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As a business owner, one of your top priorities is establishing a strong brand presence and attracting new customers.
One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by investing in well-designed and strategically placed business signs!
- Before designing any signs, it’s important to understand the types and key elements of effective signage for your business.
- Spend time planning, designing, and customizing your signs with the right materials and brand elements.
- Ensure proper installation and maintenance of your signs and choose a reputable signage company to ensure they look professional and stay effective.
- ― Sign Design 101: Options for Business Signs for Every Industry
- ― Planning it Out: The “Whys” of Your Business Sign Design
- ― Time to Design! Tips and Tricks for Making Your Business Signs Stand Out
- ― Best Practices: Successful Ideas for Your Next Sign
- ― Easy Signs: Your One-Stop-Shop for All Your Signage Solutions
Business signs are not only essential for guiding customers to your location, but they can also play a crucial role in conveying your brand identity and values.
Whether you are looking for a way to attract foot traffic to your storefront, provide clear directions within your location, or promote special offers and new products, the right signage can make a significant impact.
Let’s find out how.
Sign Design 101: Options for Business Signs for Every Industry
Business signs come in various forms, each serving a different purpose.
Knowing your signage needs will help you determine what type of sign is going to make the most sense for you.
Some of the more common types include:
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Storefront Signs
Storefront signs are the face of your business. These primary signs are typically placed above the entrance of your establishment and serve as the first point of contact between your business and potential customers.
They are essential for several reasons:
- Brand Identification: Storefront signs prominently display your business name and logo, helping to establish your brand identity. This visual representation is crucial for brand recognition and recall.
- Attracting Foot Traffic: Well-designed storefront signs catch the eyes of passersby, enticing them to enter your store. The right combination of colors, fonts, and design elements can make a significant impact on attracting customers.
- Providing Information: Besides the business name, these signs can also include important information such as your business hours, tagline, or contact details, giving customers essential insights at a glance.
- Setting the Tone: The design of your storefront sign can convey the ambiance and style of your business. Whether it’s modern and sleek, rustic and charming, or quirky and fun, your sign sets expectations for the customer experience.
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Wayfinding Signs
Wayfinding signs are crucial for helping customers navigate your business premises efficiently. They ensure that customers can find their way around without confusion, enhancing their overall experience.
Key aspects include:
- Directional Signs: These signs guide customers to various parts of your premises, such as entrances, exits, restrooms, and different departments or floors. Clear, concise arrows and labels are essential for effective navigation.
- Floor Maps: Providing a visual layout of your business, floor maps are especially useful in larger establishments like shopping malls, hospitals, or office buildings. They help customers locate specific stores, departments, or amenities.
- Restroom Signs: Clearly marked restroom signs are a must for any business. They ensure that customers can quickly and easily find restrooms, contributing to a positive customer experience.
- Safety and Accessibility: Wayfinding signs also play a crucial role in safety, guiding customers to emergency exits and indicating accessible routes for individuals with disabilities.
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Promotional Signs
Promotional signs are versatile tools used to advertise special offers, sales, or new products. They are often temporary and strategically placed in high-traffic areas to capture the attention of as many customers as possible.
Some of the biggest benefits include:
- Driving Sales: Eye-catching promotional signs can significantly boost sales by drawing attention to discounts, special deals, or limited-time offers. The immediacy of these signs can create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to make a purchase.
- Highlighting New Products: When launching new products, promotional signs are an effective way to introduce them to your customers. Placed at the entrance or within high-traffic zones, these signs can pique curiosity and interest.
- Seasonal and Thematic Promotions: Promotional signs can be customized to reflect seasonal events, holidays, or specific themes, making your marketing efforts timely and relevant. This customization can enhance customer engagement and drive foot traffic.
- Versatility: These signs can be used in various formats such as banners, posters, standees, or window decals. Their versatility allows you to place them in different locations to maximize visibility and impact.
By understanding and effectively utilizing these different types of business signs, you can enhance your brand visibility, improve customer navigation, and boost sales through targeted promotions.
