Doug Elnor: Our Sign Service and Installation Coordinator

July 20, 2020

Born just outside Toronto, Doug moved to Winnipeg with his family when he was 9 years old. 

In his teenage years, he enjoyed sneaking over to auto mechanics to learn about cars --which provided him with a skill set that translated well into the job he got at Electra Sign when he was 18. After he obtained his academic/electrical dual diploma, he was hired as a wiring and electrical technician. Over 20 years later and Doug's still working here!

His hobbies include camping, fishing, and pretty much any other activity that you can do outdoors. He's an easygoing guy who enjoys the open road and counting down the days until he can retire to the country.

As our Sign Service and Installation Coordinator, Doug's duties include ensuring that production deadlines are met, providing customers with estimates on how long a job will take, and managing multiple crews through scheduling and communicating. 

Michelle Riedner, Accounting

August 17, 2020

Michelle works in our accounting office. Her duties include invoicing job and service orders, posting payables, filing various orders into our systems, and entering our timesheets for payroll.  

Michelle loves to knit while she listens to audiobooks. Her favorite movie series is The Lord of The Rings, and she loves listening to its soundtrack on repeat. 

Michelle has been married for 29 years. She has three sons and is soon to be a grandmother. In 2018 she graduated college with honors. She loves to laugh and genuinely cares about others. She always makes it a point to greet everyone when she comes into the office in the morning, and to say goodbye whenever she heads home.

Michelle's personality brightens everyone's day here at Electra Sign and we love having her as part of our team.

3 Reasons Why Design Matters in Business

August 7, 2020

Design is something that business owners often see as an expense and a luxury rather than a legitimate investment. But in an increasingly competitive market, design isn't just "making something look pretty." A good designer holds the power to make a business' reputation just as a poor designer can destroy it. And if you still have any reservations about it, here are some reasons why design really matters in business.

Design is the lens that people look through to see your company

Design is your company's whole brand --the identity that can bring your company together and make it memorable for your consumers. How you design your brand can help you market towards your target demographic. As an example, here at Electra Sign, we value quality, professionalism, and the dedication of our employees above all else, and that is reflected not only in our work but also in how we design our website and online presence. We try our hardest to deliberately showcase our qualifications to potential consumers with our design. We are a professional company so, naturally, we want to emphasize that idea to all who consider doing business with us.

Impressions are key

The impression that consumers get when they come into contact with your business is something that good design can and will influence. Businesses with good design look more professional and appealing than businesses without. In fact, it's been proven that companies with poorly designed websites can actually drive business away as they can come off as untrustworthy to the consumer, (this can apply to signage as well.) In order for users to interact with your business and be satisfied that they did, you need to keep everything as user friendly as possible for them. Which could take the form of keeping relevant information widely available and making sure that it's easily found, or even something as seemingly insignificant as shifting a few images around, to make the page easier to read. When done well, it all helps. Don't forget, people don't remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel. And with design that can't be any more true.

Your design can help you better market towards your key demographics

When you have a niche of consumers, you market towards them. That's pretty standard stuff. But design can play a much bigger role in that than you might initially assume. For example, an orthodontist that specializes in children might want to design their branding to be more playful and friendly. This is done to keep the kids entertained and feeling safe. Whereas, an adult orthodontist would lean towards more serious themes to keep everything professional. Keeping close attention to your key demographics and designing your business around not just their needs, but also their interests is a great way to keep them engaged.

Whether it's your online presence, exterior signage, or print media, design is a complex and oftentimes confusing subject. It's not always exact but there definitely is a developing science to it --and we here at Electra Sign strive to learn more about it every day.