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Your Business Needs Lighted Signage – Here’s Why

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The Importance of Good Business Signage

A first impression is a lasting impression. When potential customers or clients drive by your business, they should be able to see it clearly and easily. Lighted signage is one of the best ways to ensure your business stands out, day or night. 

There are many benefits of having lighted signage. It can help you attract new customers, increase brand awareness, and improve your overall image. Good business signage can also help you stand out from your competition. 

Looking to give your business a bright boost? Lighted signage is the way to go! Read on to learn more about the advantages and features to watch out for.

Enhancing Your Business with Lighted Signs

Lighted signage is not just about standing out. It is also an effective way to draw attention, inform, and advertise your business to potential new customers. Here are some of the ways lighted signage can help: 

  • Lighted signage makes it easier for customers to identify your business since it’s highly visible and distinctive. 
  • Lighted signage can also be used for advertising campaigns and marketing efforts. They can provide potential customers with more information about your business and can stimulate more foot traffic and sales.
  • Lighted signage also helps to strengthen your brand and create an overall professional image that reflects the quality of your services. 
  • Lastly, lighted signage is great for enhancing the aesthetic of your outdoor space and can make your business highly noticeable day and night.

The Benefits of Lighted Signs for Businesses

There are many benefits of lighted signage. Here are some of the key ways in which lighted signage can have a positive impact on your business: 

  • Increased visibility: Lighted signage is far easier to spot at night, making it easier for potential customers to find your business when they are out and about.
  • Cost-efficient: Unlike many other forms of marketing, signage is usually a one-time cost whereas other forms of marketing often come with monthly expenses. 
  • Branding: Lighted signage is a great way to make your brand more recognized and distinguishable from other businesses. Especially if you are in a busy strip mall.
  • Durability: Lighted signage is usually extremely durable, meaning it can withstand all types of weather, making it a great investment for any business.
  • Safety: Due to its visibility, lighted signage is also a great way to ensure that your business is easily found by safety personnel in case of an emergency.

What to Look For in Outdoor Lighted Signs for Business

When it comes to choosing lighted signage for your business, there are some important factors you will want to consider:

  • Visibility: The sign should be easily visible both day and night. Make sure the brightness level of the sign is adjustable and it has a great color contrast with its background.
  • Design: You want to select a sign with an eye-catching design that accurately conveys your brand. Also, make sure the design is appropriate for your business, as it will give people the right first impression.
  • Quality: Make sure the sign is made from quality materials that are weather-resistant and durable. This will ensure your sign can withstand different weather conditions and still look attractive. 
  • Technology: Depending on your business and budget, you may want to opt for lighted signage with advanced technologies such as LCD screens or programmable backlighting. 
  • Installation: Work with a professional to ensure your signage is secured properly to your storefront and maintains durability through natural wear and tears.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Lighted Signage

Once you have selected a business sign that fits your needs, there are a few important steps you can take to get the most out of it:

  • Place the sign in an ideal location: make sure the sign can be seen by your target audience, regardless of day or night. If the sign is in a parking lot make sure it’s double-sided.
  • Ensure the sign is visible to passers-by: consider the location and size of the sign when placing it; you want to make sure it stands out.
  • Leave room for updates: avoid having a sign that could become outdated; opt for a sign that can be updated easily and affordably.
  • Follow the rules: make sure the sign complies with the local regulations and conforms to the building code.
  • Maintain the sign: schedule regular maintenance to keep the sign in great condition and ensure its longevity.

Let Bishop Image Group Help Make Your Business Stand Out

With more than 20 years in the business, our team is fearless when it comes to last-minute projects and tight deadlines. Our commitment to fulfilling even the most complex orders is part of what sets Bishop Image Group apart. 

Bishop Image Group has done it all, from commercial real estate signage and high-rise signage plastered across a building to storefront signage intended to drive customers through your front door.  Contact us today to request a free quote on your commercial signage. We’re here to help!

Trade show banners

How to Leverage Signage to Stand Out at Events & Tradeshows

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Don’t Skip the Vinyl Banners

Of all the ways to make your booth stand out in an event or trade show, vinyl banners can be one of the most impactful – at least at first. Vinyl banners are known for their crisp, high-quality graphics and bright colors, and an expertly designed banner can command attention across even the most crowded room. You can use a banner as your booth’s primary signage by hanging it up high, or you can place two banners on each side of your booth to keep with your chosen theme. Vinyl is also incredibly durable, which means it can travel with you from one trade show or event to the next.  

