Top 5 Rules for Effective Vehicle Wrap Design

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

5 Rules for Effective Vehicle Wrap Design

If you examined most wraps on the road today, you’d think the concept of designing a simple, easy-to-read message was difficult to understand. It’s really not, once you understand the fundamentals of what it takes to build a good wrap.

The characteristics of good wrap design and vehicle advertising -- those which use proper branding, and easy-to-discern messaging -- are rarely employed on most vehicle wraps seen on the road today. This explains why many wraps are failures from an advertising standpoint, and sadly a wasted opportunity for the businesses deploying them. This can be primarily attributed to a lack of education and understanding about the actual medium. In years past, the prerequisites for billboard painters and truck lettering artists were years of study and apprenticeships. Mastering the craft is a bit easier today, since the primary barrier to entry is acquiring the cash to buy a large format digital printer. So, while the sign or wrap company may be brilliant at installing wraps, they may lack experience in the study of effective advertising in an outdoor realm.

The following rules can help you better understand the fundamentals for good wrap design and vehicle advertising. Whether you are a designer hoping to improve your layouts, or a small business owner trying to gain market share, these tips will help you get the maximum impact and return on investment for your outdoor vehicle advertising programs.

Rule #1: Start with A Great Brand

"The response has been phenomenal. People go out of their way to compliment
the trucks. You can see people turning their heads as we drive by," says
Marcus Camferrman, owner of Air Zero, who had their brand identity
and wrap designed by NJ advertising agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

One reason that so many wraps fail from a marketing perspective is because the business has a poor brand identity and logo. The brand should always be the primary message for a vehicle wrap, unless you have national brand recognition. For small businesses trying to make an impact in their community, the message is always about the brand. Starting with a poor brand means you’ve failed before you’ve begun: by wasting money on a wrap and missing a huge marketing opportunity.

We generally only do wrap design for clients whose brands we’ve created, because companies who come to us with an existing brand often have a terrible one. And if they won’t change it, we won’t design it. What is surprising is that we are usually the first ones to tell them that. I guess the other sign companies never mention that because they don’t want to lose the job. While I can understand that, a surprising number of clients really appreciate the candor and the fact that we only have their best interests in mind. It’s too much money to play with. I’m certainly not going to be responsible for wasting your money by trying to work with a brand that has no business being implemented on a wrap. The brand is the message, period.

Rule #2: Don’t Use Photos

Retro-themed truck wrap example for carpet cleaning company in Orlando,
FL. Note how an effective brand implementation works better than a photo.

I’ve had this discussion often with other sign makers, and some disagree with me on this point. However, I believe that there are few effective wraps that use photos, and I’d argue that any wrap that uses a photo could have been more effectively done without one. The photo is not a brand identity; it doesn’t connect me with the business name. Maybe it connects me with what the company does, but so should a good brand. 

Take the usual examples, like the HVAC contractor with a picture of an air conditioner. Great. Now I know you do air conditioning, but who are you? I don’t know, because I only have 2.5 seconds to view the message. Or consider the contractor and the picture of a house. Great. A house. But are you a siding company, a roofing company, a window installer, powerwasher, a landscaper or an electrician? I have no idea, since the photo is the dominant element. After my 2.5 seconds are up, your message is lost amidst all the other things trying to grab my attention.

Perhaps on box trucks or trailers you can use a photo, but I’d still argue a more powerful brand integration would be more effective. National chains have an easier time using photography, because, once again, their brand is already known and the message need not be 100% focused on who or what the brand is. Small businesses don't have this luxury.

Rule #3: Limit Your Advertising Copy

It's especially important to keep simple messaging on smaller vehicles,
as this wrap design for a maid service in Texas illustrates.

There’s only 3 or 4 things a good wrap needs: strong brand implementation, and perhaps tagline messaging, a web address, and maybe a phone number. Bullet lists, which look more like shopping lists, have no place on a vehicle. This isn’t the yellow pages. Would you rather list 10 things and have none remembered, or convey one to two memorable takeaways? If this truck were a billboard, how much copy would be on it? Billboards have the exact same challenges as vehicle advertising. If you prioritize your copy, it will be more effective. In general, the hierarchy should always be: BRAND, TAGLINE, WEB and/or PHONE NUMBER.

