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.

PVC Banners – the Cost-Effective Way to Target Local Custom

If your business relies heavily on passing trade you should seriously consider using PVC banners to improve the effectiveness of your advertising.

So what makes PVC banners such a trusted advertising medium?

Well, for a start, their impact is instantaneous. Consider this: you pass a clothes shop in the high street where there is a banner draped across the front which says: ‘50% off all stock.’ Wouldn’t that make you want to take a closer look? Probably.

But what if that banner read: ‘50% off all stock – TODAY ONLY!’ There, that’s more like it. The perceived sense of urgency makes all the difference. You’d just have to have a peek in now wouldn’t you?

You see, PVC banners demand attention. They are in your face. You can’t ignore them. That’s why many more businesses are recognising the sales potential of PVC banners over other forms of advertising.

For a start they are extremely reasonable to produce. And they lend themselves to multiple projects. If you are a business with more than one branch you can readily transport your PVC banner between sites.

Actually, because these banners are so incredibly cheap compared to other advertising mediums, you might just want to buy two!

And the best way to draw attention to your PVC banner? Make it striking: simple colour scheme, direct message.

The AIDA marketing principle, frequently cited in direct mail campaigns, comes in handy here.

Attention – create a strong headline which promises a benefit.

Interest – raise your customer’s interest by addressing the ‘what’s in it for me?’

Desire – make them want what you are offering.

Action – prompt your prospects to take action NOW!

AIDA will help you keep your marketing message on track. And once you have your banner, the only thing left to do is display it in a prominent place. Somewhere it will have maximum impact.

PVC banners are also really effective when combined with other marketing elements such as fliers, print ads, radio and TV ads and online advertising. This is because we consumers frequently need to be exposed to the same message around half a dozen times before we consciously take notice of it.

Consider how many times you have to see an ad on TV before you become aware of it. The exception might be that really annoying opera singer in the price comparison website ad – though you could say he definitely prompts action of some kind!

So when it comes to planning your next product launch, one day sale, business event or special promotion, why not consider how using a PVC banner might help you achieve your goals – and stay within budget!

Business Owners: Newspaper & Directory Advertising Is Expensive . . . Here’s a Low-Cost Alternative You’ll Love

In these cash-strapped times, businesses of all sizes are constantly on the lookout for fresh, innovative ways to promote their products and services.

If you run your own business, you don’t need to be reminded just how pricey a newspaper or magazine ad can be, not to mention directory advertising. And the main problem with print advertising is that it can be very much a hit and miss affair. You don’t know how effective your campaign will be until it has run its course. Doesn’t it make sense to look around for viable alternatives?

Advertising banners are an established way of telling potential customers about what your particular business has to offer. They’re perfect for all kinds of sales, events, trade shows and promotions. And one of the best things about advertising banners is that they are particularly suitable for use over multiple campaigns, so that makes them really cost-effective too.

So what kinds of banners are currently available to help you get your marketing message across?

Dayglo Banners
Need maximum visibility for your event or promotion? Then Dayglo Banners in high-visibility fluorescent yellow or fluorescent orange, are exactly what you need. Made from PVC, outdoors they’ll last between 6-12 weeks without fading and are perfect for those winter months when you need to be seen on dark mornings and evenings.

Full Colour Banners
Twenty-five per cent extra heavy grade fabric, combined with the functionality of UV-stable outdoor inks, makes full colour banners the professionals’ choice of advertising medium. Tough and durable, with a quality that is unsurpassed, these vibrant banners will add an exciting dimension to all your indoor or outdoor marketing campaigns – at a genuinely reasonable price too!

Economy Banners
Looking for a no-frills banner for indoor or short-term outdoor use? Then choose from red, green, blue or black text on a white background. These ‘economy banners’ are functional, effective, and cheap as chips (if I might borrow the phrase, David).

Eco-friendly Banners
The clean, green alternative for today’s eco-conscious entrepreneur. Choose from 100 per cent recyclable polypropylene, or durable bamboo fibre – 99.6 per cent biodegradable. The beauty of bamboo is that it can be harvested from a renewable source (organic farms, rather than forests) without the need to replant.

