The History of Hospital Wayfinding Signs

In general, hospital signage developed and evolved over time in a similar manner to signage across other industries. The evolution of this signage was made possible by insights provided by research studies on human behavior, as well as color theory and visual studies.

In addition, hospital signage was also created due to the needs of the public to have an easy way to navigate a facility, and to make it easy for those with physical, mental or medical issues to find their way to a doctor or medical office that will help them with their health needs.

Hospital Wayfinding Design

The task of creating an effective and informative hospital wayfinding design is dependent on a strategy created by the key decision makers of the medical facility. In other words, this group of people must have a plan in mind of what they want the signage to accomplish and what the overall design is meant to achieve for both the public and the hospital.

There are many design theories that hospitals must keep in mind including the amount of visuals on the sign when compared to the amount of text on the sign. In addition, the signage can be kept clean and uncluttered by including mobile accessibility in the design so some of the necessary information can be found by scanning a QR code.

Hospital Wayfinding Signage Landmark Usage

The use of landmarks in relation to hospital wayfinding signage helps people find their way from one destination in a hospital to another destination. Wayfinding signs speak a universal language through the use of pictures, patterns, and themes that are included in the objects (landmarks). The goal is to help the public remember where things are located or help them find where they are going for the first time. Some of the common landmark uses for hospital wayfinding signs include:

• Ceiling Danglers
• Statues & Other Objects
• Pictures & Posters
• Patterns

Using Color & Themes in Your Signage to Direct Patients Effectively

Ask any marketing and branding expert and they will tell you that the public responds to certain colors and also associates them with specific feelings or areas of a business. The use of color-coding can help organize and distinguish different sections of a hospital in the eyes of the public. For example, pediatrics can be one color while emergency services and labor and delivery can be different colors. The public will learn to associate certain colors with a specific section or department of the hospital which makes it easier for them to navigate the facility.

How to Best Orient Visitors at Your Healthcare Facility Using Signage

The ability to use signage at a hospital is not a “one size fits all” solution. There will be a need to utilize multiple shapes and sizes of healthcare facility wayfinding signage to ensure everyone is able to navigate the building efficiently. It will take some research and testing of hospital signage to determine the colors and shapes that people respond to in a positive manner. In addition, the amount of text and visuals on each sign will be a learning process along with the best areas to place the signage so they are easily noticed and provide the desired directions. As mentioned earlier, the content on a sign can speak a universal language regardless of the home country or language of the person viewing the signage.

Common Hospital Wayfinding Signs & Graphics

There are many different types of signs and graphics used for wayfinding purposes. Popular choices include:

• Wall Graphics
• Window Graphics
• Floor Graphics
• Directional Signage
• Banners

Benefits of Hospital Wayfinding Signage

There are many benefits to the use of effective and successfully implemented hospital wayfinding signs beyond giving directions and sharing information. Some of these benefits are easy to see while others are indirect (but important) as shown below:

• Improved Patient Visits and Outcomes
• Reduction in Staff Stress
• Improved Level of Patient Safety
• Reduction in Stress Felt by Patients & Their Families
• Increase in Overall Effectiveness and Quality of Care

If you are ready to create or upgrade your hospital wayfinding signage, our design team can help.

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This makes complete sense, because every location needs to have the ability to stay current, showcase promotions and enhance their customer experience. Retail marketers today are expected to heavily maximize their budgets, which includes maximizing the in-store marketing budget..

Let’s take a look at what that means and some ideas for how it can be accomplished.

In this article we’ll walk through everything you need to know to pull this off like a pro.

In-Store Marketing Budgets – The Breakdown

We’ve already talked about in-store marketing budgets being a part of the overall marketing budget, but we want to get really specific here to ensure that as you read this we are all on the same page.

What is an In-Store Marketing Budget?

An in-store marketing budget is a subsection of the total marketing budget for an organization.

The budget is intended to be used for marketing activities that are on-site at the brick-and-mortar location.