This vehicle wrap for mechanical contractor (HVAC) in Florida is
unique due to a compelling brand that we integrated into the design.

Rule #4: Design to Stand Out, Not Fit In

This isn’t the part where many might say diamond plate, carbon fiber, tribal flames will make your truck wrap stand out. Quite the contrary. By eliminating all those fills, noisy backgrounds, photos, bevels, and glows, you’ll be on your way to designing a wrap which actually stands out. The wrap market is littered with visual noise. When we see something with impact -- something that we can actually read and remember -- it can't help but stand out among the visual clutter. That’s what is so ironic to me. People think our vehicle wrap designs are innovative simply because they are unlike what everyone else seems to be doing. So -- they stand out.

Brand, brand, brand. It's all about the brand for this wrap and
brand identity our NJ advertising agency created for this
Georgia-based HVAC contractor.

Rule #5: Simple and Obvious is Good
If the viewer needs to work too hard to figure out the primary brand messaging, it’s an opportunity lost. The medium isn’t the same as print design, where the viewer can stop, absorb the advertising and try and understand the message. Consider that one, primary takeaway you’re hoping to leave with the viewer. What is it? And does the wrap effectively communicate it? Is it lost in the imagery? Distance legibility is, of course, a primary concern. You have very limited time to capture the viewer’s attention and have your brand and message be understood and remembered.

Fleet wrap design for HVAC company in San Antonio, Texas.

Retro themed HVAC truck wrap example.

Retro themed truck wrap example for plumbing, heating and air company near Chicago.

Truck wrap example showing effective brand integration for a heating and air contractor in Fayeteville.

 

One of our best truck examples, showing a cohesive brand integration and easy to read messaging. 

Another view of this vehicle wrap for a handyman company.

Click here for more examples of effective vehicle wraps.


Dan Antonelli is the President and Creative Director of Graphic D-Signs, Inc, a NJ advertising agency specializing in small business advertising, marketing, and brand development, including HVAC logo design and HVAC web design services.

How the Facebook Timeline is Evolutionizing Social Media...Again

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

If you are reading this blog, chances are you landed here via Facebook. And if you landed here via Facebook, chances are that you, your business--or both--have a Facebook profile. In case you haven't noticed, the folks at Facebook like to keep us on our toes with changes to the virtual landscape. The latest and greatest "upgrade" is the Timeline. A once-optional user interface, Timeline will become a mandatory part of every individual and business profile on Mar. 31, 2012. So, what does this change mean for your company?

Click here to view our timeline!

There are several key components of Timeline that are different than the current profile page. While you may not love them, they are the future of Facebook--so it's important to embrace these changes instead of fight them. Here are some of the new features:

1. Administrator Access: The Timeline allows you to assign up to five different degrees of access for page administrators and gain access to real-time analytics surrounding popular activity metrics. 
2. Cover Photo: Possibly the most noticeable change, the cover photo displays across the top of a page's timeline...and it is sizably larger than the current profile picture. Use this cover image to tell your brand's story, showcase photos or highlight the unique selling points of a product or service. Remember, the cover photo cannot be a "billboard" for your business; that means it cannot include prices, purchase information, calls to action or company contact information. It also cannot urge people to “Like” or “Share” your page. 
3. Custom Tabs: These spaces will automatically display several items, like a brand’s photos and its number of “likes.” However, they can also be customized. You can have large icons linking to your custom tabs (i.e. Social Campaigns) at the top of your Timeline, giving them more visibility. If your business has apps or coupons, this is a prominent way to display them.
4. Optional Message Button: A private messaging option allows fans and customers to communicate with your business in a one-on-one environment. This feature gives customers the power to voice complaints or negative feedback in private, and out of the public Facebook eye. Private messaging gives your business the opportunity to (1) identify weaknesses with your service or product, and (2) offer real-time solutions to defuse customer concerns. Customers want to be heard, and this provides them with that platform. 
5. Pinning: By now, most of us have heard of Pinterest. In a similar fashion, the new Facebook pinning function allows companies to keep a particular promotion or offer at the forefront of their page for a full week. So, while you continue to populate your page with daily information and status updates, you can also keep timely messages "sticky" at the top, where they won't get lost. 