Create a Signage Theme

If you really want to leverage all your signage, make sure it follows a relevant theme. While bright colors are fantastic, if you use too many of them in your signs, you’ll overwhelm your audience. Instead, use color psychology to your advantage, and choose the colors that portray your theme’s message. Do you want your audience to feel hungry? Opt for red. Do you want your product, company, or offering to come across as trustworthy? Go with brown or purple as your theme color instead. Make sure you build your theme around your value proposition and what you’re offering to the crowd. 

Don’t Make it Complicated

One of the worst things you can do with your event or trade show signage is cram a ton of information onto dozens of signs spread around your booth. Keep things simple. The more you try to say with your signage, the more your booth is going to blend into the background. There are dozens of booths in a relatively small space, and each one has its own unique theme, color palette, and message. Don’t overwhelm people who are visiting your booth; make it easy for them to understand the message efficiently and effectively instead.

Include Digital Information

While the signage at an event or trade show should be mostly physical in nature, it provides a fantastic opportunity to introduce people to your website, your email address, and even your social media accounts. One of the very best tips for making it easy for people to connect with you on the digital front involves creating a QR code that you can put on your signage. When visitors scan the code with their camera apps, you get to decide where it takes them. You can send them to your website if you want, or you can create a landing page specific to the event or trade show that will help you capture information and leads. 

Leveraging your signage to stand out at a trade show is all about creating a theme, keeping things simple, and using creative design to grab visitors’ attention. If you’re interested in professional signage for your next event or trade show, reach out to the experts at Bishop Image Group. We specialize in trade show signage and graphics, and we can help you make sure your next event is a hit.  

Soul Smoke Van

The Psychology of Color in Retail and Restaurant Signage

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Unbelievably, retail establishments and restaurants don’t just choose their favorite colors when developing their signage. In fact, there’s a great deal of psychology behind the colors used for channel letters, window signs, and other types of signage. Below, you can learn more about how these colors can generate emotions and which colors you should use to have the biggest impact. 

What Do Colors Mean?

The most successful businesses choose color very carefully when designing their logos and signage, and they do this because individual colors elicit certain emotions within the consumer within seconds. 

Red

Red is known to stimulate the consumer and grab their attention, so it comes as no surprise that it’s incredibly popular among restaurants. Steak ‘n Shake, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and many other well-known restaurants use red to stimulate hunger. Red can also be used to indicate love, heat, urgency, courage, or fun.

Pink

Pink is soft and warm it’s often associated with calmness, innocence and optimism. Pink generates feelings of nurturing, femininity, sweetness, happiness, and compassion. Some brands that have used pink in their logos include, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins and Victoria Secret.

Yellow

In a sea of color, the eye will always notice yellow first. McDonald’s used this to its advantage with the Golden Arches, and if you look at many of your favorite logos, yellow is a key player. It is cheerful, warm, and optimistic, and in many cases, it can also construe a sense of affordability to the consumer. 

Orange

Orange is fun and casual, which is evident when you look at companies like Harley-Davidson, Nickelodeon, and Hooters. Orange can also create feelings of energy, creativity, and confidence. 

Blue

Blue is the single most popular color among consumers, and more than half will claim blue is their favorite color in surveys. Blue indicates trust and authority and has a calming effect, which is why it’s so commonly used on hospital walls. Facebook, Chase, IBM, and Unilever all use blue to generate feelings of trust with consumers and help them appear more professional. 

Green

Light green elicits feelings of nature and health, while dark green evokes emotions surrounding wealth, elegance, and royalty. It’s common among eco-friendly brands, and it’s also ideal for finance companies. Some of the brands using green to their advantage include Cargill, Animal Planet, and Green Giant, and it’s also the color of cold, hard cash.

Purple

Purple means luxury, magic, mystery, courage, and prestige. Some of the most well-known brands using purple to influence consumers include FedEx, Roku, Twitch, and Taco Bell.

Black

While some people believe there are negative connotations associated with black, it’s a neutral color that can convey power, strength, and authority. It’s also quite common among tech companies and can even be used to indicate glamor or sleekness. Nike, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Coach all use a lot of black in their signage and advertising. 

Brown

Brown reminds people of the earth; companies use it to elicit feelings of stability, dependability, and honesty. UPS has used brown for years to show consumers they’re the most reliable shipping company, and companies like M&M’s and Ugg use it, as well. 

