Signage, it’s a pretty important thing for a business. Especially when you’re trying to make a damn good impression. It’s one of those sectors where people are all about price when there’s actually a hell of a lot that goes into it.
It’s up to us to explain ‘why‘ things cost money, and in most cases, it certainly isn’t because someone wants to make a quick buck. There’s a lot of logistics, strategy and planning involved in that cost. In the branding space, we work with a lot of suppliers to create that overall result; printers, digital marketers, photographers, copywriters and signage specialists to name a few. We can create amazing creative, but if that is then produced/printed on a crappy low-quality material, then it won’t do the creative any justice.
So, when it comes to signage, we knew we needed to speak with Justin Priestley, owner and founder of Just In Signs, and ask him a few questions about signage.
How long have you been in the signage game?
I started out when I was 22 – heading into my 18th year. 15 years of those have been self-employed.
What is a standard day like in your business?
Organised chaos! We will plan a schedule in the morning and within a few hours, it would change due to urgent requests whether that be a forgotten sign or an installation. Installations are very dependent on the weather, so when we have a week or two of patchy rain it can throw projects back a few weeks.
Why should people talk to a signage specialist before investing any money?
Sometimes the ideas the clients have in their head may not work. We extract those ideas, tweak them ( at times totally change their idea ) and then go back to the client with what we believe will achieve the desired result.
We hear it all the time, good things cost money. Tell us, what do people usually sacrifice when they compare on price?
Quality – It’s the whole package: quality of materials, design and service.
The all-important one we measure ourselves on is the after-sales service.
Shit can go wrong in the manufacturing world, and we are by no means perfect, however, we strive to make good on any issues in a very timely manner.
What are the biggest problems you run into with?signage?enquires?
One of the biggest ones I can think of are clients trying to keep costs down on their branding and settle for signage that does their business no justice.
Signage should be seen as an investment, not a cost, as this is what attracts potential customers instore, or to make that phone call from your vehicle signage.
Another would be time – clients call in a huff asking if we can make this sign and need it for tomorrow.?Compromises must be made to meet the deadline, while still producing attractive signage.
How does using different materials impact the final product?
Compromising on materials may affect the longevity of the signage, meaning you will need to replace sooner, spending more money to have it all made again.
Think of the long-term – spend now and save later.
In what ways can brands use their signage to differentiate themselves?
Hire a branding expert to guide you.
There are many levels of creativity, while we would love to be everything to everyone, our creative prowess is focused on how we will make your sign pop.
**Temporarily sliding into the blog post to do a shameless plug – click here if you need help with your brand ***
What do you love most about your job?
This is an easy one! There is a high level of satisfaction from seeing something you made showcasing another business, knowing you are helping someone else be successful and achieving their goals.
Be sure to check out Just In Signs:
Instagram – @justinsignsau
Facebook – @justinsigns
Website – justinsigns.com.au
It’s important for us here at YO&O to document the processes involved in what we do. Signage is one of those aspects and it can be quite an extensive process. Your brand and signage work hand in hand and realistically, when developing your brand, speak to your designers and ask them to develop these executions so that you can provide your signage specialist with existing creative.
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