Ten years ago, the word Facebook was unheard of -- and now we can't imagine life without it. Concerned about the latest changes to the social media landscape? GDS social media strategists can help you make the most of Facebook's new functionality. To put Timeline to work for your business, or to inquire about monthly social media campaign plans, contact our NJ advertising team today. 

Dan Antonelli is the President and Creative Director of Graphic D-Signs, Inc, a NJ Advertising Agency specializing in small business advertising, marketing, and brand development in New Jersey and across the country.

5 Tips for Choosing a Small Business Advertising Agency

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

You’re a small business with a limited budget for marketing and advertising, but you need exposure. Large advertising agencies tend to work with big business and Fortune 500 companies, and their fees are often cost-prohibitive. So, how do you navigate the sea of choices when choosing how to spend your precious dollars?

The key to making strategic marketing decisions is aligning your company with an agency that specializes in small business advertising. Remember the following tips when deciding which small business advertising agency is the right one for you.

Here's a flowchart on how typical small business
ad agencies work. Click to view original images.

1. Consider the agency’s current client base. Be sure to peruse the ad agency’s own website; it will serve as a good indication of the work they do for their clients. Any reputable ad agency should provide a list of their clients and showcase the work they have done for them. As a small business, you should select an advertising agency with clients who are similar in size and scope to yours. Ad agencies that work with small businesses and service industries take an approach that is unique to advertising on a local level. Make it your due diligence to find the best match for your goals.
2. Inquire how the agency is structured. As a small business owner, you wear several hats in your business: CEO, marketing director, human resources manager. Your small business advertising agency partner should be able to guide you through the advertising and design process and take the place of an internal marketing department. In other words, the staff should fall somewhere between a one-man show and a five-level design committee. While it is wise to avoid a multi-layered approach, try to choose an advertising agency whose staff represents a mix of each advertising discipline: creative design, copywriting, web development and overall account management.
3. Experience IS necessary. You are hiring an advertising agency for a job (hopefully, a long-term one) and industry credentials should support their experience. Question the staff’s competence in all media strategies and channels, both traditional and innovative. Effective agencies must keep up with today’s ever-changing landscape and technology in order to design successful strategies for their clients. Awards won by agencies are certainly important, but the specific credentials, accolades and industry recognition show expertise
4. Does the agency support creative interaction? Yes, you are hiring an small business advertising agency for their creative and strategic expertise. But, sometimes egos can get in the way. Your opinion is invaluable in shaping your brand’s development. When interviewing ad agencies, consider the personalities there. Reinforce the importance of open communication and make sure the agency encourages client feedback.
5. Does their work excite you? An advertising agency's portfolio is a good indication of the work you should expect to get from them. Make sure you are impressed with their body of creative work and their ability to create advertising design work which meet defined marketing goals. Viewing small business advertising case studies is one way to see a holistic approach to brand integration.

Your small business advertising agency should also be your strategic partner. It can be complex for small businesses to get a handle on their advertising plan. Not surprisingly, sometimes the only direction small businesses receive is from those who sell advertising space. Ad sales executives will likely advise small businesses to put their advertising dollars into the outlets they represent, even when it does not makes strategic sense. Select an agency that has your best interests in mind, reviewing your budget and helping you to invest your advertising dollars where they are most effective.

Selecting the right advertising agency is a critical decision for your small business. Take the time to do your homework and choose a partner that will strengthen your brand and grow your business.