Typically, these budgets are set as either quarterly, semi-annually or as an annual marketing budget. The factors here include company, size, how finances are structured, etc.

In most cases some percentage of revenue is factored in so  there may be an even distribution across all stores. Or allocations may be budget based, on the store’s sales performance over some period of time.

What is Included in an In-Store Marketing Budget?

While, in theory, everything you might do to market to customers in-store can be included in your store’s marketing budget here are some of the most common in-store budget items:.

•     Signage
•     Environmental Graphics
•     Displays
•     Brochures / Flyers
•     Booklets
•     Events

This could be a much longer list, but what we have shared here are the most common line items for those who manage store marketing budgets.

Now that we’re in sync with what the in-store marketing budget is, let’s move on to how you can maximize it.

The Top Ways to Maximize Your In-Store Marketing Budget

This is what you came for: how you can maximize that budget! There really is no limit to what you can do to maximize a store’s marketing budget, but there are several proven tactics to do it well. Additionally, if you are more creative, you can generate more savings, and results while also driving a higher impact on your customers.

 Let’s consider several of In-Store marketing assets that can be utilized.

Here’s a quick list

•     Signs & Banners
•     Wall Graphics
•     Clothing Rack Toppers
•     Brand Decals
•     Wayfinding Decals
•     Floor Graphics
•     Flyers & Brochures
•     Catalogs
•     Coupons (at the display or near products)
•     Displays & Bins

Choosing from these common in-store marketing assets, we’ve put together four  ways you can maximize your in-store marketing budget.

Use Vinyl Banners in Window Displays

Instead of using costly dimensional lettering, custom expensive displays or window graphics that must be installed by a professional, use hanging banner displays that can be purchased affordably and can be hung without the need of professional installers. This will still create the impact you need in your window display, including a strong message and depth to the visual.

Apply Wall Graphics to the Interior of Your Store

While this one isn’t a cost-savings tip, it is a tactic that will improve the experience of your customers which can ultimately deliver an increase in sales overall, as well as the average transaction amount. Imagine walking into a store where everything has been curated visually to enhance the experience of being in the store. It’s themed perfectly, setting the mood, making you want to be there, it has you envisioning yourself being something, doing something, looking a certain way. Wall graphics are a part of that thematic experience. It ultimately drives customers to buy more and want to come back in the future.

Print Your Signage on More Affordable Material & Standard Inventory

One way to save money is to have your marketing materials printed on more affordable material (or substrate). Thinner stock paper, simple coatings, basic sizes are all ways to reduce the cost of what you get printed. This is especially relevant if you have seasonal promotions that don’t require a long shelf life. One additional and important item to note here is that while cost-savings is important, it’s equally important to be certain the chosen substrate is appropriate for its intended use.  

Create Offers for In-Store Only Shopping

Another easy tactic to generate additional sales from in-store shoppers is to have available promotions for customers who shop in store. You see this across many different retailers. Some use gimmicky styles of selling using custom displays, spinning wheels or money cyclones. But others use basic approaches such as having coupons printed and put on display next to products that promote the buying of additional units or complimentary products at a discounted price. Doing this is guaranteed to increase your gross sales and maximize the budget in a way that is prioritizing a higher returning tactic. Better results!

Like many of our articles say, this is just a sample of what you can do when it comes to maximizing an in-store marketing budget, but our hope is that it sparks the creativity in you to maximize your budget, get better results and grow sales.

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Print embellishments are decorative applications that are part of the print finishing process, performed after the actual printing is completed (in the post-press portion of the production process). In general, embellishments can include using multiple inks (from metallics to invisible formulations), specialty coatings, foils, embossing and debossing, and die cutting.

While packaging embellishments are used in multiple industries, they are quite popular in the premium brand space.  These brands use packaging embellishments because of the premium experience these details create for their customers.

The Luxury Packaging Experience & How Embellishment Packaging Provides Value

Packaging embellishments elevate the reputation of your brand by differentiating it from all others, making a lasting impact on a customer and creating a better overall consumer experience.

