Sign making software has become very popular since the dawn of the digital age. Software itself has completely revolutionized the way signs are made; and printers have changed the industry forever. Most of the signage you see today was designed on a desktop and there are only a handful of sign shops in the world that still rely on printing presses rather than large format printers. In this article, we’ll break down the basics of what sign making software is and explain some of the great features that make it easy to use.
An image of one of the oldest existing printing presses in the world. A far cry from the printers of today.
What is Sign Making Software?
Sign making software has evolved to allow its users to design and create signs, banners, stickers, and even things like car wraps and billboards more easily than ever. As I’m sure you could have guessed, sign making software equips its users with tools, such as vectorizing or banner finishing, specifically for creating signs. Ideally it will also be compatible with a number of large format printers. Essentially this means that the RIP (raster image processor) in the software will be able to create bitmaps, a matrix of dots that printers can read and understand, so that sending designs from your sign making program will yield exactly what you intended.
The best sign making programs will typically be used by professional sign shops and accompanied by good printers and cutters. Whereas home users may be able to get by with simpler software and less expensive machines because they will not be dealing with the same levels of output. That’s not to say that beginners will not be able to jump right in when using professional sign making software – the best sign making programs will have a gradual learning curve so that from beginner to expert, the user will always be able to design and print. Some even offer a free trial period for you to test the software out for yourself.
What Should Good Sign Making Software Have?
There are potentially countless factors that will impact what kind of sign making program will be best for you, including your budget, what kind of printer(s) you have, the types of products you want to make, your ability level, and more. With that in mind though, here are just a few features that we think you’ll definitely want your sign making software to have.
Raster Image Processing
With the best sign making software you will have the ability to design your art and send it to the printer (what’s called the RIP) within the same program. There are some sign making programs on the market that offer either the design portion OR the RIP, but not both. In short, this means that if your software doesn’t come with a RIP you’ll have to use one program to design, then a separate program to print. This may not seem like a problem initially, but if you’re waiting to export and upload projects to a RIP all day in a sign shop, that wasted time will translate to a loss of revenue.
Value Adding Features and Tools
If you own or work at a sign shop/sign business, whether you’re a beginner or have been in the industry for years, you should always be looking for new ways to add value to your products. Customers are willing to pay more for specialized work. If your sign making software gives you capabilities that other sign shops do not have, and makes them easy to use, then you’re a step ahead of your competitors without putting in extra work.
Technical Support
Many sign making programs don’t come with support which becomes very important when the software that runs your business suddenly has a problem and you can’t get it fixed. If your software offers support, however, you will be able to get back up and running without losing too much time or work.
Why You Should Use SAi Flexi Sign Making Software
Unlike other software, Flexi was designed from the ground up for the sign and print industry. It’s loaded with intuitive features and it’s designed to be as easy as possible to use so it’s great for both beginners and experienced sign making professionals. In fact, SAi Flexi is used in 3 out of every 4 sign shops and is considered the industry-standard for sign making and printing.
You can expand to whole new and profitable product segments with the best sign making features in the market. SAi Flexi makes it easy to save time and add value to your sign products with features like banner and canvas finishing tools, variable data design, auto-tiling and smart-nesting, and much more.
SAi Flexi is the only all-in-one design, print and cut software for sign and print providers and the first to offer low-cost monthly subscription plans that fit easily into any size budget. Many beginners in the sign making industry are in search of the ‘best free sign making software’ but what you get with those programs will not be able to set you up for success. Conversely, SAi Flexi makes what can be an overwhelming, difficult process very simple for a low monthly rate.
When it comes to learning how to get started, Flexi has a wide range of video tutorials, free monthly webinars, and options for personalized one-on-one training that you can choose from. What’s more, we offer free support through our knowledgeable and friendly technical support team by phone and email.
And the best part about it all? You can get a free trial to see for yourself how Flexi works. Get started with the best sign making software on the planet by clicking here.
Want to learn more about why SAi Flexi software is the best sign making software? Learn more here.