Dan Antonelli is the President and Creative Director of Graphic D-Signs, Inc, a NJ Advertising Agency specializing in small business advertising, marketing, and brand development, including HVAC logo design, and HVAC web design services.

Retro Themed Vehicle Wraps for HVAC and Service Contractors

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

Make the most of your service vehicles with better, more effective vehicle wraps.

Retro themed vehicle wrap for NJ based HVAC and Duct Cleaning Contractor.

We’ve been fortunate to have established a nice niche with the retro branding work we do for clients all over the country(and globe!). The work is fun, yet extremely challenging and labor intensive. It requires a lot of research. You really have to think outside the box and imagine you’re a designer from decades past, and consider how brands were done back then.

I often wonder if perhaps I was born a few decades too late—because I’m fascinated by the genre. To me, the design work is very well-suited to the design philosophy we espouse in our work.

Retro wrap example for a HVAC client of ours in Palm Springs.
The vehicle was featured on the cover of SignCraft Magazine in Jan, 2012.

Much of the branding work from the period, especially the ’40s through the early ’70s, had characteristics that made them usually ideal for outdoor use. Outdoor was typically an important medium for many of these businesses. Outside of superior distance legibility, many brands from the period used characters, mascots or other unique symbols to enhance memorability.

"Traditional values and old-fashioned customer service is what sets our business apart from our competitors,” says Joe Timo of Timo's Air. “We found it extremely important to convey this message through our branding. In only two short years, our retro logo and vehicle advertising has made a profound impact in our local community. Prospective clients, who have yet to use our services, perceive our image as honest and trustworthy. For that reason alone, 'going retro' is one of the best decisions we ever made.”

These characteristics, ironically, are rarely employed on most vehicle wraps we see on the road today. This explains why most wraps on the road today are failures from an advertising standpoint, and sadly a wasted opportunity for the business deploying them. You can attribute this primarily to a lack of education and understanding about the actual medium. While the prerequisites for billboard painters and truck lettering artists from years past were countless years of study and apprenticeship, today’s prerequisites for wrap designers are simple: you need the cash to buy a large format digital printer - so often the designer is inexperienced in the study of effective advertising in an outdoor realm.

Award winning HVAC truck wrap example for a contractor in Illinois.

Sadly, most small businesses do not know enough about what to look for when choosing a company to design their wrap. Many get caught up in the “look cool” factor of another vehicle they’ve seen—even if they can’t name the business or brand represented on the wrap.  Fortunately, many businesses, after having wasted their money on an effective wrap design, have smartened up. We’re having many people seek us out specifically because our philosophy is different. And the more
different it is, the more it stands out.

What would this truck look like if it were done 75 years ago?

Retro vehicle wrap example for HVAC contractor in Georgia.

Designing a proper retro-themed layout for a truck has to begin with a strong brand. For us, that’s the starting point. And usually, we know in advance when we’re designing the branding that it’s also going to be used on a vehicle, so we’re planning for it. Plan on doing a lot of study of the fonts, color schemes and graphic styles characteristic of the era you’re simulating. We use a lot of sources to study up on this era.

Employing the fundamentals
What makes these wraps effective is their ability to stand out among the clutter people are accustomed to seeing. As we design, we’re always considering what message we are trying to communicate to the audience, and how we can make that message easy to understand, and more importantly, easy to remember. So we use bold lettering and memorable characters, and we design an image that connects with them on an emotional level.

Retro wrap example for a cleaning company in Texas.

These retro images harken back to a time when there was a more positive image of a business owner and the work they did. There was more trust in the contractor. So we’re simply designing an image that takes them back to a different, much simpler time. And people do find that to be memorable,
because it’s something they haven’t seen predominantly used for a small business brand
for quite a while.

Finally, this branding approach helps instill confidence with the target audience simply because the business looks like it has been in business a while. Sometimes this is ironic for me, because sometimes the business is brand new or only a few years old. Yet, by the look of the graphics, it seems like they’ve been around forever.

Characters and mascots

Retro themed truck example for an electrician in Michigan.

