SmallBusinessSuperMakeoverPRWInners (2)

Like most relatively young businesses, we can certainly use some additional help and guidance.  That’s why this contest was so important to us!  Thanks to the contest sponsors and creator, Jen DeVore of Marque by Design, we are fortunate to be the recipients of $8,000 in donated business services.  We know this will help us out greatly with understanding and using social media, SEO, financial planning and cash flow management and much much more!

Question Not Should You Wrap but How Soon Can You Wrap?

I just can’t help but stay excited about vehicle wraps and graphics.  They are eye-catching, gorgeous, protect the car’s paint, and from a “cost per impression” marketing perspective, just can not be beat.

Last week we were fortunate to complete a project for Keith Gurr, President of American Window Products, Inc. on Powers Ave. here in town.  Keith’s company is locally owned and operated with 50 years combined experience providing high quality replacement windows and storm doors.  Check him out at www.americanwindowsproducts.biz.

Keith was scheduled to take delivery of three spanking brand new Ford Transits from Duval Ford and decided to “take the plunge” and put these cute little guys on the road fully wrapped to the hilt.  As is our custom, we had a consultation meeting with Keith, our designer and myself to hear directly from Keith what his “vision” was for the art on the new Transits.  Given the name of his company, Keith wanted to stick with an Americana theme but also feature some of their product offerings and of course contact information. 

We were able to wrap the three vehicles in three days last week!  So Keith now has a rolling marketing program every day those vehicles are out on our busy Jacksonville streets bringing quality replacement windows to his customers and being noticed by “future” customers who will say “I really need to get that window fixed” when reminded by one of Keith’s Transits!

Ok.  But what if you really don’t think you are ready for a fully wrapped vehicle?  Does that mean you are limited to just some boring cut vinyl lettering on your door?  Not at all!  We can use the same high quality 3M materials to print a partial wrap along with window perf to still proudly and loudly display your brand and contact information.

When Nanette Orlins who together with her husband Morgan run Morgan’s Window Cleaning Inc. in Ponte Vedra contacted us, she said she had a plain white Savana and a newly designed logo.  This van is in the field daily doing a wonderful job pressure washing the beautiful Ponte Vedra Beach homes and windows of their clients and Nanette just thought it could be working harder for them with some well placed graphics.

All Nanette needed was their new logo and phone number.  Her clever logo design subtly says it all:  Windows, water splash, blue on white.  Clear, straightforward, effective.  I love it!

In case you’re reading this and thinking oh wow, I could never afford something like this . . . .

Let’s assume you already acknowledge that you need to advertise your business.  A 1x full-page newspaper ad is going to cost you $900 – $1,000.  And any advertising consultant is going to tell you, and rightly so, that a one time ad is truly money down the drain.  So let’s say you run that ad between 8-20 times.  You get a “volume” discount down to $625 so for the minimum of 8 insertions, you’re up to $5,000 already.  And 8x really isn’t a significant advertising campaign.  Yellow pages advertising?  Multiples of that for a one time presence in I’m sorry, but an increasingly archaic medium.

A stem to stern vehicle wrap on even a full-sized truck is not going to remotely cost you $5,000 in today’s market.  It’s going to last 3-5 years and be seen by 30,000 to 70,000 people daily.  It’s a one time cost and works for you 24 x 7 provided the vehicle can be seen.  The statistics in favor or wrapping your fleet vehicles are just staggering.

So the question is not should you wrap, but how fast can you call First Coast Signs at 904-398-3993 and get your fleet vehicles wrapped!    Thanks for letting me share these two recent client experiences with you!

INTERIOR GLASS OPTIONS
We love working with specialty vinyl for interior glass options. That’s why I was delighted to see the article in April’s edition of Glass Magazine address new glass options that are available as well as options for visual privacy on page 31. (www.GlassMagazine.com).

Relative to privacy applications, the article indicated that “Architects can also look to laminated products that provide different degrees of opacity and color options”. Additionally, “Many designers choose glass that obstructs views of a particular area in a room, such as clear glass with a decorative horizontal bank that would block views at desk levels.”
This is what we were able to accomplish for a Jacksonville client’s boardroom, obscuring the view of those seated at the board room table, illustrated in the photo above.

U.S. Preventive’s Logo in Etched Glass Vinyl
Other uses do not always require “privacy”. And as the article pointed out, “One’s imagination is the only limitation to what is possible”. We achieved the above look using Avery’s Etchmark Etched Glass Film. This product provides the look of real etched glass at a fraction of the cost by eliminating the need for sandblasting. Etchmark has a 15 year durability for interior applications.
We also used Avery’s Etchmark working with Content Design Group for Bold Bean Brewery’s window vinyl.

Understated elegance with a touch of window vinyl.
Lastly, 3M makes a beautiful Interior Design Film called Fasara. Fasara combines Far Eastern design traditions with 21st Century technology to offer innovative new ways to manage space. When applied to glass, Fasara films create a serene, etched glass appearance reminiscent of the rice paper partitions used in Japanese culture for centuries to divide interior spaces. Available in several textures, which can be die-cut for highly customized applications, Fasara films can be used to create a more private atmosphere or a more dynamic aesthetic. This was the product we used for these window/door logos below.

