How to Purchase An Electric Sign
If your business is the kind that relies on walk-in foot traffic, the sign outside your building is paramount to your company's survival. Your sign is the first thing potential customers see as they drive past or pull up outside your location. It is your company's first impression, and it must be a professional one. Designing, buying and placing an electric sign outside your building is a task that requires significant thought and consideration, and one that you should not take lightly or rush through.
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Instructions
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Contact your local municipality. Call your town or county court house and inquire about the permits or licenses needed to place a new sign outside your building. Some towns maintain strict codes and have limitations on business signage that will undoubtedly affect your decision-making process. If necessary, obtain any forms or paperwork required by the town to install a new electric sign.
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Contact your landlord. If you do not own the building that you want to place the sign on, you must first receive approval from the property owner. Read your office lease documents and search for any details about outside signage. Call your landlord and ask for formal written approval to install an electric sign on the property.
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Choose the location for your sign. Walk around your building, through the parking lot, down the sidewalk and across the street. Use the place where the highest number of people can see your building, or the section of the property presents the most visible area.
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Choose a sign type. Decide whether your sign should be made of standard back-lit plastic, neon or light-emitting diode, or LED; in some cases, simple flood lights on the ground pointed at the sign will suffice.
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Design your sign. Once you decide on the type of sign material, sketch some ideas for the sign layout. Remember the vantage point with the highest visibility and how your sign will look to drivers passing by at high speeds.
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Research reputable sign makers in your area online from consumer agencies like the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports. Read user reviews to help in your selection and pay close attention to turn around times, prices and customer service. If possible, work with local sign makers to avoid lengthy procedures if you are unhappy with your purchase or need to make last minute changes. This will also help you avoid unnecessary shipping costs.
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Get quotes from sign makers. Contact sign companies in your area and explain your situation. Describe the location where you want the sign, its size and material type, and any other relevant factors. Email your design ideas along with a digital image of your company's trademark or logo. Ask the sign makers to return a written estimate of their price for building your company's new electric sign.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose a color scheme and layout that will achieve the results you want during the daytime and at night.
Examine the existing electrical access points outside your building. Providing power to your sign could potentially require modification or installation of outdoor electrical outlets. This could result in further delays while you research and obtain municipal permits for electrical upgrades, then wait for the work to finish.
References
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