Sign Knowledge Archives - Augusta Sign Company

Branding a Non-Profit, Part 2

January 12, 2025 By jalexspringer

LONG-TIME CUSTOMER

I had worked with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank on many signage projects in the past, but nothing was quite as ambitious as this one! It started back in the late summer/early fall when we were contracted to make and install window and wall graphics in the main entry foyer. The multi-phase sign project is being coordinated by my long-time customer, Jon Styer, who recently started up his own private graphic design firm, AtEase Design and Consulting. Les Sinclair, the Food Bank communications manager helped coordinate everything between Augusta Signs and AtEase. The first phase included entry and lobby signage, volunteer directions, and large interior warehouse wall graphics; this second phase had us making several large interior warehouse wall murals which were interesting indeed. Jon’s wife, Rhoda Miller, drew the art for the murals. She is amazing!!

WORK OVER HOLIDAY BREAK

The Food Bank Network had a big holiday break coming up and wanted us to use that time for the installation to keep us out of the way of all the Food Bank operations. The Food Bank distributes a whole lot of food to agencies across a broad region of Virginia with service brancehs in Verona, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Winchester. It is pretty amazing how much geography they cover, and most importantly how many people in need they serve on an annual basis. My helper Doug and I were able to work over the Christmas break to help out with logistics of it all. Since we use rolling scaffold for the wall murals, it takes up a lot of floor space, and we definitely didn’t want to disrupt the operations of the Food Bank, especially over the rough winter we were having when access to donated food is extremely important for some people in our area.

EXPECTED GLITCHES OVERCOME

Once the order was officially placed, I worked closely with Jon and my digital print supplier to make all the 3M prints required for the job. I was able to cut all the vinyl letters on my plotter at the shop. The wall graphics were unique in that the main mural backgrounds were applied separately from the lettering. That way we had more control over where the lettering would be placed. Jon helped us make sure we situated the graphics where they should go according to his drawings. But, as in every good project, there’s always a glitch. For the wall letters at the selfie wall we used my height to place the main lettering which Les wanted to be visible in their press meetings in the warehouse area. Unfortunately I am a little taller than average and the lettering ended up being a smidge higher than the customer expected. When Phase 3 is installed, I pledged to cut new letters for that area and replace them at no extra cost. One of the beauties of using 3M material is it makes things easier when removal is needed. Although I have not removed vinyl from vinyl, I believe the 3M product should lift off quite well when the time comes to replace the graphics.

*ACM wall panel with stand-offs like in the entrance lobby.*

DIRECTING VOLUNTEERS

The project included wayfinding graphics to help orient new volunteers. All through the passage from entry to the warehouse area volunteer directions were clearly marked.

*Volunteer-friendly signage system by Jon Styer.*

All in all it was a neat project, but only the second part of a three phase sign system. So stay tuned for more pictures as things are completed.

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company, Staunton, VA. 540-943-9818

*Doug standing by the large warehouse wall graphic over 50 feet long and about 18′ high*!

Branding a Non-Profit

October 2, 2024 By jalexspringer

LONG-TIME CUSTOMER

I had worked with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank on many signage projects in the past, but nothing was quite as ambitious as this one! I was installing some door name signs at the Food Bank’s Charlottesville, Virginia branch and just happened to meet Les Sinclair, their communications manager. Les was looking for a firm capable of designing signage and graphics to help brand their headquarters building in Verona, Virginia. It just so happened that my point of contact with Eastern Mennonite, Brand Manager Jon Styer, had recently set up his own private consulting business, At Ease Design and Consulting, so I referred Les to call Jon. A few months later I received a call from Jon saying that he was selected for the project and that he wanted to use me as the sign manufacturer/installer! It was planned out as a two-phase job: The first phase included entry and lobby signage, volunteer directions, and large interior warehouse wall graphics; the second phase included several large exterior warehouse wall signs.

BIG MEETING PLANNED

The Food Bank Network had a big meeting planned in Verona where all four branches of the organization would converge on September 20th. It would be a morale-building meeting and they really wanted us to have the new branding completed by the meeting date if possible. Also because of the heavy foot traffic during normal work hours, the Food Bank requested that we work in the evenings. This arrangement was great since I had many other projects going on that I could tend to during the day.

*The lobby wall before applying the gloss vinyl letters.*

EXPECTED GLITCHES OVERCOME

Once the order was officially placed for the first part of Phase 1, I worked with Jon and my digital print supplier to make all the 3M prints required for the job. I was able to cut all the cut vinyl letters on my plotter at the shop. The wall graphics were unique in that the main mural backgrounds were laminated with a satin overlay while the lettering had a gloss finish. Printing the background and lettering separately made it easier to line up things in the field. Jon inspected all the prints prior to installation and we found a few items that needed reprinting. Sometimes the art from the design software we use isn’t read exactly the same by the printer’s rip software making things come out a little differently than expected. Changing the file type corrected the issues we had on a few prints.

