You can offer your clients the best of both worlds. The durability and versatility of a foam monument sign paired with the dynamic messaging and powerful flexibility features of the LED message center create a commanding signage partnership that offers your clients the best of the both worlds.
如何能满足客户既需要耐久性和多功能性，又需要灵活的信息展示，是所有标识行业的从业者经常头疼的问题。然而现在，通过将发泡座式标识与LED显示屏结合起来的这种方法，就可以使得你的客户获得两全其美的服务。
If you have never partnered these two types of signage, let us show you how.
如果你之前从未将这两种标识结合起来，那么接下来的文章中，我们将会详细进行介绍。
Defining Your Local Target Market
首先明确你的目标市场
So you have decided to add this unique product to your diverse line of signage offerings, to whom are you going to sell this type of sign? While the answer can vary depending on your geographical location and zoning restrictions, one industry expert finds that the market segment can be quite varied. Maureen Sanner, Marketing Director for Watchfire Signs says, "All businesses are prospective clients from schools, churches, municipalities and other non-profit organizations to a broad range of retail, including restaurants and entertainment venues and service industries including financial, medical, legal and hospitality businesses." The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Signage Foundation for Communication Excellence released a report that clearly defined the target market for electronic message centers as, "businesses that want flexibility to control their own graphics and message unit and be able to change their communication to meet their needs and the needs of their customers." The report cited five types of businesses that would benefit greatly from utilizing signage that incorporated an electronic message center; these businesses were large corporations, state highway departments, local banks, small businesses and entertainment establishments.
首先，你需要确定需要这种标识服务的受众。每个标识厂家根据自己所处地理区域的不同，所划分出来的受众也会不同。Maureen Sanner是一个产业专家同时还是Watchfire标识公司的市场总监，他说，“所有的生意都来自于你周围存在的潜在客户，他们存在于学校，教堂，市政当局和其他非营利组织附近大范围的零售商，包括餐馆和娱乐场所和服务行业，金融，医疗，法律和酒店业务。”美国小型企业管理部暨表彰标识优秀行业基金会出台报告明确地界定电子显示屏的目标市场，“那些拥有能够灵活地展示信息的LED显示屏的企业，能够通过这个方法，改变信息交流过程以满足自己和客户的需求。”这份报告还引证了有五类类似于电子显示屏这样的企业能够从标识的联合中收益，这其中有大型企业，国家公路部门，地方银行，小企业和娱乐场所。
Choosing Your Suppliers
认真挑选你的供应商
Before you sit down at your computer to create a design, choose your wholesale monument sign manufacturer and LED supplier first. There are five key factors to consider before making your final supplier selection.
在你要设计一个标识之前，最重要的就是要选好发泡座式标识和LED显示屏的供应商。要选好供应商，一定要注意下面的五个要点。
1.Product Quality - Is this product manufactured to withstand a wide spectrum of extreme weather conditions?
产品质量：是否能经受得住大范围、极端的天气条件
2.Product Usability - How easy is the monument sign to install?
产品可用性：座式标识是否易于安装
3.What type of training support is offered for the LED Sign?
在使用LED显示屏的过程中，厂家会提供怎样的服务
4.Company Reliability - Is your supplier wholesale only? How long have they been in the business? What do other sign shops say about their products?
公司的可靠性：这里要判断你的供应商是否只做批发，他们的公司运营了多久以及其它的标识公司如何评价他们的产品
5.Product Reliability - How does the product hold up over time? What is the company's guarantee?