White 

White is another neutral color that represents peace, purity, innocence, and positivity. It’s also the go-to color for representing cleanliness. Kitchens, bathrooms, and hospitals tend to use a lot of white in their decor for these reasons. 

When designing signage for your retail business or restaurant, choose colors that help you describe your business according to the emotions you want to elicit. For example, red and white are excellent choices for restaurants because they elicit hunger and indicate cleanliness, whereas brown or purple can help your business appear trustworthy and safe. If you are interested in professional signage for your business, reach out to the experts at Bishop Image Group. We have 20 years of experience in color psychology and design, and we look forward to hearing from you. 

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How Healthcare Signage Has Evolved Over the Years

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Healthcare signage may not seem like an interesting topic, but in reality, it tells an incredible story. Young people wouldn’t even recognize the healthcare signs from 20 years ago. Below, you can learn more about the major changes that have occurred in healthcare signage over the years and how those changes can help to predict the future. 

Healthcare Signage 20 Years Ago

If you’re old enough to do so, think back to 20 years ago. It’s the early 2000s, and the digital era has only just begun. Step into any hospital anywhere in the nation, and you’ll probably notice one common theme: it’s almost sterile. The walls are tan or beige. The tile or carpet is neutral. The only real signage is the placards on the walls indicating where you were and where to go to find a specific room or department. In some cases, you might find framed portraits of surgeons, doctors, or other medical staff, but this was fairly rare in those days. All in all, hospitals, clinics, and even doctors offices were uninviting and dull. 

As a result, people experienced negative emotions upon entering these healthcare facilities. Some immediately felt apprehensive or fearful, and many other people were just bored. This doesn’t bode well for hospitals and healthcare facilities, especially when they’re in competition with others in the local area. This sparked a healthcare signage revolution that has not only changed the way these facilities look, but it has also changed the way people feel when they step inside. 

How Things Have Changed

Today, healthcare facilities have worked hard to make their premises more inviting and comfortable. Rather than tan or beige walls, they have upgraded to various shades of blue (calming) or yellow (happy). Instead of stark walls and corridors, hospitals have started to use signage that incorporates huge landscapes, which gives patients and visitors alike a more vibrant, colorful environment that doesn’t feel too out of place. 

Many facilities use signage to announce new personnel, new departments, and modern technologies that can improve their visitors’ health. The signage uses calming, yet authoritative phrases strategically placed under the smiling, gentle face of a prominent doctor or surgeon. They even order signage for their cafeterias, gift shops, and on-site coffee shops to make them more inviting and comfortable. The possibilities are truly endless, and with every passing year, healthcare signage continues to improve.

Tips for Effective Healthcare Signage

Good healthcare signage utilizes strategies and advanced designs that can have a dramatic impact on the way people perceive a facility. Some of the best strategies to consider include:

  • Using wayfinding signage where appropriate. People often feel intimidated by the sheer size of hospitals and healthcare campuses. The proper use of wayfinding signs can help people navigate campuses, parking lots, and even corridors within facilities. 
  • Including your brand’s image in your signage. Including branding elements such as logos and colors is important for conveying a consistent image. Start with exterior signage since it gets the most views, then move on to lobbies and reception areas. 
  • Use wall displays and graphics to brighten spaces. Printed graphics and wall displays can completely transform the way a space looks, whether it’s a small nook in a waiting area or the back wall of a hospital cafeteria. Think creatively and use clever, on-brand graphics to bring spaces to life. 
  • Improving accessibility and safety. Many accessibility and safety signs are mandated by law, but there is still some flexibility in how they are displayed. Furthermore, placards indicating accessible restrooms, room names and numbers, and more can remain ADA compliant while incorporating a bit of creativity. 

The signage found in doctors’ offices, hospitals, healthcare campuses, and other facilities has changed dramatically throughout the years. If you are interested in updating the healthcare signage in your facility, contact the experts at Bishop Image Group. We can design and print high-visibility branded signage for wayfinding, information, and more, and we do it all while adhering to ADA accessibility and disability laws.

street pole banners

Street Pole Banners: 3 Ways to Stake Your Claim

Eye-catching street pole banners are a charming way to advertise your business. Pole banners are versatile, customizable, and timeless, making them an excellent tool for widespread brand awareness.

