PUBLICATION CENTER

When ISA Sign Expo 2009 gets underway at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas April 15-18, it will include a number of educational sessions that can help you keep pace with key changes in the sign market. Here are just a few of the sessions that will be offered:

Manage and Grow Your Sign Business in a Challenging Economy. A panel of three sign company representatives will present tips for stabilizing and growing your business in tough times. They will discuss how to manage cash flow, material and labor costs. They will also talk about how to maximize sales and marketing opportunities when money is tight.

It’s Easy Being Green-Signs and the Environment. David Hickey of the International Sign Association will discuss environmental initiatives that are affecting how governments regulate sign products and influence the kinds of signs customers want. He will explain how signs can be energy efficient, recyclable, and contribute to a community’s visual environment and suggest ways to work more effectively with your customers, government officials, and the community.

Say Hello to Your Customers Online! Web 2.0 for Sign Shops. Peter Beenen of signsearch and Sarah Singleton of the International Sign Association will discuss real-world strategies sign-shop owners can use to leverage the Internet to gain new customers. You will see how buyers with signage needs are using the Internet during their research and buying process.

Low-Cost, Low-Effort Marketing Strategies. This informal seminar will focus on 18 easy-to-implement strategies that sign companies can use to enhance their own image and market share. The strategies will emphasize the type of “front-door marketing” that begins at the front door of your business.

A New Era in Environmentally Friendly Large-Format Printing. This seminar will present an overview of technologies being developed to meet customer demand for more environmentally friendly applications. Presenters will discuss how to successfully and profitably implement green printing practices.

Purchasing a Flatbed Printer: Cross Over to the Flat Side. This seminar provides an overview of flatbed and hybrid equipment and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Presenter Jodi Huagen of Xcel Products will discuss how to select the right printer for your business needs and what workflow issues need to be considered when deciding which printer to choose.

This year’s ISA Sign Expo is expected to have exhibits from more than 430 companies. Last year’s show attracted nearly 20,000 attendees, which helped Sign Expo rank as the 106th largest trade show in the U.S. according to Tradeshow Week magazine. For a list of exhibitors and conference sessions, visit www.signexpo.org