Signage Tips For Small Businesses

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, signage is the least expensive, yet most effective form of advertising available. No other form of advertising comes close to matching the efficiency and cost-effectiveness, dollar for dollar, of the on-premise sign.

To begin the planning process, you must first determine your signage needs. By being prepared and collaborating with a sign and graphics professional, your business’ signs and graphics can reflect the best image possible, all while creating awareness and a valuable return on the bottom line.

Some basic questions to consider as you plan your signage:

•    How long will the signs or graphics be used?
•    What are the signs or graphics being used for—temporary or permanent, indoors or outdoors?
•    What kind of environmental conditions will the sign or graphic be exposed to—extremely cold, warm or in direct sunlight?

•    Is there a specific image that you want to project? For example: contemporary, elegant or rustic?
•    What is the viewing distance for each sign or graphic?
•    How much time will the viewer have to actually read each sign or graphic?
•    What kind of mounting device will be needed for the signs, both indoors and out?
•    Are there local sign ordinances or restrictions that would prevent you from displaying certain types of signs?
•    If you are planning to include logos of other companies (e.g. vendors), do you have written releases from them?
•    When do you need the signs or graphics by?
•    What are your budget parameters?

There is virtually no limit to what a good signage program can do for a business, organization or event. While effective sign and graphics can portray a good image and encourage business, poorly designed signs are more likely to be overlooked or even turn prospective customers away. When discussing signage options, keep these tips in mind:

•    Keep it consistent. Integrate your marketing and brand creative into all of your messaging and across all marketing channels—signs and graphics especially.

•    Make it memorable—fast. As with TV and radio ads, you only have a matter of moments to capture someone’s attention. Each second the viewer has to embrace your message counts. With the use of full-color small and large-format digital graphics, products and services can come to life making your message easier to remember.

•    Design for maximum effectiveness. Keep it simple. A company logo, a colorful representative image and a message that gets right to the point are effective ways to design your sign. Studies show that by adding color or photos, you can increase the effectiveness of your sign by 78 percent.

•    Add variety. A good signage program isn’t just a single sign. To create maximum impact, carry your theme through all your signs and graphics. Eye-catching, full color graphics on signs, windows, banners, vehicles and even floors bring the message to life wherever the buyer is, gaining maximum impact in the competition for attention. Research by the Direct Marketing Association found that the addition of full color graphics to advertising increases reader retention of the message by 71 percent.

In order to communicate effectively, signs should be highly visible and attractive. Make note of these four basic design principles to make the most of your sign or graphic: visibility, readability, noticeability and legibility. Visibility is a prime factor when putting together the sign. To guarantee visibility, ensure that the sign’s lettering is clearly distinguishable from its surroundings. Readability is important because it ensures that the reader correctly comprehends the message. Therefore, the sign’s design should be as easy to read as possible. Achieving noticeability, which refers to a characteristic of a sign that draws the viewer’s attention, can easily be done by changing its colors, message, size or shape frequently. Lastly, keep legibility in mind. This means making sure the letters on the sign are individually distinguishable from other letters.

Need a personal consultation regarding signage?  Contact the FASTSIGNS location nearest you.

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