Guerilla marketing at its best
We make marketing your business easy, with BanditSigns.com™ corrugated plastic Banditsigns™. When it only costs you 3 cents an hour, for exposure of your message to be seen by thousands, getting more bang for your buck is easy.

What are Banditsigns™?
Banditsigns™ and Bandit Signs™ are often called by many other names: "road signs", "roadside signs", "yard signs", and "street signs", but regardless of what you call them, you'll want our Banditsigns™. These mini billboards work for you, delivering your message day and night. 

They can be printed in a variety of sizes: 8" x 18", 6" x 24", 12" x 18", 24" x 30", and the most common size, 18" x 24".

You've seen them
They are everywhere: Lease Option, Lease Purchase, For Sale, Owner Finance, FSBO, Garage Sale, Vote for..., directional signs, and just about anything else you can imagine.

Everyone uses them!
Political parties, builders, realtors, real estate investors, credit repair businesses, roofers, landscapers, home buyers and sellers, car buyers and sellers, renters, network marketing companies, auto glass companies, t-shirt companies, and if you have a business, you should too!

Preprinted BanditSign™ Selection
We preprint products for most every type of business or occasion, allowing you to order from our in-stock selection at lower than normal pricing. We take the guesswork out of what your BanditSigns™ should say. Of course we can also custom-print any of our products any way you like. Volume discounts are available.

You know, I see this mistake happen all the time and it’s crazy. And I preach and preach and preach for people not to do this.  

What it is……. Is simply putting your “website url” on anything you are doing with direct marketing that people can’t keep in their hand, in other words, if you are sending them something like a postcard or flier and they can hold it in their hand then it’s fine, you can put your website on it. If not, you can’t, “You shouldn’t” and your throwing money away. So here it is, I’m going to explain why and give a solution.

Again, the simple mistake that people make over and over and over in their marketing is putting their website on everything….. EVERYTHING!

Now I want to tell you how crazy this is…. and here’s what happens. We here at Banditsigns.com make BanditSigns and see literally thousands of people a month put their website on their BanditSigns, their banners, or their decals on the back of their car, truck and SUV windows and they kill their marketing. It’s an Instant Kill. They instantly kill it and they get no results.

We have hundreds and hundreds of people call in and demand that their website be on their BanditSigns and other products right beside their phone number. AND IT”S CRAZY!

Why Not? Here’s Why Not!!

What happens when you put your website on your banditsigns, banners, decals, etc….. is someone will be driving along and see your banditsign or your banner or the ad on the back of your pickup. They see the message and then they see your phone number, but they also see your website URL and think to themselves “Well there’s the URL, I don’t need to call the phone number, I’ll just go to the web …. later.” And so they don’t. They don’t instantly respond…. They don’t call the phone number…..

So, what happens next……

Let’s say you have a house buying company in Dallas, Texas with the URL ibuyhousesindallas.com. The guy seeing your sign thinks “Wow, I can remember that” when they see that URl they don’t write the phone number down simply because they believe they can remember that URL…. that you were so, happy about putting on your direct marketing materials.

Life’s Crazy…. and we all have too much to do….

All of a sudden while he’s (we’ll call him herb) driving along the wife calls up and says “Hey honey could you swing by the grocery store and pick up some milk on the way home” and all the while the kids are screaming in the back seat of the car and when he says “Sure I’ll do it” at that same exact moment…. herb forgets all about his problems, the solution your business provides and your website URL in that same exact instant.

That evening Herb, his wife and family have dinner and they forget all about any problems they might have and your URL goes further to the back of their mind.

Fast forward…..

A couple of days later Herb gets a call from the mortgage company that reminds him that he needs to solve his house problem and get back with that “I buy” company that does something with houses. He goes to his computer to get back with them and he can’t remember the URL. And then he thinks dang it… I wish I’d wrote that number…. Which of course he didn’t write the phone number down because he saw the URL, which he can’t remember.

What Happens Next… HERB GOES SURFING…..

And now he just starts typing in stuff in Google because he can’t remember if it was “buying homes” or “Dallas buys houses”. Now he types in simply “buy houses” or if your Ac guy Dallas Air conditioners… or landscaper… Dallas landscaping company…. or something else…. When he types this in, guess what he gets? You know what? It doesn’t matter at that point.

He got somebody else, and it ain’t you.

You just spent all your money on your marketing to drive traffic to Google to where somebody else gets that marketing. You just spent your money to get somebody all prepared to go somewhere else. And I see this happen over and over. You can’t do that. Stop putting your website on everything.

I don’t care what all these “GURUS” say out there, I’ve tested this over and over.

