“Jimmy speaking. I am here today with T.E. “Sign Guy” Williams — that is T.E. Wills — also known as Sign Guy, a veteran of nearly a dozen campaigns who has delivered signs in more than a dozen counties. He’ll be able to offer unique expertise on the niche but very important topic of sign placement, sign maintenance, sign protection, and sign visibility. They call him the five‑tool player. I’m introducing the one and only Sign Guy Wills. Would you like to check in?
Sign Guy Wills: Hey, how you doing today? I install signs for any candidates that need a sign guy, locations, and the best visibility they need in order to get their name and their word out to the people. And I would like to emphasize that Mr. Wills is bipartisan, nonpartisan, multipartisan, and all‑partisan. He’ll work with any candidates who want signs erected for the purpose of increasing name recognition and candidate visibility.
I would be a contender, I believe, for most signs erected over the last cycles. I would say State Comptroller Peter Franchot, a couple people running for District 23 and 24. We have Monica Roebuck, Denise Smith, Sia — I don’t know everybody’s last name. There’s too many names to remember.
If my memory serves me correctly, Mr. Wills has put up signs in Mountain Maryland, Shore Maryland, Southern Maryland, Central Maryland, and the Baltimore metropolitan area. He has erected signs in Garrett, Washington, Frederick, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, Charles County, Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County, Howard County, St. Mary’s County, Calvert County, and Harford County.
So he’s been, as they say, from Oakland, MD at the western tip all the way down to California,
MD near Point Lookout. There are very few people in the sign game who have hit that many different areas and talked with that many people about how they want it done. That is a unique experience that is becoming more important as political campaigns increase in cost while needing to hit the eyes, ears, and attention of more voters than ever before.
Sign Guy Wills: I’ve put up a bigger sign than a 4×8 before. It had a little attachment up top that added two feet, so it was technically 6×8. I’ve done multiple 4×8’s.
The biggest sign was 8×8. I’ve done four signs at one location — all in separate places but grouped together for four different people. That was a big construction.
When individuals think about the 2022 election and how signs were plastered all over Prince George’s County, blocking the road and maintaining visibility, one could say the Sign Guy was one of the biggest people responsible for that.
Now I’m going to dive into some questions.
What would be the main reason candidates should use signs as compared to door knocking or mailers?
Sign Guy Wills: I feel as though everybody drives. And if they don’t drive, they ride in a car.
Everybody gets to see your sign. It’s something to look at on the roadway. Most of the time, just by looking at the roadway, they’ll miss the sign unless the sign is visible.
What are some tips you’d advise for maintaining the best visibility and coherence of a sign?
Would you advise, for example, yellow font?
Sign Guy Wills: No. Honestly, I think they should make them look like road signs. They’ve already spent millions testing road signs to make sure they’re visible from certain distances. You don’t even have to think about it — go on the highway right now and say, “OK, that sign is 8×16, I can read it a mile back,” and replicate that. If there are seven words, don’t try to put ten. There are seven for a reason.
So you would say a yellow sign with black font would be decent?
Sign Guy Wills: I wouldn’t say that, because yellow with black font usually means hazard.
People would look at it and wonder where the hazard is. I’d say a white sign with black font, or a green sign with white font, or a brown background with white font. Everyone tries to stand out with red and blue, but when you’re driving, red and blue are not the easiest to read.
Some of our sources have indicated you have a working relationship with a sign and literature producer operating out of Crofton. Would you like to speak about your ability to procure signs and literature and how that benefits clients?
Sign Guy Wills: Yeah, they can just call me and we can get it done as long as they have a design — or even just an idea. We can get it done with a quick turnaround.
Are there any other questions relating to the sign game?
Sign Guy Wills: I would say: short and simple, black and white. You don’t need all this color and pop. You’re giving people something they have to see in a blink of an eye and keep in their mind without figuring anything out.
And location, location, location.
If your sign is at the wrong angle, you could lose half your audience. It depends on who your audience is. If you want people adjacent to a median in a parking lot, face the sign toward theparking lot. Some people face it toward the highway — but that’s not their audience.
Once they get there, they say, “It would be better if we face it this way,” but is your sign made for that audience? That’s why people put yard signs meant for neighborhoods on majorroadways — they’re not visible unless you’re stopped at a red light, and only the first car sees it.
Thirty thousand people may pass, but only 500 will be the first car at the light.
An example: a candidate for the 5th Congressional District currently has signs on Martin Luther King Highway near Enterprise Road. Those signs are not visible unless you’re stopped or making a slow turn.
There are cases where a sign location is at the border of two counties or districts, and it’s imperative the sign faces the constituency — not the eyes that don’t matter.
All eyes are not equal in the sign game.
For statewide candidates, that’s not an issue. For countywide candidates, usually not. But for municipal or legislative races, it can make an extreme difference.
For example, if you’re running for a county council district, you want the sign facing inward as you drive in from the border, not outward as you leave.
There are many arterial roads where you don’t want most of your audience to be residents of the wrong county.
The Sign Guy is also known for placing a sign once and not needing to return. They call him the “no‑maintenance man.” He puts it down once and it sticks.
Would you like to tell people your technique?
Sign Guy Wills: Not really — but I’ll give a couple pointers. A lot of people use cheap stakes because they’re cheap, but you can’t keep costs down on the most important thing holding your sign up. It needs to be sturdier than your sign. I can’t tell you exactly what stakes I use, but the stronger it is in the store, the stronger it will be in the ground. Some people use wood, screws, metal stakes, plastic stakes. You just need one metal stake per four feet. If the sign is four feet, put one on each side. If it’s eight feet, use three. The third prevents it from becoming a sail in the wind.
Make sure your stakes are all the way down — all the way means it doesn’t move.
Some people pound a stake twice and say it’s in the ground. The way you attach it is the oundation. The way you put the sign on the stakes is the house.
Some people build a foundation and then put a mess on top. I’ve seen wood sandwiched between a stake so they can screw the sign to it — but then they use one zip tie. It’s a plastic sign.
You have to know what you’re working with. You can’t go out there with crayons and expect to put a sign up.
Would you say that while many consider sign planting a simple labor task, it actually requires political skill and technical knowledge — and that there is a specialized group of people who do it well?
Sign Guy Wills: I don’t want to say I’m the most knowledgeable — someone can always teach ou something.
The humble sign guy acknowledges his greatness while accepting he can learn from others. He is also noted for being an expert in home improvement and has worked for a legendary contractor. Would you like to say anything about home improvement or end with your number so people can reach you for sign placement or repairs?
Sign Guy Wills: I feel like there will be major renovation opportunities in the near future with technology advancing. There is a true opportunity to become wealthy in the blue‑collar field. As more people move to the United States, more housing will need to be developed, which means more repairs will be needed because houses are being built cheaper and cheaper.
If you need a repair at your house, you can call me anytime at 240‑280‑9364. I’m T.E. “The Sign Guy” Wills, running for District 24 this coming spring.