Celebrating 20 Years: Relationships Make the Difference

“What’s your twenty?”

That’s another way of saying, “Where are you?” And it’s a great question to ask as we celebrate our “twenty” – the 20th Anniversary of Creative Source.

We’ve come a long way in 20 years. Dave Hess and I started the company with three other associates in 1996. We had previously worked together in the marketing department at Camelot Music, once one of the world’s largest music retailers. Based in North Canton, Camelot and other retail music chains began to disappear in the 1990s as the industry scrambled to keep up with the digital age. Seeing the handwriting on the wall, a group of us struck out on our own to form Creative Source.

Since then, the world has been turned on its head by technology. When we opened our doors, the Internet was still a novelty. Most people didn’t own home computers to connect to it, let alone enjoy the convenience of smart phones and other mobile devices we take for granted today.

The music industry had experienced rapid change in the 1970s and '80s. Record albums and 45s gave way to 8-track tapes, then cassettes, and then CDs. Movies and TV shows moved from VHS tapes to Laser Discs to DVDs and Blu-ray. Today, it’s all about the Internet and apps.

In the sign industry, similar changes have occurred. I recall when we were at Camelot and desktop computing technology became available. We were told that we could have one computer for a department of five graphic artists. (Our IT department thought they were being generous when they gave us 2GB of server space!) The breakthrough came when we finally got five computers (one for each artist), each with 560MB of storage, along with a scanner and a black-and-white printer—all for $50,000. Systems that are infinitely more powerful today can be purchased for a fraction of that cost.

Over time that computer technology, combined with the speed of delivery available over the World Wide Web, reduced production times from weeks or even months to just days, and sometimes even hours.

(An early version of our logo)

Even as we’ve witnessed breathtaking technological progress over these past 20 years, we’ve been reminded that some things are timeless. I remember Paul David, the founder of Camelot, saying, “Success in business comes from offering a great product, providing outstanding service, and building strong relationships.”

Maybe that’s why our company is built as much on relationships as anything else. Sure, we’re experts in producing signs, banners, displays and large format printing for businesses of all sizes. But, more than that, we strive to be a unique and innovative resource center for good ideas. We get to know our customers and help them develop cost-effective marketing solutions. It’s a formula that has served us well.

As we celebrate 20 years in business, I want to extend my personal thanks to all those who have been a part of the journey. What began out of necessity has developed into a small but powerful example of the American Dream. We’re honored to be a part of the community and hope you’ll join us in 2016 as we celebrate this important milestone in our company’s history.

Mike Boyd is the president of Creative Source, a Canton, Ohio sign company.

Where's Your Resolve?

The new year is still pretty new, so…how are your resolutions coming along?

It’s only natural that we would feel optimistic at the beginning of another year. Once every 12 months we get a new beginning, a fresh start.

So we tell ourselves we’re going to do this, or that. We promise ourselves that this year will be a better year. And we jump in with both feet, ready to make it happen.

Within a few weeks, however, things change. Why?

If you’re anything like me, the pace of life at the end of the year is different. I’m not talking so much about our personal lives—after all, the holidays aren’t exactly a quiet time. I’m talking about our business lives. Things slow down noticeably in December. People take time off. You can’t reach customers. Billings take a break.

It’s something we plan for. “You can’t get ahold of anybody during the holidays,” we say. So what do we do? We start planning for the new year. We decide to do things better. We set goals.

To put it another way, we make resolutions. And that’s a good thing. Every business or success coach will agree you’ve got to fix the right goal in your mind before you can accomplish anything.

Except, January comes. Business picks up. People start calling. Orders come in. Expectations are high. And those goals that seemed so attainable when things were quiet just a few weeks earlier get put on the back burner. Hopes, dreams and new ideas get pushed aside by a little thing we call reality. As the saying goes, you go back to working in your business, instead of working on your business.

Don’t sweat it. It happens all the time, to all of us. Rather than give up and give in, however, why not take an hour or two, right now, to revisit those plans you made last month, and figure out how to pursue them?

Think about it: When you had some time to clear your mind and your desk, you came up with some pretty good ideas. You told yourself you were going to do something about them.

So, do something about them. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and set your resolve again—right now, today, while there’s still time.

You solved your problems once. Now it’s time to resolve them.

Here’s to a successful year!

MIKE BOYD is president of Creative Source, a Canton, Ohio sign company.

