Entrance sign to a neighborhood of $1 million-plus homes. A sign, like this, speaks volumes. Sign by Rodney’s Custom Cut Signs.

When entering a new town or city, I first take note of the welcome sign at the city limits, if they have one. What is the quality of the sign and its design? I know it is said that you can’t judge a book by its cover, so maybe it’s unfair of me to judge a city by its sign, but I can’t help myself. No, I don’t always find that the city is a direct reflection of its sign or vice versa, but it holds true all too often to be a coincidence. Every sign has something to say, and you may have to read between the lines to receive the message. One of my favorite pastimes is traveling, and as I travel around the country, I see a lot of signs—what else is an avid student of the sign industry going to see?

Raleigh, N.C., where I live and work, has had the worst looking welcome signs at the city limits for years. The signs were nice enough and timely when they were first installed, but through weathering and lack of maintenance through the years, they have looked unwelcoming for far too long. Raleigh is the state capitol and has gotten by just fine through the years, despite the disrepair of their signs. And maybe I should take some responsibility for this. After all, I never made an effort to bring this to anyone’s attention. True, there are more than 100 sign shops in the area, and one of us should have mentioned this to our fair city. This city deserves to have a better image. Raleigh is a great place to live and work and has a lot to offer. Now I’m feeling guilty. After this article is printed, maybe I’ll show it to someone—perhaps even the mayor.

When visiting a new city, I also immediately take notice of the skill of the sign makers who live there. Are the signs poor, average, good, great or simply amazing? Surely, this is a sign of the quality of the residents, businesses and governments of the city in question. Unfair, I know—but, still, it makes me wonder. Is the city so restrictive in its ordinances that it stifles the creativity of the sign makers and designers who live there, or is it the desire of the local businesses to save money and settle for a sign that doesn’t represent their business, or does it?

Entrance sign for $250,000 - $300,000 subdivision. Brickwork was done by developer, sign template, sign and sign installation provided by Broach Custom Signs. Sign material is HDU with a stucco paint. Letters are prismatic-cut HDU with an automotive paint finish.

This entrance is for a high-end subdivision of $1 million-plus estates. Though understated in terms of signage, it makes its statement through landscaping and the fact that the brick wall is several hundred feet long. Letters are 1/4” aluminum, stud mounted and spaced off the wall. Signage by Broach Custom Signs.

Another entrance for a high-end subdivision. Usually the appearance of the entrance will tell you what to expect inside the community. Sign by Rodney’s Custom Cut Signs.

Sometimes I enter a new city and the signs there are creative, attractive and beckon me to come and explore. Does this mean that the people here are interesting, intelligent, creative and beautiful? Is the government here progressive, business friendly and open? Or is this city just lucky enough to have a creative sign maker, who just happens to make them look good? Maybe these assumptions are true, and maybe they’re not, but the signs are there talking all the while. What are your signs saying? This is a message I try to get across to my clients. I may not always be successful in selling my philosophy, but I always try.

I sell dimensional letters, routed and carved signs, and other services wholesale. Sometimes I’m amazed at the signs and designs that some of the sign shops I deal with bring me. “But that’s what the customer wanted” is the excuse I often get. I’m sorry, but I have never been a believer in the adage that the customer is always right. As a professional sign maker, I listen to what my client wants and try to interpret their needs and intentions for wanting the sign and then translate it into what I believe will serve the best interest of the client. If I want to build a new home, I know the basics of what I want in terms of style and amenities, but you can bet I’m going to consult with a professional designer and builder before I spend my good money.

I don’t mean to disrespect another sign maker or my clients, but letting someone settle for a sign that doesn’t represent them well is just wrong and lazy. Poor quality and design speak volumes, just as much as excellent quality and design. Never should you be afraid to suggest a quality design and materials. You may just be surprised and find that this is exactly what the customer had in mind and is willing to pay. What is your reputation and legacy going to say about you? I want to be known for quality design and materials along with innovative use of materials.

I see my job as being there to help those entrance signs speak to the people in passing. The style, size and materials used are speaking volumes to all who see them. In looking out for my client’s best interests, I have to advise them that the entrance to the community should send a clear message to their target market. When a potential buyer is driving around and sees the entrance to the community, it should tell them what price range the homes are in the community, possibly the size of the community and the quality of the homes. If a buyer is looking for a home in the $250,000 to $300,000 range and the entrance says there are $1 million-plus homes here, the buyer need not waste his search looking here. Conversely, if the buyer is looking for a $1 million home, and there are two small brick columns with a small wooden sign between them, they’re probably not going to bother going into this community.

This is the welcome sign for Raleigh’s bedroom suburb of Cary, N.C. Can you hear it? It’s saying, “Pfffftt—we’re better than you are.”

What I’m trying to say is that the entrance should be representative of the community to be found inside. It should speak to all who pass.My specialty is creating entrances for subdivisions and apartment complexes. And a strange and wonderful thing has happened in this segment of the sign industry over the past 20 years here in this part of the country. Developers have realized that selling their communities starts right at the entrance. Gone are the days that two small brick columns with a small wooden sign bearing the name of the community were all that was required to sell homes. Developers and builders have gotten a lot more sophisticated when it comes to marketing their communities and homes because buyers demand more amenities and sophistication.

Let’s face it, every sign says more than just the words on the sign, and it is our jobs as sign professionals to tell the story with our signs. Listen closely—what are your signs saying? What do you want them to say?