Is the background going to waste?
Most of the time, sign designers focus on the lettering and possibly a graphic for a sign design. The letters might get outlined,… Read More
Online Exclusives
Add a layer, up the value
Suppose there was one production technique that you could use to add 35% or more to the value of a sign. The same… Read More
Give ’em a sticker and sell more signs
Here’s an easy-to-use tip that Rich Dombey of Rich Designs Inc. shared with SignCraft years ago. We’ve heard from many readers who have… Read More
Download this scaling target to place vehicle graphics perfectly
There’s something powerful about showing a customer the design you created for their vehicle on a photo of their vehicle. There’s no mystery… Read More
Put an end to cash flow hassles
Two of the persistent problems of the sign business are maintaining a steady cash flow and spending time collecting balances on completed projects…. Read More
8 secrets to highly readable signs
What’s it take to produce signs that are highly legible? Sign designers like Braun Bleamer of Jet Signs know. They also know that… Read More
What to say when you’re selling a sign
Looking for the magic words that will let you sell a sign to every customer who walks in the door for top prices?… Read More
How much vinyl is left on that roll?
Ever wonder how much vinyl is left on that partially used roll that’s on the rack? It’s actually quite easy to estimate how… Read More
8 design ideas you can put to work today
The pressures of a busy work day don’t always lend themselves to coming up with new design ideas. It’s easy to get into… Read More
Take a video tour of two sign shops
Do you like dropping in another sign maker’s shop and getting a quick tour? Here’s your chance to take a quick video tour… Read More
Here’s what a 3-by-16 storefront sign sells for
Time for a quick estimate: What would you charge for a 3-by-16-ft. storefront sign on aluminum composite material like this one? We’ll show… Read More
Turn HDU board into barn wood backgrounds
You can sandblast HDU board and get an interesting pebble texture, or you can blast through a grain simulator like the GrainFraim grain… Read More
What would you charge for these trailer graphics?
Grab a pencil. Let’s say the owner of a landscape company just stopped by with the new 16-ft. trailer to get a price… Read More
A compact, efficient vinyl sign workspace
A veteran sign maker told me once that there were only three ways a sign shop could be more profitable: raise prices, reduce… Read More
Make post covers the easy way
In the previous Online Exclusive article we showed some interesting variations on post covers and how they can dramatically improve the impression that… Read More
Four easy ways to make mountings pay off
So you’re working away on a design for a great-looking sign. Naturally, most of the attention goes into the layout of the sign… Read More
It’s hard to beat a sign for value
When it comes to long-lasting advertising, a well-made sign is hard to beat. Compare it to the longevity of other types of ads…. Read More
6 easy ways to set your layouts apart
It should be easy to make signs that stand out from the crowd, right? Not really. All sorts of things get in the… Read More
Here’s how others price their signs
Last week we asked Trade Secrets readers to help us out with a survey to find out how sign shop owners price their… Read More
5 steps to more effective truck lettering
When it comes to sign design, vehicles are much more of a challenge since they must be read while they’re moving—and often by… Read More
