Sign Design: Putting Your Company's Best Foot Forward

Major corporations know how important logos and graphics are to brand identity and name recognition. However, most small businesses don't have the resources or even the need to create a company image through the use of graphics--with the exception of their sign.

That's why it's so important to create a sign that is distinct, yet effective. This is relatively easy to do--if you keep a few simple tips in mind.

Keep Text Limited

For effectiveness, signs must be able to convey their intended meaning within a few short seconds. Drive-by traffic and casual observers will rarely spend a significant amount of time digesting the implications of your sign. That makes lengthy text a bad idea.

Instead of a complete conversation, consider your sign a conversation starter. Create your sign with the intention of grabbing people's attention--but leaving them wanting more. Anything beyond the name of your business should be weighed carefully and used with caution.

Choose a Great Font

Even if you keep the words on your sign short and sweet, you'll probably need to use some text. Font, or typeface, is the style of lettering that you choose for the words on your sign. It's also one of the biggest traps you can fall into when planning your sign.

Some fonts look fancy and elegant up close--but completely illegible when viewed from afar. When choosing your font, keep it simple and clean. The best place for enhanced design is in the logo and graphics, not in the lettering.

Keep Colors Bold

Many folks, when attempting to create a tasteful sign, choose subtle and understated colors. Depending on the vibe and mood of your business, this could be appropriate. It is always, however, ineffective.

Remember, your sign needs to grab people's attention. The last thing you want to do is create a sign that blends into the surroundings and does nothing to bring attention to your business. Keep the color choices tasteful and matching, but bold enough to stand out.

Make It Unique

It's logical to design your sign with other signs in mind. After all, finding something that works and emulating it is good practice--usually. In this case, it often leads to unremarkable and forgettable signs.

You'll need to find a way for your sign to stand out. Consider playing with the shape, placement, and layout of your sign to make it stand out from the crowd. Your business sign is similar to an advertisement--it needs to be recognizable.

By keeping these ideas in mind, your custom sign will serve your business well. It will convey necessary information while serving as the primary vehicle for building your brand and your place in the local community.

Share