Each type of sign serves a unique purpose and, when used strategically, can contribute significantly to the success of your business.
Planning it Out: The “Whys” of Your Business Sign Design
The first step in creating effective business signs is defining their purpose and goals. What you want to achieve with your signage may make a difference in how you design each one.
Here’s a deeper dive into the questions you should consider before you begin to design any business sign:
Are you looking to attract new customers?
If your primary goal is to attract new customers, your signage should be bold and eye-catching. Consider using bright colors, large fonts, and compelling graphics to grab attention.
The message should be clear and concise, highlighting what makes your business unique or offering an irresistible call to action.
Placement is key—storefront signs, window displays, and A-Frame signs positioned at high foot traffic areas can draw in passersby and make your location stand out.
Do you want to promote a sale, new product, or celebrate a milestone?
Promotional signage needs to be attention-grabbing and timely.
If you are advertising a sale, new product, or celebrating an anniversary or grand opening, use vibrant colors and bold text to create a sense of urgency or excitement. Temporary signage like banners, posters, and window clings are ideal for these purposes.
Make sure the message is straightforward, with clear details on the promotion, product launch, or event. Effective promotional signs can significantly boost foot traffic and sales during specific periods.
Is your store making a change in its hours, location, or layout?
Signage that communicates changes in your store’s operations should be clear, informative, and easy to understand.
If you’re altering your business hours, relocating, or redesigning your store layout, use signs to update your customers. For example, a sign at the entrance or checkout can inform customers about new hours or upcoming changes.
If you’re moving, include the new address and moving date. For layout changes, wayfinding signs can help customers navigate the new setup efficiently, reducing confusion and enhancing their shopping experience.
Do you need signage that informs?
Informational signage is essential for providing customers with important details about your business. This can include wayfinding signs, product information, safety instructions, and policy notices.
These signs should be straightforward, using clear language and easy-to-read fonts.
For instance, wayfinding signs help customers find restrooms, exits, and different departments. Product information signs can describe features, benefits, and pricing. Safety signs ensure compliance with regulations and enhance customer and employee safety. Informative signs contribute to a seamless and positive customer experience by making it easy for them to find what they need and understand your business operations.
By clearly defining the purpose and goals of your business signs, you can tailor each one to effectively meet your specific needs, ensuring they contribute to your overall business strategy and enhance customer experience.
Time to Design! Tips and Tricks for Making Your Business Signs Stand Out
Now that you know what type of signage you need, it’s time to think about what type of design you want.
Today’s signage comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and finishes. Spend some time thinking through which is going to be best for you.
For example:
Time to Design! Tips and Tricks for Making Your Business Signs Stand Out
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Shapes and Sizes
Custom Shapes: Move beyond the traditional rectangular or square shapes. Custom shapes that reflect your brand or the nature of your business can grab attention. For instance, a coffee shop might use a coffee cup-shaped sign.
Optimal Sizes: Ensure your signs are sized appropriately for their intended location and visibility needs. A large, bold sign can capture attention from a distance, while smaller signs can provide detailed information up close.
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Colors
Brand Colors: Use colors that align with your brand identity. This consistency helps reinforce your brand and makes your signs easily recognizable.
High Contrast: Ensure high contrast between the background and text or graphics to improve readability. Dark text on a light background – or vice versa – works well.
Attention-Grabbing Colors: Bright, vibrant colors can attract attention, but they should be used thoughtfully to avoid overwhelming the viewer.
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Typography
Readability: Choose fonts that are easy to read from a distance. Avoid overly intricate or decorative fonts for main text.
Font Pairing: Use a combination of fonts to create visual interest. Pair a bold, attention-grabbing font for headlines with a simple, clean font for body text.
Consistency: Maintain consistency in typography across all your signage to reinforce your brand identity.
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Materials and Finishes
Durability: Select materials that are durable and suitable for your sign’s environment. Metal, wood, and high-quality plastics are popular choices for outdoor signs due to their resilience.