Many product advertisements from years past employed cute characters and mascots designed to associate their product with a memorable image. We’ve definitely taken a cue from this approach. We design many branding schemes around that cute character. When used on vehicles, we often make the character the most dominant element or the “supergraphic.” These characters are hard to ignore. Because they aren’t cluttered with confusing backgrounds and assorted Photoshop fills, they stand out and make a big impact.

An effective truck wrap: The 'Best Investment Ever'

“It is incredible how much this artwork has changed my business,” says owner Nate Anderson from The Neighborhood Electrician. “I get one or two calls a week just from driving around in my van. No other advertising has had a better return on investment. It’s the best investment I have ever made in my business.”

Memorable truck wrap and retro brand for the dairy company.

The clients who have had their vehicles done using this approach have reported spectacular
results. Some of them have had wraps for years prior with marginal results, and can’t believe the difference. Whether it’s people stopping them at traffic lights, asking for a card, or the amount of
phone calls they are getting, all agree that it was the best investment they’ve ever made.

This style really isn’t right for every business, but it definitely does work well for service businesses like electricians, contractors, HVAC companies. And it can easily be overdone—so it’s important to not throw every retro trick in the book at each design.

Handyman service with retro vehicle wrap design.

Wrap design for mechanical contractor (HVAC) in Florida.

Dan Antonelli is the President and Creative Director of Graphic D-Signs, Inc, a NJ Advertising Agency specializing in small business advertising, marketing, and brand development, including HVAC logo design, and HVAC web design services.

Character Logo Design & Mascot Logo Design Examples: Inspiration for Your Small Business

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

Why Character Based Logos Work for Small Business Brands

Character logos and mascots from the 1930s through the 1940s, and even those used later in the 1950s and 1960's we're often employed in the marketing of different brands and their products. From the Michelin Man to Tony the Tiger, these characters helped build brand recognition, and were images that served to evoke emotions for the viewer, and connect in a more meaningful way than simple typography or photography ever could. While this technique was heavily favored during these periods, it started to lose popularity in the 1970s, and up until a more recent resurgence in retro and nostalgic branding, has been a relatively unpopular branding technique employed by small businesses.

Retro Branding is Back

We've certainly seen a huge resurgence in demand for retro branding, and especially retro branding employing characters and mascots for small businesses at our small business advertising agency. We firmly believe in this style of branding and vintage logo design - especially branding that employs characters - which are used to serve as the foundation for a small business brand campaign. The feeling these characters help evoke, and the sense of nostalgia they connote is one that resonates with many viewers across a broad demographic spectrum. These logos instill trust in the brand, they portray longevity - even if the brand is new. And they make the business appear reputable. But more importantly - they create memorable brands.

Making a memorable brand for a small business is challenging. They don't have the money that large businesses have to invest in creating brand awareness. So, the small business needs to make sure their image stands out in a meaningful way, and leaves a lasting impression. Character based logos tend to do that - because the viewer connects to the brand in a more meaningful way than other branding techniques. And the fact that this type of branding and vintage logo design is still relatively unpopular is all the more reason why it works so well; it's unexpected, it appears fresh - and the viewer probably hasn't seen it before.

Below are a few examples of some of our favorite character logo design samples, and mascot logo design samples.

Character Logo Design Samples

Here's a cute little character logo that helps brand this HVAC company in Illinois.

The character in this logo promises "Your clothes, delivered with Courtesy' which is their tagline. A memorable character logo which has helped make them the leader in their Rhode Island market.

This cute duct mascot logo design really evokes a playful, yet memorable brand image for this duct cleaning business.

We're friendly, and we're here to help. This unique character logo design is memorable and easily understood, especially from a distance when employed on company vehicles.

Notice this outlet in this character based logo design example? A nice retro-themed design that speaks to the company's longevity, and service.

The mascot logo design was a creative way to distinguish this brand from larger, national franchises.

Need something fixed around the house? This character based logo design speaks of honesty, trustworthiness, and professionalism.

