Go Green with Outdoor Signage
By: Maggie Harlow
More and more facility and organization managers are expected to take "green" solutions into consideration when they look at their expenses and investments. Often, the green solution can feel like a compromise.
In the signage industry, there's the lucky circumstance that "green" is often synonymous with "effective" and "cutting edge." In our industry, we see newer and better products all the time that offer cost-effective, environmentally responsible innovations…hand in hand with increasingly powerful communications. Even some tried-and-true signage products are coming back around as standouts in the green revolution.
For facility and school directors, it's the best of both worlds! Let's review some of the "old" and some of the "new" products in the signage industry that are energy-saving, recyclable, or reusable.
Old-Fashioned Banners
With some planning and savvy design, and with the added investment of a banner display system, a school can maximize its investment and save the environment at the same time.
Next time you need a banner, ask yourself if it is possible to reuse the message multiple times – maybe a recurring event? If so, why not have your annual event banner printed – sans a date – and either add vinyl lettering that is removable for the date or even create a double-banner display so that the only banner that is thrown away is the date banner?
A banner display system – often made from durable, weatherproof aluminum components – will let you create a reusable, durable display that is easy to use and helps your banners last longer by displaying them properly. Some schools are resourceful enough to go DIY and buy some PVC pipe to make a freestanding banner display.
By storing and reusing your banners for annual events, and by displaying them efficiently and effectively, you have just made the old-fashioned banner a new green solution.
Biodegradable Banners
So, let's say you have a one-time event to announce, and you want to share your good news. A biodegrable banner is the solution. Yes, there are some manufacturers that have figured out how to make a banner that will degrade and fail after several months. You may still end up putting it in a dumpster, but you can rest assured it will eventually disappear!
Yard Signs
One of the most effective forms of advertising that still survives despite the march of time and technology is the lowly yard sign!
The standard metal frame – like those you see real estate agents use – is an amazingly flexible, useful display for sharing messages or announcements. Why do they work so well for real estate agents and politicians? The secret is a good design, but also it is the temporary nature of the message. First it is there, and then it is gone. It pops up where you might not expect it and can disappear just as easily.
That's one of the greatest secrets of good signage – changing messages is what keeps it fresh and keeps the human eye drawn to it. Many businesses make the mistake of leaving a sign unchanged for years or even decades. What they don't realize is the typical sign in these circumstances simply becomes part of the background and is not noticed by the passersby.
When you shop for a frame, look for a slide-in frame that requires no hardware or tools – just lift out the old message and drop in a new one. You can even incorporate a dry-erase vinyl or wet-erase chalkboard to give you an added element of flexibility.
Don't forget to use the smaller "riders" on top and bottom for an added message, such as a date or phone number.
Again, design your inserts smartly and have the inserts made from something durable, and you will have a signage display that can serve and expand to your needs for years to come.
A sandwich board or A-frame can operate from the same principle – provide a place for a changing message where panels can be made, kept, and reused.
Dimensional Letters
Maybe you're looking for a permanent way to mark a facility or building, something that will be easy to read and will be a solid, long-term investment in the property. Of course, plastic dimensional letters are durable enough for multi-decade use—and some are warranted for life.
But, let's face it – plastic 24-inch letters are not exactly "green" and maybe dumping them into a landfill some day is not your goal.
So, what is the green solution for dimensional letters? Aluminum! Although aluminum is expensive to make and manufacturing requires processes that are hard on the environment, the good news is that it can be readily melted down and used again for a new purpose. So you can rest your conscience easy and order some aluminum letters – cast or flat cut – to mark your new facility or recognize your donor.
Electronic Message Centers
You may not know them by name, but you know one when you see one. These are the TV-screen-like signs you may see in your community where a scrolling message changes, flips, flashes, or bursts upon the face, brighter than any sign you've ever seen. Some even allow for full-color video imaging – brighter, bolder, and more eye-catching than anything we've seen since neon.
Love it or hate it, Light Emitting Diodes (LED), EMCs as they are called, are actually energy-saving, allowing their owners to realize sometimes huge returns on the investment.