Differentiation

Featuring print embellishments on your product packaging makes your brand and product stand out from the competition. The act of giving your brand a different feel by using embellishment packaging makes it feel more luxurious and adds to the image of your product. By including embellishments on your packaging, you are making a statement that your product is the best choice on the market.

Impact on the Customer Experience

You might not think including an embellishment on your packaging has much of an impact on the customer experience with your brand. However, it makes your product seem like the most important package you have ever sent to a customer.  It also makes the customer feel like an important person to your company and that you keep them in mind when creating the perfect package.

Types of Packaging Embellishments

There are multiple ways to include embellishments, and each one results in a different look and feel. Here are several options to help you decide which packaging embellishment is best for your project.

Coatings and Varnish

Coatings are normally applied to protect printed pieces like a magazine or brochure as a glossy coating makes the images pop and protects them against fingerprints, scratches, or smudges. Coatings also protect the pieces as they work their way through the mail stream.

These days, most coatings are aqueous/water-based for maximum environmental friendliness. Coatings are available in satin, gloss, or matte finishes as well as soft lamination which makes a printed piece feel like velvet. Coatings can be applied to selected areas of a page, in a process known as spot applications, or to the entire page (flood applications). A gloss varnish on your company name or magazine title provides a nice texture against a matte background.

UV curable coating fluids dry instantly under UV lamps to create stunning raised UV applications when fluids are applied in thicknesses that stand in high relief on a page. The technique creates touchable textures such as raindrops against a window or sandpaper grit.

Die Cutting

Die cutting is when certain areas are cut out of a piece of paper or other light substrate. It can be as simple as cutting out a star or the shape of a box or an intricate design like a filigree pattern.

Traditional die cutting is performed by creating dies, in specific shapes, that will be cut or die plates that are pressed into the substrate to cut out the design.

Digital die cutting is when a laser beam cuts out the desired shape thanks to a special layer that is added to the design file. Digital die cutting provides a greater pattern intricacy and eliminates the cost and time of producing dies and plates (which makes it an economical choice).

Embossing and Debossing

Embossing creates a raised pattern or design in the substrate that is pressed onto a page instead of cutting it out. Debossing depresses the image into the substrate for a concave impression.

Embossing and debossing provide an improved tactile experience. In addition, recent embossing advances include digital presses that handle embossing inline as part of the printing process. This allows for a reduction in the project time by not having to send the work to a third-party supplier.

Foiling

Foiling adds metallic finishes for an element of luxury and sophistication that catches the eye. For example, many wine labels use foiling techniques to add a touch of glamour and bling to the packaging. Traditional foiling is done with hot stamping that uses heat to apply the foil to selected areas or cold stamping that uses glue to apply the foil.

Foiling offers a wide array of metallic ink colors for a glittery, foil-like finish along with specialty elements for product decoration or security purposes. Foil can even be used in variable data printing so the treatment and color change from page to page. 

Specialty Inks

Inks have expanded beyond traditional CMYK and Pantone PMS formulations. There are new options such as fluorescent shades, scented inks, and metallic options. Security inks include biometric inks with DNA tags that verify if products are real, thermochromic inks that are visible or invisible at different temperatures, magnetic inks containing small iron oxide magnetic flakes so a number can be read by a machine, and infrared inks that can be viewed under an infrared light.

Now that you see how important packaging embellishments can be to your branding and customer experience, call today to determine the print embellishments you want to include in your product packaging.

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In this article we’ll look at the most common types of direct mail and the most effective direct mail pieces you can utilize that are a part of these discount & promotional programs.

Types of Direct Mail

Ultimately anything mailed out to a customer or your target audience can be considered direct mail, but for the sake of being as relevant as possible we are focusing on the marketing aspect of direct mail and not simply communication. With that being said a number of different marketing material can be sent out via Direct Mail (which also takes advantage of the direct mail discounts available through the USPS). 

Let’s look at a list of the most common and most effective types of direct mail that companies and organizations are using to get in front of their audience.