Unlike other signage options, pole banners are easy to switch-up with the seasons. Their lightweight design makes them simple to update, and their elevated location makes them highly visible to both pedestrians and drivers.

Thinking of using pole banners in your next add campaign? Here are three ways to use banners as effective signage solutions.

Street Pole Banners 101

Before we dive into banner locations, here’s a quick overview of common materials and mounting techniques.

Materials

Pole banners are designed to be durable and weatherproof. Since most pole banners are hung alongside roadways or in outdoor public areas, it’s essential that they withstand the elements and maintain their vibrancy and clarity. Most pole banner signs are made from either vinyl or polyester fabric, and can be processed with UV printing techniques to prevent fading over time.

Design

Like many outdoor signs, it’s crucial to make your pole banners visually striking and easy to read. Bright colors, bold fonts, and simple graphics are all excellent choices for effective pole banner signage. To streamline the design process, decide what purpose your pole banners need to serve. Are they offering directions? Advertising an upcoming event? Demarcating a campus or shopping center? Make sure the information you’re communicating is presented concisely, and stick to a “less is more” mentality when finalizing your design. 

Hanging Methods

Most pole banners are secured with either grommets or pole pockets.

  • Grommets are holes punched into the edge or corners of your banner and reinforced with metal rings. Banners with grommets can be hung using methods like nylon rope, hanging clips, or zip ties.
  • Pole pockets are long sleeves along the edge of the banner, similar to the rod sleeve in a bedroom curtain. Pole pockets are made by folding the banner fabric over on itself, and stitching along the fold to create a long, open-ended tube. These banners are hung by threading a rod through the pole pocket, and attaching the rod to the light pole.

Visibility

Pole banner signs need to be visible in order to be effective. To facilitate 360° visibility, successful pole banners are often double sided. Additionally, it’s essential to consider the size of the sign. Remember, pole banners are often displayed at least 13’ above ground, and need to be large enough to be legible from a distance.

Common Places to Hang Street Pole Banners

Pole banners are fantastic advertising and wayfinding solutions in a myriad of situations.

#1 Along Avenues

Relaying information to busy commuters is challenging. Although billboards are certainly an effective method for roadside advertising, they only provide a fleeting glance before commuters zip past. Alternatively, pole banners offer consistent advertising stretching down avenues, parkways, and streets. Regularly spaced light poles all displaying the same pole banner provide curious drivers the opportunity to see the details of an advertisement more than once. Make sure you get approval from your city planning department to place pole banners in public areas.  

#2 In Shopping Areas

Pole banners provide quaint atmosphere to town centers, main streets, and popular shopping districts. Banners in these locations might advertise a local event or festival, or demarcate a historic neighborhood. Since it’s relatively simple to swap out pole banners, they’re a great way to add seasonal ambiance to any location.

#3 On College Campuses

College campuses are a perfect location to utilize pole banners. Strategically placed banners can advertise campus-wide events like commencement, theatrical performances, or concerts. Banners on college campuses are also a great way to differentiate the campus from the surrounding town or city, or to give directions to administrative buildings. This helps visitors feel welcomed when they step on campus for the first time.

Designing Your Pole Banner Signs with Bishop Image Group

At Bishop Image Group, we prioritize providing customers with high-quality signage at affordable prices. Drawing on decades of experience, our team loves to embrace new challenges. Here at Bishop Image Group we aren’t afraid to tackle even the most last-minute jobs, or complicated orders. Our commitment to creativity, teamwork, and communication is what sets us apart. Contact us today to get started!

interior signage

4 Must-Haves in Interior Signage

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Creating a cohesive and informative interior signage plan for your business is one of the best ways to attract new customers and advertise your brand. Unlike exterior signage, which provides eye-catching advertising and brand recognition from a distance, interior signage can be more detailed, information-based, and aesthetically cohesive.

If you’re thinking of revamping your interior sign solutions, here are four strategies to keep your signs sharp and brand-conscious for years to come.

#1 Branding

Interior signs offer a fantastic opportunity to enhance your company’s brand and provide a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing customer experience. Choose interior sign solutions that highlight elements of your brand through subtle visual cues like fonts and logos. Interior signs can be customized to fit the color palette and aesthetic of the space, enhancing the distinctive and professional atmosphere of your business. The goal is to provide customers with essential information while also distinguishing your brand.

