How to Make a Sign for Your Business: The Complete Guide
A recent FedEx Office survey found that almost 76 percent of consumers said they entered a business based solely on their attraction to its signs.
If you’re hoping to bring more people to your business, or if you want to alert them to specific items once they’re inside, you need to take your signage seriously.
Not sure where to begin when it comes to designing and making signs? Read on for some tips that will help you make a sign for your business that catches everyone’s attention.
Why Your Signs Matter
There are lots of reasons to make signage a priority for your business, even in the digital age. The following are some of the most significant benefits that good signs have to offer:
Catch People’s Attention
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of a good sign is that it helps to catch people’s attention.
It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to bring in more foot traffic or capture the attention of people who are driving by. The right sign will generate more interest in your business.
Great Returns
The upfront cost of a business sign can be quite pricy, depending on the size you choose and the materials you use. However, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of that purchase. It’s worth investing in a good sign for your business, as you can use it for years without having to worry about a replacement.
Build Your Brand
With a well-designed sign, you can increase brand recognition for your business. The more people drive past that sign (especially if it aligns with your other marketing efforts), the easier it’ll be for them to start remembering you and what you have to sell.
Tips to Make a Sign That Stands Out
Okay, you can see that signs are essential. How do you make your signs stand out, though?
If you’re designing your signs and aren’t sure where to begin, give these tips a try:
Choose the Right Color
One of the first things to consider when creating a sign for your business is color. The right colors can help you to catch people’s eyes and draw them into your store.
Choose a color that aligns with your brand identity. Maybe it’s the same color that you use in your logo, for example or a color that complements it. Doing this helps to create a consistent image and increases brand recognition.
Contrast is Key
Whatever color you choose for your sign, make sure that the color of your lettering contrasts with it. If the colors are too similar, your wording will blend into the background. Your sign will be difficult for people to read, especially if they’re driving by in a car or standing across the road.
Go Big or Go Home
In general, the bigger your sign is (at least when we’re talking about outdoor signage), the better.
Make sure the sign itself is large enough for people to spot easily from far away. Also, don’t forget to choose lettering that’s large enough to match the sign.
Materials Matter
Be sure to choose the right materials for your signs. For outdoor signs, a weatherproof material like aluminum or plastic is a good option.
You have more flexibility with indoor signs and can use a variety of materials, including paper and cloth, to attract shoppers without worrying about inclement weather messing things up.
Types of Signs Every Business Needs
In addition to an outdoor sign that tells everyone the name of your business, there are some other types of signs that you may want to create. The following are all good signs to have on hand:
Point of Sale Signs
Point of sale signs are beneficial when it comes to upselling customers and alerting them to new inventory. Place point of sale signs throughout your business to inform customers of other items they can add to their purchase.
ADA-Compliant Signs
ADA-compliant signs let people know that your store is accessible to those who have disabilities.
Being ADA-compliant can help you appeal to a broader audience and get more people into your store. It also gives you some positive PR and enables you to comply with state and federal accessibility laws.
Outdoor Signs
Besides your main outdoor sign (the one that tells everyone the name of your business), you may also want to invest in some other outdoor signs that you can use to announce sales and promotions.
Window signs are another excellent option for making announcements and showcasing specific products.
Where to Display Your Signs
There are lots of different places you can display your shop signage to intrigue your customers, as well as people on the street who may become customers.
When it comes to interior signage, it helps to place your signs near products that you want customers to be sure to see. For example, if you have a display of new items that just arrived, it’s a good idea to place a sign near that display to draw customers to the new merchandise.
As far as outdoor signage goes, make sure you have your business’s main sign placed in an easy-to-see spot at the front of your business. Don’t make people hunt to figure out what your business is or what you have to offer.
You may want to set up some signs in your windows as well, especially if you’re trying to alert people to a sale or another promotion. A chalkboard or easel sign placed on the sidewalk outside your business is another good option to consider.
Create Your Perfect Sign Today
As you can see, there’s a lot you need to keep in mind when you’re trying to make a sign that catches people’s eye.
It doesn’t matter if you’re making an interior sign to attract people to a specific product or if you’re making an outdoor sign to get people in the door of your business. Either way, these tips will come in handy.
Keep them in mind, and don’t forget to read some of our other business posts as well. They’ll give you more insight into how you can get more customers interested in what your business has to offer.