 Brochures

These are perfect for sharing critical information or hard hitting sales copy that either educate or move customers to action. They are a good middle ground type of marketing piece that will do a good job of increasing visibility and driving engagement.

Packaging Inserts

With the explosive growth of ecommerce, this type of direct mail is coming nested inside of another type of direct mail. Package inserts are being used inside the parcels containing other products that consumers are purchasing which cross-sell, upsell or enhance the experience through brand. 

 Catalogs

All of us are familiar with catalogs and most of us love to look through them. There has been a resurgence in the demand for catalogs and retailers have taken notice by doing more catalog printing as well as mailing of catalogs. Typically these have a higher cost because they are bigger and heavier, but that’s why taking advantage of direct mail promotions is so important to keep those costs as low as possible.

Postcards

A tried and true direct mail piece is the postcard. A simple but effective mailer that gets a message, invitation or promotion in front of your audience quickly and at a low price point.

Direct Mail Discounts Through the USPS

Many marketers are unfortunately unaware that the USPS offers a number of direct mail discounts and direct mail promotions throughout the year every year. This is extremely helpful in that it can drop costs for your direct mail campaigns, but also in many cases has attached to it other value adds that will generate a higher ROI for your marketing efforts.

Below we have a list of the recent direct mail discounts & promotions being offered by the USPS.

Tactile, Sensory, & Interactive Mailpiece Engagement Promotion

Anyone including a tactile or sensory experience to their mailer such as visual effects, scent, etc. get a postage discount.

Earned Value Promotion

With this direct mail promotion mailers earn a $0.02 per mailpiece credit when using Business Reply Mail, Courtesy Reply Mail, or Share Mail.

Emerging & Advanced Technology Promotion

To be eligible piece must incorporate any of the following technologies: NFC technology, Video in Print, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, or Integration with Voice Assistant.

Informed Delivery Promotions

We highlighted this direct mail promotion and are writing about it since at the time of this writing it is the current active promo with the USPS and a good one to take advantage of.

This direct mail promo is providing a 4% discount on postage for any company or organization that runs an Informed Delivery campaign. And if you aren’t aware of what Informed Delivery is, it’s basically you promoting your direct mail piece via email through the USPS which also links back to your website or landing page. Cost savings and higher ROI for your direct mail campaign.

Personalized Color Transpromo Promotion

This one encourages companies to highlight marketing messages using color, dynamic variable print, and / or personalization.

Mobile Shopping Promotion

This direct mail discount is a 2% discount for companies that send mailings that utilize the connection between direct mail and the digital shopping experience. Getting recipients to go from the mailpiece, directly to a mobile-optimized online shopping experience using things like QR Codes, Snap Tags, and Watermarks.

So if you didn’t know, now you do and if you did already know about these direct mail discounts & promotions, this is a great reminder. The fact is that taking advantage of these promotions makes sense for nearly every organization and we are here to help.

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The Gen Z Population is Most Interested in Personalized Marketing Products

It has been reported that 74% of Gen Zers are interested in personalized products compared to 67% of Millennials, 61% of Gen Xers and 57% of Baby Boomers in the current consumer market. While the Gen Z population is showing a higher percentage, don’t discount any of the other groups, as all of them are above the 50% mark. Not too bad!

Personalized Print Messages Have a Higher Response Rate

A whopping 72% of consumers claim they respond to marketing messages that are specifically crafted to reflect their preferences, as opposed to marketing messages that are generic in their approach and content.

Most People Will Share their Information so they can Receive Customized Messaging

When it comes to sharing personal information, 60% of millennials say they would not hesitate to share their information in order to receive special offers and targeted messages that suit their personal interests. In other words, don’t be worried about asking for personal information, as many people are willing to share it with you, as long as there’s something in it for them

There’s a High Chance it Will Increase your Business

The use of personalized messaging gave 97% of marketers a growth in their business. This should convince you to use personalized print marketing for your next print campaign as these numbers show the huge growth your business can enjoy.

