Business signs boost credibility and are an excellent marketing strategy for branding. It is why firms have learned to invest so much time, effort, and resources in good signage. But what makes a good business sign?  

Business signs have been around for many years, since the beginning of brick and mortar businesses. With the help of technology, business owners can now make attractive and modern business signages. Here are some tips that you need to know. 

 

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Making A Good Business Sign Tip #1 – Size Matters

Business signage aims to bring in new clients. If you’re a small business, you’ll be targeting customers who walk or drive by your place. As a result, the sign should be large enough to see it from the highway and better visibility. Make your sign as large as your budget allows.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #2 – Proper Positioning

Your business sign must grab people’s eyes as they walk or drive by your store. Aside from the size, positioning is also critical to make a good business sign. If your sign is not visible, it would be just a waste of money because no one will see it.

Also, be aware of current rules, legislation, and city ordinances that govern where you should put your business sign. You must follow the laws and adhere to them.

Knowing where you will place your business sign and the surrounding allows you to use more complementary colors. What is the direction of the sign? How close would the design or message’s viewers be? These are just a couple of the questions we could ask to help you get the most out of your signage.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #3 – Close Proximity

The proximity of the business sign often determines its effectiveness. Imagine placing your sign far away from your business, the potential customer sees the sign and then is unable to see the physical location of your business. That would result in a loss of potential customers.

Signs with purchasing advice and product or service specifics, for example, should be put immediately next to the cash registers or customer service location. 

Similarly, it is essential to post warning signs at the source of a possible threat, need, or emergency. It includes warning signs instructing restaurant staff to wash their hands in the restroom.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #4 – Quality Content

In any sign that you would choose – content is king. Aside from the sign’s placement, you should think of what you should put on it and its overall style and structure if you want to achieve the desired effect. A good shop sign should include the company’s name and logo, as well as a tagline and a list of the goods and services you provide.

You should avoid putting too much detail on the page. It’s preferable to focus on who you are, what you do, and, if possible, what makes you unique. For example, if your convenience store’s unique selling point is that it is open 24 hours a day, it would make sense to incorporate that information in the prominent signage. If your shop is only available during regular business hours, it will no longer be appropriate to put it.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #5 – Informative

It is more effective to provide a sign that gives valuable facts to the viewer. The company name and logo and the phone number, website, and physical address are also useful contact details. 

You could announce special deals, festivals, or discounts, such as free coffee served over a specific week, on a sign. Keep the information concise and design it with simplicity. You don’t have the same privilege of most signs as you do for a magazine or website, where the audiences are staring at the design from 1 foot apart. 

It’s easier to keep the sign “easy” by listing essential services rather than EVERY service you offer. As a result, you’ll be able to grab the attention of passers-by and deliver your message more effectively.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #6 – Readability

The contrast usually determines the readability of a sign. So, it is a critical component of every enticing sign. The majority of business signs would have text or images in the foreground and solid background color. The distinction between these two elements is crucial to the viewer’s material retention.

Try using a dark color against a very bright backdrop or the polar opposite, such as black on white or white on blue. Using contrasting colors may affect the readability of the sign. On the other hand, an outline or drop shadow may help to reinforce a poor color contrast. The addition of a border across the text or image improves reading speed as well.

Don’t be afraid to use typography to your advantage. There’s an explanation why almost every competent font comes in various weights, from standard to bold, black, expanded, and so on. We use these properties by highlighting a part of your logo or message in the business sign.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #7 – Brevity

Since business signs have a finite amount of room, the messages that it carries must be concise and legible. When there is too much text on a sign, it becomes useless. 

The longer the text, the smaller the font would be, making it more difficult to decipher and taking longer for a spectator to read. It is particularly true in the case of outdoor signage. Remember, make your business sign clear and concise. 

