Page 28 – Signs for Success

Custom design looks great for Clean Rite Carpet Cleaning in Spokane and Airway Heights, fleet wraps

Contractor Fleet Wraps Maximize Advertising Space

April 15, 2015/in Box Trucks, Cars SUVs, Emergency Vehicles, Pickups, Trailers, Vans, Vehicles/by John Bogensberger

Clean Rite Carpet Cleaning’s first van wrap

Vehicle graphics can generate up to 16 million impressions per year. Imagine the impact on your target audience by outfitting not just one vehicle, but three, four, or more! Fleet wraps work overtime, getting your name out and leaving a lasting positive impression. One local contractor made the leap from no vehicle advertising to three matching van fleet wraps, and was extremely happy with the result.

“This customer had been in business for over 30 years and had never had any kind of logo on his van,” Signs for Success designer Will Oakley explained. “He didn’t have email or a website, only yellow pages advertising, so we sat down and first created a logo.”

The customer had just purchased a new van to add to his lineup and decided it was time to try vehicle advertising. “We incorporated the logo into a partial coverage van wrap design, and he liked the design so much, he decided to have all three of his vans wrapped,” Will said.

Why Fleet Wraps?

A great wrap design can be inspiring. It can take an order from one van to a fleet, and it can leave lasting positive impressions wherever it goes. Unfortunately, yellow pages advertising simply is not enough in the competitive environment we face. Contractors need to take advantage of their mobile advertising space, creating moving billboards on their service vans and trucks. Fleet wraps turn heads and get noticed all over town, in target neighborhoods, and even during lunch break. With fleet wraps, you can create positive impressions and grow your business 24/7.

In this van wrap design, crisp blue graphics stand out against a white background, and the seamless transition from white vinyl film to the OEM paint job makes this partial coverage wrap look like a full wrap. Text is placed strategically and gives just the right amount of information—contact information and an invitation to act based on their experience and quality guarantee—without overwhelming.

Whether you want a full vehicle wrap or a partial coverage wrap, your custom wrap will be designed for maximum impact. Our experienced in-house design team works with customers one-on-one to create the perfect fleet wrap design to maximize the space on all your vehicles, no matter the make or model of each. Contact us for a free quote!

Get Fast Turnaround on Custom Drink Coasters

April 14, 2015/in Branded Promotional, Logo Branding, Tradeshow & Promo/by John Bogensberger

Spokane Symphony Coasters made right here in Spokane

Custom printed coasters aren’t just for restaurants; they can be used at any business or promotional event for additional exposure. Since we added full color drink coasters to our long list of promotional advertising options at the beginning of the year, we’ve seen many orders for these thoughtful special event favorites.

We started making drink coasters when one of our long-time clients was in a pinch with his regular supplier. “It was just before Christmas, and his usual supplier was closing for two weeks around the holidays and could not deliver in time for their event on New Years’ Eve,” Signs for Success designer Vanessa Bogensberger explained. “We called a few more of our vendors but received the same answer.”

Vanessa immediately began the search for a suitable material to print custom drink coasters on. She collaborated with Signs for Success Production Manager Denise Gillit, and they came up with X-board. “We decided to use X-board, which is very much like matte board for framing, and it’s a better quality product than most coasters are printed on,” Vanessa said. “We were able to print the coasters full color, double sided for similar pricing as the ad specialty products, but we got a far superior product.”

These custom printed coasters were completed on time for First Night Spokane, a Spokane Symphony event, and our client Clint Burgess was thrilled with the result. He ordered 4,000 double sided, full color coasters for his New Years’ event, and loved them so much that he has come back to order more every time they run low. Custom drink coasters have become a regular advertising tool for Spokane Symphony.

