Electronic Message Centers have become one of the leading tools for businesses looking to provide dynamic messaging to customers through signage. We felt it then quite important to highlight what we feel you should know if you are a business owner considering an EMC.
What are EMCs?
According to the International Sign Association, an EMCs is “a sign that is capable of displaying words, symbols, figures or images that can be electronically changed by remote or automatic means.”
What types of signs incorporate EMCs?
EMCs are generally incorporated into monument signs and pylon signs for a typical business. These are often built by streets, street corners, or walkways so as to best display to an audience passing by.
Will my municipality allow me to get an EMC for my business?
Permitting varies widely by municipalities, so there’s no clear yes or no response when asked if a town or city would allow you to have an EMC on your business. However working with a sign team such as ours at Ortwein Sign means you’ll have expert sales reps and project managers who know municipal codes and can help determine what is and isn’t allowed.
Are EMCs right for my business?
This depends. Does your business rely on messages that switch up often and need to be displayed to your customer? Like a sale or special? If so, then perhaps this is the best fit for you. If your business just needs a static message that displays your business name, phone #, and hours perhaps, and some branding imagery, then maybe this is not the right fit.
I’m interested in purchasing an EMC for my business but I’m uncertain if I can afford the cost?
EMCs like most signs truly are a business investment, and as such there will be ROI on your signage investment. However its understandable to be uncertain if you’re ready to take the plunge into purchasing an EMC. Trusted sales reps like ours at Ortwein Sign will be clear with you regarding the costs and whether it fits your needs. Likewise sign companies at times offer financing to help with the upfront costs of EMCs and other signage needs.
Do EMCs look all the same? I want mine to match by branding and stand apart.
While the display of an EMC does not vary greatly, aside from size and definition, the signs themselves that hold the EMC can be as complex or as simple as your budget and your imagination.
How long do EMCs last?
As with any sign that’s low to the ground, or by a road, EMCs can be vulnerable to vandalism, damage, or accidents. That’s why at Ortwein Sign we have a warranty for parts and labor as part of our EMC sales. One of our sales reps would be happy to discuss this with you if you’d like to know more!
You may also want to learn about sign insurance to better protect your signage, and that’s why we have written a guide to signage insurance for business owners.
I’m the property owner of a strip mall. Should I acquire an EMC for my tenants?
EMCs are certainly one way that commercial property developers and owners can acquire and retain tenants. If you own the entire strip mall for instance and have an EMC as part of your pylon sign, then you can display branding for each tenant in equal measure.
I’m an administrator for a school. Is an EMC right for our facility?
L to R: Non-Digital Monument Sign and EMC
Schools are one of our primary clients for EMCs, as they allow for messaging that can be both routine and immediate should the need arise. EMCs therefore can often be an essential component of a school’s overall signage plan, which we breakdown further in our blog on Signage for Schools and Universities.
We have an old church sign we would like to replace. Would an EMC be a good fit for our church?
Aside from schools churches are our primary client for EMCs. EMCs allow churches to reach their congregants, and future members, in new ways that can help grow a congregation. If you have an older sign with an existing foundation too, we might be able to use that to incorporate an EMC sign, thus perhaps saving the church some money.
To learn more about EMCs and how they might fit with your business or organization’s needs give us a call at (423) 867-9208 or visit www.OrtweinSign.com/Contact-Us to learn more.