3M’s Fasara San Marino for both privacy and beauty.
Oracal is yet another manufacturer of specialty vinyl that we have enjoyed working with. One product in particular provides the option of either a “fine” or “coarse” texture depending on your client’s preference and has a 7 year internal durability.

If we may ever be of assistance with information regarding products and options available for interior (or exterior) glass options on any of your projects, we would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Malden
First Coast Signs, Inc.
Rebecca@firstcoastsigns.com
904-654-5946

Existing Attorney Signs in San Marco that Henry Gare's Needed to Match

Next to knowing I’m going to see water if I drive 10 minutes in any direction, the second thing I love most about Jacksonville are its distinctive and defined “neighborhoods”. Say San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, San Jose, Arlington, Saint Nicholas to a local and it is instant recognition of exactly where you’re doing business or going.

So we were delighted to be called by Henry Gare, Attorney at Law, about his relocation to San Marco and need of a brand new sign.

Since there were already two other attorneys in Mr. Gare’s new offices, we needed to try to make his sign match the ones that were already there. As was said in “My Cousin Vinny”, it needed to “blend”.

The challenge is to “match” signs that have already been weathered in the sun and elements, and using the same or very very similar materials when we were not the folks who made the original signs.

So armed with our tape measure and paint swatches, we went with 1/4″ acrylic dimensional letters and a substrate of 3/4″ PVC.  Carlton painted the “board” and the faces of the dimensional letters.  Our fabricator provided us with a stencil for accurate placement of the letters on the PVC. 

Back room at First Coast Signs transformed temporarily from a vehicle wrap area to a workshop.

We also had to pay attention to how the other two signs were mounted so that we could “match” how that was done as well.

End result?  Mr. Gare was wonderful to work with and understood that while we would do our best to match the existing signs as closely as possible, his sign was still going to look “newer” than his fellow tenants.  We suspect after a summer in our Florida sun, the signs will be a spot on match!

Matching "New" to Existing

Please think of First Coast Signs if we may ever be of assistance with YOUR new sign, external or internal!  Thank you Henry Gare!

2012 Hyundai Accent A Sharp "Canvas" for a Partial Wrap

While we may be “partial” to full wraps, a “partial” wrap of your vehicle can perfectly meet your needs as well.

We thought the color of these two cars so perfectly complimented the graphics that this was a case where you’d have to think twice before you realized the whole car wasn’t wrapped.   This certainly is an excellent example of a true “partial wrap” as opposed to vehicle “graphics” which tend to be a simple decal or cut vinyl phone number.

All the pertinent information is still there, as well as the famous characature of “Brandon”, our area’s only certified termite detection “real life” working dog.

So if you’re exploring whether or not you need a full vehicle wrap, we recommend you consult with your designer and determine if a partial wrap might meet your needs.  Once you determine your art and if it is going to be a new vehicle, make sure the color of your new vehicle compliments your graphics.  We think Brandon Pest Control and their design team at Caraway Grammel & Associates did a very effective job of creating a seamless “look” by paying close attention to their coloration and graphics!

Featuring his album covers.

Keeping with the theme of our last two blogs, wanted to share the most recent “custom” corn hole board prints we produced for Jimmy Buffet this week!

Ah, brought back sweet sweet memories from my days at Franklin Bank in Southfield, Michigan.  I had a good friend who had season tickets to the then Pine Knob outdoor theater and every year he gave me his Jimmy Buffet tickets!  So a bunch of us from the bank would get together, grill cheeseburgers in the parking lot, and in general just enjoy the “sights” of the other tailgaters and how they had their vehicles decorated prior to the concert.  Henry Mayers if you’re still out there, thanks again for the tickets!  Ah but I digress . . ..

"Nothing remains quite the same . . . "

On to unique canvas applications!  I promised to share with you this recent canvas “memento” print that was given to participants in the 150th Anniversary Bacardi Marathon just run on January 29 in Miami.  Nellie Knowles and Takashi Nakamura of Bacardi here in Jacksonville (http://www.bacardilimited.com/) contacted us looking for something classier than just a vinyl poster so we showed them our canvas options and they had these produced for the runners. 

Taylor Swift Custom Corn Hole Board

The other of Taylor Swift's Custom Corn Hole Board Prints

If we can do it for Taylor Swift and Bob Seger, we can do it for you!

That’s right, why not customize your Corn Hole Boards and Beer Pong Table with your own digitally printed images?

We printed a set of Corn Hole Table prints for Taylor Swift and Bob Seger to be presented as a gift when they performed here in Jacksonville.

So I got to thinking:  How cool would this be as a personalized “gift” idea if folks asked us to create a customized, digitally printed and laminated print for their own Corn Hole Boards or Beer Pong Tables?

