Planning Your Sign

Purchasing a Digital Display is a wonderful way to invest in your business. These signs can boost sales, attract clients, and improve your overall business image. DCI offers highly customizable Digital LED Displays tailored specifically to your business’s needs. Since we have so many options available, I thought it would be good to go over some useful topics that will help you plan for your sign.

Codes & Compliance

The first stop on our list of planning is looking at all the legal jargon on the sign code for your area. I know this is probably the least favorite place to begin, but it is the most important because knowing this information will dictate what you need to do to get the perfect sign for your business.

Most cities have a sign code located on their website, usually in the planning & development departments.  If you are planning a billboard, you will also need to look at the department of transportation’s sign code for your state. Both of these sign codes are important because they will often dictate how much square footage you are allowed for your location, where it can be placed, and give you instructions needed to pull a permit.

If you are desiring signage that is beyond the allowable regulations dictated in the sign code, then you will need to apply for a variance. A variance ruling may allow you to bypass the sign code restrictions, in some circumstances, and still obtain a permit. Usually this is where things get very political. Often it is required to schedule meetings with representatives at the city to talk to them personally about why approval of your sign would benefit all parties involved.

A major benefit of purchasing a Digital Display from DCI is that we have an option available to handle obtaining a permit for your display. If this option is selected, then we will deal directly with the city and/or state to help you obtain the best sign for your business.

The Maximum Effect

Now that you know what sizes you are allowed; the next step is to examine the maximum effect for the display. If you just want to put a few lines of text with some basic animations, then a 20mm would suffice. However, if you would like to show some truly impressive images along with video and animations, then you would want to look at an 8mm or 10mm display. It all depends on what kind of content you want to show. Try to visual the most you will ever do with your display and then, look at which displays will accommodate your vision. If you are having trouble with this part, give us a call and you can discuss this with one of our DCI Sales representatives. They can help break down each display’s capabilities.

Placement

Now that you have an idea of which sign to get, you need to determine where it will be located. It is highly advised to go over your sign code again and look at any potential restrictions that may limit your placement. Some common restrictions are distance setbacks, structure requirements, and directional facing. Having a copy of your building’s site plan or plat will help tremendously when determining the location of the display.

During this time, you also want to take into consideration any visually impeding factors near where you want to place the sign. Objects like trees and other signage can often block the visual range at which your new display can be seen. Trees can often be cut back or relocated to fix the issue. If there is another company’s signage that is in your way, you may look at increasing the overall height of your display or pushing your display further down your lot to help increase it’s visual effectiveness. If our designers here at DCI notice any impeding elements, then we will notify and advise you on the best course of action.

Ask the Experts

If ever you are unsure of any aspect when looking for a sign, we always will advise you to give us a call. We understand that everyone has their own specialties and ours is finding you the right sign for your business. We take the time to get to know your business so that we can figure out how to best help it. Everyone here at DCI is dedicated to make sure you, the customer, come first.