产品可靠性：这里主要看产品是否耐用，以及当出现问题后厂家可以提供怎样的保证。
"Price alone should never be the determining factor when choosing a supplier", Sanner says from experience, "Buyer Beware! Quality and service are often sacrificed in this business to offer the lowest price." Michael Fetter, National Sales Manager for Peachtree City Foamcraft agrees, "The most expensive part of making a monument is the hard coat and this is also the most important part, it determines the durability and longevity of the product." If your client determines that cost is their ultimate deciding factor, the U.S. Small Business Administration suggests that the business measure their cost and ROI based upon the cost per thousand exposures of their message to the public, "On this basis, no other form of advertising comes close to matching the efficiency and cost-effectiveness, dollar for dollar, of an electronic message display." Rob Klinger, President of Signs Plus Signs, Sarasota, FL based sign shop warns; "You never want to buy an LED message center from a "sole source provider". He continues, "There are a lot of companies buying LED message centers from unknown suppliers overseas, and the units will not have the manufacturers name or number on it. If something happens, you will not be able to get parts or service." Klinger also has advice for selecting a monument sign supplier, "Durability. I use the term "poly-armor" with my clients, as I feel it is more suitable than "foam". I have found potential clients shy away from a sign represented as foam, so I explain the "poly-armor" in detail and they have a better understanding of it. Also a sample always helps!"
在选择供应商时不应只考虑价格因素，该想法也得到了来自Peachtree City发泡材质行业管理部部长Michael Fetter的赞同，他同时也认为价格的过于低廉，很可能最终会影响质量以及服务。在制作座式标识中，最重要和花费最高的部分就是外面的硬涂层。涂层的好坏决定了产品的耐用度和寿命。美国小型商业管理局也指出，企业计算成本和投资回收率要基于在大众中美造成千次曝光率所需的成本来计算。所以基于此来说，LED显示屏可能是最好的满足成本与收益平衡的一种方式。Rob Klinger还指出不能从只有单一供货源的厂家那里购买商品。并且现在市面上存在着大量公司从一些不知名的供应商那边购买LED显示屏，这些产品往往都不具有制造商名字以及制造序列号，一旦发生质量问题，购买者都不能获得售后服务。Kliger对如何选择座式标识供应商也表达了自己的看法，“我认为最重要的就是产品的耐用性，我喜欢用“聚乙烯铠甲”而不是“发泡板”来像客户宣传我的产品，这样的名字再配合上我们的样品，能够让客户更好地理解我们产品的细节。
Aside from making sure you have chosen the best supplier to outsource your business to, selecting your suppliers before you jump into the design process, will make the manufacturing process easier.
如果你不是把你的产品外包给你的供应商，在设计过程之前，谨慎选择并最终确定你的供应商能够使你的制作工程更加简单。
Designing For LED Integration
将LED显示屏与发泡座式标识相结合的设计
The design process doesn't have to start with a blank sheet, most LED and foam monument manufacturers will have vector drawings available for you to customize, making the design process easier. Fetter says the process is simple, "we have 56 standard models that can be downloaded from our website. The sign shops can then get the LED specs from their supplier of choice, import them into their graphics software and put the two together." Alicia Martinez, Regional Sales Manager for Electro-Matic Display products adds, "Incorporating an EMC into a foam monument sign is extremely easy, as long as there is a little planning regarding power/communication location and ventilation." Larry Falatko, Production Manager for Peachtree City Foamcraft Northeast adds, "We can also customize the monument to fit virtually any type of LED message center. As long as the sign shop can give us the dimensions and specifications of the LED sign, we can work with the sign shop and the LED supplier to make sure they will be a perfect fit." Most LED and foam monument manufacturers will have vector drawings available for you to customize, making the design process easier. Once your drawing is complete, make sure to share your drawing with your LED supplier and Monument Sign Supplier, before you sell your client on the design.