The cute nerd in the character logo design is going to fix your computer, fast.

A bug mascot for this pest control business is still friendly, thus avoiding the usual scare tactic approach that most pest control businesses employ in their branding.

A chocolate store with a cute character logo design.

This fun character logo design is simple, easy to understand and works well with the company name.

Here's a playful character based logo and illustration for this established sign company.

This mascot logo design makes it clear who is this boss for this hockey retail store.

Definitely inspired by the advertising characters of yesteryear, this character logo design stands out among all the usual approaches employed by landscape contractors.

Need some one to fix your plants? The illustration for this mascot and character logo design can do it.

The mascot in this mascot logo design is really a smart ass. Good luck trying to catch him!

Designing Effective Truck Wraps for Small Businesses

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

Making the Most of Your Company's Vehicle Advertising and Truck Wraps

Vehicle advertising for Rhode Island-Based dry cleaner. We've all seen the truck and vehicle wrap advertising on the road whose design makes us believe - if we knew nothing else about the company - that it was part of this company's fleet of vehicles. And we've also seen the flip side of vehicle advertising - when, because of the design of the vehicle's graphics, it's clear that the company has only one or two trucks - or worse yet - you can't even read the message or know who it was for.

Most clients really don't give this a lot of thought. As designers, our job to find out what image they are trying to portray, who their audience is,  and design accordingly - while designing for the medium as well.

Not all vehicles need a full wrap.

Advertising is about perception. What we do is build a perception of our client’s business for the public to see and hopefully buy into. We make the client look the part, by carefully considering how that each element of their branding is integrated into their vehicle advertising and the perception it will ultimately portray - especially this very public medium.

Start with a solid brand, then build around the brand and integrate on the vehicles.

Along with branding and logo development, most of the clients who come to us are looking for a more professional and unified presentation of brand identity. One component of the implementation of their brand is obviously how it is portrayed on their vehicles.Without a good brand, vehicle advertising is almost certain to fail, or be ineffective.

Truck wraps need to stand out - not fit in.

Many of these clients are very small businesses, sometimes with only one or two service vans. They are hoping we can help with them present their business as a larger, more professional and reputable firm. They want to look like the bigger firms--even if, in reality, they aren't.

Sometimes there are very basic design traits that give the connotation of being part of a fleet. Generally, it's a simplified design element that remains consistent, or simple way in which the brand, or brand icon, is portrayed. Another technique we like to use is horizontal striping elements. Whether on a van, pickup or truck, it's a simple technique that works well to give the appearance of a fleet or franchised business.

We know when we've done our job

Competing with the big franchises requires a similar approach.

Our best compliment is when a client tells us a story of pulling up to their customers’ homes, and having the customer tell them that they “see their trucks all over.” We both share a good laugh especially if, in reality they have only one truck. That’s the power of good vehicle advertising.


So, while vehicle wraps with confusing pictures, competing graphics and non-existent branding seem to be all the rage these days, take a step back for a minute. Think long and hard about the message and how best to communicate it. So many wraps fail in basic design principles.

It seems to me that many wraps are designed for the sake of the designer’s ego, or what currently looks cool or trendy at the moment. Remember: as designers our job is communicate our client’s message as effectively as possible.

Here are a few examples of jobs we’ve designed for various clients who shared a similar request: Make us look bigger, more reputable, better established—and at the same time—reinforce our brand identity. Or for even more examples, check out our portfolio from our NJ advertising agency of some great vehicle wrap examples for other small businesses.

Graphic D-Signs, Inc - The Small Business Advertising Agency is a New Jersey based advertising agency serving the marketing needs of small business with logo and branding creation, web design and online marketing, print design and collateral development and traditional advertising and consultation services.

How Your Ego May Be Holding Back Your Small Business

By Dan Antonelli / President & Creative Director, NJ Advertising Agency Graphic D-Signs, Inc.

