8 Steps to Designing a Perfect Sign for Every Purpose

By James A. Huttner, Electrical/Mechanical Design Engineer
Clearr Corporation


1. General Considerations In Designing a Sign

A commanding, effective sign will help your business grow, your message get across, your location get known, or your candidate get elected, so be sure to choose the best sign design for your specific location and application!

Many different types of signs are produced in the United States these days, and the right kind and size of the sign needs to be chosen wisely for each application. Every application will have its own unique and widely ranging issues related to it.

The first thing to do is determine the general type of sign you’re going to design:

· large or small?
· poster, or printed?
· something backlit or edgelit?
· neon?
· prismatic?

2. Getting Down to The Details

Once the general size and type are determined, it’s time to start thinking through the details. When designing a new business or government sign, there are certain items that always need to be taken into consideration, such as:

· what is the general application?
· will this be used indoor or outdoor?
· what type of lighting will be used if any?
· what materials will be used in its construction?
· how will it be mounted?
· and so on.

3. Tailoring the Design to the Sign’s Future Use

Some important contextual items to consider with a new sign include:

· what need does it fulfill?
· does it command attention?
· will it be viewed by pedestrians or motorists?
· is it compliant with UL and the local municipality sign regulations?
· what are the power requirements and restrictions?
· will it be permanent or portable?

4. Coordinating With the End-Users

If the sign is for an end users who have provided you with a sketch of their idea, whether on a bar napkin or sophisticated computer drawings, make sure you thoroughly discuss their wants and needs, and go through all aspects of its design with them:

· what is the overall look of the sign?
· are there weight restrictions?
· are there critical dimensions anywhere?
· where and how will the sign be displayed?

Some users will have very specific details of their design and others will rely on your experience and creativity to realize their vision.

5. Illuminating the Sign

If the sign is to be illuminated, there’s a whole new set of considerations, and a few different light sources that you can use:

· Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are becoming more popular everyday as the costs are coming down and the quality is going up;
· Fluorescent bulbs are in large use and come in a wide variety of shapes and lengths and color temperatures;
· Energy-eating incandescent bulbs are becoming less and less common all the time, and are even banned completely in some locations;
· Neon lamps should still be around for quite awhile due to their unique properties.

Some other types of lighting to consider are Cold Cathode Tubes, Electro Luminescent Panels, Low Pressure Sodium Lamps, and High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps. HIDs include: Mercury Vapor, Metal Halide, & High Pressure Sodium.

6. Adding Back Lighting for Backlit Displays

When a sign is to have back lighting, yet another set of considerations must be addressed. For example:

· the depth of the sign is very important.
· he distance of the light source to the diffuser panel and/or the graphics material needs to be far enough so that the individual bulbs or tubes cannot be seen.
· there needs to be an overlapping of the light sources so that hot spots and darker areas are not present.
· the spacing between the light sources is also equally important for even lighting across the entire surface.

7. Considering the Environment

With indoor signs the environment is usually not much of a concern, but with outdoor signs the local environment will play a huge role in the sign’s design. Things that must be considered include:

· the annual average local rainfall is always something to consider, and properly sealing the sign against rainwater is a must;
· in cold northern climates, heaters may be required;
· in hot southern climates, exhaust fans or air conditioners may be needed;
· along the ocean’s coasts, salt spray will influence the material selection to reduce corrosion;
· in areas that are prone to hurricanes, the structure needs to be extra strong to withstand the high wind loads;
· and always check with the local municipal codes governing signs in that area!

8. Maintaining the Sign

An often-overlooked item is sign maintenance. If you have large sign that is mounted on top of a 90’ pole, you will want to use the longest lasting lights that are available. Every time a cherry picker truck is needed just to change a bulb will cost you money, which should have been used initially for the best, longest lasting lighting system around.

Posted by Ryan Lester, Clearr Corporation

Avoid “Forced Freight” After Your Trade Show: Six Things You Can Do

By Jon Roberts, Logistics Manager, Clearr Corporation

Our company exhibits at several trade shows a year, and transporting our signs and displays to the show site is always one of the biggest challenges we have. Transporting involves selecting a reasonably-priced, reliable shipping company we know we can trust; developing a detailed bill of lading (BOL); crating things properly for safe delivery without damage; and onsite set-up before the show opens. At the end, it involves taking down and repacking everything, having it at the loading dock on time, and making sure your carrier knows exactly when and where to get in line so you’ll avoid the extra fees and frustrations of “forced freight.”

What is “forced freight?” The official show contractor has to see to it that hundreds of exhibitors have their exhibits shipped out in a timely fashion after a trade show. If there are any hiccups along the way they will simply load your freight with the official carrier to insure that there are no bottlenecks in the process. The carrier will then contact you to pay the shipping charges via credit card or they will put your exhibit in storage, further racking up your charges. Plus, it typically takes longer for your freight to return. If you need it for another show, that could further complicate matters. It truly can turn into a nightmare.

As trade show season heats up, be sure you know the proper way to work with your freight carriers to avoid this situation. No matter how much preparation and planning you invest in your trade show exhibit, small fires can always pop up. It's the nature of the beast. If you aren't careful, you can easily run into the costly, inconvenient problem of this “forced freight.” However, this is one problem that can easily be avoided.

Here's how it works: you need a plan! After a tradeshow ends the chaos begins. Exhibitors are scrambling to dismantle their exhibits, pack them up, and ship them back to the company. It can be quite overwhelming if you don't have a plan in place. For example, one thing that can easily be overlooked is the BOL paperwork for your return shipment.