Advanced Personalization Can Increase ROI by 200%

A total of 70% of brands that used advanced personalization enjoyed a 200% increase in ROI from their efforts. This number proves the power of personalization and the benefits you can enjoy from this simple marketing strategy.

Increase Your Customer Interaction & Conversion Rate

Around 63% of marketers say personalization increases their customer interactions and this leads to improved conversion rates. While this seems like an obvious thing to say, not every business understands the branding and marketing power of personalized print marketing efforts. Put the power of personalization to work for your business and watch your conversion rates grow.

Apply Personalized Print Across Multiple Pieces to Increase the Results

Personalized print is supported by 51% of marketers who say personalization across multiple touchpoints increased their total ROI by 300% (and more). When planning your personalization campaign, only sending one marketing piece, with limited personalization, does not show consumers you really care about them. They want to know that you have their best interests in mind and sending multiple personalized mail pieces shows consumers you really want their business.

Personalized print marketing has the ability to increase your ROI as well as consumer interactions with your brand. Be sure and include personalized messaging in your upcoming print marketing campaigns.

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Direct Mail Promotions

Direct mail promotions are an easy and effective way to get the attention of your target audience where they live or work. By sending a direct mail promotion, you are getting an offer into the hands of the public that they will have a hard time ignoring or turning down. In general, you will be getting the offer right in front of their faces.  

Look at it this way…If someone put money in your hands, would you turn it down? The answer to that question is…”Of course not!” Take a look below at some proven direct mail offers you can send to recent new car buyers or to old customers you want to visit your dealership again. These direct mail offers include:

• Free Oil Change
• Parts or Labor Discount
• Free Tire Rotation
• Free Car Detail (with service at the dealership)

On-Site Promotional Display

On-site displays are an effective way to spread the word about service promotions at your business. People who are looking for a car to purchase will see you also offer vehicle service promotions.  This lets them know you care about them after they make a big purchase and that you want to keep their business for longer than the actual sale. Here are some examples of popular on-site service promotions displays:

• Indoor/Outdoor banners
• Table Tents, located on the desk of your sales team, that share promotion details
• POP Displays located on the dealership floor 

Dealership Service Loyalty Program

Your customers want to know that their loyalty to your business is being acknowledged and appreciated. Let them know you care about the health of their car with loyalty programs for those who get their car serviced at your dealership on a regular basis. Here are just a few examples of loyalty programs you can offer at your dealership:

• Customers get something for free after “X” number of visits 
• Points Accumulation
  • Gift Cards
  • Branded Promotional Items/Swag
  • Prizes

The tactics listed in this article are guaranteed to increase the service side revenue by investing in marketing  your dealership, so don’t wait and get started today.

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This leads us to the question… Does it sound like a good idea to consolidate your print vendors? You might also be asking exactly how to consolidate printing companies. Take a look below as we share the answers to why you would want to consolidate as well as how to perform this task with relative ease.

What Is Print Vendor Consolidation?

In general, “print vendor consolidation” means exactly what the name implies. Your company makes the decision to consolidate printing services which means you are reducing the number of print vendors you work with in order to get the necessary work done with as few print partners as possible. In the case of total vendor consolidation,  you will end up working with a single print vendor so make sure that vendor offers full service printing services. 

The Benefits of Consolidating Print Vendors & Working with a Full Service Print Company

There are benefits and drawbacks to the consolidation process but we want to focus on the pros of consolidating your print vendor partners. Plus, we want to share the actual benefits by describing them in greater detail below:

1. Overall Increase in Efficiency
   To put it simply, it is just easier to get things done if you use a smaller number of vendors. You will have a single point of contact to manage everything which means that person is also accountable for any issues as opposed to having to track and manage projects across multiple vendors.
2. Save Time and Money
   Increased efficiency means you will spend less time managing your print projects. This will free up extra time that allows you to focus on other aspects of your job. Plus, you can enjoy better rates on your print work because all of your printing is now under one roof which means you are using a single source.
3. Consistency
   Using a single source print vendor should give you a consistent amount of quality since it is the same company creating your printed materials. The quality of your materials can vary from vendor to vendor but consolidation is able to eliminate that issue.
4. Reliability
   Consolidating vendors gives you only one person to work with which should ensure you get everything done according to your schedule.

