By Patricia Measer
Anyone who owns a business realizes the importance of marketing. Not only does a business need advertising, but also the right kind of advertising, to promote brand recognition. Many business owners need signs on their building or around town, and need a sign maker who understands that not just any sign will do. Enter AKS Sign Designs and Marketing, the subject of our next business spotlight from the Lakewood Historic District.
Alex Sullivan opened AKS in 2018. Alex wanted to work for herself, and with a background in sign production, marketing and sales already, she knew this would be the perfect fit. “Being self-employed definitely has its ups and downs, but it’s nice to be able to pick what to work on, and to use my experience to help others.”
done for local clients. “I love seeing the results of our work around town,” she
adds. (14 Main will be above the See-Zurh House in Bemus Point, NY.)
AKS offers a variety of products and services to match your needs. You can get signs made of different materials, large enough to attach to a building or small enough to hang in your window. You can order electric signs, too. Anything from banners to business cards to custom embroidered clothing and swag is available. Need help designing a logo? Alex and her team can help with that. Need a marketing or branding strategy? They can help with that, too. “No project is too big or too small,” says Alex. “We are passionate about helping others define their brand.”
Some of the jobs that AKS has done include: A vinyl sign for a work trailer; a large metal sign the Borsari Foods building; and multiple signs and car wraps for Shults Auto in Olean. AKS has clients nationwide, but Alex says she is proudest of the jobs she has done for local clients. “I love seeing the results of our work around town,” she adds.
Alex says she is able to accomplish all this with a small team of three designers and two installers. For large projects, she hires other local experts when needed. “Networking and creating relationships with businesses in the community is important to me,” Alex states. For example, for the Shults Auto project, she hired Moonlight Electric from Jamestown to help with wiring, and hired several local welders to install a 400-lb. sign. Other jobs may require lifts or bucket trucks, which she can also outsource. For out-of-state jobs, she has contacts with similar businesses in those states who can provide installation services for her. And, when they have a job in western New York that needs to be installed, she is able to reciprocate.
Even though AKS was still a relatively young business when COVID lockdown started, Alex says they were still able to thrive, partly because a lot of their work is down outside, and partly because they continued to get a steady stream of clients. Surprisingly, many new businesses started during the pandemic and needed AKS services. “Since we started, I have seen about 15 new businesses open on the main drag here, and at least 10 more on Fairmount Avenue.” She also credits part of her success to her location in the Lakewood Historic District. “We get a lot of foot traffic here, and people see our sign and call us.”
Asked where she sees her business in another 5 years, Alex answers, “Hopefully we will continue on the same path we are on. I love the work we do here, the size of the business, and I like being a local who helps locals. I’ve found my niche.”
For more information on AKS Sign Designs and Marketing, you can visit their webpage at www.akssigndesigns.com, or follow them on Instagram or Facebook.