设计过程不必从零开始，大部分的LED显示屏和座式标识的结合都会具有一些矢量设计图来根据客户需要制造出来，以使操作工程简化。而这个过程是很容易操作的，在Fetter的公司网站中，有56个标准模型图可以被下载。然后，标识生产厂家就可以将供应商提供的LED规格将其导入他们的图形软件中，就可以把两者结合起来。做为地区管理主管的Alicia Martinez补充道“将LED显示屏的电磁线路与发泡座式标识结合起来实在是很简单的过程，只要你提前将电源、通讯或是通风口的位置设计好，而这些设计都不需要花费太多时间。作为一家发泡标识制作公司的产品经理Larry Lalatko认为，发泡座式标识可以为客户定做以适应不同类型的LED显示屏。只要标识制作厂家能够提供LED显示屏的尺寸和规格，就能够将标识生产方以及LED的提供商双方的产品完美结合。一旦设计过程完结，在将设计出售给客户之前，也要将这些设计同步给LED和座式标识的生产商。
The LED & Monument Sign Partnership Advantage
LED显示屏与座式标识结合的优势
Foam Monument Signs give your clients the grandeur look of a large sign, without the weight and on-site construction. They are also extremely versatile; with the ability to be manufactured in virtually any size, shape or color you can imagine while offering the exceptional benefit of unmatched durability. Mike Fetter, Sales Manager for Peachtree City Foamcraft says, "We spray all of our foam products with our Poly-Armor hard coat and it has made our foamcore monument sign the only one in the industry to be independently tested and approved to withstand 175 MPH winds."
发泡座式标识的优势在于其能够使得大型标识具有宏伟的外观，并且不需要现场的施工而且重量也较轻。由于它基本能够改变成任何外观、尺寸以及颜色，可以提供其他产品所不具备的无与伦比的耐用性和优势。作为桃树座式标识公司的销售主管，Mike Fetter表明了他们公司的所有发泡标识产品，都被喷上了自主研发的“聚乙烯铠甲”系列硬涂层，并且能够抵挡175MPH的风力。
Electronic Message Centers are computerized, programmable visual communication devices that are capable of storing and displaying multiple messages in a variety of different formats and speeds. LED signs bring monument signs to life. The flexibility of LED message centers allows the end user to put their sign to work 24 hours a day. "They add a dynamic messaging component that draws the attention of passing traffic better than manual reader boards." Sanner continues "Businesses using an integrated LED sign will typically see an increase in business of 15% to 150%."
电子显示屏是一种可以被编程，能够储存信息并且以不同的格式和速度显示信息的视觉设备。LED显示屏能够让座式标识不再只是静态的展示信息，反而有了生机与活力。这种一体化LED显示中心更是可以24小时不停地运转，而且，相比于静止的座式标识，这种形式能够更好地吸引来往的车辆。使用这种形式能够使企业获得15%到150%的业务增长量。
Klinger says the partnership is a natural one; "LED cabinets compliment monument signs because, while a monument sign alone while accomplish the goal of identifying the facility, the addition of an LED cabinet will provide the most cost-effective advertising tool available."
Kliger还说这种两者结合的一体化设备是一种趋势，在座式标识中加入LED显示屏将是最符合成本效益的广告工具。
Making the Partnership Work
将两种设备协调才能产生最佳效果
At this point, you should already have a viable drawing that has been "ok'd" by both your LED sign supplier and your monument sign manufacturer. Your drawing should include your plan for installation and ventilation. "The biggest failure we see is not following the installation guidelines for ventilation; electronic signs need adequate ventilation to allow warm air to exit properly" Sanner notes. When putting the monument sign and LED message center to work together, the LED sign must fit perfectly inside of the monument sign, "This can be scary for some sign shops new to integrating LED signs, so we will actually allow our sign shops to send us their LED unit so we can install it into the monument sign and ship it to them already put together" Fetter adds, "most manufacturers will work with you every step of the way as long as you ask."
当你的设计方案被发泡座式标识以及LED显示屏生产商都确认过之后，还要将安装过程以及通风设备等信息同步至计划中。Sanner还指出最大的问题出现在没有根据安装计划来安装通风口，而电子标识需要充足的通风口以使热空气正确排出。为了使得两者能够共同工作，LED显示屏必须正确放置在座式标识之中。Sanner还说，为了避免一些安装LED显示屏不太熟练的企业产生太多的错误，他们会要求这一部分标识企业先将LED显示屏寄到他们公司，等到将两者安装在一起后，Sanner的公司才会把成品一起寄过去。他还补充，基本上只要是安装标识的公司的需求，大部分制造企业都会按照他们的方式来执行。
Klinger explains, "Incorporating an LED message center into a poly-armor structure does require some assembly in the field. Typically, we direct bury steel legs through the poly-armor monument sign, then attach the led message center and identification cabinet."