Drink coasters are great for:

Special events
Fundraisers
Weddings
Restaurants
Bars

Clifford 80th Birthday Celebration Items

A drink coaster is a great place to advertise upcoming events, special deals, and contact information such as logo, website, phone number, and social media. We can do single- or double-sided full color printing to really maximize the advertising space. We now advocate our in-house custom printed drink coasters over other vendors because, as Vanessa says, “Our coasters are superior quality of both print and material, done locally, done more quickly, and at a very reasonable price point.” It just doesn’t get any better than that!

See more options for Promotional Products here or

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Color Change Wraps for every season

April 13, 2015/in Cars SUVs, Off-Road & Motorcycles, Pickups, Vans, Vehicles, Watercraft/by John Bogensberger

Avery color change car wrap vinyl

Color is all-important – from the walls of our home to our smart phones, we personalize our possessions and use color to express ourselves. According to Harvard Health Watch, the average American spends over 25 days a year in their vehicle. With an average 101 minutes spent each day in the car, why not be able to choose what color your car is and even change your mind from time to time? A traditional paint job may cost more than you’re willing to pay, especially if it affects the value of your vehicle, but what if there was an easier way? Enter the color change wraps.

The biggest advantage of color change wraps is that you can change the color of your vehicle without affecting the market value. Any paint job that covers the original factory color decreases the vehicle’s value. With color change wraps, you can change the color now, but go back to the original color several years down the road. A full car wrap not only leaves your original paint job intact, but it also protects the paint from fading and normal wear. You and your vehicle can even experience several different colors –including matte or metallic colors – without altering the factory paint job.

Matte black truck wrap color change wraps installed at Signs for Success

Matte black truck wrap color change installed at Signs for Success

We use Avery Supreme Wrapping Film for color change wraps. The 60″ material covers almost any surface of any vehicle so there are no seams. If, however, there does need to be a seam, it will go into a body line, giving an all-over seamless look. The material contours well even into deep recesses to hug the curves of your vehicle and give a smooth, paint-like finish. In addition, the film comes pre-laminated for extra durability. With over 30 trendy colors to choose from, you can use a color change car wrap to personalize your vehicle with a color that describes you today.

See other types of vinyls offered, or get a free quote for your custom wrap.

Custom canvas wall art; photography by Cathleen Balfour

Custom Canvas Prints Turn Photographs into Fine Art

April 3, 2015/in Banners, Posters/by John Bogensberger

Gallery wrapped canvas prints on display; photography by Cathleen Balfour.

Custom Canvas Prints

Personal motivator Cathleen Balfour is inspired by her many travels, and photos taken during trips to Hawaii, Mexico, and Arizona conjure feelings of faith and beauty. Cathleen wanted a way to display her favorite photos and share them with others. What began as a personal collection of memories has turned into an art collection titled Sacred Prints that has been showcased and even sold as individual pieces.

To print her personal photographs on canvas, Cathleen simply sent Signs for Success the digital files to work with. With Cathleen’s approval, we cropped a few of them slightly to fit the frame size. Blown up and digitally printed on canvas, these are each a beautiful piece of fine art. A matte finish gives the photos a gallery look, and stretched over a wooden frame, they are ready to hang and be enjoyed.

Custom canvas prints wall art; photography by Cathleen Balfour

Custom canvas wall art; photography by Cathleen Balfour

Our canvas material comes in 28″ and 56″ rolls, which will allow for a large sized print about 4 feet by however tall or wide you would like. The smaller roll is ideal for prints with a finished size of 2 feet or less. Cathleen’s first two prints were 36” x 42” and 42” x 48”. She sold both prints immediately, then ordered several more to be showcased at an art show. Cathleen describes her work as “art with hope and spirit.”

Signs for Success can help you with reproducing your photograph on a number of different products, from gallery wrapped canvas, foamcore or other rigid surfaces, even flat material you provide!

custom sponsor school signs hanging in gym for schools by Signs for Success near Mead and Chewelah

Use School Signs to Raise Money

April 1, 2015/in Banners, Post and Panel, Rigid Signs, Wall Signs, Yard, Political, Realtor/by John Bogensberger

custom sponsor school signs hanging in gym

High school sponsor signs printed on corrugated plastic

School signs provide a vital means of communication between a school and its community, parents, students and teachers. From sponsor signs to event signs to safety signs, custom printed school signs are a great addition to any campus.

