While signage shifts dramatically from business to business, there are some common elements contributing to the success of a business’s signage. Factors such as what the signs are used for, the effectiveness of a business’s branding, and where the signs are located, can be crucial to a successful sign.
This article examines how to create successful signs for your business. To make sure your signs are effective for your business, keep the following things in mind:
Visibility
For your business signage to be successful, you’ll first need to make sure people can actually see it!
The visibility of your sign depends mainly on location and size.
First, consider how big the sign and its contents need to be. Some signs are meant to be seen from a distance. For example, 3-inch tall letters will be seen best from 30 feet away. On the other hand, a sign that’s 100 feet away from somebody should have roughly 10-inch tall lettering.
When deciding which signs you want to be bigger, consider their importance:
- Primary Importance: This level includes things like your company’s identification like a logo or business name. It could also involve important messages such as sales or taglines. These signs should be visible from 50 to 100 feet away.
- Secondary Importance: This level of signage importance is visible when people are slightly closer to your business. It’s meant to keep people interested. Things like a large menu stand for a restaurant or a promotional banner by your storefront fall into this level of signage importance. These signs should be visible from 10 to 50 feet away.
- Tertiary Importance: This level takes place when people are already in, near, or clearly interested in the things going on at your location. Graphics, directional signs, product definitions, and details of any promotions fall into this category. These signs should be visible from 1 to 10 feet away.
You will also want to make sure every sign, no matter its level of importance, is out in the open and not hidden by any obstructions such as a corner or an awning.
Another thing to consider is the readability of the sign regarding both font size and font type. Check out our post on choosing the best fonts for your business sign here!
Lighting
Successful signage is well lit.
Make sure your signs are in enough light to be read no matter the time of day. Your sign will be most successful if it lights up or has lights shining on it at night.
Keep in mind that this is also true of indoor signs. If the lighting in your establishment tends to be dimmer, ensure all signs are well lit.
The Message
No matter where your signs are or what they look like, make sure that the message written on them is simple and to the point.
The most successful signs have a message that offers a single focus and expects a single response.
For example, don’t combine a directional sign with a promotional offer. Keep them separate to avoid confusing the user. When it comes to signage, less is more. Or, as the design principle goes, whatever isn’t information is noise.
To best deliver your message, use shorter sentences with direct words. If you’re describing something (such as a dish at your restaurant), keep only the necessary descriptors.
If there are too many words on your signage, people will skip reading it. They may see your sign, but it won’t make an impact.
Mistakes
This should seem obvious, but before installing any sign, first ensure that it doesn’t have any mistakes!
This includes spelling mistakes, design inconsistencies, and any issues that may have occurred during the printing of your sign.
Maintenance
Make sure you are keeping any and all signs properly maintained.
Not only does worn signage fail to successfully convey your message, it also gives the wrong impression about your company. In order to have effective signage, you will need to promote professionalism in your business. Would you trust a business whose signage is worn down, dirty, or broken? This is the kind of thing that will make people less inclined to trust your business.
Design
Successful signs require a successful design.
Unattractive designs can push potential customers away, no matter how great your services and products are. Make sure you hire a professional who knows how certain colors, shapes, textures, and fonts can best accentuate your business and your brand. Signage is a key part of your business branding, so treat it as such.