Although branding is part of a successful signage campaign, it’s wise to ensure that interior signs aren’t adhering to a temporary branding initiative or advertising trend. Interior signs should be simple and timeless, creating a cohesive and professional environment that will stay up-to-date for years to come.

#2 Wayfinding

Most signs are used to provide information and give directions. Installing clear, concise, intelligible wayfinding signage makes your business an easier place for customers to navigate. Focus on conveying essential information with clarity, while maintaining an aesthetic consistency with your design choices. Wayfinding signs should be intuitive, helping customers navigate the space with confidence.

In addition to providing directions, wayfinding signs help control traffic flow while directing customers to their desired location. Floor decals, wall-mounts, and even sidewalk sandwich boards are all effective signage solutions for guiding customers in an unobtrusive manner.

#3 Essential Information

Some signs provide essential information to help customers navigate your business. Informational signs provide context and details regarding products, services, and policies.

Informational signs should prioritize:

  • Clarity: Keep instructions brief and to the point. Don’t over-crowd your sign with too much jargon and unnecessary explanation.

  • Readability: Make sure the font size is legible from a distance and use simple, sans-serif fonts. Embrace contrasting font and background colors so it’s easy to see the words.

  • Graphics: Don’t just rely on words to convey vital information. Add graphics to depict essential actions or responses.

#4 ADA Compliance

In order to install certain signs in your business, you need to make sure you’re complying with ADA requirements. ADA compliant signs must adhere to a list of guidelines that dictate elements like height, font size, color contrast, and braille or automation. ADA compliance requirements may vary based on location, so it’s a smart to seek professional guidance to ensure you’re following all ADA guidelines.

Plan Interior Signage with an Eye Towards the Future

Outfitting your business with new signage is a big investment, so it makes sense that you’d want to ensure your signs stand the test of time.

To this end, try to plan ahead when it comes to investing in one-of-a-kind signs. Choose signs that are made to last, and will represent core elements of your brand for decades. Additionally, keep scalability in mind, and leave room to expand your signs down the road as your business continues to grow.

As you select the interior signs that work best for you, remember that at the end of the day, your goal is to create an intuitive and easily navigable experience for customers when they enter your business for the first time.

Embracing Interior Signage with Bishop Image Group

Here at Bishop Image Group, we provide signage solutions custom-made to enhance your business. After 20 years of experience in the sign industry, we’re proud to say that we still provide the same excellent service and innovative design.

Bishop Image Group is unique in our ability to tackle challenging last-minute projects and still provide top-notch results. We know that every challenge has a solution, and are confident in our abilities to navigate rushed orders or complex designs. If you’re looking for fast, high-quality, professional interior signage, contact our team today for your initial consultation. When you choose Bishop Image Group, we’re committed to helping your business thrive by providing creative, eye-catching signs.

rushing a print order

Rushing a Print Order? Here’s What You Need to Know

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You don’t always know when you’re going to need a printing job done – rushing a print order is a common issue we hear about all of the time. Thankfully, we’ve got the tools to get the job done fast. However, with expedited printing comes a few things you may not have initially considered.

What are some of the biggest factors you need to consider when rushing a printing order? While you may initially think printing on a time deficit is the biggest issue facing companies like yours, a variety of other variables play out when looking for a quick turnaround. Scale, scope, location, and installation can all spell the difference between a successful quick print and not getting the goods in time.

In this blog, we go over all of the considerations you need to make when rushing a printing order.

Considerations When You’re Rushing a Print Order

Scale and Scope

When you’re looking to rush a print job, the first thing that will come to your mind is likely how quickly something can actually get printed. Depending on the size and scale of your product, this can strongly alter how feasible rushing your printing order is.

For instance, some banners may be relatively simple to both print and install. However, large format printing can be considerably larger in scale, and requires more time to produce. Scale and scope will both strongly impact whether rushing a printing order is possible.

With this in mind, we’ve been able to work on time-crunches like this in the past. The best way to find out whether a job can be done is to contact us for a quote.

Location

Printing a job quickly can be an immense boon, but the distance it takes to send a print job to a location can impact both the overall cost as well as your timeline.

Bishop Image Group operates out of the Chicago area, but our reach is national in scope. We’ve helped companies and organizations from coast to coast with both the printing and installation of their projects. However, costs are directly impacted by these distances.

For instance, overnight shipping can raise the prices on an order, and last-minute installation can add an additional cost to an order. With supply chains still under tremendous strain, shipping has become riskier to delay in last-minute planning.