The Color of Money: The Relationship of Color to Marketing Success

Have you ever noticed the colors on the McDonald’s sign? Wendy’s? Burger King? KFC? Or countless other fast food restaurants?

On each of those examples, the dominant colors are red and yellow. And there’s a reason. Years of research about the effect of color on consumers has confirmed that red stimulates the appetite, while yellow is associated with cheerfulness. That’s exactly the combination of emotions those fast-food giants want their customers to experience.

The impact of color cannot be underestimated, particularly as it relates to conveying an effective marketing message.

Think about how some of the world’s other top brands use color. Coca-Cola is the prime example. A brand leader for more than a century, Coca-Cola and red are synonymous. The link to energy, appetite, passion and activity make red the perfect choice for Coke.

Likewise, John Deere and green are an ideal match, not only because of green’s association with nature, but also because it has come to represent care and concern for the environment. John Deere does more than make tractors and mowers and other tools; it helps us take care of the great outdoors.

And then there’s Google, with its understated, multi-color logo. That’s exactly what you want when you represent all things to all people. No matter what you’re looking for, or what you’re in the mood for, Google can help. Its representation of the rainbow in its logo helps convey that.

How about you? Have you ever considered how color affects the relationship consumers have with your brand?

Whether you’re creating a logo, interior or exterior signage, a banner, or a display, the colors you select—and how you incorporate them into your design—can make all the difference between being noticed and being just another voice in a noisy world.

The research I referred to earlier uncovered all sorts of fascinating information. For example, 85 percent of consumers cite color as the primary reason why they buy. Whether it’s a car, a dress, lawn furniture or just the design of an advertisement, color makes a huge difference.

Men and women have different tastes when it comes to color. Men overwhelmingly prefer blue. Women like it, too, but they also favor purple nearly as much. That’s why a lot of perfumes and cosmetics use purple in branding and packaging, while power tool manufacturers don’t.

There’s much more, of course, but the examples I’ve cited illustrate how the proper use of color can heighten awareness among your target customers and help your brand stand out.

Once you’ve decided on a primary color or colors, it’s important to use them on all of your branding materials: Logos, business cards, stationary, brochures, your website, your Facebook page, specialty items like pens and mugs, and anything else where your brand will appear. That includes signs, banners and displays—items we deal with on a daily basis in our industry.

Color is a powerful thing. It changed movies, the television industry and even our daily newspapers. Once upon a time, the world was largely a black-and-white place. Color made it come alive.

Used correctly, it can do the same thing for your company, and your brand. 

MIKE BOYD is president of Creative Source. Clients looking for sign companies in Canton, Ohio

and the surrounding region look to Mike and his staff for creative marketing solutions.

‘Everywhere a Sign’ – So Make Yours Stand Out

Banners, signs and displays are everywhere—but are people getting the message?

Have you ever been driving down the road and spotted a sign with so many words on it that you don’t know where to begin reading?

You glance over, decide “I can’t read all that!” and turn your attention back to the road in front of you.

The sign might have been colorful, or contained a strong visual—maybe a photo, or a logo. But, because it tried to do too much, the message got lost.

We see it all the time in our business.

It’s been estimated that we’re bombarded with 2,000 images a day. In larger cities like New York, that number jumps to as many as 5,000. Sides of buses. Floors. Windows. Pens. Receipts. Websites. Shopping bags. You name it—if there’s space available, it probably has a sign or an image or an advertisement on it.

We’re battling sensory overload. That’s why, when it comes to your banners, signs and displays, it’s important to communicate quickly and clearly.

On one hand, the “tricks of the trade” aren’t tricks at all. They’re common sense. Shape, size, color and location all affect visibility. Ignore any one of them, and you’ve got problems.

Likewise, the font you choose, and the size you make it, affect readability.

On the other hand, you’d be surprised at the number of companies that take a do-it-yourself approach when it comes to graphically displaying their message. Knowing what message you want to convey is one thing; knowing how to do it effectively is another.

At Creative Source, we pride ourselves in being experts in the creation and printing of banners, signs and displays that cut through the clutter and reach your intended audience. We’ve been in the business for 30 years and know what works and why.

Standing out and getting your message noticed doesn’t have to be a mystery. It just has to be done right.

With so many messages competing for our attention every day, that can make all the difference.

MIKE BOYD is president of Creative Source. Clients looking for sign companies in Canton, Ohio

and the surrounding region look to Mike and his staff for creative marketing solutions.