a rounded look. “Cooked brats are not very smooth, so we didn’t need to focus on getting a perfectly

Grand Champion Meats is an award-winning, fivedecades-old meat market and butcher shop located in Foley, Minnesota. The owner had been using a single-pole-mounted LEDilluminated sign cabinet stacked atop a Watchfire electronic message center (EMC) and attached to a six-inch-round steel pipe with an existing plate grade.

A lot of cars are already driving past Grand Champion Meats, but the owner wanted to step up their game and make the sign look even more appealing. at way, people wouldn’t be able to resist making a pit-stop!

e owner contacted Indigo Signs, a complete full-service sign company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota (with six other locations across Minnesota and North Dakota). “He wanted a sign that would be very noticeable— and very memorable—so that lots of people would stop and take pictures next to it,” says Bob Wolfe, an Indigo Signs account executive.

Initial renderings of possible signage had been drawn up back in 2020 with Indigo Signs before Wolfe became involved; however they were deemed mechanically unusable because of wind load issues with the existing

e new wind-load engineering solution required their sign redesign to start with a single pole at the bottom then evolve to two poles towards the top. e sign company would be able to re-use the existing EMC, but the plate-mounted, but they needed to recreate the extruded sign cabinet for better structural integrity, in order to host the twelve-foot-long bratwurst.

Indigo Signs solved this by putting a tenby-ten-inch steel spreader bar inside the illuminated cabinet that would host two fourby-four-inch steel tube poles acting as the grilling fork prongs. is approved, mouthwatering redesign not only excited Grand Champion Meats but also Indigo Signs. ey couldn’t wait to start working on it.

Since Indigo Signs would handle the reconstruction of the illuminated sign cabinet and the new sign poles, they approached Signs By Benchmark, a noted interior and exterior foamcore manufacturer, to handle the decorative elements. e Watertown, South Dakota-based company also found themselves eager to sculpt the oversized bratwurst and grilling fork handle out of expanded polystyrene (EPS).

“We have a great relationship with Indigo Signs, having worked with them on

The owner knew he wanted something people would stop and take pictures with, which influenced renderings.

Photos: Indigo Signs.

The original on-premise EMC and cabinet sign had been installed onto a single pole.

round shape,” says Kakacek. “Some irregularity works in our favor.”

During the initial design phase, Signs By Benchmark worked closely with Indigo Signs to build a central frame for the bratwurst. “Not only did this add some structural integrity to our product, but it also allowed them to be able to attach [it] to the cabinet frame,” explains Kakacek. e bottom handle section was cut into various pieces and assembled to t around the central mounting pole. “Once assembled, we cut a radius on the corners to so en up the look of the handle,” says Kakacek.

e customer originally asked Indigo Signs about doing a color match for the grilled brat. “I told him that I could grill up some brats and do some color matching from that,” remarks Wolfe, “but I gured it would be better to give Signs By Benchmark a creative license to just run with it. ey haze over, airbrush, and texture things a certain way. It was amazing to watch them put the little textured grill marks into the EPS bratwurst then paint and enhance the nished product even further.”

Signs By Benchmark used a water-based paint system to give all the pieces a detailed, realistic appearance. Amazingly Signs By Benchmark free-handed the wood grain into the fork handle’s appearance just working o a tablet loaded with Googled images.

“ e grain on the wood and the colors on the bratwurst needed to blend together. Fortunately we have quite a bit of experience using water-based paints,” says Kakacek. “Upon completion, we applied a high-gloss clear coat to give the parts a bit more of a sheen, which really allowed the bratwurst to resemble fresh meat hot o the grill.”

Kakacek says the grilling fork handle weighs approximately 75 to 100 pounds, while the bratwurst (minus the interior frame) came in around 150 pounds. ey mounted the pieces inside a crate and shipped everything back to Indigo Signs.

Installation went smoothly and took less than a day. e eight-by-eight-inch single pole had already been encased in a concrete caisson and installed 108 inches below grade.

e grilling fork handle covering expands the pole’s appearance now to twenty inches wide. “It has a central sleeve to slide over the main mounting pole,” explains Kakacek. “We then incorporated metal into the top of the handle so that it could be attached to the frame on site to minimize any movement.”

