What's more important? The name of the business or what they do?

[StopSignGraphics]

If a business name is something simple like "ABC Plumbing" where should the emphasis be placed on "ABC" or "Plumbing"?

I've had two customers with really simple names wanting some work done. Customer 1 wants people to know what he does and how to reach him, so the emphasis is on "Plumbing" and contact information.

Customer 2 wants people to know who he is, so the emphasis is on the "ABC". Customer 2 feels that he is trying to build a brand so his name should have priority over his trade.

Which is correct in your opinion?

 

[signmeup]

If you put up a sign that said "ABC" and a sign that said "Plumbing" which one would get more calls for plumbing?

 

[Billct2]

For a small business they are equally important.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

This has been posted a few times before, but this video is the perfect answer to your question!!

http://www.break.com/index/stores-that-tell-you-exactly-what-they-are.html

 

[bob]

For a small business they are equally important.

Perhaps. It depends.

The only reason to give anything a name is when there is more than one and you need to be able to differentiate between the multiple iterations in the abstract. In other words, to be able to tell them apart without pointing at them.

This is why we live on a planet named 'dirt'. Think about it.

If you're the only plumber in the land, then anything beyond 'Plumber' is frivolous. If there's more than one then there needs to be a mechanism to tell one from the other.

I'm a firm believer in the notion that quiet competence trumps motivational bullshit every time. That being the case I feel that excessively cute names are more of a detriment to business than any sort of facilitator. There are obvious exceptions to this principle but, for the most part, it's a good rule of thumb.

The only reason my business has an actual name is because I had to put something on my seller's permit and other admistrata. If it weren't for that I'd be perfectly content just being the guy that does signs. No different than the town butcher, baker, or candlestick maker.

Most people name their business merely to please themselves for whatever reasons. They name it something that pleases them without much of a thought as to what might please any potential clients.

 

[Pat Whatley]

If the letters ABC are the initials of the guy doing the plumbing it won't matter which you make more prominent...your customer is a dumbass.

Sorry, nothing customers do annoys me more than using their initials at their business name. It's like they're saying "I want to name my business after myself but I don't want anybody to know who I am". Dumb. Ass.

 

[JR's]

J.R's Sign Shop :-{

 

[B Snyder]

Order of importance....
What you do.
Who you are.
How to contact you.

As a business, who are are makes no difference if I don't know what you do and your contact info makes no difference if I don't know who you are.

 

[luggnut]

i you aren't large like Mcdonalds, FedEx, Nike, etc... then people need to know what you do. these large dominant companies .. everyone knows what they are.

i think you need to have both fairly important but what do you do ... my sign shop is so small that if i had a sign out front that said "Forbus" no one would know what i do.. and i have the word signs very large and people still ask "do you do _____ signs?"

 

[GoodPeopleFlags]

I vote for what they do. Years ago, I had a sign shop in a shopping center. On the main sign out front that listed all of the tenants, for mine I just had the word "SIGNS". The panels were about 18" x 36". Mine stood out more than any other tenants, especially the ones that had their phone number and listed their services! I figure people would see that someone there did signs and once they looked at the shopping center, they would see my shop. But try explaining that to some customers.

 

[Marlene]

it depends on how people are seeing the sign. if you make plumbing huge and the name small, it could work a couple ways. if I see a truck in my neighbor's yard and I see plumbing, I might want to call to get something fixed too but I would also need to know what plumber to call. a good balance between the two is good so that it is clear what and who.

when it comes to motels, I hate it when they put a massive MOTEL and a little name. when I'm looking for a motel that I have a reservation, nothing ticks me off more than the little name. so I would say knowing how the sign will be used makes a difference in which is important.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

depends ... on the trucks ABC .... would work well for long time well established business
on newer business ...plumbing.. abc would mean nothing
a good exception would be a high end plumber his name will be most important

 

[Steve C.]

In my case, My name is what I do...

ART&SIGN STUDIO

SIGNFONTS.COM

 

[BobM]

Depends on weather you want to attract someone who is looking for a plumber or someone who know Mr. ABC is a plumber and is looking for him.

In most cases I think you want to direct your signage towards people who want a plumber.

 

[BrianKE]

If the name has brand recognition with what they do then it could be the most important piece of the sign.

There was a sign I did once for a karate school and came to realize how important it is to some markets to associate a person's name with the business. In this case, there were half a dozen karate schools in town and this customer was a particularly good expert/trainer (ex Olympian, world champ, and on and on). As he explained it to me, would you rather go to Joe Schmoe's Karate School or Chuck Norris's Karate School. Or how about Body Slam Wrestling Camp versus Hulk Hogan's Wrestling camp.

I grew up in a town of 50K people and was friends with someone who's dad had a roofing company. The family was so well known and the company around for so long that EVERYONE in our town knew the company by the man's name. In this case the man's name was about 4 times the size of "Roofing" in his logo.

It all comes down to how recognizable is the person's name with what they do. And always try to think of the market you are targeting. When I did the karate sign I had zero interest or knowledge of karate and did not realize how big this person was in this area. Turned out that almost anyone who studied karate knew this man and his skills (sorry don't remember his name now).