A popular phrase in the marketing world is, ‘You can’t sell a secret’, yet you’d be surprised how many businesses try and do exactly that. I’m talking about business signage.
Your signage is every bit as important as your website, uniforms, business cards, logo – in fact, it’s more important!
Arranging quality Signwriting for business signs is the first thing you should do when launching a business.
Signage serves many purposes; it tells people where you are and what you do. Done well, it can attract customers who may never otherwise have visited your organisation. It can even influence their buying decisions. And that’s why you should always choose an experienced signwriters providing company.
The most important to remember is that first impressions count. You have just seconds to catch the eye of a potential customer and lure them into your store. It’s highly unlikely you’re the only business in the area selling whatever it is you sell, so this first point of contact is crucial.
Signwriters Providing Company
Signs that are old, tatty, dirty, hard to read or out of date will immediately turn off the customer. And you don’t have to take my word for it! There are statistics to prove it. A study commissioned by FedEx discovered that 68% of consumers are influenced by the quality of the signage. Over 50% said they were less likely to enter a store if the signage was badly designed or unattractive.
That’s what turns customers off, so what sort of signage attracts customers? For starters, you need the right colour scheme. Ideally, it will be vibrant and eye-catching but still tasteful. In other words, neon colours might work for a handful of businesses but, on the whole, avoid them!
The shades that most attract the eye are the primary colours: red, blue, yellow, white and black. These can be used in striking combinations, such as black and yellow, or more subtle hues, like blue and white.
Size is also important. Too small and it won’t be seen; too big and it’s likely to be ignored! Don’t go too big simply to fit more text onto the sign. People won’t read it!
Quality Signwriting for Business Signs
All too often business owners make the mistake of cramming too much information onto a sign. As a result, the font is often too small and hard to read, and most potential customers just won’t bother.
Another crucial factor in good business signage design is consistency. Even if you don’t have a business logo, try and build consistency with your colours and designs. That’s how to ensure customers remember your brand. Think Nike, McDonald’s, KFC etc.
Remember, your customers fall into different groups. Firstly, you have your own customer base – people who have bought from you previously and will do so again. Next you have people who want/need to buy a particular product, which you happen to sell.
In effect, those are the easy sales. However, you also want your signage to attract passing traffic. This is much harder as it’s likely these people don’t know who you are, and don’t know they need your products.
Signage Bylaws
Even if they have signage on their building, many businesses add A-frame signs to attract passers-by. As these can be signwritten on both sides, they are a great way of enticing in potential customers. Be aware that some councils have specific rules about this type of signage but a local signwriters providing company will be aware of the bylaws.
As a guide to readability it’s useful to use a letter visibility chart. This gives you the ideal impact distance and the maximum readable distance. For example, 10cm high letters have the most impact from about a metre away but are still readable up to about 3.5 metres.
Quality signwriting for business signs has evolved during the last few years to include digital – and it’s a game-changer. In fact, digital signage will be the biggest trend this year. Dynamic and interactive, LED signs offer so many possibilities and enable you to continually change your message.
2019 Signage Trends
The other signage trend you can expect to see this year is a kind of minimalism. Designs will be bold and vibrant with more limited colour palettes.
The important thing to remember is that good business signage is one of the most effective and affordable marketing techniques. Whilst the initial outlay may be more, the return on your investment is impressive. Unlike some marketing methods, your business signage is there day after day, in all weather, promoting your organisation.
The best course of action is to sit down with a signwriters providing company and discuss your needs, your message and your budget. By building up a picture of your organisation, professional signwriters can then create the perfect solution.
