Carved signs have been a New England tradition dating back to the 1650's, when inn, tavern and trade signs were held in great esteem by the community and provided distinctive landmarks for travellers as well. These signs depicted the services and hospitality offered by the innkeepers and tradesmen and were a source of pride to their owners.

BEFORE YOU BUY....

A sign is usually one of the first forms of advertising a business person thinks about, and it will probably be the longest-lasting. After many years of watching from our perspective, there are a few factors that we like to see our customers consider before making this important purchase.

The type of business, of course, dictates a lot about the type of signage necessary. Also, location influences needs, in terms of visibility, competition, local sign ordinances, etc. Let's break these down one by one.

SIGN ORDINANCES

A good place to start is to find out if your location is subject to any sign ordinances. Most communities these days have developed some type of guidelines for signage, along with their zoning ordinances. There are usually size restrictions. Designated historic districts are very fussy. One can save a lot of grief by finding out what they are and what the application process involves. This info is usually available from town offices. With this bit of bureaucratic stuff in hand, you can concentrate on what you need........

TYPE OF BUSINESS

A look at your business plan ( you do have one somewhere, right?) will help make some decisions easy, because you can tell from it to whom you are targeting your business. This should set the tone for the type and style of your sign.

If you are setting up a professional office, you probably want to look relatively conservative, (which is different than plain) business-like but not too corporate (you don't want to intimidate).

If you are in a retail situation, you probably want to attract browsers by creating some anticipation and intrigue with your sign. You should know what your single best asset is. You want a sign that reflects something of you and the unique character of your business.

the "7 WORD" RULE

Research has shown that people don't usually read a sign, they "look" at it. They only "see" about seven words on a sign that make the impression and tell them what they want to know. ( usually what kind of business it is) The most effective sign leaves an attractive impression in the mind of the viewer. A sign noticed and remembered has done its job.
Listing every one of your services on your street sign is probably not worth your money and may actually damage your chances of being remembered. Too many words blur and confuse the message. Once you have the customer inside, then you show them everything you can do.

At Miller Signs & Graphics, the tradition of the hand-carved sign has continued on since 1984, and is still the most requested from business professionals and home-owners alike. Though we have embraced the computer age whole-heartedly for designing and many aspects of our business, we still find the quality of the hand-made to be superior to the computer-driven carving machines that are prevalent in the sign industry today. Our wood and durable urethane signs, hand-crafted with chisels and knifes, not only provide unrivaled and enduring beauty, but harken back to a time when American craftsmanship produced objects of lasting value.