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my Sign Planning Guide, from "TheSignExpert.Com"

iSign

iSign

New Member
I'm sure some of you remember Tim from TheSignExpert.Com
He is a merchant member here, although I don't think he's been around too much lately.

He has his own sign company, plus he has the website mentioned above, where he has created several forms or templates to give or sell to sign shop owners.

One thread from about a year ago talks about his "Free Sign Planning Guide" and talks a little about how he uses it on his sign company website, to help him bring in more business in his region.

On a related note, many of you know that Jon Aston of Marketing Partners is also a merchant member, specializing in marketing.

Anyway, Jon was helping me throughout the entire process of planning my website & bringing in Joe Diaz to build it. Now Jon is helping me with my plans to do a direct mail piece to drive traffic to the new website, & inform the existing clients in my database of the new equipment & expanded product line here at Island Sign.

One of the tools Jon had suggested I consider was buying the Sign Planning Guide from TheSignExpert.Com

I ended up doing massive amounts of work to make it my own, and in fact I have practically rebuilt everything from scratch now, using only the concept & some of the statistics... but that alone made a great inspirational launch pad for me to "copy" Tim's idea, knowing I was permitted to do so.

Anyway, it's done unless some of you fine folks discover typos, or any design imperfections that really need to be addressed. There will also be one additional page added later. That will be the "Exclusive Promotions" page at the end. The promotions page will be updated every quarter or so, but I haven't drawn that up yet.

Anyway, I'd appreciate it very much if some of you would take a look at this .pdf document & tell me what you think of it!
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
I made a comment a few days ago about not learning much, I need to take it back because there is a few more things, watching you, Jon Aston, Joe Diaz and now The Sign Expert go through this process has been a very big highlight of my experience here.

Great Work, I am working in a capabilities brochure for a client and a basic sign planning guide but forgot about Sign Experts, worth more than the freebie he is giving away, will pony up for it today...
 
Dan Antonelli

Dan Antonelli

New Member
First off - it's truly awesome. Few typesetting issues (like the leading on your main heads is way too loose), and of course, the Avante Garde should be lost. Oops. Sorry, still trying to get you to change that love affair you have with it! (HAHA)

Are these all separate sell sheets or part of one larger document? Will it be actually printed - or sent to people via PDF? If it's a booklet, then you should have left and right side pages, and the redundancy of the logo and contact info on each and every page is a bit much. As is the copyright. So that part seemed odd, but not knowing if they were facing pages or not. If they are than maybe logo on one side and testimonial graphic on other spread?

What I think would make this piece even more powerful would be to integrate testimonials in it.

Can we get some drop shadows under the pics? Layout feels a little flat. AGain, minor thing, and fine as is.

Simple brilliant Doug - congrats.


Dan
 
P

Poconopete

New Member
In the Banners section "might have lead to excessive wear", I ain't great wit da propa engrish but I think lose the "have"
 
D&Tgraphics

D&Tgraphics

New Member
That is very nice Doug. Very informative. I think it will do very good for you. It's a very good way to educate the customer. :thumb:
 
P

Poconopete

New Member
The rest looks great! Having your name & number on every page is good, beat it into them. In "my" market I would leave the budget range out and put "we can work within your budget to produce an appealing sign for your business" or something to that effect.
 
S

speedmedia

New Member
WOW, that is great! Very informative for sure. Great way to educate your customers as well as fill them with some very important facts.

I agree with leaving the budgets out and just putting something to the effect of "Will work in your budget or towards your budget".

I think every shop should have a guide like this!

Thanks,
Kurt
 
RJ California

RJ California

New Member
I looked through it very quickly just now and I think it makes a great first impression from a customer point of view. I too have been planning on putting together a piece that includes budget ranges. I think this helps set the proper tone for the initial prospect conversation by establishing ballpark figures for different types of sign projects.
Great job.
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
thanks for looking everyone!
Dan, those are some great suggestions. I do think a .pdf download is the primary intent, but I plan to bind some, & have also thought they could work well as individual sheets... so I guess i don't know what all will come of it, but I will be keeping your comments in mind.

Pete, I found that passage & wonder what others think... read it again & I wonder if the preceeding reference to additional reinforcement available, makes that word "have" become correct to identify what could have happened, without reinforcement... I just don't know.

ddarlak... thanks for noticing that... I was wondering if I had really left a phrase like that in there & sure enough I was so focused on text being on the right side only, that I never edited that half page at all... it's doubly wierd to me too... so, I'll take care of it :smile:

What does anyone think of this for a postcard? (excluding the font :covereyes:)

postcardidea-01.jpg
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
The ones I am designing are:

-capabilities brochure, (pretty much high end type brochure)
-sign guide (similar to the planning guide)
-individual sheets for proposals
-individual sheets for on-site marketing at the shop
-proposal folder
-presentation folder

Some screen printed, some digital, trying to talk them into various paper types.

some will have the logo and copyright, some will not need it.

then a powerpoint presentation, having the look match the retail interior. I am also designing the store interior layouts and kiosks.

I have about 100 sign company brochures I was going through for inspiration and after roughing in some copy I was going to send it to a copy editor since my copy skills suck.

I played with a single sheet layout for the heck of it.... it will change, just got excited about it... 29 bucks is cheap for the template
 

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Doyle

Doyle

New Member
Doug, this is nothing short of pure brilliance. I love what you have done with this and only wish that l had something just like it for myself. Which leads to my next question; can l make one of these (obviously taylored to my unique business) for myself? l would like to use yours as sort of an outline. What you have done here should be handed out to anyone and everyone that is in the market for a sign of any kind.

Keep up the awesome work!
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
template schemplate... I'm still short of brilliant... or whatever you said... but yeah, ask Tim (with $29) not me...


Open mic? What do you play Doyle?
I just played drums Sunday with a different bunch of guys & had one of the best jams in years!!

I always liked open mic for the thrill of risking public humiliation just for a shot at public adulation!

Nice job on the Vehicle Graphics sheet Rick!
I love the idea of cropping one van photo out of it's background!
The illustrated template van looks good too... how much do you charge anyway :notworthy:
 
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