Creating a Market for ADA Signs

You're Ready, but Where are the Customers? OK. You're ready! You have read the guidelines. You've bought the equipment and the software. Now, where are the customers? Why doesn't anybody want the braille and raised character signs you want to sell?

Do They Know About It? What do customers know about the ADA? Smaller businesses may not? You could send out a question and answer piece telling them about the new kinds of signs they'll need. Perhaps your local newspaper would carry a story about your new equipment and capabilities and the ADA. And remember to add ADA signs to your yellow page ad. Gradually, people will hear about the ADA, and your ad reinforces their memory and connects you with their need to know more about it.

Helping to Create the Need Your customers may know the law, but they may think it doesn't apply to them. And, if the local building inspectors aren't requiring the signs, they will think that. The first step is to make sure that new buildings and remodeled buildings in town are installing the signs.

Has your state passed its own version of the ADA? Some states are just getting around to it now. If your state does have an up-to-date code, how much does the local building department know about it? They probably know something about ramps and accessible restrooms, but chances are, they don't understand most of the sign guidelines and may not enforce them at all.

Most cities are strapped for funds, and they can't hire an expert to train their inspectors. How about becoming that expert, and then offering training sessions at no cost to the city? That's what Access Communications has done, and it has paid off in an increased awareness on the part of inspectors.

Do you have a local organization for people with disabilities, or one of the branches of the large national organizations of people who are blind? They may not know about the need for special signs either. Offer to speak at one of their meetings. Bring samples. Tell them that besides the braille signs, there are many other signs which help people with disabilities to find their way efficiently, and which the law now requires. Encourage them to point out to managers of businesses, restaurants and hotels, that adding complaint signs would add to their convenience and perhaps increase their business.

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Get Some Signs Out There You need some practice and your signs need some exposure, so consider donating ADA signs to a local non-profit organization. How about your local school? Or, even though the federal government doesn't require religious organizations to have the signs, many states do, and you could donate some signs to your local church. They won't need many, perhaps a set of restroom signs, some exit signs, and a few wheelchair directionals, but it gives you a chance to answer questions about them.

Sell Your ADA Knowledge For businesses like hotels and motels, and large institutions like hospitals and colleges, the secret to selling the signs may be offering a survey. Although a thorough survey with a well-written report and sign schedule shouldn't have to be a freebie, you might want to offer free surveys to a couple of highly visible businesses with small buildings. One possibility is to do the survey free, but give only the bare details in writing to the client. The object is, that they not take your carefully done survey and specification sheet out to bid without reimbursing you if you don't get the contract. If the client does want a finished survey and report, you can sign an agreement that will deduct part or all of the cost of the survey if you get the contract, and that paying you for the survey gives them the right to take it out to bid. Your selling point is that every bidder will be working from the same list and the same set of specifications. Otherwise, the client runs the risk of getting bids on widely differing notions of what signs are needed. Sell your company as the expert in ADA sign guidelines. Create a market for your knowledge, and the market for your signs will follow.