If you’re like me, you LOVE it when someone takes the time to create a unique, specific only on to YOU, gift.  You could decorate your boards and tables with a person’s hobby, hi resolution photos that commemorate a special event like a wedding or family reunion, really, as long as the image is not copy written of course, you would be limited only by your imagination.

"Just take those old records off the shelf . . ."

If you can envision it and provide us with the images, or want us to design it for you once we’ve discussed what you want to see, we can create a customized set of Corn Hole Boards or a Beer Pong Table that will be one of a kind for you to regale your friends or give as a gift!

Corn Hole Boards of the Rich and Famous! We can customize a set for YOU!

Just another creative use of a sign!  Print it and stick it!  Call us at 904-398-3993 if we can help you with this.

We have printable canvas that is beautifully compatible with our wide format Roland CMYK printer. If you love the look of canvas but cannot quite afford an oil or acrylic version of your art, you may be quite pleased with this alternative.

Our Monet Canvas is a heavyweight 10 oz coated canvas with a prominent tooth that is ideal for giclee art reproductions. It is also used for eye-catching POP signage, museum displays, interior decorating, and store signage. This strong, yet flexible, canvas features a uniform matte texture and its specialized coating allows for vibrant, photo-realistic printing and a wide color gamut. Processed with a DigiCoat, these textiles have a coating which assures a sharp, crisp print quality while maintaining the texture and feel of the original fabric.

Art reproduced on Monet Canvas and Tru Color Historic Canvas.

We also have a product named Tru Color Historic Canvas which achieves a warmer, more “worn” look due to its more beige hue.  See the above art printed on both.

Our thanks to Heather Anne Sams, MA, MBA, President and “Creative Inspiration Officer” at HAS Art Solutions for providing us with the above art for demonstration purposes.

In early January, we are producing 18″ x 24″ posters for a marathon keepsake from a very well known Jacksonville company on the Monet Canvas.  Once they’ve been delivered, we’ll share with you how those turned out as well.  The company decided they very much preferred the “look” and texture of their print on the canvas versus a more traditional keepsake poster on laminated vinyl. 

“Different strokes for different folks!”  Talk to First Coast Signs when you’re looking for a creative alternative to your sign/poster/wide-format digital print projects.

Real Estate Signs with Real Curb Appeal

As Carlton and I drove from our office to San Marco for some lunch this lovely, sunny afternoon (Hurricane Wings–the BEST!), I made it a point to look at real estate signs there and back.

Lots of them. But unfortunately, they kind of “meld” together.

Why? Think you can’t stand out from the crowd with your real estate signs? Well think again.

Maghen Wells, CEO, Broker, Realtor, SFR, BPOR of Peninsula Properties Realty was definitely NOT into boring signs that blend in with everyone else.

So when she came to First Coast Signs looking for ways to make sure her signs had “curb appeal” we were all over it!

Maghen’s ensemble included an AGENT ON DUTY sign that actually ended up being another signcade similar to her OPEN HOUSE signs, multiple FOR SALE signs for her listings and a pair of vehicle magnets for herself and two additional agents.

We used laminated digital prints on aluminum substrates for the signs and magnetic roll material for the magnets. But what REALLY provided Maghen with the “pop” or “bling” she was after was actual gold leaf vinyl cut letters for AGENT ON DUTY, FOR SALE, OPEN HOUSE and the names and phone numbers on her magnets. Pretty sharp, don’t you agree? Brings to mind Manfred Man’s “Blinded by the Light” when the sun hits those letters!

Not only do Maghen’s signs provide some exciting call to action, but her AGENT ON DUTY sign also promotes her agency’s expertise in handling short sales, foreclosures and her offer of a Free Market Analysis.

So remember, it’s more than just putting your name and number out there. You need to “sell”. Explore options to differentiate yourself from your competition. Let Jacksonville know your special areas of expertise. Draw buyers and sellers to you because you do have the creativity and moxey to “stand out” and be memorable.

First Coast Signs would be more than happy to discuss options and ideas with you that will have the town talking about your gorgeous signs–and most importantly, make folks want to list with you or have you handle the buy side of their transaction.

Remember: Life is too short for boring signs!

Content Design Group and their clients, Jay and Zack Burnett, owners of Bold Bean, chose Avery Specialty Films 100 Etchmark, an etched glass film for their windows and doors.  The product provides the look of real etched glass at a fraction of the cost by eliminating the need for sandblasting.  We love working with this product since it produces such a classy, artistic look that is subtle but still makes a statement.

Avery Etchmark Creates Understated Branding

For the twelve-foot high wall graphic inside the brew bar, we were able to use our standard vinyl, Oracal 3641.  This versatile product is great for interior or exterior signage, decals, nameplates, die-cut letters and more.  Applying an overlaminate to the finished print added body and protection for ease of handling and installing.   

Digitally printed and laminated vinyl makes it SO easy to create distinctive wall coverings for any interior.

Thanks to Content Design Group and Bold Bean again for the opportunity to work on this project.  Watch for two additional window graphic projects that we hope will come to fruition in January!