“If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.” — David Ogilvy

“Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine.” – David Ogilvy

Having worked with over 600 small businesses owners in the past 15 years on their small business marketing and advertising needs, I’ve learned a few common characteristics that extremely successful businesses owners share. And conversely, it becomes very clear what the characteristics of the mediocre businesses are.

My Own Path to Success

Having grown up lettering signs and vehicles, I had a passion for letters and sign design. After graduating from college with a degree in Communications & Advertising, I knew my life would revolve around type and design. But I had this notion that as long as I was doing what I loved, the money wasn’t that important.

Soon after launching my company, a few events transpired which changed my focus on my business, and caused me to rethink my priorities and direction. First, at a few industry conventions, I had the opportunity to meet some super-talented designers. While the awe of meeting some of these folks was inspiring, what stuck out to me were the financial difficulties that most were experiencing. That really hit home, and frankly, scared me. Because I thought to myself, “Man, I couldn’t hold a candle to these guys - how am I going to ever make it?”

The impending birth of my twins was the other event that caused me to rethink my focus. With a wife unable to work and a mortgage, health insurance and car payments to make, I knew I needed to make myself a businessman first—and an artist second.

I also didn’t like where I saw the sign and graphics industry heading. It seemed to be becoming much more commoditized, and I knew that I wanted to avoid that. So I slowly began to formulate my plan to offer our clients more—and to become more of a small business advertising agency.

Those events transpired over 13 years ago. Today, my NJ advertising agency is doing exactly what I set out to do. We stand as an 8-person advertising agency, focused on the marketing needs of small businesses.

While there are many factors that led to our growth, the two primary reasons were (1) putting my ego aside for the sake of the company, and (2) aggressively marketing the business to attract the type of clients I wanted to work with.

The First Step is Admitting You Have a Problem

What does ego have to do with success? For me, it has meant never being afraid to hire people who are better than myself. Like Ogilvy says, I’ve built my own version of a company of giants by surrounding myself with some very creative people who complement my own skill sets.

Take Jeffrey Devey, my Senior Illustrator, as a perfect example. Jeff is a brilliant illustrator and logo designer. While typography and brand implementation are my strengths, illustration is not my forte. Together, Jeff and I make a great team when it comes to building small business corporate identities. So instead of using my lack of illustrative ability as a crutch to explain mediocre work, Jeff has allowed us to produce great work together.

Each hire has been a methodical and conscience choice to bring another expert on staff. Whether it’s a writer, web designer, programmer, marketing strategist or SEO expert, each team member succeeds in making the company better. Had I chosen to be afraid of hiring people who were smarter than me, there’s no way I’d have built what I’ve built today. Instead I would have only had myself and my ego to blame for my lack of success.

Marketing Yourself to Build the Right Business

Over the years, I’ve invested a significant amount of resources into the marketing of our business. It’s one area we’ve been very aggressive with, whether in a good economy, or more recently, a bad one.

I’ve made it a priority for the company to reinvest in both online and print initiatives, both of which have brought back huge returns on investments. And it’s a constant, ongoing, aggressive strategy. Because no matter how successful our efforts are, they can always be improved upon.

Our recently redesigned site is a perfect example. Our last site, which was previously redesigned 4 years ago was generating about 20-25 leads per week. So why would you change it? First, it didn’t represent our best work and abilities. Second, it didn’t represent the image I wanted to portray, or a medium that I felt would carry us for the next 3 or 4 years. It didn’t communicate who we were, and more importantly, where I wanted us to go. I also wanted to be prepared when the economy really gets going. So I made a tremendous investment in time and money to redo it - to the tune of over 300 man hours. To do the math on that—at our hourly creative rate of $125/hr—it amounted to nearly $40,000 in billable time that I put back into the company. And the results have been what I expected: better-qualified leads and an improved ability to attract the right type of clients.

The Successful Business Owners Mentality

I’ve witnessed firsthand the common characteristics of Successful Business Owners because I’ve had the pleasure of working with them on building their businesses and helping them become even more successful. Much of their success goes back to ego. They’re not afraid to work with other professionals who are experts in their chosen fields—and who allow business owners to focus on what they do best: running their business.

