language is problematic for the businesses that hire the professional services of a sign shop. But the real concern should be the whole "language" of the sign. The whole "language" includes connecting the customer''s marketing objectives with the stage in the visual communication process. That connection is accomplished with not only the form and content of the graphics, but also the sign''s shape, color, texture, and form. All are the elements of a sign''s "language." As a business-owner, you must identify clearly your desires for your banners and communicate that desire to your sign-maker. "Where do you want to locate the sign, and why do you want to locate it there?" "Why do you want to use those colors?" "Why that size?" Next, the audience must be defined. Figure out just what appeals to YOUR customers rather than the famous "general public." The content of the sign cannot just boast its product; it should be convincing. Once identified, a specific group is easier to target and to convince. Once you have identified your goals, sort through them by ranking them in order of importance. Next, take the marketing objectives and the target population analysis, and apply that information to an analysis of the visual

Signs in the window are restricted to the size of the frame. Banners have no such restriction. They can be as big as the building. Big banners offer flexibility. You can change a banner. A new banner can have a new message. A new banner can have new colors and new dimensions. As time passes, events and sales and promotions change. So can that big banner. Big banners are relatively inexpensive. They hardly require research and development. The materials are readily available. Rocket scientists are not needed to make even the biggest banner. The big banners do not require the intensive work and time of an army of sign professionals. There is no major fabrication, no electrical work, and no real installation woes. Big banners are effective and match up well in comparison to print advertising and media promotion in terms of coast. Big banners represent a fraction of the expense associated with direct mailings, TV ads, and telephone solicitation. Bold can be a massive billboard on the highway, a logo emblazoned on a vehicle, or simply a cloth banner. However, not only must customers see the sign, but they also should read it-and should absorb the message that it offers. Sometimes in the sign industry, the phrasing or the