Never underestimate the power of a sign for your small business. With so much marketing and branding being done online, there’s something nostalgic and reliable about a regular old sign. In order to create a simple sign with a clear and effective message, keep these tips in mind.
Incorporate Branding
Your signs are a direct representation of your business, and they should reflect the brand and image you’re trying to portray. Signs should fit in well with the rest of your marketing campaign and branding efforts. For example, they might contain your brands logo, the same color scheme as other marketing, or your brands slogan, and they should be written in a voice that’s consistent with the personality of your brand, such as informal, formal, or funny.
Show the Benefit
If your sign is marketing signage that’s not in front of your store, you need to send a message to consumers about how your store, product, or service will benefit them. You have to clearly communicate the benefits, or you will fail to convince people that your business is for them. Make the message as simple as possible, however, such as by focusing on only one main benefit at a time.
Make the Message Clear
To clearly communicate your message, customers should be able to get all the necessary information in one quick glance. They should not have to look at your sign for longer than a couple seconds in order to ascertain what you’re trying to tell them. Making the message clear means making it simple by using as few words as necessary.
Make It Easy to Read
Part of making the message clear also means making sure it is easy to actually read. Letters should be big, bold, in a simple font, and in a color that really contrasts with the background. It should be easy to read the sign from a distance. Also consider potential conditions outdoors. Make your sign easy-to-read in the dark, or install lights to illuminate the sign. The sign should also be made of durable material that will last and stand up to inclement weather conditions.
Give the Facts
If your sign is not attached to your store, do not forget to include the essential factual information, such as the address and phone number to your store. Depending on the campaign and the visibility of your sign, you might include other information like store hours, a website address, and a social media address. Don’t, however, give too much information at once.
Pick the Right Location
You can design the clearest, most effective business sign, but it won’t do you any good if it isn’t located in the right spot. Consider where you place your sign. You want it to be in a high-traffic area in a place that’s easy to see, and you want most of that traffic to be members of your target audience. If it’s right outside or inside your store, put it in a place that’s noticeable.
M.P. Brown specializes in signage repair and design for small business. He also freelances as a graphic designer.