Help and Advice Sheets

Shopfront Signs

Research shows:

40% of company turnover is attributed to business image
Signs are the most efficient and effective means of communication
Signs are the most cost effective means of advertising 24/7
Signs almost instantly imprint a brand image on a customer, with either a positive or negative feeling before they have even entered the premises

Some businesses neglect this highly important area. It is so easy to get this first step right and gain the opportunity to prove that the rest of your service lives up to the promise your signs offer. You only have one attempt at creating a first impression!

Fascia Signs
The first thing to decide is whether the signs need to be illuminated. If so is it to be illuminated internally or externally with one of the extensive range of light fittings available.

A common and economical method of producing an internally illuminated sign is to apply Vinyl lettering to a translucent panel. Although this is a budget conscious approach there is limited sophistication to this technique and, therefore, less visual impact. For a more refined result Acrylic can be used with either Vinyl or Acrylic letters.

If the sign is externally lit or unlit then an economical way to do it is with Acrylic and Vinyl or Acrylic letters. In this case an aluminium frame must be used for fixing because screw fixing large panels doesn't work due to the amount of expansion and contraction with changes in temperature.

A very effective way to create an impressive result and immediate impact is to use 3D letters. These can either be flat cut letters mounted on fixing locators or built up letters that are fabricated so they look solid. Fabricated letters can stand out 150mm or more - depending on the size of the letter.

To add even more impact why not internally illuminate each letter so the light makes the letter glow or have the letters solid so the light creates a 'halo' effect around the letter? This can look particularly stunning if the letters are cut from Stainless Steel or Lustele (see our information sheet on Professional nameplates for information regarding Lustele).

Internally Illuminated Signs
Illuminated sign boxes can be supplied to almost any size and colour. Single sided signs fit flat to the wall of the building but a landmark can be created using a double-sided sign projecting from the wall and visible from quite a distance. Whichever your choice, Austin Luce provide illuminated signs complete with all electric's and bulbs and can be installed quite simply by a local electrician. Alternatively, we can arrange for installation on your behalf. Internal illumination can produce different effects but may restrict the choice of colours and materials.

What about NEON??
It used to be the big thing….
but then came ….

The LED Revolution
If Neon has reach the end of the road, then the way ahead lies with LED. This revolutionary lighting medium can be used to provide a greater range of effects than any other method of lighting.

Add to this

the effect on your bottom line of a 60% reduction in power use
a bulb life expectancy of 150,000 hours (that is over 17 years' continuous use!)
Safety – LED's only use a 12v power supply
Minimal maintenance required

And it is easy to see why LED "has it all".

Whether your requirement is for Edge Lit signs, built up letters with a halo, back illuminated fret cut panels, z-LED or Accent lighting, LED is the answer. The only limit is
your imagination. Austin Luce are installing these "state of the art" external and internal signs for customers now! Contact us today to fire your imagination and let us reate a design to boost your business and create traffic havoc in your street!

Design service
At Austin Luce we provide a free design service. If you seek a quotation from us we will provide you with an image of how the final product will look (see opposite). We aim to provide this to you at formal quotation stage within 48 hours of receiving your request. You will have the opportunity to propose changes to the layout/design or the words used before approving the final draft pre-manufacture. This process virtually eliminates mistakes on both sides.

Download Shopfront Signs PDF