Sometimes, you only need temporary signs for your business, to be displayed for a short time.
Ideally, such signage should be easy to install, equally easy to remove, simple to store if you need to reuse in the future, and cost-effective. You don’t want to break your budget, especially if you only need your signage for a one-time event or limited duration and few repetitions. So, what do you do?
Temporary signage is the answer you’re looking for! The low cost of temporary signs means that you can vary and update your signage easily and more often.
Furthermore, temporary signs are generally made of lightweight materials that are recyclable and environmentally friendly.
Indoors or Outdoors
Temporary signage may be used indoors or outdoors, depending on the occasion.
Outdoor temporary signs need to be durable to withstand weather conditions. They are usually made of robust materials such as coroplast, plastic, canvas, and vinyl. They include banners, posters, pole signs, flags, pennants, etc.
On the other hand, indoor temporary signs don’t have such a need. To be most cost-effective, they are usually made of paper, cardboard, coroplast, or vinyl. Such signs include banners, posters, directional signs, wall or floor stickers, etc.
Use Temporary Signs When…
When should you prefer temporary signage over permanent one?
Special Messages
Temporary signs are perfect when you have a special message you would like to promote.
For example, you may wish to announce to your customers that you are open after the lockdown, or that you are still open during the lockdown, depending on your business. You may also need to remind COVID of safety measures (yes, COVID is a temporary situation and you won’t need permanent signage related to the pandemic). Coroplast signs, vinyl stickers, window clings, A-frames, and flags can be used on different parts of your front to showcase the message.
One-Off Events
If you are organizing a one-off event, you may need signage that you will only use during this event.
This is the case with bazaars, trade shows, exhibitions, fairs, etc., where you may need banners, banner stands and A-frames with your logo and business identity, directional signage for the clients, or wall or floor vinyl stickers that would be easy to peel off once the event is over.
For example, “pop-up” COVID testing stations use temporary signage to direct people to the station and inform them of the test procedure.
Construction Works
If you have construction going on at your business location, you may need temporary signage for safety reasons, to keep customers away from the construction zone, and to protect workers and materials. You may also need temporary directional signage to redirect traffic until construction is over.
When construction is over, you may also use temporary signage to announce to customers that the store has a new section/garden/parking and thank everyone for their patience.
Special Offers
As a business owner, you often need to attract customers’ attention to a special offer, new product, or seasonal message. This is where A-frames on the sidewalk or window vinyl for your shop’s window front can be invaluable in promoting sales, offers, and new products.
Ideas for Your Temporary Signs
Some of the materials used for temporary signage, such as paper and cardboard, are, well, temporary. Other materials are more durable and can help you use your signage repetitively and more cost-effectively.
However, using a sign repetitively requires additional planning. For example, you should find a way to separate items with reusable information (such as your logo and brands) from those with non-reusable information (such as a date and location). Ask your signage provider for advice on the best way to combine temporary one-use and reusable temporary signage and take advantage of materials that add value to your temporary signage budget.
Canvas Banners
Banners are the best option when you need temporary signs of wider and custom dimensions. Quick to produce and easy to mount, canvas banners support any color combination and will promote your logos effectively. They are also easy to remove, roll-up, and store until the next time you need to use them.
Banners are durable to outdoors weather conditions, and are therefore ideal for outdoors temporary signage. Mesh banners are a great option if your outdoor banner is exposed to wind; for example, when you need to mount a banner on crowd separators for a sports event or on a construction site fence.
Canvas banners are a particularly good choice for temporary indoors signs. They are an inexpensive option for fairs and trade shows, with the added advantage that they take up little space in storage and are easy to transport from your business to the show location. They are thus ideal for smaller businesses that cannot afford a more elaborate exhibition kiosk and seek to minimize related costs.
A-Frames
A-frame board signs make for great temporary signs because they are temporary but not necessarily limited to one-time use. You can set them up within minutes and place them anywhere, indoors or outdoors, to attract the attention of your customers. When you’re done, just fold them and store them until you need them again.
A-frames with a handle are not only foldable but also easily portable, so that you can use them at your business premises or take them to any other location you may need to promote your business.
Combine A-frames with vinyl removable graphics mounted on coroplast inserts to switch promotional messages as often as you need at a low cost.
Vinyl Stickers
Vinyl is a versatile printable material that can be used in a multitude of ways for temporary signs, thanks to its wide variety of colors and designs.
Adhesive vinyl can be used on any surface: on coroplast or other materials to make signs, but also directly on walls, windows, and floors as stickers. Vinyl stickers are easily removed without damaging the supporting surface, which makes them an excellent option for temporary signage.
Vinyl is durable and it is a good choice if you need your temporary signs to last for some time; for example, when placing floor stickers for the winter season.
Coroplast Signs
Coroplast looks like standard cardboard but is, in fact, printable corrugated plastic. Although lightweight, coroplast is a sturdy, waterproof material that is ideal for outdoor signs, or for signs that you plan to store and reuse.
Coroplast signs can be easily cleaned, even with a hose, which makes them a good option if you need signage for areas with a high degree of dirt.
Use coroplast for signs of any size—small or larger—and form, as you can cut coroplast to any shape. You can make directional signs, logo and slogan signage, and even A-frame signage with coroplast.
Temporary Signs Are Not Permanent
Because of the low cost and easy installation, some business owners are tempted to use temporary signage even in cases where they should use permanent signage. For example, when someone opens a new store, it may be tempting to mount a banner instead of a more expensive light cabinet.
Experience shows that, even though a business has a short term profit in avoiding the costs of permanent front shop signage, it will suffer in the long run from projecting the wrong image. Whereas customers have no issue with temporary signage in a temporary setup, they often consider it as cheap and inadequate in a setup they perceive as permanent, such as your storefront brand.
It is therefore important to keep in mind that temporary signage should not become permanent.
