What to Include on Your Business Sign

A business sign is not only an important promotional tool, an eye-catching sign can give a business significant advantage over competitors. Enticing potential customers starts with a combination of the right information and an appealing design to encourage an immediate connection with the brand.

Given the predominance of websites, today’s businesses overlook the importance of signage. The fact is that business signage has an equal impact on customer perceptions as do websites. In customers’ minds, high-quality signs point to a superior product or service; low-quality signs suggest an inferior product.

Benefits of Business Signs

Outdoor business signs, for instance, increase brand exposure. Customers can be drawn to attractive outdoor signs that are placed in high traffic areas and in close proximity to the physical business. Exterior signs endure for as long as necessary—they are visible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Indoor signs have enormous impact, as well. Placed near the checkout counter, a business sign can prompt impulse purchases. Statistics reveal that 20 to 45 percent of sales are a result of impulse buys. When signage is effective, repeat customers are created.

In order to maximize the potential of business signs, these versatile promotional tools must fully illustrate the company’s values. Business owners who know what they intend to accomplish and how to represent the company are in the best position to design an impactful business sign.

Identify Your Audience

Before beginning a design of the signage, it is important to know the target audience, such as potential customers, investors, shoppers, patients or nearby motorists. The nature of the sign is dependent on the demographic that best matches the business.

Once the intended demographic is realized, it is easier to create a message that will build trust and reputation and inform customers about the quality of the goods and services. A sign is limited by space. This means every word carries significant weight and every letter is a design element.

Designing the sign requires creating a balance between aesthetically pleasing visuals and the important information being relayed. Business owners should carefully consider what to communicate in order to ensure that both the message and the layout of the business sign are clear.

1. Include the Business Message

Brevity is key in messages on outdoor business signs. Motorists spend three seconds reading the sign as they speed past. In the sign design industry, the rule of thumb is to limit the number of words on an outdoor sign to seven or less. Remember that less is more.

Overcrowding the outdoor sign with a jumble of words only serves to confuse passersby. On the other hand, including just one word (such as a business name) on the outdoor sign fails to convey the type of goods or services the company provides.

Descriptive terms are the solution. Add words, such as “café,” “law offices” or “salon” to instantly attract customers who are looking for those specific types of goods or services. Use few words to deliver the message so that additional design elements and branding may be included.

The text to include on the business sign depends on the sign’s purpose. A business sign may be intended to communicate a special sale, promotion or event, for example. In-store signs may relay the store’s refund policies or provide product descriptions.

An effective wayfinding sign will guide potential customers and help them learn more about the company. Ideally, upon first glance of a business sign, customers will be aware of the company’s logo and contact information, such as the website, physical location or phone number.

2. Add Enticing Visuals

A sign with significant visual appeal will go further in drawing potential customers. Keep in mind that without a nice-looking sign, customers are unlikely to linger long enough to read the message in the first place. Six key elements work toward creating a visually interesting sign.

Contrasting font sizes add flair to the words on a business sign—stick to two to three fonts at a maximum. Essential details stand out when different font styles are used, such as serif and sans serif fonts or italics and bold lettering.

Similarly, contrasting colors are effective in making important words pop. Including graphics in a business sign is an option but not a necessity. However, signs that incorporate full-color graphics have higher recall rates among customers than signs that do not feature an image.

Design experts also recommend adding bold borders to an outdoor sign, such as those along high-traffic roads. Well-defined borders tend to guide passersby eyes toward the focal point in the sign. The result is that motorists will read the bordered sign faster.

Attracting Your Audience

The goal for a business sign is to communicate the business’ products and/or services to potential customers. Well-designed signs hold customers’ attention and allow them to easily read the message. A successful sign fosters an immediate connection with the business’ target demographic.

When your aim is to connect with your audience, whether in a hospital, business office, restaurant or retail shop, choose Divine Signs and Graphics for all your indoor and outdoor signage needs. As a local company, we offer comprehensive sign design and installation solutions to area businesses.

Divine Signs and Graphics caters to a diverse range of business customers, such as hospitals, schools, restaurants, major corporations and small companies. Our comprehensive service offerings include window lettering, banners, event signage, digital prints and wraps, vehicle wraps and interior signs.

We are also experts in designing and installing custom exterior signs. The extent of our experience ranges from designing and installing outdoor lighted business signs to outdoor wall plaques and ground signs to monument signs. Our specialists are also skilled in sandblasted signs and plaza signage.

Large and small business owners who plan to revamp existing business signage or install new ones are encouraged to consult Divine Signs andGraphics for personalized service, exceptional sign design skills and expert installation.

Our sign company serves businesses in the surrounding areas of Schaumburg, Illinois.