At BanditSigns.com what we do is test your marketing to make sure that it’s going to work. We have years and years of marketing experience from all the businesses we’ve helped. We test this stuff and know what works and what doesn’t.

So you can listen to the “GURUS” that are telling you what they haven’t done or you can go with some people who are in the business and learn it and tested it on the street.

So folks, take it from me, just simply put your phone number on your BanditSign or other marketing tool so they’ll call.

In the next installment of this blog I’ll hand you on a silver platter a time tested solution to drive traffic to your website, no matter what type of marketing you choose to use.

What are Bandit Signs?

Our company’s slogan is, “We Create The Marketing That Works…So You Don’t Have To,” and that is exactly what our Bandit Signs do!

Bandit Signs are a form of Guerilla marketing, and it’s Guerilla marketing at it’s best.  Bandit Signs are often called by many other names; “road signs”, “roadside signs”, “yard signs”, and “street signs”.  Our Bandit Signs  are like mini billboards, and they work for you, delivering your message day and night.  Your message will be seen by thousands, and for that kind of exposure, Bandit Signs should cost A LOT more than they do, but they don’t. 

Bandit Signs  are printed on corrugated plastic in a wide variety of colors.  They can be printed in a variety of sizes too; 6” x 8”,  6” x 24”,  24” x 36”,  12” x 18” and the most common size being 18” x 24”. 

You’ve seen Bandit Signs everywhere…For Sale, Lease Purchase, Lease Option, Garage Sale, Owner Finance, directional signs…and just about anything else you can imagine.  You’ve probably seen them when you’re out driving around on street corners, or on telephone poles. 

Everyone uses them!  Political parties, builders, realtors, real estate investors, credit repair businesses, roofers, landscapers, home buyers and sellers, car buyers and sellers, renters, cleaning companies, swimming pool services, t-shirt companies. 

We pre-print signs for most every type of business or occasion, which allows you to order from our In-stock selection at lower than normal pricing.  This way, we take the guess work out of what your Bandit Signs should say. 

Bandit Signs are simple, yet they are very aggressive in getting the phones ringing and helping businesses boom.  They are the most cost effective way to market your business.

How Much is Too Much on Your Bandit Signs?

Believe it or not you can put too much information on your Bandit Signs.  Most people tend to want to put too much information on their Bandit Signs and in most cases they want to duplicate what their business card says.  We like to call this the “business card syndrome.”  This can be a big mistake in using Bandit Signs.

The number one reason Bandit Signs work is because they are blunt and get straight to the point.  They tell your customers what you do, rather than who you are.  If you find yourself having the business card syndrome STOP! If you were driving down the highway going 45 mph, would you be able to read more than three lines of text on a sign that measures 18 x 24?

This type of guerilla marketing is meant to only cost you pennies on the hour, but if you have to put out twice the amount of signs, so that potential clients will be able to read all of your sign you need to stop and think....Why are you putting these out?

The answer is simple LEADS...LEADS...LEADS, that's the name of the game.
So the easier it is for people to comprehend what exactly you do versus trying to read in detail all that you do, the more likely they are to give you a call. 

Just remember if you can get them on the phone then you have all the time in the world to explain to them what you do, verses trying to cram it all onto a 18 x 24 or 12 x 18 sign.  So when you order your Bandit Signs, remember the most important part of the sign that you want people to see and remember; your phone number!

Metal or Wood Stakes?

Everyday we are asked about which stake is best when using Bandit Signs, Metal or Wood?  You may think that this is not a big issue, but believe it or not, it does matter. Through the years, we have heard many theories when it comes to which stake is best to use but in the end, it all comes down to a matter of preference.

When it comes to using the wooden stakes, the signs hold up better in the wind and in the ground. The only thing you have to worry about is your sign bending in half, but there is a simple solution to that.  When using wood stakes, it is a great idea to see if the sign is available with the flutes in the sign running horizontal.  This will help strengthen the sign against the wind and keep it from bending in the middle.  Another great thing about the wooden stakes is that you can find them at any local Home Depot or Lowe's at a fraction of the cost of metal stakes.  You also have to purchase 1 inch roofing nails to attach the sign to the stake.  If you don’t mind putting in the labor of attaching the wood stakes to the signs and hammering the signs in the ground, then it is well worth it for you to get wood stakes if want you signs to stay up longer and sit straight up for the world to see.