First of all, they are impossible to resist. The human eyes and brain were designed to look for something bright and colorful that moves quickly – and EMCs do just that. Even the Small Business Administration demonstrated in research the power of these signs to increase the walk-in traffic of a business by 5% to 40% almost instantaneously.
In addition, the EMC can be arranged to make changes and updates effortless. Messages can be sent via wireless signal by office staff, and ongoing messages can be scheduled by the hour, day, week, month, or year. No more standing in windy or rainy weather changing those letter boards on your sign to let folks know the date of the football game. Instead, a few deft clicks of the keyboard and – voila! – your message is up within seconds.
There's also the added feature of providing messaging, if needed, in the event of an emergency at your school. The system can be devised to allow remote updates to your signs via the Internet from anywhere you get a signal.
Imagine multiple sites for EMCs at your facility, all with coordinated messaging so that students and parents alike to receive accurate, up-to-date, irresistibly displayed messages 24 hours a days from your campus.
Finding the green solution doesn't have to be burdensome, difficult, or more costly in the arena of signage. Use some ingenuity, new technologies, and good management, and you can promote your school, save money, and save the environment – all at the same time!
Maggie Harlow is a Sign-A-Rama franchise owner in Louisville, Kentucky, www.signarama.com.
Sidebar
What a New Marquee Can Do for Your School
By Christine McKelvey
Everyone knows that a school sign can increase visibility and school pride, but what can that actually do for your school? The answer is a chain reaction of events that no one ever expects from something as simple as a sign. It starts because of a clear-cut need: an effective way to communicate.
A school comes to the realization that the flyers they send home with students have no guarantee of reaching their destinations. Many times, information intended for parents is forgotten at school or buried at the bottom of a backpack. Moreover, if a school wants to reach out to its community, a marquee is the natural, and oftentimes only, way to connect.
Before investing in a marquee, a school needs to be sure the sign they choose will stand the test of time, that it will remain a focal point through the years and not become an eyesore. All signs are not created equal, and there are several factors that will determine how a sign will fare years down the road.
Important Factors
One factor that is important for longevity is whether the sign is painted or powder coated. After being exposed to the elements for several years, paint has a tendency to fade, peel, crack, and chip. The difference with a powder coating is that it chemically bonds to the surface of the sign through a high-heat process, which makes it resistant to adverse weather conditions.
Another factor to keep in mind is the material used for the header and message areas of the sign. A quality polycarbonate is durable and will not crack or shatter as acrylic can. A good example is the material surrounding a hockey rink. It can take constant abuse from players at high impact without breaking. In relation to your sign, it means it can resist abuse from vandalism. Furthermore, if the material is UV-treated, it will prevent yellowing and fading from the sun.
If your school is considering an LED sign, the brightness of the display is very important. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, and, unlike light bulbs, they never burn out. Instead, they slowly dim over time, which means that the brighter the LEDs are at the start, the more you will get out of your sign.
The other important aspect of brightness is competition with the sun. At night, any LED sign can be read. However, during the day, only the intensity of the LED can prevent the message from being washed out from glare and light reflection.
For any marquee investment, a sign that is UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Listed is a must. UL is the trusted source for product compliance and means the manufacturer has met strict guidelines for safety and has built to the most discerning standards of quality and workmanship. For a school, it means peace of mind from worrying about electrical shortages and fires.
Lastly, the warranty and stability of the company you are buying from needs to be taken into account. A lifetime warranty is only helpful if there is a company left to honor it. That said, be sure to check how many years the company has been in business and their rating with the Better Business Bureau. With some companies struggling or failing in the current economy, there have been an increasing number of instances where schools pay for a sign they never receive.
If your school is of a specific denomination, it is also a good idea to ask the sign company if it is an endorsed supplier for that denomination. If they are, they should be able to provide you with an endorsement letter on official letterhead. An official endorsement has to be earned and is therefore another attribute for a company. It is a sign of quality, integrity, customer service, and reliability.
Once a company has been selected and the sign installed, many schools witness a common series of events.
1. More Communication
A well-built sign with quality components and aesthetic appeal will be a source of school pride. As the focal point, it can display everything from sports schedules and scores to musicals and fundraisers. A sign creates the ability to connect with parents and students on a regular basis, but, even more, it also allows you to reach beyond them to those in the community who may not be affiliated with the school.
