Printing Window Graphics with Curb Appeal

Printing point of sale window graphics

It started with a question: “Do you want to try this stuff?” The stuff in question was LexJet Aqueous Perforated Vinyl (70/30), and the “stuff” worked like a charm.

Printing window graphics on perforated window vinyl“We started printing window graphics about a year ago, and the first store we installed still looks fantastic. The graphics haven’t started peeling or fading. They’re only supposed to go up for about six months, but we’re way past six months,” says Margot Layland, art director for Best Brands Inc. in Nashville. “When you drive by these stores, that’s the first thing you see. We found that the brighter the colors and simpler the design the better off it is; you only have two seconds for someone to see them. Now everybody and their brother wants them.”

Best Brands Inc. specializes in wine and spirits distribution, and the window graphics Layland creates are providing a lot of additional brand exposure and recognition.

Window graphics for point of sale advertising“When they put posters on the inside of the windows, which is how they’ve always done it, they tend to bend and crack in the sun, not to mention the glare on the images. What our customers like is that not only does it provide shade in the windows, but you really get to see the product branding,” explains Layland.

The vinyl allows images to be viewed from the outside, while those inside can see out through the graphics. The graphics are typically printed in panels on the company’s Canon iPF8000 and installed by Best Brands’ display specialist, who attached the vinyl with painter’s tape, levels it, matches up the seams, peels off the backing and smooths it down.

Branding and advertising with window graphics“They’re relatively expensive and they take some time to install, so the people who are paying for these are the suppliers, like Jim Beam. We call the supplier and let them know the cost for each window. If the supplier wanted to do, say, 75 of them, they couldn’t possibly know all the exact window sizes, so each one has to be custom made,” explains Layland. “Some of the windows are as large as 8′ x 8′, so that’s why we try to make it as easy on our display specialist as possible by printing them out in panels.”

For best results, Layland suggests printing at a higher resolution to maximize the impact at the point of sale, and to let the graphics dry for at least 24 hours before trimming and installing them. “Because the vinyl is perforated, it can get kind of inky when you handle it, so I let them dry for a day or two before I cut them out,” she says.

LexJet Aqueous Perforated Vinyl is one of several inkjet printable materials Layland has tried based on recommendations from her LexJet customer specialist, Chris Piersoll. “Chris is delightful. He’s great about showing us products we can utilize with our printer and he’s been right on the money with everything. And, whenever I need something or have a question, he’s always there to help. If I leave a message, he always calls back quickly, 20 minutes max,” adds Layland.

Inkjet Printed Trading Card Sports Posters and How Shipping Makes a Difference

Printing sports postersJack Deere, owner of Three Oaks Photography in Wake Forest, N.C., is always on the lookout for new and unique products for his photography studio. One source of inspiration is the LexJet Blog, where others share their experiences and ideas.

“In addition to the great service I’m getting from LexJet, I appreciate the other things LexJet does with tools like the blog. It helps a lot, because I get great ideas from it, like the growth chart printed on Photo Tex,” says Deere. “In fact, we’re testing Photo Tex for different things, like appliqués on windows, wall murals and anything else we can find to do with it; it’s a great material to work with.”

Deere says the studio has been printing its own work for years, and one of the keys to doing it successfully is the confidence he has that he’ll not only get the support he needs, but more importantly that he’ll consistently get the products he needs on time and just in time.

“As a small business, cash flow is king. When an ink cartridge costs more than $100 a pop, even for the small ones, I don’t have to buy one until I absolutely need it. LexJet products get here within one day. I just had an order that arrived from two different distribution points, but they got here at the same time this morning at 10 a.m.,” explains Deere. “LexJet has never missed that deadline so I can order with one day’s notice, and we get quick shipping for that flat rate of $9.99. That’s what I really appreciate – the depth and breadth of how LexJet’s distribution is set up. Sometimes I’ve ordered at 3 in the afternoon and it’s here at 10 the next morning. Hello? That’s why I’m a customer for life; LexJet has saved my bacon every time. And, when I call the 800 number, the phone system is routed so I get my personal rep. I call and I don’t get a voice system, I get, ‘Hey Jack, what’s up?'”

Deere adds that product suggestions from his customer specialist, Michael Clementi, are another plus. One of those suggestions helped lead to a successful product launch that local high schools have embraced called Trading Card Sports Posters.

Deere prints the posters on LexJet TOUGHcoat AquaVinyl PSA (the product Clementi suggested) and applies them to Coroplast. The posters are durable enough to withstand inclement (pun intended) weather when they’re hung up around outdoor venues, like the high school football stadium.

“We only photograph seniors for the posters. We shoot an action shot of them, which I turn into a charcoal pencil drawing in the background, and then add a head shot and a photo of them with the seniors on the team,” explains Deere. “They’re typically used for senior nights at the sports banquets and it’s a gift to the senior from the booster club. Once schools see the posters I get calls from the booster clubs, so I’m in about seven high schools now. We also frame some of them, and when we do that we use LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Self Adhesive Polypropylene.”