Now don't get us wrong, the metal stakes are great and we sell them mainly as a convenience to our customers.  The great thing about these is there is hardly any labor involved in attaching them to the sign, and placing them into the ground is simple because you just have to step on them, (metal stakes are also referred to as step stakes).  They hold up fairly well in the wind, but they tend to sway back and forth.  These are perfect for your double-sided signs and for anybody who just doesn't have the time to sit there and hammer roofing nails in the signs to attach the wooden stakes.

Either type of stake you choose to use is correct because you have made the right choice in using BanditSigns.com in the first place.  Bandit Signs do the marketing for you, and they work no matter what stake you use with them because they will get the word out about your business and increase your sales.  They are the best marketing investment you can make for the money.

How to Use Bandit Signs Effectively.

The 18"x24" size sign is the easiest to read as traffic is going by at 30-50 mph, or even at major intersections when stopped in traffic, they can be seen from a far distance.  The 12"x18" size signs are less noticeable and should be used in areas where a complete stop is required, or in the inner regions of a neighborhood. 

Your call volume will increase dramatically after a weekend of using 18"x24" BanditSigns; contrasted with the 12"x18" size, the calls will come in but probably not as high as with the 18"x24"s.

The 12"x18", however, will typically be out for a little longer.  You can expect the 18"x24"s to last about the same amount of time as running an ad in the newspaper (3 days to a week), but with tons more exposure.

We’ve tested every color under the sun for our BanditSigns, so the colors we offer are colors that work.  Some people swear by a certain color combination, others swear that another works better; it comes down to regional areas at times, but we’ve had the best results with blue and white. 

Your message is the most important thing besides your phone number that you can put on your signs.  Your message should be short and simple.  If you’re driving down the road at 40 mph, you have about 3-5 seconds to read the sign.  If your message has five or more lines of text, most of your audience (those that are driving) aren’t going to be able to read it in those few seconds, so the " KISS" rule applies.  You need to keep the message simple and to the point.

In our experience and tests, we have found that using a phone number on your BanditSigns is strongly recommended over using a website.  This is mainly because people tend to write a phone number down, while with a website, they try to memorize it, then by the time they get home, they probably only remember part of it or none at all.  And if they get to searching online, they’re going to be able to look at all your competition.  A phone number on your BanditSigns works much better. 

There’s also some question as to what type of phone number you should put on your signs (cell, office, voicemail, home, 800 numbers).  We feel voicemails are a great way to track the results of different marketing messages.  You can set up different voicemails though services like RingCentral.com, and you can assign a different voicemail number to different signs.  This way, you can track which signs are working better and in which areas, and so on.  In our experience, we found that local numbers perform better than 800 numbers.  An exception to that is a vanity 800 number like 800-BUY-KWIK.

We recommend that you put out 20-25 signs in an area in which you wish to market.  If you order 500 signs, do not put them all out in that area you’re marketing -- city ordinances do not allow that.  After you put your 20-25 signs out in one area, begin rotating areas. Saturate an area to a point to where people will notice them -- not ignore them because there are so many.  People will notice these signs when the message targets what they need; when you tell your customer what you do, rather than who you are.

Prime areas to target: major intersections and offramps from the highway.  My favorite areas are long stretch

es of 40 mph roads. Put the signs out on the side of the road, about 10-20 feet off the road, and a quarter- to a half-mile apart, going both ways.

The best times to put out BanditSigns are late on Friday afternoons and evenings.

With these tips, you will have a great experience using Bandit Signs!

Banditsigns.com Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
 

Q:  What products / services do you offer?

A:    We create the marketing solutions for your business that work, so you don’t have to! Our most popular product are BanditSignsTM: marketing signs made out of corrugated plastic, a rigid, weather resistant plastic.  BanditSignsTM can be created in many sizes, the most popular being 18"x24".  We sell BanditSignsTM with pre-printed messages that we have tested and are proven to be very effective.  For example, one of our most popular signs is our “We Buy Houses” message, letting your customers know what you do, which is more important than just letting them know who you are. We can also create custom signs, where you choose what you want them to say and what you want them to look like. Other products include aluminum signs, banners, vinyl graphics (which can be applied to vehicles, storefront windows, and just about any other non-porous surface), magnetic signs, and vehicle wraps.

 

Q:  Can you put a logo on my BanditSigns?

A:    Yes, we can!  However, there may be an additional fee if we have to recreate artwork (to make it suitable for screenprinting or contour-cutting) or design a logo for you. If you already have a logo, you can email it to us for "appraisal" before placing an order. Email it to sales@banditsigns.com with the subject "Request for quote on logo". Let us know what product you're considering (corrugated plastic signs, aluminum signs, a banner, vinyl graphics, etc.) and the minimum quantity you need. Our preferred file formats are CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, .EPS and .PDF, but we can work with just about anything (except Mac-formatted files!).