Successful Business Owners are also not content or complacent, because they realize that staying on top means constantly reinvesting in their business and anticipating the future. That means surveying the lay of the land, and taking concrete steps to work toward specific goals. They’re forward thinking, constantly staying on top of trends in their industry. They’re also constantly educating themselves about their clients and market conditions. They work on their business, not in their business—and they’re graet at planning and executing strategies for the future instead of being reactionary. They know where they want to go, and they’re focused on putting together the team to help them get there.

Successful Business Owners also keep company with others who are successful, sharing that can-do mentality while purposely avoiding those who instead insist ‘you can’t’. And they hire people to support their mission to build a great company.

The Mediocre Business Owners Mentality

While it’s very easy to blame the economy for many businesses failing (and surely that may be the primary reason for many), smart business owners took steps to prepare themselves for a rainy day. It’s easy for people to make a living in a good economy, but when that fails, you quickly see which businesses continue to survive—and even thrive—because of their planning.

What happened to these businesses that are hurting today? For many, they let their own ‘success’ blind them to the realities on the horizon. I call this the ‘complacency syndrome.’ This concept runs through an owner’s psyche, impacting nearly every decision they make. One classic example we see frequently involves poor branding and logo design. Countless small businesses have poor logos and brands, and have for years, underestimated its importance and how it impacts their business. The Successful Business Owner grasps the importance, and is ready to take their business to the next level and invest in better marketing tools, starting with the basic foundation: their brand. The Mediocre Business Owner is blind to how their branding is hurting them because their own ‘success,’ in their mind, validates their poor brand identity.

One of my favorite quotes around the office is ‘success in spite of a poor identity is not a valid reason to perpetuate it.’

The Mediocre Business Owner generally refuses to pay anyone for services they think they can do themselves. They instead waste valuable time doing things that they don’t do well, and at the same time, they fail to understand how that mentality is poor use of their time. It also usually reflects poorly on their business, especially when it involves marketing.

Take web design for example. It’s the storefront of your business, and should be the primary way you advertise your business (via effective search engine marketing). So instead of working on income-generating tasks, many attempt to build their own site. But just because you theoretically can build a web site, it does not make you a web designer. Again, their ego has gotten in the way of a rationale business decision. And while I applaud their interest in learning new skills, it sometimes comes at the expense of their own business.

Think of the irony of a contractor paying $40,000 for a new van, thousands of dollars for tools, and then failing to properly invest in marketing that line of business. That Mediocre Business Owner instead sees spending $5000 or so on a site that represents his business well—and generates leads—as something he doesn’t need. Where’s the logic in such thinking?

And when it comes to employees, the mediocre business owner usually can’t see hiring anyone who is better at tasks than they are, because doing so would only serve to remind them of their own shortcomings. And no one likes a daily reminder of their own shortcomings, so it’s much easier to surround yourself with mediocrity. After all, it’s better to feel superior around people whose skills aren’t up to par with your own. And this only reinforces their ego. They know everything, and everyone else knows nothing. After all, they’re the boss, right?

Ready to Grow Your Business and Become a Smart Business Owner?

Are you prepared to help your business grow? You’ll need to ask yourself the hard questions and answer honestly about yourself and your own skills. Create a checklist of critical business tasks, and rate your abilities. Maybe you won’t like what you hear. The real question is: What do you with your newfound wisdom, and can your ego handle the obvious solutions? Consider checking yours at the door, and maybe you’ll start down the path of building a company of giants.

At Graphic D-Signs, we’re proud of our history and success stories in working with Smart Business Owners. We share the passion they feel about their business, and we live for their successes. We’re about building their businesses cost-effectively, and at the same time, having fun doing it.

Graphic D-Signs, Inc - The Small Business Advertising Agency is a New Jersey based advertising agency and marketing agency in nj rving the marketing needs of small business with logo and branding creation, web design and online marketing, print design and collateral development and traditional advertising and consultation services.