Indigo Signs installers used crane and

Signs By Benchmark free-handed the wood grain look straight from a tablet with images.

Photos: Signs By Benchmark.

basket trucks to slide the grilling fork handle over the pole rst and then set the electronic message center. “ e EMC was already mounted to the framework, so we just slid it over the top of the pole,” says Wolfe. “We then just had to make sure it was perfectly level to the grade.”

e illuminated cabinet was then slid over the pole and attached to the ten-by-ten-inch steel tube spreader bar that eased the transition from a single pole to a double pole. “ e cabinets mounted well to it,” remarks Wolfe.

e bratwurst frame was built with a match plate system that bolts to the top of the cabinet. “We then built the top points of the tongs out of foam so they could bolt into the pick point locations and complete the look,” says Kakacek.

Indigo Signs fabricated a threaded bolt that was welded into the top tabs of the two prongs to hold the Benchmark brat.

“Once we got the actual bratwurst set on the two poles, we took the two points of the forks and basically screwed them into the top of the brat,” explains Wolfe. “ e top of the

brat is kind of curved, but they had a couple of at areas in there.

“Our installers lined up the two prongs and started spinning them. And just like that, they were done!”

Everything was then wired to the required power supplies so the cabinet could be illuminated that very night.

Grand Champion Meats has really gone

the extra mile with their new twenty- vefoot-tall sign that literally shows o their delicious products. People can’t seem to get enough of the sign, frequently taking sel es and photos in front of it. Its rst month alone generated a massive, o -the-chart amount of engagement on social media.

“Everyone was happy—the customer, the public, Benchmark,” says Wolfe, “and us!”

Indigo Signs used crane and basket trucks to lift the components into place.

Photo: Indigo Signs.

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Mike and Karen Geygan recently decided to retire after owning the Minuteman Press in Lebanon, Ohio for over thirty-one years. They sold their business last fall to new owners Frank and Melissa Hiti who kept all the staff onboard.

“Everyone has been so welcoming to us as new owners,” says Frank Hiti, “and we will continue the path that Mike and Karen set by being a fixture in our community and making sure our business takes care of our customers.”

When the Geygans took over the business in 1991, it needed some work. Mike re ects, “We bought a twelve-year-old shop, and we needed to upgrade our equipment and clean things up, so that’s what we did. We liked the business model and the industry, and I really wanted to be involved in my community. Lebanon, Ohio is a rural town, and it just seemed like a unique place

to own a business.”

Mike, along with his wife Karen and his staff, steadily built up the business. Today Minuteman Press in Lebanon is a digital print shop with six full-time and two parttime staff.

According to Mike, there are three functions that have to happen in order to be successful—find the business, get the jobs out on time, and get customers to pay for your products and services.

“When you are small and just starting out, these functions may fall to the owner,” he says. “However, if you want to grow, you need to delegate responsibilities and develop a company, not a monument, to the owner. Remember it’s a team effort.”

Impressively the couple started making $1.3 million in sales in 1998 and hit that milestone every year for the next twentyfour years (with the exception of pandemic-riddled 2020).

“I have found that the shops that are the

most successful operate with a sense of urgency,” says Mike. “You have to be proactive. If a job needs to be delivered Friday, get it done early, in case a machine goes down, paper or supplies don’t show up, or an employee is out unexpectedly. Don’t wait until Friday morning.

“The quicker you know something is wrong, the easier it is to find a solution. That is what’s always worked for us.”

Mike knew it was time to secure his exit strategy and transition into retirement. He shares the following three keys to selling a business:

Have clean financials. “It’s important to be properly prepared for any questions and document requests and to know your numbers.”

Run a solid business and invest wisely. “My dad was a financial planner, so in addition to running our business, we took care of ourselves on the personal investment side. That really adds up over the years, so be smart about how you invest and start early.”

A business where the owner is doing everything is worth less to buyers. “ The company needs to be transferrable to new ownership. Delegate responsibilities to your team and cross-train your employees. The more they know, the more valuable your business will be at the time of the sale.”

“We stepped in with printing that looked better and was always on time.

As a result, we developed a good reputation.”

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