These are just a small sample of the wide range of advertising materials available from your dedicated online signs manufacturer. For advice as to the best type of banner to use for your specific purpose, just get in touch with your friendly online sign-maker. They’ll be delighted to assist you.

How to promote a local event

There is nothing more demoralising then lovingly organising an event down to the last detail, only for nobody to turn up on the day. The thing is, it doesn’t matter how well crafted the event is, if  you haven’t done everything you can to promote it then how will your target audience know it is happening? There could be thousands of people all keen to turn up at your gig, specialist trade fair, rally – whatever your event might be – but they won’t be attending unless you alert them to the opportunity by following some or all of the simple strategies listed below:

Use the internet: More and more companies or event planners are recognising the advantages of using social media such as Facebook or Twitter to alert their target audience to an upcoming event. Whilst we think of the Internet as a very international medium, it is also great for promoting local events. All you have to do is find local groups or networks with interest in your target area, or if you already have your own Facebook group or Twitter account you can simply alert your followers directly, who can then spread the message to their own friends or followers. If you have a website, make sure you take advantage of this with regular blog updates.

Advertising banners: Whilst you can’t ignore the advantage of using the Internet for promotion, for a local event it also pays to invest in more traditional methods of ensuring your event is well-attended. Eye-catching advertising banners can be placed in key strategic locations throughout a local area, and if you go for a waterproof kind, such as vinyl, they can be put up several weeks before the event so you get the optimum benefit from them.

Send out press releases:  Put tougher a concise and well-worded press release and send it out to local newspapers, magazines or even radio stations if you know they are willing to make announcements on events in the area. Be sure to include all the relevant information including time, place, how to get there and the major highlights etc. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many organisers neglect to mention key information in press releases.

Start early: It is absolutely no good leaving your promotion until the last minute and then expecting people to turn up in their droves. With all the methods mentioned above, and any others you may like to try, they will only work if you start well in advance to ensure they reach the maximum number of people and give them time to plan their attendance. We all lead busy lives today, and even if we might desperately want to attend an event, if we only find out about it at the last minute this just may not be possible.

Organising a successful event involves a huge amount of planning and there are so many different considerations to bear in mind. But the one thing you can’t neglect is promotion: without expert promotion, even the most meticulously planned and organised event can turn out to be a damp squib with poor attendance.

PVC banners: Great value for money

When you want to purchase some banners – whether it is to advertise your business or promote an event – you ideally want something which will look professional with a high visual impact but will still offer great value for money. 

This is why you should consider using PVC banners: they are highly versatile, competitively priced and will last and last. Here are just some of the benefits they can bring you:

Durability: Because of it high-strength properties, PVC can be used in even the harshest weather conditions including wind, rain or even snow. If your banners are going to used outdoors then this is the material for you. Combined with protective coatings, PVC will not crack easily either, even if left outside in bad conditions for days or weeks at a time, meaning you banners will last longer and give you far more for your money.

Reasonable price: PVC is becoming even easier to produce than ever before, whilst the latest hi-tech printing technology means even graphics overheads can be kept to a minimum. If you combine competitive costing with a long life span and fantastic print quality, you are clearly on to a winner all-round with PVC banners.

Versatility: PVC banners can be produced in almost any shape and size and win a huge and vibrant range of colours thanks to today’s modern printing technology. Whatever requirements you have, a good sign maker should be able to fulfil them. 

Reusability: Nothing brings more value for money than a product which can be used again and again. If you have regular seasonal promotions or sales for which you can use the same banners, then PVC is perfect for you because you can simply take it down when your sale is over. All it takes is a little forethought when it comes to designing your banner to ensure it isn’t too specific to one particular campaign and you are set up for months or even years to come. This also saves you valuable time because you don’t have to set about designing new banners and getting them printed all over again.

Environmental savings: PVC is fully recyclable which means that when your banner reaches the end of its useful life (which will, as we’ve seen, take a while!) it will not be left to lie on a landfill site. Furthermore, because PVC takes less energy to produce than other forms of carbon-based plastics, its overall environmental footprint across the entire life cycle can be kept to a minimum. This will leave you safe in the knowledge that you are getting value for money whilst also lessening the environmental impact of your activities.