Use school signs to:

Thank sponsors and volunteers
Promote fundraisers
Maintain safety indoors and out
Recognize student, teacher and school achievements
Announce school functions
Promote sporting events

custom printed school signs, Rogers High School in Spokane

Rogers High School literacy sign

School signs can be printed on a number of different materials. The most cost-effective material – and perfectly adequate for temporary signs – is corrugated plastic. Often called coro or corex, the material has a corrugated core and a smooth plastic face.

“We print sponsor signs on corrugated plastic for Rosalia School District, Liberty School District and Northwest Christian School. It’s a great way for public and private schools to raise the badly needed funds to enhance their sports programs,” Signs for Success designer Vanessa Bogensberger said.

We digitally print the custom design or message, then add grommets or heavy duty double stick tape for easy hanging.

Custom printed school sign

For long-term school signs, there are many more rigid sign materials to choose from. We printed these literacy wall signs on high impact polystyrene and gatorplast for Rogers High School. The purpose of the signs was to develop and increase students’ love for reading and literacy in their school, and they will be sure to last many years.

Some other materials for indoor and outdoor school signs include: Aluminum or Aluminum Composite Material (ACM), Lexan, Acrylic, and PVC. Aluminum is great for safety signs, whether they’re in the parking lot or in the science lab. Show your school pride with parking signs, visitor signs, and security signs with custom printed school name and/or mascot.

Whatever school signs you might need, Signs for Success can create the perfect custom signs for you. Contact us for a free quote!

Change Machine Wrap designed, printed and installed by Signs for Success in Spokane, wrap advertising

Wrap Advertising: How to Wrap a Change Machine

March 30, 2015/in decals stickers labels, Design Services, Installs Only, Point of Purchase, Random Other Stuff/by John Bogensberger

Change Machine Wrap designed, printed and installed by Signs for Success

We love restoration projects and makeovers. “Makeovers are one of the most enjoyable types of projects we do at Signs for Success,” Owner John Bogensberger said. The transformation and final product is always fun to see.

One recent makeover was a wrap advertising project for a change machine. Color change wraps and custom printed wraps can makeover almost anything, from trucks and boats to a beverage cooler – the customer chose a camouflage wrap for his man cave beverage cooler – or even a change machine.

“We created a wrap design to cover over an old change machine,” Signs for Success designer Will Oakley said. “The design was made to match the theme of the customer’s restaurant.” This custom wrap advertises birthday parties and mirrors the fun atmosphere of 5 Mile Heights Pizza.

wrap advertising with change machine wrap for restaurant

Machine is prepped for install

Signs for Success printed the change machine graphics onto high performance wrap vinyl, then installed the vinyl onto the machine at our facility. The brightly colored graphics are eye-catching, and they make the old machine look brand new!

How to Wrap a Change Machine

It’s easy. First strip the old machine of any old graphics or decals, take off any parts that are easily removed, and clean the surface. Next, place the wrap vinyl where you want it. Begin smoothing out the vinyl. If it looks good, go over the surface with a heat gun and smooth with a squeegee tool. If it needs repositioning, pull up the vinyl, reposition, and repeat. Use a sharp blade to cut extra vinyl off or to contour cut around handles, openings or other features.

We always recommend having a wrap professionally installed. Our installers are Avery Car Wrap Certified, have been through rigorous training and testing, and have successfully installed hundreds of wraps. We want you to get the most out of your wrap advertising, so we make sure the job is done right, and we can guarantee a longer lasting wrap. Contact us for a free quote!