Generally, you set up your return shipment in advance with a carrier you like, at a negotiated rate. When the show has ended you turn in your paperwork and your carrier picks up your goods. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? However, if you fail to turn in your paperwork or fail to mention important instructions to your carrier, your shipment could get “forced.”

So how can you avoid the expensive, additional cost?

1. Always work with a carrier you trust, or one that has good references.

2. Make sure your carrier follows the show instructions to the letter.

3. If the pickup is scheduled between 1 PM and 5 PM, make sure your carrier will be in line at 11 AM! Let them know if they fail to check in on time, your freight is likely to be forced!

4. Make sure your BOL is filled out properly and accompanies the freight to your carrier.

5. Make sure all of your crates/pallets are properly labeled.

6. Be sure to provide your carrier a phone number in case they need to contact you.

With a little luck, you can save thousands of dollars and the unnecessary stress of forced freight if you follow these six guidelines.

Posted by Ryan Lester, Clearr Corporation

How to Use Poster Frames to Enhance Your Store or Office Décor

By Teri Mountin, Clearr Corporation

Posters are a wonderful and cost-effective way to decorate your store or office. Interesting, beautiful, eye-catching posters can be purchased online or at national chain retail stores like Michael’s Crafts for a fraction of what original art or furnishings would cost. They come in all sizes and shapes, and turn a boring space into an instant gallery.

Better for your business, these days you can quickly and easily create custom posters from your own photographs, advertising, artwork, or graphics you like. Some of your suppliers may be able to give you attractive readymade posters, or ads from their companies that can be made into posters, to showcase and promote the products or services you sell.

My favorite source for custom posters is FedEx/Kinko’s. For as little as $39.95 (as of April, 2009) you can take your photo, ad, graphic, or digital memory card into a FedEx/Kinko’s store anywhere in the country and come out with a poster in a matter of minutes or hours, depending on how busy the staff is. Or you can send your digital file to their online printing service, and get the poster back in a matter of days. Most locations also have a self-serve machine for making or copying oversize posters, and can provide custom backlit or edgelit frames that really make a statement.

A sturdy frame manufactured for commercial use costs a little more, but is a good investment in the long run. It’s durable, will last you for many years, will stand up to abuse, and will allow you to change the contents as your products, preferences, or world change. Posters that were perfect in your store in, say, 1980, would make you look outdated today. Frames designed for commercial use won’t be dated.

I’ve adapted six eHow.com step-by-step residential suggestions for planning how you’re going to arrange, find and hang your posters:

1. Survey your space. Decide whether it will benefit from one or two large posters or a cluster of smaller ones. Draw a “map” of the wall, indicating the heights of furniture and any wall-mounted shelves or fixtures. Make notes on the existing colors.

2. Envision what you want the poster décor to do. Do you want the poster to promote a product or service? Bring a theme into the store, or make it more colorful and appealing? For example, if you sell products from Mexico, you might want colorful scenes of Mexico. If you sell insurance, you might want a poster of a happy, healthy family. Do you want a panoramic landscape to “open up” a small office space?

3. Browse. Shop for posters online or at crafts stores, or look through your own files, sell sheets, company literature, and photographs for images you’d like to make into posters. You might start out with one idea and see something you think is much better suited to your goals.

4. Choose the right frames for your posters and your space. Remember this isn’t your daughter’s dorm room. Choose a display frame made for a commercial establishment or office that’s durable, changeable, and attractive. Most manufacturers can make frames in whatever size and color you choose, or a variety of durable metal materials. Consider frames that are backlit, edgelit, prismatic, or scrolling if you want your poster to attract maximum attention. Orders from anywhere in the world can be made online, by phone, or by fax.

5. Hang or place your posters. Commercial frames are often attached to the wall with bolts or screws, or can be hung or placed on an easel. Posters to be placed in a shop window or arcade can be made with a closed back, or a box frame that stands by itself. Small posters can be put in box frames so they stand on a counter, bookshelf or desk. A small, backlit poster can draw customers’ attention to a particular location or content you want to make their first impression, or focus.

6. Change your poster décor frequently. Keep yourself and your customers from getting bored! Consider changing your posters with the seasons. You can store posters rolled in tubes until the each season rolls around again the next year.

Far too many stores and offices are just plain dull, when they could be cheerful, inviting, and pleasant to enter with something like a few nice posters. Your most profitable item could be promoted in such a prominent, mega sized, or maybe backlit way your customers couldn’t help noticing it.

Alternatively, in this age when people want to put a “face” on the companies they deal with, you could create a poster of yourself, your family, your pets, your suppliers, or your store or office with customers. A popular Minneapolis restaurant is named after the owner’s young daughter and dog, and dramatically decorated with fabulous black-and-white posters featuring them.

Posted by Ryan Lester, Clearr Corporation

Signs of an Economic Recovery

In today's grim economic climate, Clearr Corporation customer Bed Bath & Beyond offers a glimmer of hope after reporting a 13.5% profit in the first quarter. Same-store sales (sales for individual stores in a retail chain that have been open for more than one year) were down 1.6%, but it was less of a decline than had been anticipated. Since Bed Bath & Beyond products are not necessities, these numbers could indicate that consumers are releasing the tight grip on their wallets, which could help kick-start the economy. Time magazine refers to it as the "Bed Bath & Beyond Barometer," in which an increase in home improvement could be an early indicator of an econonic recovery.

Posted by Ryan Lester, Clearr Corporation