*Three of four ACM wall panels with stand-offs in the entrance lobby.*

A WELCOMING MESSAGE

The project included a welcome wall that had “Welcome” written across the main wall in various languages. Over by the elevator, we installed a logo panel and we hung three stacked wall panels to the right of the receptionist area. At the main entrance we spanned three storefront glass windows with an important message, “Everyone Should Have Enough to Eat”. The graphics on the top were made from 3M Controltac vinyl material and the bottom “mountain” portion was made from perforated vinyl so people could see out from the inside of the lobby area.

*The exterior window graphics utilized two different vinyl products.*

All in all it was a neat project, but only the first part of a large undertaking. So stay tuned for more pictures as things are completed.

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company, Staunton, VA. 540-943-9818

*Mark standing by the last plaque installed. It was late at night and you can see it in his eyes!*

Re-Branding Wayne Hills Baptist

September 2, 2024 By Mark Hackley

BRAND NEW LOOK

A local church customer had designed a new brand and considered an investment of new signage to help publicize it. I met with a few board members tasked with looking into possible sign materials, costs, timeframes, lifespans, etc. Once I completed the initial survey it took me a few weeks to respond to the group with a proposal. The church wanted me to break the estimates up into interior and exterior segments, and they needed the interiors completed first, especially the new lobby branding.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, PVC Wayfinding Sign Systems, Virginia, USA — Setting up the church main ID sign at the entrance road to the large church parking lot in Waynesboro, VA. I designed space below the main sign for the customer to post seasonal event banners as needed throughout the year and provided stainless steel eyehooks in the PVC posts.

ACCOMODATING MEETING SCHEDULE

My main contact worked full-time at Augusta Health and I was able to accomodate his busy schedule by meeting with him on and off to measure and take survey pictures for a while before his mid-week evening programs at the church. After several weeks, I was delighted to find out that the church had selected my company for the job! To keep the costs in a reasonable range for a good-performing sign system, I suggested they use maintenance-free PVC posts and framing with ACM sign panels.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, directional signs — This exterior directional sign was placed at a fork in the driveway coming up the hill to the main church parking lots. Once I received approval for the footer inspection, I filled the holes with high strength concrete. I normally leave the bracing on posts in concrete for 24-48 hours after the pour.

CONSISTENT DESIGN ELEMENTS

The interior part of the sign project cost under $2,000 and the exterior part was under $6,000. I could get to the interiors right away since they had a church member with a CNC router who could make the signs from my vector artwork, and I could make the mounting patterns for the lettering and install the letters on the interior walls rather quickly. The other interior signs consisted of wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted directional signs, plus several flag-mounted room number signs. The signs were consistent in size, color, and placement to make for a nice-looking system that helped newcomers and visitors find their way around.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, interior PVC PLastic Letters — *CNC-Router-Cut Black PVC Graphics at the Church Connect Center in the Main Lobby.*

EASY TO INSTALL

I used my scaffold equipment to make installing the letters over the entrance doors a piece of cake. To install interior letters like these which were cut from 1/8″ thick black PVC material, I use 3M Very High Bond Double-Back Tape (VHB). For larger and heavier letters I would usually add a little silicone adhesive along with the VHB Tape. Prior to lettering the entry wall, I removed the old lettering from the wall and a member of their building committee re-painted the wall just prior to adding the new branding.

A MEMORABLE BRAND

The secret of a memorable brand is repetition. Web pages, printed literature, and signage all across campus with the brand ties everything together and makes people feel comfortable with it and helps them remember it.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, door glass lettering and signs — *Plotter-Cut White High-Performance Vinyl Graphics adorn the front door windows.*

SOLID INSTALLATION

After securing the necessary County permits and VDOT right of way clearance, I checked for underground utility conflicts, then picked a few fair-weather days to work outside on installing the signs. It took a day to get the holes ready, and another day to install everything for inspection. Once the footers were approved, I came back to set the concrete, then one more time to remove the bracing and do a final cleaning. Customers sometimes wonder why installation costs as much as it does. Usually it is due to the number of trips needed to finish the job. Anytime concrete is required, there are several days of trips involved to drive up the cost.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding — *I used standard size 12X18 ACM to make several visitors parking signs, attaching them to 4X4 White PVC Posts with stainless hardware.*

FIRST IMPRESSIONS LEAD THE WAY

As a Christian myself, I appreciate the many opportunities I have to help area churches with their mission of spreading the gospel. It may not seem like signs can help in this important endeavor, but when newcomers to the area are looking for a church family to call home, first impressions can mean a lot!

