Business Action | February / March 2019

Umberleigh-based The Sign
Maker has built up a large
customer base across the
world via its web site, but,
with constant changes to
algorithms and online practices,
finds staying at the top
of the search engine rankings
a growing challenge.
“Until now we’ve relied on
the internet totally and felt
we had to try something else,”
explains managing director
Kate Price.
When Devon County
Council announced its
2018 Business Promotion
Grant scheme, the company
obtained a grant to support
its first ever attendance at
a trade show: the Family
Attraction Expo at the NEC,
Birmingham last November.
“There’s no point in just
printing banners, we need to
show people what we make,”
continues Kate. “We started
preparing the stand in August
and had to get it all together
so thought we would try it
out at Bideford Business Expo
in October.”
After planning to exhibit
at one exhibition, the Sign
Maker ended up exhibiting
locally in Bideford, regionally
at the South West Business
Expo in Exeter and nationally
at the Family Attraction Expo
at the NEC.
As its name suggests, the
Sign Maker specialises in
NEWS
Sign Maker exhibits
across the country
Giving clear signs: (from left) sales specialist Debbie Stevens with
managing director Kate Price on The Sign Maker exhibition stand
high quality, bespoke signs
and memorials. Its products
range from made-to-order
wooden signs to stone, slate,
granite and marble signs
as well as painted signs,
house name plates, engraved
plaques, safety signs plus a lot
more. All signs are designed
and manufactured by skilled
carpenters, engravers and
painters as well as by CNC
equipment and sand blasting
at the company’s Umberleigh
workshop. Its customers
range from individuals
wanting a single sign for their
house to businesses requiring
commercial signage.
The aim of attending the
Family Attraction Expo was
to build relationships with
visitor attractions requiring
multiple signs, although
Kate said they also met many
farmers looking to diversify.
She added that the response
from visitors was good with
one asking “why is all the
good stuff made in Devon?”
The exhibitions have
started to generate orders
and also provided many new
contacts for the future.
After this first taste of trade
shows, Kate is looking forward
to exhibiting at further events,
including agricultural shows:
“We’ve got to do it again to
create an impression.”
■■Details 01769 561355 /
561314 or sign-maker.net
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@businessactionm | February / March 2019 | business action 5