Three Steps to Consolidate Your Print Vendors

If you’ve decided that print vendor consolidation is ideal for your business, you will need to take action to make that plan a reality.

1. Identify the vendors you currently use & define the services they provide
   By listing what each vendor does for your business, you gain a full understanding of everything you will need performed by a single print provider.
2. Ask your other vendors if they do the work provided by other companies
   Talk with each print service provider to see if they are able to perform any of the tasks they currently do not do for you. This step allows you to determine how much of a vendor reduction is possible.
3. Assess if one of your current vendors can handle all tasks
   When you work on reducing your print vendors, the ultimate goal is to get to only one print solution provider. It is up to you to determine if any of your current vendors can accomplish everything you need after you assess their services .
   1. If they can provide the full slate of services you need, use that vendor!
   2. If they cannot provide everything you need, you might need to find a new print vendor who can provide all work in-house or act as your single point of contact for getting everything done even if they need to use outside vendors. 

Reducing your print vendors to one provider, or as few as possible, will make your life much easier because the job will get done faster, your overall costs will be lower and the final results will be consistent in appearance and quality.

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The direct mail stats shared below are proof that you need to be including this channel in your marketing mix.

1. More Items Get Purchased by 28% When People Get Direct Mail Than Those Who Do Not

For the most part this number is higher simply due to the visibility gained through the direct mail piece itself. Direct mail that contains buying language, deals, promotions, coupons, etc. is held onto longer by consumers which keeps brand awareness high and buying potential more prevalent.

2. U.S. Advertisers Spend About $167 Annually Per Person on Direct Mail

This number shows the trust that businesses have in Direct Mail to produce good outcomes, whether it be awareness, registrations, redemptions or sales. Better results equals more confidence and more activity through the direct mail channel.

3. Over 70% of Gen X consumers Said that Direct Mail is More Personal Than Digital Communication

In addition to that they also say that this makes them more likely to read and engage with the advertisement as well. Direct mail is breaking through the crowded digital landscape and creates a more intimate experience for consumers.

4. Direct Mail Volume Increased by 28% from 2020 to 2021

This increase comes from the performance that marketers and businesses are seeing as a result of sending out direct mail. Targeted mailing has produced better results by volume compared to most other channels within the last few years.

5. Just over 73% of Consumers Said They Wanted Brands to Send Them Direct Mail So They Can Read it Whenever They Want

Customers, Consumers & Targets want to have a direct connection and/or relationship with the brands they consume or do business with. But they want to engage and interact on their own time. Direct mail allows them to do just that.

6. Nearly 40% of Consumers Actually Enjoy Checking Their Mail Each Day

Much of this can be attributed to the fact that consumer spending has been up, so much of what is coming in the mail is good. Another factor is that marketers are better than ever at creating unique, creative and engaging direct mail. This leads to a positive experience when getting to the mailbox.

7. The Average ROI (Return On Investment) for Direct Mail is $4.09 Made on Every $1.27 Spent

This is huge! If we change the example up to work in larger numbers (x1000) that means if you spent $1,270 you can expect a return of $4,090. Take it up to 10,000x and things start to look really good at $40,900 made for every $12,700 spent.

8. The Direct Mail Industry is Expected to Have Increased in 2022 by $1.1 Billion

Currently Direct Mail is on a trajectory to hit and exceed that number in 2022. What does this mean for consumers and businesses? One of the most important aspects is a reduction in cost for buyers. There are efficiencies built in due to the bulk being produced and mailed as well as competition that is driving down price when profits are made on the volume.