When rushing a printing order, consider how distance can hamper your ability to get a job done on time. And when in doubt, contact us.

Installation

Printing jobs are as varied as the companies that order them. Installation can be just as varied. When you’re rushing a print job, installation is the final component you must consider.

Some signs, such as banners, can be a relatively simple install. Trade show graphics may require almost no installation time at all. But other jobs like large format printing for massive real estate projects can be significantly larger tasks, particularly when it is on the side of a building.

Ask yourself: can I install this myself, or do I need specialized teams and equipment to get the job done with satisfactory results?

While rushing a print job might initially seem like a question about how quickly a sign can be delivered into your hands, remember that location and installation are equally as important to getting the results you want. Calling upon signage experts skilled in rushing a print job can make a quick turnaround a much simpler process.

When Rushing a Print Order, Call on the Printers of the Impossible

If you’re rushing a print order, you need a team that can print, deliver, and install signage on your timeline. Bishop Image Group may be just what you’re looking for.

From our base in Chicago, we excel in delivering high-quality signage to businesses from coast to coast.

Not sure if we’re the solution to your problem? Contact us now. Through our live chat, we’ll be able to give you an estimate based on your parameters and let you know if the job is feasible. We’ve provided excellent results on short time lines to businesses across industries, and are known as industry leaders who get the job done.

signs for restaurants

Navigating Dine-In and Take-Out with Signs for Restaurants

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Now that indoor dining is back in full swing, restaurants are faced with the challenge of reconfiguring their layout to accommodate COVID-19 safety measures – signs for restaurants are thus not only important for the purposes of advertising but informing. Patrons are still learning how to dine in a post-pandemic world, so take the opportunity to update your restaurant by posting clear, instructional signage to direct customers. For maximum efficiency, and to limit exposure, dine-in customers should be seated away from where take-out customers pick up their food. This way, customers avoid crowding high-traffic areas, and maintain proper social distancing.

Need to upgrade your restaurant? Here are our top tips on how to incorporate signs into your dining room to make your business more efficient, organized, and successful.

Signs for Restaurants: Dining In

Customers who decide to dine at your restaurant are responsible for complying with all posted health and safety guidelines. To this end, it’s necessary to provide signs detailing policies and expectations. 

Space It Out

Safe indoor dining is all about spacing. Instead of crowding tables close together, make sure that all patrons are seated at least six feet apart from one another. If your restaurant has built-in booths, consider using table tent signs to indicate that certain seats are “unavailable” due to social distancing protocols. This will also help manage traffic flow in your restaurant, and ensure that dine-in customers aren’t being jostled by food delivery workers or customers picking up take-out orders.

Use Sanitation Stations

Provide clearly-marked, accessible hand sanitizing solutions for customers. If you choose to have a permanent sanitizer dispenser at the front of the restaurant, make sure the area is clearly labeled so customers entering the premises have the opportunity to sanitize their hands. The sanitizing station should be in a spot where dine-in and take-out customers have access to sanitizer.

Use Touch-Free Ordering Systems

Whether your customers are dining in or taking out, you should adopt a touch-free ordering system. All tables should have a posted QR code linking to your online menu. This way, you won’t need to hand out physical menus and customers can still easily browse your selections and view the latest updates. Plus, QR code access allows all customers to view menu updates even if they’re ordering from home.

Signs for Restaurants: Take Out

Ensure that your business is running smoothly by dedicating specific areas for takeout orders. With the sharp rise in takeout demand, it’s more important than ever that all your customers have a pleasant, hassle-free experience at your restaurant.

Use Floor Decals

Floor decals are a great way to indicate where customers should walk or stand to maintain healthy traffic flow. For COVID safety, decals should be spaced six feet apart to encourage social distancing. Floor decals also provide customers with wayfinding information such as directions to the restroom, or where to pick up their food once it’s ready. Decals can be used to demarcate where to queue for order pick-ups, so customers are waiting in a contained area.

Adopt a Pick-Up Window

If the layout of your restaurant allows, consider creating a separate pick-up window for to-go orders. Clearly marked banner signs or A-frame sidewalk signs will indicate to customers where to go to pick up their food. Instead of dealing with a crowd of hungry patrons waiting for their take-out inside the restaurant, an outside pick-up window encourages customers to maintain space from one another. This solution optimizes space, and prevents take-out customers from disturbing dine-in patrons.

