How to Find the Best Sign Manufacturer

As a business owner, you know how valuable a quality sign can be in representing and advertising your business. However, getting your business signs from the wrong company can be a hassle and cost you a lot of time. With so many other tasks on your plate, you can’t afford to make the wrong decision. Use our list of tips below to find a reputable sign company you can trust to get the job done right.

10 Things to Look for in a Quality Sign Manufacturer

1. Reputation

If a sign printing company does good work, it will have a reputation to match. The internet makes it incredibly easy to find out how popular a sign company is and what it is known for. It only takes a few minutes to check a shop’s Google and Facebook reviews or their Better Business Bureau listing.

Remember that a good reputation is not enough: ideally, a printing shop will also have a reputation for providing excellent service for clients with similar needs to yours. Has the shop taken on many customers in your company’s niche, or do they mostly work with businesses in different industries? Again, you can find all the information you need online.

2. Capabilities

Think about the many different types of signs your business uses on a daily basis. From your entrance sign to your wayfinding signs, it’s not unusual for a shop or office to have dozens of signs posted around their premises. Each one should be expertly crafted, but do you want to go to several different companies to get them all made?

The best sign companies serve as a one-stop-shop where you can get all the different signs you want. They will also be able to provide the design, printing and manufacturing, and installation services you need to take your project from initial concept to finished product. On top of this, you’ll also cut down on a lot of legwork and delays by working with just one vendor for all of your store signs and other signage needs.

3. Customer Service

The way a company treats its customers is one of the main factors that determine how good of an experience you will have with them. Friendliness is a big part of this, but it isn’t the only factor you’ll want to consider. Your chosen sign shop should also have excellent response times when questions for concerns are raised and be willing to accommodate customer requests as needed.

You can use your own observations and intuition here, but for best results, be sure to ask a few of the shop’s existing customers about how they would rate the service they receive. This will help you figure out if you can expect the same quality service long-term.

4. Location

Sign printing might seem like a one-and-done sort of service, but that isn’t always the case. What if there’s something wrong with your sign, or you have a question you need to ask about something that can’t easily be shown over the phone?

Choosing a sign company with a location that is convenient for you to visit solves these potential problems. Plus, you’ll be supporting a fellow local business and injecting money back into your local economy.

5. Portfolio

Sign design and production is an art, and like any commercial art, it’s best to get a feel for what the artist can do before you commission work from them.

A sign shop’s portfolio is just the tool to help you do this. You can use it to check out what types of work they’ve done in the past and gauge the level of quality you can expect from them. A good sign company will proudly display samples of their work in their shops and offices as well as their website or social media feed. If it’s visually attractive, aligns well with your brand style, and is quality work, you can safely assume that your project will probably turn out well.

6. Experience

Sign printing and manufacturing is no easy feat. Doing it successfully requires skills and equipment from various trades, including CNC machining, metalworking, and even electrical work.

A newer shop might be able to pull all of this together to produce quality work, but it’s a gamble. Choosing an experienced shop is the best way to ensure that the people making your sign know what they’re doing and deliver a quality final product. If you need help with your sign’s design, you’ll also want to make sure the company has an experienced graphic designer on board.

7. Online Presence

It’s no secret that today’s world is highly dependent on online interactions. Any business without a strong online presence stands out, but not in a good way. The obvious omission makes them look dated and out of touch, which is not something you want in a sign design company.

At a minimum, a sign company should have a professional-looking website, active social media accounts, and a clear history of positive responses to concerns customers have expressed publicly. The best ones will also have a blog and other resources available to help you get a feel for their style and expertise.

8. References

Just as with employees, checking a company’s references is a great way to find out how people feel about them.

Consider asking some of the shop’s past customers about their experiences with the company. Did they deliver a quality sign during the time frame they agreed to? How quickly did they respond when contacted with a question or concern? Did the project stay on budget, or were additional fees added later? Perhaps most importantly, would they hire that sign company again in the future? Use their answers to help you better understand what to expect if you move forward with this company.

9. Local Market Knowledge

Toronto’s markets are unlike those of any other city in Canada. The people here respond to certain types of branding and messaging that wouldn’t have the same effect in Calgary or Charlottetown.

That’s why it’s important to choose a sign printing shop that knows your area and its customers well. The more local knowledge they have, the more value they bring to you during the design phase of your project.

10. Safe Work Practices

Installing a sign can be dangerous if the company performing the installation is careless or inexperienced.

A good sign manufacturer will have an established process for keeping a business’s customers and staff safe while they work to put building signs up. They should be happy to answer any questions about their safety measures. You should not find any reviews or online comments complaining about hazardous conditions during their installations.

Contact Us for Premium Professional Business Signs in Toronto

Need a sign company you can trust? We’ve got you covered. Sign & Graphics Manufaktur has all of the qualities listed above, and the glowing reviews we receive from our customers prove it. Contact us at 905-670-0797 or request a quote today to see just how easy it can be to get quality signs for your Toronto business.

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