This temporary back wall for Brooks & Dunn concert advertisement at Spokane Tradeshow is made of foamcore, but could easily be a banner or other substrate, foamcore displays cheney, printed foam core spokane

Custom Foamcore Signs

March 23, 2015/in A-frame, Displays, Post and Panel, Posters, Rigid Signs, Standees, Tradeshow & Promo, Wall Signs/by John Bogensberger

This temporary back wall signs for Brooks & Dunn concert advertisement at Spokane Tradeshow is made of foamcore, but could easily be a banner or other substrate

Scored foamcore panel for Brooks & Dunn concert advertisement at Spokane Tradeshow

Foamcore, or foam board,

is definitely an underutilized sign material. Though foamcore must be used solely for indoor signs, because it is both inexpensive and professional looking, foamcore signs can be used either as short- or long-term signage in almost any setting.

Use foamcore signs for:

Hanging signs
Point of Purchase signs
Directional signs
Exhibit signs and Kiosks
Tradeshow displays
Custom shaped signs
Easel signs
Presentation displays

Decorate with affordable styrene, paper, foamcore signs, gator posters in your retail clothing store, by Signs for Success in Spokane

Retail store signs

Foamcore is a paper product with a wood-fiber veneer. It has similar thickness to corrugated plastic, but with a smooth face, and it’s perfect for indoor displays and indoor hanging signs. Unfortunately, the soft paper exterior of foamcore means it is not outdoor durable, and should be kept away from moisture and high-traffic areas.

Even though it can be fragile, foamcore’s positive qualities prevail:

Holds a high-quality digital print
Very lightweight; ideal for indoor hanging signs
Inexpensive
Professional looking interior signage

Our foamcore signs are custom, full color signs that can be printed either single- or double-sided. See descriptions of foamcore and other sign materials. Our experienced design team can take a concept and create a one-of-a-kind look for your next custom sign project. Contact us today to get started!

John Deere Gator Matte Black Wrap, off road wraps in Spokane and Medical Lake

John Deere Gator gets Matte Black Wrap

March 20, 2015/in Box Trucks, Cars SUVs, Emergency Vehicles, new and cool, Off-Road & Motorcycles, Pickups, Trailers, Vans, Vehicles, Watercraft/by John Bogensberger

John Deere Gator Matte Black Wrap

“Pape Machinery is sponsoring the Spokane Shock football team this year and had us wrap a John Deere Gator for them. The Gator will be used at home games and other events to promote the utility, versatility, and overall fun of this John Deere unit,” Signs for Success owner John Bogensberger explained.

This cool matte black wrap is dotted with decals all over the hood and body. A giant Spokane Shock logo decal tops the vehicle, and is placed strategically to be seen from the stadium seating all around, making this one awesome looking John Deere Gator.

Off Road Wraps

Off road wraps are unique because we often work with less common, rugged shapes. “One challenge with the Gator was the roof,” Signs for Success designer Kimberly Hoffmann said. “There were deep grooves in the roof, and we had to calculate how the graphic was going to lay out going in and out of the grooves.” Kimberly took special care to make sure the logo would not be distorted when it was applied.

Decals were strategically placed all over this off road wrap

The installation was a little more time-consuming than most. Before installation even began, most of the parts of the gator had to be removed, then re-installed after the wrap was complete. With all the smaller decals that had to be installed over the wrap, our install team worked tirelessly to get every decal just right in a layout that is seamless and looks effortless. The finished product was absolutely worth the extra time.

We were able to work with the unique shapes, grooves and parts of the John Deere Gator to create a great promotional vehicle wrap. We have designed, printed and installed hundreds of vehicle wraps, including off road wraps. Although most of them are for cars, trucks, SUVs and other common vehicles, we have successfully wrapped such uncommon vehicles as boats, motorcycles, go karts, Zambonis, golf carts, and more. If you have a unique vehicle you want to make into a promotional tool, or just want to make it your own, let Signs for Success help you achieve your vision! Contact us today for a free quote.