 

Q:  Whom do you ship your products with?

A:    We ship our products via UPS Ground.  However you may choose to have your order shipped (at an extra cost) either 3 Day Select (which means your package is guaranteed to get to you within three days), Second Day Air (your package is guaranteed to get to you with in two days,) or Next Day Air (your package is guaranteed to get to you the next day.) Please call or email to let us know that you need your products expedited, and we will prepare a quote for you.

 

Q:  Do stakes come with my BanditSigns order?

A:    BanditSigns and stakes are sold separately.  This gives our customers the option to use wooden or metal stakes.  We sell wire H-stakes in quantities of 25, 50, and 100.  Prices are as follows: 25 - $29.99 50 - $54.99 100 - $99.99 We also sell a heavier gauge, black wire stake $7.95, and heavy black metal frames in various sizes. We do not currently sell wood stakes, however you can purchase them at your local hardware store.  The stakes measure 1 x 2 x 36, and we recommend using 1½” roofing nails to attach the sign to your stake. To read more about the differences between wood and metal stakes, click here.

 

Q:  Why do I need an art proof?

A:    When you order custom BanditSigns, Vehicle Magnetics, Ready-to-Apply Graphics, or a banner, we will email an art proof approximately 2 business hours after your order is paid for.  Our Artwork Approval System website provides a forum between you and the artist, where you can request changes (such as the wording, layout, colors, or font style), or if you are pleased with the design, just approve the artwork by clicking the "Approve" button. If you request changes, we will email a revised proof within 8 business hours.  When you approve, your signs immediately go into production and will be shipped with three business days.

Q:  Why can't I get an art proof before I place my order?

A:    Time is of the essence and to ensure quick turnaround and quality service, it is important for our Art Department to work on existing orders. We have an extremely talented Art Staff who will work diligently to meet your design needs until you are completely satisfied. In most cases, there is no extra charge for artwork unless it contains special logos or difficult design requirements.

Q:  What are flutes? What is the difference between Vertical Flutes and Horizontal Flutes?

A:    Flutes are the slots/grooves in corrugated plastic. Vertically fluted signs can be used with our wire H-stakes; the stake simply slides into the flutes. Horizontally fluted signs CANNOT be used with wire H-stakes. We recommend using these (printed single-sided) with wooden stakes, or (printed double-sided) with frames.

Q:  What if I need to cancel my order?

A:   Please give us a call AND email us as soon as possible. If your order was paid by credit card, you will be refunded your order total minus 5% for the credit card processing fee. If your order was paid by PayPal, you will be refunded your order total minus the PayPal transfer fee. If your order was paid by check, cash or money order, we will mail you a check for your order total once your check has cleared. We generally process refunds within ten business days of the request. **If your order included any custom artwork, a $19.95 fee will be subtracted from your refund.**

Q:  Something is wrong with the order I received. What should I do?

A:   Call or email us, noting your invoice number (indicated on the UPS label, packing slip, and often written on the box), and describe the nature of the problem. If possible, email photographs. Pending an investigation to determine the cause of error, we may "redo" the order, issue a credit or refund, or negotiate some other means of resolving the issue. We reserve the right to refuse a "redo" if we find no error on our part. ** You must reach us by phone or email within fifteen days of receiving the product for the issue to be considered for resolution.**

Q:  What is the difference between Advertising & Marketing?

A:    The amount of Exposure VS. Message; Exposure = Advertising.  Message = Marketing.

Directionals Move Houses Fast

Bandit Signs are simply the best marketing tool available for the dollar.

But when it comes to getting traffic to properties, For Rent, Rent to Own, Lease Option, Owner Finance or just plain directionals gets it Sold Fast. Nothing we've found tops using directionals.



Typically a directional sign will pull in leads for weeks before they are removed.

Directionals need to go out everywhere leading into a subdivision or neighborhood. It usually takes an average of about 7 or 10 to get the job done. You want to also put some on a couple of the larger intersections nearby.

There you have it, directionals are another great product we have that will work great with your Bandit Signs.
 

Our Bandit Signs directionals are double sided, and need to used with metal stakes (link to article or stakes and picture of stakes).

These are used so the view of the sign is easily readable, and they can be put out quickly.

At BanditSigns.com, we have printed these signs with plenty of space to write in, and they’re designed with a lot of different variations, like Owner Financing, Rent to Own, Will Finance – No Banks, Open Houses, For Sale, FSBO, Lease Purchase, and you custom design anything you like.oba