Textures and Finishes: Different textures and finishes can add depth and interest to your signs. Matte, glossy, brushed metal, or rustic wood finishes can complement your brand aesthetic.
Sustainable Options: Consider using eco-friendly materials if sustainability is a core value of your brand. Recycled materials or sustainably sourced wood can reflect your commitment to the environment.
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Illumination
LED Lights: LED lights are energy-efficient and can make your signs visible at night or in low-light conditions. They are available in various colors and can be used for backlighting or edge lighting.
Neon Signs: Neon signs offer a retro look and can be very eye-catching. They are particularly effective for nightlife businesses like bars and clubs.
Spotlights: Use spotlights to highlight key signs or areas of your business. This can create a focal point and draw attention to specific messages.
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Integration with Your Business (or Brand)
Logos: Incorporate your logo prominently in your signage. It should be instantly recognizable and a central element of your design.
Brand Messaging: Include taglines or key messages that reflect your brand’s values and voice. This adds a personal touch and communicates more about who you are.
Consistency: Ensure all signs reflect your brand’s overall look and feel. Consistency across various signs helps reinforce brand identity and recognition.
By considering these various elements, you can create business signs that stand out visually and look professional in the process.
A well-thought-out design process will ensure that your signage is both functional and visually appealing, helping your business make a strong and lasting impression.
Best Practices: Successful Ideas for Your Next Sign
Any successful business owner knows that it’s always a good idea to take stock of what others have done and learn from their successes and/or their mistakes.
Let’s look at some fun and informative ways that business signs have made an impact for other companies, and find out if any of these ideas can spark some design creativity in you!
A Cute Café on Main Street:
A local café used a vintage-inspired, chalkboard-style A-Frame sign with colorful hand-drawn illustrations to advertise their daily specials.
This type of outdoor business sign not only catches the eye of every passerby, but also conveys a warm, welcoming vibe that invites customers to stop in and explore the menu. The changing content keeps the sign fresh and engaging.
A Boutique Clothing Store:
A boutique shop decided on elegant, backlit window signs to highlight their latest fashion arrivals and seasonal promotions.
These signs use soft lighting to create a sophisticated atmosphere that aligns with the store’s brand. The illumination ensures the signs are visible even in the evening, attracting potential customers strolling by after dark.
The New (and Niche) Neighborhood Bookstore:
A bookstore used whimsical wayfinding signs featuring literary quotes and book-themed graphics to guide customers through different sections of the store.
These creative touches not only help with navigation but also enhance the shopping experience by adding a layer of fun and personality to the space.
The Locally Owned Gym:
A fitness center utilized bold, motivational wall graphics and signs throughout their facility.
These signs include inspirational quotes and vivid images of people working out, which serve to motivate clients and create an energizing environment. The consistency in design and messaging strengthens the gym’s brand identity.
An Urban Plant Shop:
A plant shop implemented modern, minimalist signage with clean lines and natural materials to serve as their custom outdoor business signs for their outside plant areas.
The exterior signs are strategically placed to draw attention to different plant varieties and care tips. This approach not only makes the space feel organized and inviting but also aligns with the eco-friendly ethos of the business.
The New Tech Startup Office:
An innovative tech company used interactive custom signs in their office lobby and meeting areas.
The use of cutting-edge technology in their signage reflects the company’s forward-thinking culture and impresses both clients and employees.
Easy Signs: Your One-Stop-Shop for All Your Signage Solutions
Whether you’re designing interior or exterior signage, Easy Signs is the sign company answer to all your custom signage needs.
At Easy Signs, designing the right sign for your business and your budget is our passion.
Do you need large outdoor signs for a warehouse space?
Easy Signs has you covered.
Do you need elegant storefront signs to make a great first impression?
Easy Signs can give you the design you’re looking for.
Are you looking for monument signs that will make a bold statement and elevate your business’s visibility?
Our outdoor signage options are designed to do just that!
If you are looking to create signage that reflects your unique branding as well as your desired identity, then look no further than Easy Signs.
Come see what we have to offer you for all your signage needs!