Restored arcade pinball glass with digital printing by Spokane Signs for Success

Retro Art Restoration: Recreating Pinball Glass

March 18, 2015/in Backlit, Design Services, new and cool, Random Other Stuff, Rigid Signs/by John Bogensberger

Restored arcade pinball glass

Because we create custom digital prints, we often get interesting and unusual requests. These are fun projects that test our creativity and show off just much our equipment can do. We were recently asked to restore a retro pinball machine to its original pop art glory.

“The customer had purchased a used pinball machine online. It was a Williams Heat Wave machine. He said he used to play it for hours when he was a child,” Signs for Success designer Will Oakley explained. However, when the customer received his beloved pinball machine, the glass was broken into three pieces. “It appeared at some point someone had shot it with a BB gun,” Will said. “We scanned the pieces he had, recreated the missing areas from scratch and reprinted the image onto a piece of glass that the customer provided.”

Before and after photo of recreated glass

Digital Printing

Signs for Success specializes in custom large-format digital printing. Digital printing can translate into car and truck wraps, large signs, posters, banners, decals, and so much more. This project incorporated our extensive knowledge and experience in backlit signs. Digital printing makes full color backlit signs possible, but getting the color and saturation just right can be tricky when a sign is backlit half the time, and front-lit the other half of the time. Too often, we see dark sign graphics during the day and washed out signs at night. So we came up with a solution – layering color with white ink during printing allows a light-blocking layer so the same color and saturation can be seen whether the sign is lit from the front or back. We used the same technique for the pinball glass.

“There are areas of the image that don’t show up until the image is backlit. We were able to recreate these areas using layers of white ink and color,” Will explained. When the lights come on, the graphics really pop out thanks to a layer of white ink and a second layer of color behind those images.

With a little design savvy, state-of-the-art FB500 flatbed printer, and understanding of color and white ink, we were able to recreate the broken pinball glass. The customer was ecstatic that we were able to restore his pinball machine and will be able to once again “play it for hours.”

Matte black truck wrap color change installed at Signs for Success

Matte Wraps for any Vehicle

March 17, 2015/in Box Trucks, Cars SUVs, Emergency Vehicles, Off-Road & Motorcycles, Pickups, Trailers, Vans, Vehicles, Watercraft/by John Bogensberger

Matte black truck wrap color change installed at Signs for Success

You can get the look of a high-end matte paint job with a matte black or matte dark grey vehicle wrap. Matte black paint jobs were originally inspired by military fighter jets whose black or grey matte paint camouflage an aircraft in the night sky. Although modern aircraft paints may contain compounds that scatter and diffuse radar waves to further camouflage a stealth fighter, car and truck wraps need no such technology to achieve the sleek stealth look.

Matte black and Matte grey wraps allow you to get the stealth look without committing to a pricey paint job, or an even pricier matte sports car like this Lamborghini. Only a handful of these were made in matte dark grey to cater to their trendiest customers. For the rest of us, a color change wrap can make a big statement on a vehicle we already own and love.

For all color change wraps including matte wraps, we use Avery Supreme Wrapping Film. Highly conformable, this car wrap vinyl hugs the curves of a vehicle and creates a smooth paint-like finish. Best of all, the vinyl is removable, which preserves the quality of the paint job underneath.

Signs for Success can add matte black accents and rally stripes or a full matte black color change matte wraps to your muscle car in Spokane and Chewelah

Matte Black rally stripes are so cool in Spokane

Matte wraps aren’t just for making a personal statement – businesses can take advantage of this cool trend by adding their custom logo graphics to a matte wrap. Signs for Success owner John Bogensberger put a matte black and camouflage wrap on his personal truck and added the Signs for Success logo in etched vinyl on the back window. We can even place custom printed graphics on top of a matte background for a seamless vehicle wrap design.

There are several advantages to matte wraps for your vehicle. Use a matte wraps to:

Temporarily change your vehicle paint color
Cover an old paint job
Give your vehicle a sleek aesthetic
Make a statement without breaking the bank
Make your vehicle advertising stand out – paired with your logo and contact information, a matte advertising wrap will really turn heads.