9. Direct Mail Has a 13X Response Rate When Compared to Email

The problem with email is that the inboxes for consumers have become hotbeds of spam and clutter. Not only are emails coming from friends, family, and coworkers, they are also getting messages from every business they’ve ever purchased from or signed up with in the past. They simply delete or mark them as read. Direct Mail has a much lower in-mailbox volume and allows it to be seen. Thus generating a higher response rate.

10. USPS Reported that 82% of Millennials Trust Printed Advertisements

This trust in direct mail comes from the fact that more work had to be done to create the piece. With the emergence of so many knock off products online and virtually no barrier of entry to market them online as well, the physical advertising medium becomes a point of validation that the products are legitimate.

11. Over 50% of Direct Mail Recipients Said They Found Postcards Useful

Interestingly, consumers responded that the small size of a postcard makes them stand out in a mailbox, and that because they almost never come in an envelope means that nearly all postcards get read.

12. Direct Mail is Kept in a Household for 17 Days on Average

Marketers have for a long time known that a brand’s presence means stickiness. This is why you see companies continue to use promo items like magnets, magnetic calendars, and stickers which remain present 100% of the time. So the fact that direct mail sits inside of a consumer’s home for two and a half weeks means big exposure.

13. It Takes Consumers 21% Less Cognitive Thinking to Process Direct Mail Than it Does for Digital

A study found that you have to think “less” when consuming direct mail. This is important because it allows the piece to more easily embed emotion, awareness and elicit better recall in the future.

While there are many other direct mail statistics we could include here, we think that what we’ve shared makes it very clear how powerful, impactful and result driving this channel can be.

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The fact is that every dealership needs banners and needs to use them.

In this article we will overview everything you need to know about automotive banners or dealership banners (whichever way you choose to call them).

Dealership Banners 101

Again you may already know these things, but we still wanted to cover some of the basics.

What is a dealership banner or automotive banner?

Essentially a banner for dealerships is a type of printed sign that is used to share a message, move a customer to action or evoke a feeling. Pretty simple!

What are the ways that automotive dealerships use banners?

Banners are used inside and outside of the dealership, they are used to promote deals, new vehicles, special financing, show people where to go and identify areas of interest such as a customer lounge, coffee bar or where the bathrooms are. They are also used as a part of the decor in some cases. Think about colorful banners that block ugly areas of a dealership or are accents used around the auto center to create a specific feeling such as vibrant abstract designs, checkered patterns to get people thinking about “fast” cars or banners with pictures of families to evoke maternal and paternal emotion.

What type of materials are used in these auto banners?

Since we are focusing on dealership banners specifically and not the hard signage used to promote the brand or vehicle manufacturer logos you’ll find that most auto banners are made of vinyl, mesh, stretch fabric or some other type of synthetic material that is pliable.

They are important depending on the banner use case.

How can I purchase banners for my dealership or auto group?

This is kind of a no-brainer answer… “From anywhere that sells them.” right?

Yes, but there are three primary ways you can buy banners. Customized as a project with a print company like us, online with a design that can be applied during the purchase process or bought as a pre-designed banner with no customization (which we talk about more later in the article).

The truth is though that banner quality will differ across these options and that could be very important depending on your use case. Under most scenarios you’ll find that working with a print company on banners as a project will result in a higher quality banner. Many of the banners you can buy online are very cheaply made and won’t deliver the type of impact you are looking for at your dealership.

Indoor Dealership Banners

When we talk about automotive banners that get used inside the dealership we focus on banner types such as roll-up or pull-up banners, large decorative banners that drive emotion and banners that share promotions or deals. The thing about indoor banners is that they can be made using a lower quality material for the most part because they aren’t having to contend with weather. You still want a high quality print that is vibrant and error free but the material used can be thinner in most cases which will drive down the price.

You’ll also find that there are more options for banner styles and while we aren’t talking about signs here, there are some cool things you can do inside such as backlit banners and signs.

Indoor banners will also include marking the restroom, lounge, snacks, finance area, main reception, temporary walls for meeting areas, and more.

