Exterior Signs
February 1, 2024
Sign Research Foundation, 60% of surveyed businesses who updated or changed their signage saw a 10% increase in sales.
Once you know the basics of sign design, you can create beautiful and branded designs whenever you need. There are always exceptions when it comes to creative processes, so it’s important to look at similar brands in your industry for inspiration and an idea of what works. However, the guidelines below provide a solid starting point to ensure your sign is clear and compelling.
First, you’ll need to figure out exactly what your sign is for, which will be the main factor in the design process. Some potential uses for signs include:
Once you have the type of sign you’re looking for in mind, take some time to consider the sign’s location. Will it be outside in a busy downtown area or at a conference where it must compete with the signs around it to grab people’s attention? Is it inside an office and just looking to provide important information to visitors? Your answers to these questions help determine whether the sign needs to be simple or flashier and which colors and materials are best.
Lighting is also a consideration; for example, will your sign need to be visible at night? How is the lighting in your sign’s location? How you intend to use your sign will help determine if it’s necessary to adjust its colors or add some external lighting to ensure optimal customer visibility.
Once you know the purpose and location of your sign, it’s time to choose the suitable material for your needs. Vinyl, aluminum, and Dibond options are sturdy and long-lasting for outdoor signs. Suppose your sign is purely for indoor purposes. In that case, there’s more flexibility—as mentioned earlier, the materials and acrylic, foam core, and coroplast could all work and offer options at different price points.
If nobody can read it, there’s no point in designing an appealing and beautiful sign. When creating signs, ensure the font is clear, legible, and easy to see. Taking this step will save your target audience some guesswork and give your business, organization, or event a professional look and feel. Low-quality signage can lead to lost customers and opportunities—the previously mentioned study conducted by the Sign Research Foundation found that 54% of American consumers had trouble finding a business due to the signage being too small or unclear. To be sure your sign is conveying information clearly, follow these best practices:
Have you ever looked at a sign that hurt your eyes or was difficult to read because all the colors were just blending? Choosing the right color combination is essential if you want your sign to look professional. Luckily, there are tools and tricks to help you get the results you need, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist.
People like consistency, so your signage must align with your brand aesthetic. Not only will it help your loyal customers immediately recognize your brand when viewing your signage, but it also ensures clarity. There are several ways to integrate your brand image into your signs, from using your brand colors to including your logo.
Packing as much information onto a sign as possible can be tempting to take advantage of the space, but less is more. A simple sign will be more effective in getting your message across because people can get the information they need with a simple glance rather than needing to take the time to stop and read through a whole page of information. Keeping it simple keeps people interested.
Don’t let your sign be a missed opportunity—let your target audience know what steps they can take to find out more information or continue connecting with your brand. The best way to do this is to place a call to action on your sign, like one of the examples below:
When used intentionally, graphics can be a powerful tool for turning your sign from “good” to “wow!”. But what does it mean to use graphics intentionally? In other words, be sure that they’re high-quality and placed well. Pixelated or low-quality graphics send an unprofessional message. This is also an area where the less-is-more rule comes into play. Unless you include logos of various sponsors or it makes sense, don’t cover your sign-in graphics. Instead, choose one of two images that bring value to your sign and help strengthen its impact.
No matter the shape, size, or application, we offer various sign solutions for your business needs, including posters and prints, signs and banners, trade show materials, window, wall, floor graphics, and vehicle graphics. The possibilities of our custom signs are virtually limitless, so let one of our experts design the perfect sign for your business needs. Contact us today.
