Need Your Sign By Tomorrow?

Last minute signs are possible, but only if you're prepared!

Some circumstances require last minute decisions. It doesn't necessarily mean you're a slacker and you waited until the last minute (well sometimes it does, but usually it doesn't). "Welcome home" signs, "It's a girl (or boy!)" signs, fundraiser checks, liquidation sales – sometimes events that happen without notice fuel that I-need-a-sign-made-by-tomorrow reaction. When those events happen, there are a few things you should have readily available for your sign company in order to make the process smooth, and well…fast.

Here are absolute "must haves" for a successful rush job:

1. Flexibility in your demands – Rush jobs are definitely possible, but sometimes they are only feasible when the customer can be flexible. Oftentimes there has to be a compromise with materials, depending on what the print company has on hand. There may have to be concessions with material thicknesses or vinyl colors because there simply isn't time to order specialized materials. Also, keep your rush order simple with minimum customization – understandably, requests for laser-etched or engraved, hand-painted, or carved signage may not be granted on overnight signs. Be flexible!
2. Funds for rush fees or expedited shipping – Understand that rush jobs are usually placed at the top of the production schedule, which pushes other paid customers lower on the totem pole. Most print companies will charge an extra fee for that kind of priority. Also, if it's not a local company, "produced today" doesn't mean "arrive today" unless you pay for the extra shipping! Companies are willing to have their production teams go the extra mile to meet your needs, but make sure you're prepared for the added costs for doing so.
3. Concrete ideas for the design of your rush project – When requesting a rush job, make sure you have your ideas ready! It would be even better to have them documented. If you can send pictures of signs like the one you desire, color codes for color matching, or links to other branded tools for inspiration (like websites), it would make the design process a lot faster. "I don't knows", "Not sures" and constant color and font changes slow down the dash to production tremendously!
4. "Print ready" art files – Providing vector files of your logos and graphics (and not raster images) is critical to getting through the proofing process quickly. To quickly explain: vector images are made of points and lines and raster images are made with pixels. The major difference between the two is vector images can be scaled to size – meaning no matter how large your sign, an enlarged vector image will still be crisp and clear. Raster images cannot be infinitely enlarged without becoming blurry. Not sure whether your image is vector or raster? A quick way to tell is by the file extension - .jpegs, .bmps, .gifs are common examples of rastered images. Vector images usually have extensions of the original design applications they were created in (like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator). The extentions are typically, .psd, .ai, .eps, to name a few. The better the art, the faster the production process!
5. Availability – With rush jobs, it's important to be available. You'll have to approve emailed proofs quickly, and oftentimes, answer phone calls with urgent questions. It's important to be available via phone or email, or at least super responsive, to get your job completed.

Last minute requests are normal – we all make them! And, let's face it, some unplanned moments just require the perfect sign. When those moments arise, do what you can to make the "rush order" process a smooth one. The better prepared you are, the more likely your sign will arrive perfectly designed and "right on time"!