Signs play a vital role in promoting the personality, products and or/services of your business. Signage isn’t simply a means of decoration or identification but a method of communication that can significantly influence customer perceptions. As signs are often the first feature of your business that customers experience, they are also your first chance to make the right impression and as first impressions are crucial, your signs need to present a strong and correct message about who you are and what you do. With all this is mind, choosing the right signage can seem intimidating. Whether you’re baffled by where to start or looking for some handy tips, this article breaks down the decision-making process into five simple steps, helping you to select the most effective signage strategies for your business. We combine current technology, innovative design and experienced knowledgeable staff, and are well equipped to meet all signs Sydney requirements.
Step 1: Choosing the right type of signage
Available business signage varies from external building signs and ground mounted signs to interior, workplace and promotional signs. As a business owner or marketing manager, you are responsible for deciding which types of signs your business requires. A useful tip to help you with this process is to regard choosing types of signs as akin to choosing opportunities. See each type of sign as acting as an advertisement which raises the profile and awareness of business. Remember that each type of sign has a different purpose and function – do you need to install signage to introduce your business from the exterior or display a promotion inside to visiting customers? Your signs are powerful tools that invite and persuade customers so think about what message you want to convey and what impact you want to make.
Step 2: Choosing the right location for your signage
Once you have chosen a suitable type of sign, you are likely to have an idea about its location. Sometimes, the location of your sign is obvious, for instance, an exterior shop banner sign is placed over the shop windows. However, when you can choose the location of your sign, make sure you choose correctly. Remember that a sign’s purpose is to be seen. Consider how you can position your sign to be seen by the most potential customers – for example, the most striking position inside your premises. Additionally, if you are installing exterior signage, ensure that it is visible from a distance. People are often on the move when passing exterior signage and whether they are walking or driving, your sign needs to be in a position that stands out and can be easily read. Taking into account the location of your sign will also inform you of the size you require. Finally, you will often need to refer to planning guidelines before installing exterior signage.
Step 3: Considering your competitors
As soon as you know which signs you require and where they need to be placed, the next step is to decide what the sign will look like. Before you can make informed, strong and successful decisions, you need to do a little research. To gain inspiration and awareness, find out about your competitors’ signage. How effective is their signage and how can you improve on their ideas? Aiming to prevail over your competitions is a great way to boost the power of your signage from the start.
Step 4: Choosing your signage content
The text content included on your signage varies depending on the function and purpose of the particular sign. For instance, a promotional sign might contain a lot more information than an exterior shop front banner. Once you understand the amount of content you need, a key thing to remember is that this content must correspond with your overall business identity. Do you need to adhere to a particular writing style or use certain keywords or slogans that are represented by your other marketing materials? While consistency is important, the way you say things is often more important than what you say. Judge a suitable number of words and sentences to include in your sign – less is often more. Do not overwhelm your reader with information; write short sentences that are simple and to the point to ensure the content of your signs adheres to their function. Simple and condensed information is best to attract and maintain customer attention whether they’re sat in a waiting room or passing by. Your signs should display one clear message that can be easily understood.
Step 5: Choosing your signage design
Equally as important as the content of your signs is their design. Signage text can be futile unless it is combined with appealing graphic arrangements and colour schemes. Settling on the correct and most effective designs for your signage can be a daunting prospect so this step is broken down into multiple points that require your thought and attention.
1. Branding
An integral factor in achieving signage success is branding. If your business is established, you will already have a brand design-identity. Incorporate this identity throughout your signage to maintain the consistency and familiarity of your business marketing. Cohere to your business’s branding colours and designs and include your logo in a coherent fashion. If signage is the first step in branding your business, ensure that you begin your marketing campaign in the image of how you wish it to expand. To construct an effective and interesting brand identity by choosing signage that represents your business personality and appeals to your target market. If your signage is your means of introducing yourself to potential customers, ensure it’s attractive and represents the correct image of your business.
2. Colour-scheme
Choosing a colour scheme for your signage will often depend on the colours of your business branding. You need to ensure that your signage maintains the brand identity displayed by all your other marketing material. However, when choosing colour shades, think about their effect on your representation. For example, whereas bland colours are less effective, bright colours stand out the most but do they reflect or damage your brand personality? Contrasting dark and light colours is often effective but again, what do these colours say about you? Remember, colours can have specific psychological effects.
3. Visibility
Intrinsic to choosing signage colours is regarding visibility. If your sign is an interior placement, consider the colours of its surroundings – do the colours of the sign stand out or blend in to where it’s placed? Additionally, choosing too similar colours within the design can cause them to blend and become less striking while dark colours are not as effective at night. Furthermore, if you are choosing signage for the exterior of your business, you may want to install lighting. Illuminated signs are effective as they continue your signage and brand visibility into the night while allowing signs to stand out more during the day. Make sure your signage is clear and stands out as a point of engagement for the customer.
4. Text
The position, size and visibility of the text on your signage are vital to its success. Obscure fonts and bland colours can damage the ability for potential customers to take interest in and read the content of your signs. Depending on the type of sign, ensure the text is a suitable size to be read from a suitable distance. Additionally, when considering the choice of font, ensure it correlates with the font displayed across your other marketing material and presents an accurate message about your brand personality. Take great care when designing this area of your signage – your text is, after all, what contains your message.
Hopefully, this article has convinced you that choosing the right signage for your business isn’t so intimidating after all. However, you’re not expected to be a pro in all things sign and design so signs that sell.co.uk is your one-stop shop for professional assistance. Signs That Sell can provide an all round service to assist you in choosing, designing and installing the most powerful signs for your business. Powerfully promote your business personality with a quality service and support from a company that commits to investment in training and innovative product development. Experience value for money while experiencing a valuable service from a company that understands signs are not just fixtures but first and foremost, a communications tool. For signage tools that we are using get in touch with us.
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