You don’t have to put all the things that you want to say. Pick two to five words that would send your message and make your sign stand out.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #8 – Color

A well-designed sign relies heavily on color selection. Consider the colors “Coke red” and “McDonald’s yellow.” Color helps business owners to express a brand’s personality. According to studies, the color of a trademark accounts for 80% of its identification.

Colors that are trendy right now are another significant factor to remember. Any business owners may feel obligated to express themselves by signs that feature current and trendy colors. When designing static signs, though, you need to know that trendy colors of the year could be an eyesore tomorrow.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #9 – Make Good Use of Contrast

As previously said, readability from a distance is critical for many signs, and a style with low contrast levels is a common cause of failure to make good business signs.

It can be challenging to distinguish text that is so close in color to other content. Anyone who has ever struggled to read movie subtitles when the white text is over a light-colored picture would be aware of this reality.

To generate the appropriate contrast and make the text readable, use colors that are very different in tone, particularly on external signs that are not visible from afar or in poor lighting conditions. It’s a brilliant idea to make sure the color of the sign contrasts nicely with the background wall or its surroundings. 

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #10 – Layout

When creating a layout, graphic artists and designers must adhere to specific laws and standards. The location of the logo, font sizes, and colors are also critical considerations.

They give some helpful general advice, such as making sure the colors used in the signs stand out and don’t mix in with the landscape or backdrop color of the building behind it. The colors should have a substantial effect without being too distracting.

It would help if you also had adequate lighting, especially at night, in addition to color visibility. It’s also essential to keep the signs in good shape. People would assume you’ve closed down if you have dusty or vandalized business signs. 

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #11 – Blank Space

Consider this scenario: you’re driving down a highway with several billboards off to the side. Each one is jam-packed with facts in an attempt to sell or advertise goods and services. Which sign would probably standout? It is most likely the one that made the most efficient use of space. Make use of contrasting colors, blank space, and an enticing copy wisely.

Instead of cramming the design with content, you can simplify it while allowing it to “jump out” by using space around it effectively. This method works well in areas with a variety of overlapping signage or ads, such as banners, building signage, trade show stands, and so on.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #12 – Maintain Brand Consistency

If your signage is consistent with your overall branding, it can positively impact your marketing. A solid and coherent style will help to improve the public’s view of the company by providing a distinct visual identity and expression.

Your signage’s logos, colors, and typefaces should ideally match those on your website, social media pages, commercials, and everything else that bears your company’s branding.

Different fonts and colors convey different messages about your brand. A mishmash of design elements in various locations will reveal that your identity is haphazard and ill-defined.

It is the same way that the Nike swoosh symbol or the classic Apple logo is easily recognizable as evoking their respective brands. A large part of branding is making something visually recognizable that people will identify with your company. It would help if you built branding by repetition and clarity.

Making A Good Business Sign Tip #13 – Work With Professionals

Working with experienced sign makers who have completed similar projects will ensure that you can make a good business sign and install it in the proper location. A brilliant concept with poor design and made of low-cost materials would not benefit you. It is the main reason why you should always seek expert advice.

Before someone enters your building, signs will help create a distinct “look” and “feel” for your business. So it’s essential to get them right. Maintaining your overall branding and keeping your templates consistent and understandable will give your company a solid visual identity. It allows your customers to equate your name with those attributes and values straight away.

Conclusion

The best signs are the ones that people can see and understand. People will get the same message if the style is elegant and well-maintained. You want your sign to still look fresh and high-quality. Since you want to attract drivers, shorter messages are essential. It’s also necessary to provide good lighting so that the sign is visible even at night.

Many companies that provide tangible services make the error of not prioritizing their business signs. Let your business in the Bay Area stand with high-quality business signs. If you need help, contact Sam’s Signs (510) 481-1700. Our office is at 16719 E 14th St San Leandro CA 94578.  check our website to learn more about our services offered.

 

Sam’s Signs

16719 E 14th St, San Leandro, CA 94578, United States

(510) 481-1700