Encourage Contactless Pickup

If customers have already paid online or over the phone, then all they need to do is grab their dinner and go. Encourage customers to participate in contactless pickup by offering payment online and over the phone when they are placing the order. Once inside the restaurant, a simple poster or A-frame wayfinding sign can direct them to their order pick up spot.

Prioritize Delivery Services

Working with a delivery service like Uber eats? If space allows, designate a separate area for delivery service drivers to pick up food. This way, you keep your dining room organized and prevent dine-in customers from feeling claustrophobic.

Get Signs for Restaurants with Bishop Image Group

At Bishop Image Group, we’re dedicated to providing each and every customer with top-of-the-line signage solutions. Bishop Image Group’s team prides ourselves on our innovation, our “can-do” attitude, and our ability to take on even the most pressing job at a moment’s notice. We are experts at solving last-minute printing problems, and are committed to make sure you’re 100% satisfied with the results.

With installation capabilities across the country, BIG has helped businesses of all sizes create cohesive, effective signage solutions. Pick up the phone and call Bishop Image Group to start the conversation today.

ada compliant signage

ADA Compliant Signage: Rules, Regulations, Installation

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When buildings are created, laws exist to ensure that they remain compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Designed to protect the rights of those with disabilities, this complex series of laws applies to everyone involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings, and applies to architects, general contractors, and more. New construction and alterations to buildings must all comply with the requirements inherent in this act. This includes ADA compliant signage to ensure that those with disabilities are able to adequately navigate a space.

Failure to comply with ADA rules can result in heavy fines or lawsuits, so ADA compliant signs should be taken seriously. However, it may be more helpful to think of these signs as being of benefit to employees, customers, or visitors. You want to make sure people know where they are going to ensure that operations run smoothly in your building.

When you’re planning ahead on a new construction, design is just as important as guidance. Before you break ground, consider how ADA signage plays a role in your building, and find qualified signage experts that can work on your schedule.

What is ADA Compliant Signage?

ADA Compliant signage applies to any and all signs that are relevant to people experiencing disabilities. Types of signage covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act include:

Several features distinguish ADA compliant signs from other types of signs. We examine several of those features below.

Braille Text

Including braille on signage allows those with reduced vision to navigate a building with greater ease. It points them towards where they need to go, and confirms they are where they need to be.

Federal guidelines around braille text on signage include:

  • Dot base diameter between 0.059 and 0.063 inches
  • Distance between dots in same cell between 0.090 and 0.100 inches from center to center
  • Distance between dots in adjacent cells between 0.241 and 0.300 inches from center to center
  • Dot height between 0.025 and 0.037 inches
  • Distance between corresponding dots from one cell directly below between 0.395 and 0.400 inches
  • Grade 2 braille should be used on all ADA compliant signs

Non-Glare Finish

For those with visual impairments, non-glare finishes are required on all ADA compliant signs. This means that the background and characters cannot create any glare, usually done by applying a matte or eggshell finish. This rule is specific to indoor ADA compliant signs, and is not required for garage signage.

High Contrast

To ensure readability, a high level of contrast is required between the characters and the background of ADA compliant signage. Contrast levels are not specified under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, but a contrast of 70% is typically considered standard.

Font

The Americans with Disabilities Act specifies certain fonts that are easy to read be used in all ADA compliant signage. Sans serif fonts should be used (fonts with straight edges without decorative elements), and should not be in bold or italics. Several fonts that are permitted under ADA compliance standards include Arial, Calibri, Century Gothic, Franklin Gothic, Futura Std, Helvetica, Myriad Pro, and Verdana.

All characters on a sign should be in uppercase, to add consistency and make it easier to read. Character height should be a minimum of 0.625 inches and no larger than 2 inches. While other specific rules exist around spacing, letter thickness, and letter proportions, it is generally easy to select a pre-approved font or rely on signage experts to make decisions on your behalf.

Accessibility

ADA compliance standards don’t only account for meeting signage guidelines, but their installation as well. In order to read braille, signs need to be placed at an appropriate height so that the visually impaired are able to reach the sign and read the braille. Keeping signage at this height also makes it easier for visitors to know where to look for signs.

Partnering With Signage Experts Makes ADA Compliant Signage Easy

With so many rules existing around ADA compliant signage, it may seem difficult to follow all of the guidelines without getting fined. Thankfully, signage experts understand these regulations in advance, and take these considerations into play before printing begins. Partnering with a signage company like Bishop Image Group ensures that you will remain ADA compliant while helping people with disabilities get to where they need to go.