This increase in outreach will be especially true if your school opts for an LED sign. Instead of having a limited area to post messages, a virtually unlimited amount of information can be stored and displayed on the sign, along with text effects, graphics, videos, and animations.
2. More Participation
Increased communication leads to increased participation. The more people who know about an activity, the more will participate. It means fundraisers reach their goals more quickly, events are better attended, and your school body is more informed.
This is true not only for those associated with the school, but also for those in the area who have noticed the sign. In addition, school events may also be attended by parents of children who are not enrolled at the school as a way to quietly evaluate it.
3. More Enrollment
As potential students and their parents pass by and read about the school's latest accomplishment, student of the month, or standout teacher, the idea of enrolling becomes less foreign. A school can also use its marquee to advertise an open house and invite those parents who are realizing that a Christian education is exactly what they want for their children.
A quality marquee shows everyone that you take pride in your school and that the beacon on the outside is only the beginning of the great things going on inside.
Christine McKelvey is assistant marketing manager for Stewart Signs, www.stewartsigns.com.
Product Roundup
Daktronics
Daktronics is a leading manufacturer of scoreboards and electronic video displays. Daktronics outdoor message centers help unite communities. These easy-to-program displays not only promote school activities, but also communicate important information to students and parents. Monochrome and full-color displays are available in a wide variety of sizes, using the latest in LED technology, which provides excellent visibility, high reliability, and low energy consumption.
www.daktronics.com
Stewart School Signs
Since 1968, Stewart School Signs has been the benchmark in quality and has provided more than 35,000 signs across the country. They specialize in top-of-the-line, internally illuminated, changeable copy, and electronic message centers with graffiti-resistant finishes, vandal covers, and a lifetime warranty. Their sign consultants work with your school to create eye-catching graphics using your school's colors and mascot that allow you to project a positive, attractive image to your students, parents, and community.
www.stewartsigns.com
SignOptix
A new SignOptix marquee will enhance your school's image and improve your communication with the public. At SignOptix, their mission is to provide your school with the highest quality marquee at the guaranteed lowest price. Make a wise investment toward your school's future and see for yourself the tremendous attention-getting power of a SignOptix marquee. Proudly acknowledge your students' accomplishments on this classic 4-foot-by-8-foot marquee with header area. This outdoor illuminated marquee comes standard with a premier powder-coat finish and a durable aluminum cabinet.
www.signoptix.com
EZSignsOnline.com
EZSignsOnline.com offers beautiful, affordable, low-maintenance, long-lasting outdoor school signs. Their unique Market Street Sign series utilize a marquee style changeable magnetic lettering system with optional hinged acrylic lockable vandal covers. They are available in four different sizes to suit your needs and can be personalized with plain text or full-color artistic layouts using your school logo, photo, and graphics. Their unique Web site is designed for fast, easy, step-by-step online secure ordering. Browse numerous options and see complete discount pricing online.
www.EZSignsOnline.com
SIGNARAMA
SIGNARAMA is a full-service sign outlet using the latest technology and the highest quality products. That gives you the security of knowing the sign they create for your school will be exactly the way you want it and will reflect the image your school wants to project. From the distinctive monument sign outside your location, to way-finding signs, and banners, they can do it all. They even offer SIGNARAMA Digital Solutions, an innovative, high-tech approach to displaying information that you can change easily.
www.signarama.com
FASTSIGNS
With more than 525 locations worldwide, FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers use innovation and technology to make the sign buying process simple by offering consulting, design, production, file transfer, delivery, installation for a full range of custom sign and graphic products, including wide format banners and POP, site signs, exhibit graphics, window and vehicle graphics, decals and labels, safety and identification signage and floor graphics for interior and exterior use.
www.fastsigns.com
Changeable Banner System from HTS
The award-winning Changeable Banner System from HTS Sign Systems allows you to create and change your message utilizing letters that attach to the banner with Velcro. The banner is made from heavy-duty poly vinyl material that is UV treated and crafted for durability. Christian schools around the country use this system to promote school events, sports activities, Bible studies, and m ore. Permanent logos and graphics can be applied to the banner, adding a professional appearance.
www.htssignshop.com