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, brick mounted signs — *6MM ACM Wall Signs installed into the brick wall with Tapcon fasteners.*

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, portico signage — *The church wanted newcomers to realize where the main entrance was as they approached the parking areas, so I designed a sign for the high fascia of the entry portico.*

Mark Hackley is owner and president of Augusta Sign Company; 540-943-9818; mark@augustasigncompany.com

How Adding Entrance Branding to Your Store or Office Increases Brand Recognition

January 7, 2024 By jalexspringer

The number seven is important in many ways: seven days of the week, seven-the perfect number, lucky seven; but rarely do people link the significance of “seven” with their signage. It has been said by experts in marketing psychology that it takes about seven views of a company brand to inspire the impulse for a prospect to purchase its goods and services.

Or, put another way, it takes about seven views of a brand to feel comfortable with the brand, to the point where the brain considers it to be something memorable. With this information in mind, consider your corporate entry way. Do you have a legible brand at the exterior door? Most people would answer yes to that; but what about the interior entrance foyer?

Especially important for my customers in the medical and professional field is their desire to adequately brand the reception and waiting areas of their facilities. Since the 1980’s I have been involved with branding medical interiors. It was back in the early 80’s when I helped brand many of the interior entrances at the National Naval Medical Center (now called Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) in Bethesda, Maryland. Back then we used die-cut Helvetica letters for lettering the names of all the outpatient departments behind the reception counters. These days, I can cut or print the lettering myself with CAD-CAM plotters, and as far as font styles go, the sky’s the limit!

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There are many competitors out there fighting for the same business. Fixing your brand in the mind of your customers by utilizing interior graphics by Augusta Sign Company can give your business or organization the needed edge to compete well in your particular industry.

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Any business or non-profit can use interior branding solutions, however the industries most likely to benefit the most would include: dentist offices, eye doctors, medical specialists, physical and message therapists, private colleges and universities, retirement centers, churches, law firms, architectural and engineering firms, accounting firms, insurance agencies, and private resorts. The following are some examples of our work. Please feel free to call me anytime for a free survey of your interior space for new branding! Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company, 540-943-9818.

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In addition to interior branding, Augusta Sign Company can help with exterior signage as well!! Call anytime!!

Add Interest to Your Business Entrance Signage

October 19, 2023 By jalexspringer

Intermixing flat panels with dimensional lettering is a great way to add interest to your business entrance signage. Back in the summer I was tasked to design a wall graphic for a local trophy shop in Stuarts Draft, Virginia that was changing their name after purchasing an existing shop that had been a part of the community for years. The new owners had used me for a sign on another business venture at the opposite end of the strip mall and, since that sign was still looking great after eight years out in the elements, they wanted to utilize my services once more!

Once again they had a barren brick wall as a canvas, and they asked me to produce several layout options that I might recommend to make the wall come to life. The previous time I had worked with them, I recommended one large flat Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) panel with their business name and logo that was lifted from the brick wall with wood strips to give it a little depth by casting a nice shadow out in the sunlight. This time I added an option that used the same type of raised panel for their circular logo, but in addition, I recommended dimensional lettering for their business name below.

I suggested three layout options all under $5,000.00 to meet their advertising budget for the project. Happy to say they chose the most expensive option and we both felt it was the best way to go!

Once we finalized the design and they submitted their deposit, I ordered the materials and after about six weeks I was able to schedule the installation. The customer had obtained the necessary sign permit and it was time to go to work!

I set up a work platform using ladder jacks and commenced installing the 1×4 wall studs for the ACM logo panel. It was super hot: high nineties and extremely high humidity! It was so hot that my wife suggested I delay the balance of the installation until the following day when temps were forecasted to be slightly cooler. Remembering a time some thirty years ago when I passed out from dehydration while working on a billboard job in the summer heat, I fastened the ACM logo to the studs and took her advice to wait on drilling out the holes for the individually mounted letters below.

The next time I returned it was somewhat more comfortable for an old man to work. I taped my hole pattern to the wall and drilled over a hundred holes in the solid brick with my hammer drill to mount the letters using rust proof metal studs. I opted to use spacers between the letters and the brick to help cast a similar shadow to the logo above. I installed the letters with silicone, taking care to make sure each letter was straight and flush across the faces.

I dismantled my work platform and called it a day! The customer was happy with the end product and very happy I was done making all that obnoxious noise with my hammer drill!!

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company, and has operated as a Class B Virginia contractor since 1991. If you’re interested in a wall sign for your business, you can reach him at 540-943-9818.