Friday 6 April 2012

Why Use A Cafe Barrier System?

If you run a cafe in a bustling urban area you will know that it can be difficult to compete with all the many other such establishments operating nearby. Whilst offering meal deals and fantastic daily specials are of course important, you also need to find a way to make your cafe stand out from the others, and an outside seating area can also make it look inviting. Cafe barrier systems can allow you to do both of these things, and more, as we shall discover. Here’s why you should invest in one:

Staking A Claim: If your cafe is on a busy street with plenty of rivals with their own outdoor seating areas, you need to stake a claim to your patch. A robust barrier system will allow you to do this. After all, on a hot day consumers will want to enjoy the sun, and if you haven’t made sure of your bit of the pavement early enough there will be plenty of other places they can go to dine al fresco.



Differentiation: Your barriers can be printed with whatever graphics you choose, so make them as arresting and attractive as possible and you will create a welcoming place for customers to sit. These systems aren’t just about claiming a pitch – they’re about advertising too, and making your establishment stand out from the crowd. An attractive looking outside display is always going to draw people in.

Durability: Good quality cafe barrier systems are made from stainless steel and the graphics can be printed on wipe-clean PVC, meaning that they are weatherproof and highly durable. The initial investment may be higher for a better system, but you won’t have to be replacing it any time soon. In effect, you have a ready-made advertisement for your cafe that you can use as many times as you want. The systems can be customised to suit the location, so if you are in a particularly windy spot you should be able to request one made from mesh, which allows the wind to pass through it without being blown down.

Ease of Use: A cafe barrier system can be taken down very quickly at the end of the day and stored neatly away. This is important, because if left out at night it could easily be vandalised or stolen. It should also be light enough to be easily transported should your business be doing the catering for an outdoor event.

Using Banner Frames To Market Your Business



If you are looking for a versatile, affordable and easy way to promote your business, consider investing in some banner frames, or banner stands, for advertising and marketing purposes. Whether you need them for an outdoor event, trade show or for in-store promotions, they are one of the most popular ways to draw attention to your company’s products and services.

The main function of a banner frame, of course, is to hold your advertising banners in place – but there is more to them than this. A well-made frame can enhance the look of your banner by making it appear more professional to the potential customer. It is an unfortunate fact that the effect of a beautifully designed banner can be marred if it is just tacked to a wall or left to hang loose.

In addition to providing support for your advertising material, banner frames also offer essential protection which means your artwork will last longer and you won’t have to dig deeper into your marketing budget every time you need to attend a trade fair, hold a stand at an event or promote a certain product. They ensure that the banner will not crease or tear, so it stays looking fresh and professional for however long you need to use it.


These frames also allow you to display more advertising material at one time, which helps you to utilise your space better. They can be displayed either horizontally or vertically, and can come with three or sometimes even four sides to hold four separate displays. This is handy if, for example, you are at a trade show and you have only been allocated a small amount of space but the amount of information you need to convey cannot be held on one single poster.

Furthermore, a banner frame is perfect if you attend shows or advertise at outdoor events regularly as they are light and extremely easy to transport. Erecting them is the work of minutes, which makes them a highly practical option for anyone operating under time constraints.

Of course, once you have the frames themselves you can interchange the artwork to suit the particular event or promotion, which also gives you a high degree of flexibility. Choose a high-quality supplier offering anodised aluminium frames which will not tarnish or rust, and you have a fantastic, easily transportable marketing tool that will last for years. After all, many companies may now be using digital displays as well, but the tried-and-tested advertising banner will never go out of style.

Turn Your Van Into An Advertising Tool



If you have a company vehicle, or even a fleet of vehicles, to deliver products or reach customers, you have a valuable opportunity to advertise your company on the move. Using high-quality, well-designed graphics with your contact details is a great way to make a good impression of your business and hopefully gain new customers as well.

The advantages of using your business vehicles as advertising tool are obvious. Creating awareness is something every company has to think about, so what better way to do this than to put your details and brand message on a moving vehicle which will be visible to large numbers of potential customers throughout the day?

Also, by investing in some eye-catching signage you can market your company at a relatively low cost. If you use high quality signs they can last for months or even years, so your return on the investment is potentially huge. Naturally, you can’t ignore other forms of marketing, but if you are a relatively small company and your marketing budget is low, then this is one of the most practical and cost-effective forms of advertising to consider.



What Kind Of Sign?

Good quality signs for vehicles are made from vinyl, which is highly practical as it is easy to clean and also weather-proof so your sign will last and last. If you want, you can go for a permanent sign which consists of adhesive-backed vinyl. The advantage of this is you can pretty much forget about it once it’s on, as long as you keep it clean, and it can also be wrapped around any curves or mouldings on the vehicle.

For more versatility, though, many businesses prefer to use magnetic signs for vans, which are removable. These can be in any shape you want and can be taken off and replaced at will. Being able to remove your vehicle signs is useful if you have a temporary promotion on that you want to advertise, for example, or if you want to update your image or branding. Magnetic signs for vans will adhere to the vehicle even at high speeds, so you won’t have to worry about losing them.

Design It Right

When it comes the design of your vehicle sign, it should be clear, simple and highly visible even at a distance, so it’s best to use no more than three contrasting colours and don’t over-clutter it. Your contact details should be displayed in large, bold text so they are easy to read. Your company logo and sign should reflect your overall message in seconds, so think about what exactly it is you want to convey, and make sure that it will appeal to your core customer base. If you’re unsure about how to go about designing it, it’s worth hiring in an experienced graphic design team to create the concept for you.