Thinking Green: What To Do With Old Signs

Some signs are intended to be permanent, but others are strictly temporary. In either case, you may find yourself faced with figuring out how to dispose of signs you no longer need in the greenest way possible.

Recycling is certainly an option for many types of signs. You may be able to place signs made from aluminum, cardboard and most plastics in your curbside recycling bin…but check your city’s guidelines if you have any question about whether a sign is recyclable. If you don’t have curbside pickup, find the nearest recycling center at Earth911.com.

What about vinyl banners? Once they’ve served their purpose, you really shouldn’t throw them away, since they take a long time to break down in a landfill. As an alternative, think about doing something creative with your old vinyl banners:

• Use them as tarps for lawn maintenance or covering building materials
• Donate them to a school to use as a tarp for arts and crafts
• Repurpose them, with a little sewing work, into reusable and study bags for lawn clippings or laundry, or weatherproof outdoor cushions or ground seats

Think green before you merely toss signs you no longer need in the trash.

Thinking Green: What To Do With Old Signs

A Sign of Strong Marketing

When businesses plan a marketing strategy, they usually focus on things like advertising, collateral, social media, and getting out in the community at trade shows and networking events to spread the word about their products and services. Signage, which should be a critical component to any marketing strategy, is often not considered in this respect.

Your signage not only directs customers to your location; it sets the tone for your business, and should support the brand identity you’re trying so hard to establish and maintain. The intelligent use of color, fonts and design can result in signage that enhances your marketing efforts; you should be putting as much thought into what your signs say and how they look as you do into developing any other marketing element.

Because signage is so important to your business, we suggest you work with a sign professional, someone who can offer guidance and suggestions in addition to having the capability to produce the finished product. And, the next time you think about embarking on a new marketing strategy, think about whether your signage needs to enhanced or updated as part of the plan.

A Sign of Strong Marketing