Kliger还解释道“将LED显示屏和发泡座式标识结合起来确实需要专业的安装知识。这里最具代表性的情况就是，我们会将金属支架穿过强化过的发泡座式标识，然后装上LED显示屏和检查安全设施。
Once the Monument/LED Sign is at your shop, you will need to program the Electronic Message Center. According to Martinez, programming an LED sign is "Simple! Most EMC Manufacturers offer easy to use, what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) software with intuitive graphical user interfaces. Programming features include the ability to schedule in advance, manage multiple displays in multiple locations and create content from simple monochrome text to full color graphics or animation."
当发泡座式标识和LED显示器在你的营业场所摆放好了之后，下一步你需要将LED显示屏进行编程。而用Martinez的话来说，对于LED显示屏的编程过程是十分简单的，你在编程过程中看到的画面，就是最后LED显示屏所展示的画面。（WYSIWYG）软件具有直观的图形用户界面。编程功能包括提前编辑内容、管理在不同地方的显示器，并可以创建单色文本或者是彩色的图形或者动画的功能。
Installing the Work of Art
安装步骤
Your LED message center is installed inside of your monument sign, now it's time to install the monument sign into the ground. There are several different types of monument signs which require slightly different methods for installation so, be sure to check with your monument sign manufacturer for their preferred installation techniques to ensure the maximum life of the sign. Fetter adds, "Our signs do not require any bracing or additional substrate for installation, so all our client has to do is purchase the galvanized steel pipe, place the pipes inside of the PVC pipe in our sign, secured by expandable foam, dig the holes, place the sign in the holes and fill with a mixture of cement and water. The most important part of the process is making sure the monument sign is ground supported."
上一个步骤是将如何把LED显示屏安装到座式标识中，那么接下来的内容将告诉你如何将座式标识安装到地面上。不同类型的座式安装标识有不同的方法，所以一定要和你的座式标识制造厂家来确定安装方法，以保证最长的使用寿命。Fetter还补充。“我们的座式标识在安装过程中不需要任何的支撑或者是额外的衬底，而客户只需要购买镀锌钢管，并把钢管安装在我们的有发泡发泡保护的PVC管道内。接下来就是打孔并将标识放置在打好的孔的位置上，并倒满水泥。这个过程里最重要的部分就是确保座式标识在地上能够支撑起来。”
The Finished Product
成功案例
Signs Plus Signs of Sarasota, FL created a visually appealing and highly successful partnership between the foam monument sign and the LED message center in this project. Owner, Rob Klinger explains "The West Bend School District (West Bend, WI) contacted us to provide a brick wall, school sign and LED message center. After discussing their needs, we determined that a poly-armor monument structure would be a great addition to the project. The customer liked the fact that there would be no need for an extensive foundation, brick work or extensive labor on site to construct the brick wall. The project came together smoothly, and the customer is thrilled with the results!"
在佛罗里达州的萨拉索项目，通过将LED显示屏与发泡座式标识的成功结合，带来了极为美观的外表和极强的视觉吸引力。并通过这一项目也获得了非常成功的合作伙伴关系。这家公司的老板Rob Kliger解释说，“最开始，西本德校区（West Bend，简称WI）让我们提供砖墙、学校的标识和LED显示屏。通过讨论后，我们公司认为有一个含硬性外壳的座式标识加入到这个项目中，将会是非常有效的。校方也非常认同这个计划，因为这样就不再需要大量的地基面积和砖，以及大量的劳动力来构建砖墙。工程很快地就完成了，而客户也非常满意最后的结果！ |
