What goes into a good outdoor business sign? Turns out, quite a lot.

Outdoor signs attract eyeballs (and customers), drive foot traffic, and create a visual identity for your business. It’s especially important when your business is local: studies have shown that 85 percent of your potential customers live or work within a five mile radius of your location. This means that in the course of their normal lives, they might drive or walk by your business 50 to 60 times each month.

How can you make the most of this amazing marketing opportunity? We bet you now have an idea: with good outdoor business signs.

The power of outdoor business signage

Wondering whether the investment in outdoor signage is worth it? Research says yes: the marketing value of attractive, visible, on-site signage is equal to 24 full-page newspaper ads every year, and it costs significantly less.

Signage comes in various forms and types that are adaptable to your target market, location, and budget—so it’s essential to choose the right type of outdoor business sign.

Choosing the right sign type for your business

Here are a few things to consider when choosing signage.

• Indoor versus outdoor business signs. Some outdoor signage options will physically be installed outside your business, and others will be installed inside but remain visible to customers walking or driving by.

Think about your location. Does your business have large glass windows that would be perfect for window graphics? Are you located along a busy street with a lot of vehicle traffic where large print formatting such as a banner or a billboard might be more effective? Or are you near a busy pedestrian area where a sidewalk sign would invite customers to stop?

• Budget, visibility, and material for outdoor business signs. Signage size and materials will influence your spend; there are many affordable and durable options. Your location makes a difference in what kind of sign can be most effective for your business, and the weather will influence how signage material will hold up to the elements over time.
  
  
• Types of outdoor business signs. Available types of outdoor business signage include banners, coroplast signs, posters, vehicle wraps, window graphics, wayfinding and site signs, flags and stands, and sidewalk signs. An expert printer will be able to explain what types of signs are available and how to best appeal to your target customers.

Looking for guidance on choosing the right sign for your business? We can help. The building signage team at AlphaGraphics helps bring your ideas to life as we work with you from concept to creation to develop the perfect sign for your business.

Designing attention-grabbing signage

Once you have carefully considered type, location, and material, it’s time to design a sign that will command attention and convey quality. Here are a few things to keep in mind when designing an outdoor business sign:

• Keep it simple and legible. If customers can’t read or understand it, then your sign is hurting your business, not helping it. Less is more sometimes, especially when it comes to signs. Consider catchy, headline-style copy.
• Effectively use colors, fonts, and graphics to attract customers. Pick colors, fonts, and graphics that flow well together and will be visually appealing to potential customers.
• Be consistent with your branding.  You want your signage to match all of your other branding—if it doesn’t, it can confuse customers.
• Always include a call to action and clear contact information. Clearly communicate to the customer 1) where to find you 2) what action to take next – visit, buy, or book, for example.
• Keep it legal. Whenever you are preparing to invest in new signage, be sure to consult local regulations and permits to ensure your sign is compliant. Not sure where to look? An expert printer is likely to know.

Investing in well-designed signage is a powerful marketing tool to attract new customers, advertise events, and drive business growth—and is worth the investment when done right.

Looking to do business with an expert marketing and printing company that can do it all, including signage? It’s easy to get started with AlphaGraphics Wood Dale. Simply send us a file to get a quote or call us for more information on your project. Need more help? Learn more about our print services. At AlphaGraphics Wood Dale, we provide great choices at great prices. Remember, a free quote is just a click away. Or give us a call at 630-595-6800. We are conveniently located at 165 Hansen Court, Suite 111 in Wood Dale.

AlphaGraphics Wood Dale is proud to be recognized as the “Regional Center of the Year”, Great Lakes, 2022, for the best-run business in the Great Lakes Region—awarded by the entire AlphaGraphics network. We want to thank our amazing community for supporting our business—you continually inspire us to be our best.