Do you need a signage expert that understands ADA sign compliance? Bishop Image Group is a professional signage company that gets the job done on your timeline. Contact us today for more information about our services.

what is directional signage

What is Directional Signage?

Directional signs are designed to help you find your way. From restaurants to parking garages to public parks, you’ll find helpful, directional signs providing you with useful information wherever you go. Ideally, directional signage is both aesthetically pleasing and practical. Easy-to-read, sleek, designs are ideal for providing information with panache.

Whether you’re guiding customers inside a business, or providing important health and safety information, directional signs are necessary features of any functional space.

What are the Main Uses for Directional Signage?

Directional signs don’t just tell you where to walk, they also help relay other crucial information for navigating a particular space.

Identification – Whether you’re a college student trying to find their first class or a professional searching for a meeting room, clear signs indicating the name of a room or a building are crucial for wayfinding. Directional signs are often placed strategically on building facades and outside rooms to identify the space. Directional signs also provide identification for retail businesses, so customers can find the storefront location with ease.

Direction – Wayfinding signs help guide a customer or guest within a space. Exits, entrances, restrooms, and ADA signs are all examples of wayfinding signs that provide directional information to help public spaces function more fluidly.

Information – Some directional signs indicate more than just the name of a building or the location of the exit. Informational signs provide visitors with updates like health and safety protocols or park regulations. These signs work in tandem with wayfinding and identification signs to communicate crucial information about navigating a space.

Common Types of Directional Signage

There are many different types of directional signs, and each one has its own specific use within a space. In addition to conveying information, directional signs need to be strategically placed for maximum effect. Take into consideration where the sign needs to go, and use that information to choose a sign that is appropriate for the space.

Outdoor Signs

A-Frame Signs – A-frame signs are a fantastic way to catch the attention of passersby outside a business. These types of signs are usually placed on the sidewalk or pathway and often alert customers to the location of a sale or grand opening. Since these signs are temporary, they are also often used to convey important information like trail closures and construction notices. A-frame signs are particularly popular in the restaurant industry, and chalkboard A-frames are a great option for alerting customers to daily specials and new menu items.

Flags – If you’re trying to get your customer’s attention from afar, flag signs are an excellent option. Although flags aren’t the best for conveying lots of information, they’re great wayfinding signs that alert customers to the location of your business. Flags are particularly effective for visibility from nearby highways or major thoroughfares.

Window Graphics – Most retail businesses use window graphics to convey information to their customers. Window graphics might indicate your business hours, direct customers to the entrance, or provide essential safety information about COVID-19 protocols.

Indoor Signs

Floor Decals – Floor decals are a clutter-free way to provide foot-traffic directions inside. Floor decals are applied to the ground and can be customized to convey a whole array of directions. These signs are particularly useful for indicating socially distanced spacing inside small retail spaces or where the line forms for checkout. This way, it’s easy for guests to see how far apart they are supposed to stand to maintain a safe six feet apart.

Banners – If you’re announcing a new business, or demarcating a designated meeting spot at a convention, banners are a go-to indoor sign for wayfinding. Banners are easily customizable, and are eye-catching directional signs that will be sure to attract customer attention.

Wall Mounted Signs – Wall mounted signs are highly versatile options for both indoor and outdoor signage. Ranging from sleek, acrylic wall mounts outside conference rooms, to bright and bold menus, wall mounts are a timeless option to provide information in style. Plus, on a practical note, wall mounted signs are an excellent way to convey vital information like ADA signs and hazard warnings. These signs come in a variety of materials and can even incorporate lighting elements for extra impact.

What Makes an Effective Directional Sign?

Directional signs need to be eye-catching, easy to read, and concise. Effective outdoor directional signs are often formatted with bright, bold, lettering, which contrasts with the background so they are easy to read at a distance. For informational signs, keep graphics simple and impactful and try to communicate the essential information as succinctly as possible. Indoor signs should also be clear, and use punchy graphics to promote branding.

Follow the Signs: Bishop Image Group Directional Signage

At Bishop Image Group, we’re dedicated to providing clients with unique, well-crafted signs for every occasion. In a rush? Bishop Image Group is proud to provide top-notch service for even the most rushed jobs.

From banners, to decals, to tradeshow graphics, you can count on us to find swift solutions to all your signage needs.

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