Outdoor Dealership Banners

Dealership banners used outdoors are different in that they must use a high quality material to ensure they can withstand the weather conditions over time. It all depends on the use case for your banner but if you are looking to have a banner done that needs to last for years then a high quality and heavy banner material with a solid finish will need to be used, but a banner that will have a shorter need doesn’t need to be as rugged and will just require what it takes to last as long as you need it and not crack, tear or fade.

Typically you’ll find that most outdoor banners at dealerships are made of a heavy vinyl or a synthetic mesh material. Solid banners are good when line of sight isn’t obstructed and mesh banners are good for areas where getting light through or being able to see what’s on the other side is necessary.

Another banner type you see often outside of dealerships near the road are pre-designed banners and many times flags that are meant solely to grab attention. These are highly recommended.

Pre-Designed vs Custom Automotive Banners

Earlier in the article we brought this up but you often come across the options of either having a custom banner created or using one that is pre-designed. Most of the pre-designed banners for dealerships are either very abstract such as colors, tie-dye, checkered or have simple messages such as SALE, OPEN, LOOK. Which is fine but that may not be what you are looking for and in most cases they are not high quality.

Custom dealership banners on the other hand are designed with intention and are meant to speak your language and get customers to feel a certain way so you can command the right kind of attention from the right people.

We go into detail on designing dealership banners here.

You could actually go into a number of different topics even more deeply as it relates to banners for dealerships and automotive groups, but this for the most part covers it. We love working with multi-location dealers or large autocenters to help them with their banner needs. So please reach out if you have questions.

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In this article, we examine some of the challenges you’re likely facing when it comes to printing costs. We also share solutions that can solve those challenges and look at the results you can expect after your TCO analysis.

Challenges You’re Likely Facing in Your Print Operations

Let’s take a look at a scenario many companies face. A company decides it needs to outsource their print, fulfillment, and distribution operations due to a large increase in growth for their company. This growth is creating stress on their traditional print and mail processes which might impact customers looking for a more personalized experience.
Their current print operations include a number of one-off processes, multiple technical requirements, rising equipment upgrade costs, and high levels of manual implementation that are causing backups in the production process.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, keep reading to learn some common and successful solutions to these issues.

Common Solutions to Print Ops Challenges

By analyzing and reviewing your client communications process, you can easily identify improvements at every stage of the supply chain. Here is an approach that should deliver solutions that work for you:

● Evaluate both creative and design processes to identify gaps & inefficiencies
● Examine your internal and external production and delivery mechanisms
● Conduct an in-depth analysis of each business unit to identify areas of opportunity in their business communication needs
● Document a complete list of your operational workflows and stakeholder touchpoints
● Capture historical activity data, along with cost information and performance metrics, to support your internal operation analysis
● Capture billing, reporting, cost allocation, and invoicing requirements
● Devise and implement a technology roadmap that shows all applicable systems, data feeds, and user interfaces
● Evaluate and review direct and indirect labor costs to determine full activity costs
● Finally, calculate benchmarks for both total cost of ownership (TCO) and return on investment (ROI)

If you use historical activity data, and supplement it with extensive stakeholder interviews and opportunities across the operation, you will have the necessary support for a business case that demonstrates the overall benefits of updating your operations.

Common solutions include creating new templates and processes for recurring needs, eliminating unnecessary middlemen or approval stages, and even utilizing a portal to make the design and ordering process consistent, easy and more cost-effective.

What Can You Expect as a Result of Making These Improvements in Your Design/Print Process?

Here are the most common results you can expect to see after improving your print operations:

● Reduction in your print production cost
● Increased consistency across all printed collateral
● Print projects delivered on-time & within your budget every time
● Decrease in the staff training time on print processes

If your company is growing or feeling stress due to the complexity of your current print operations, you need to find a partner to help you evaluate, identify and implement new solutions for the rest of this year (and beyond). At ColorDynamics we can help you achieve those results.

Contact Us Now for More Information by Submitting the Form Below
Or Call Us at: 972.390.6500

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