For small businesses, one of the most effective forms of advertising is signage. In fact, small businesses actually gain about 50% of their local customer base just from the signs that are install on the premises. Additionally, once a sign is installed, it pretty much advertises for free every single day of the year. For a sign to be the most effective, good design is key. Here are three things every good sign design needs to be effective.
1. Color
One of the purposes of business signs is to help foster brand recognition and in turn, customer loyalty. Adding color and light to a sign can increase brand recognition as much as 80%. The key here is to use an eye catching but not garish color (think McDonald’s red or Facebook blue). Using a consistent palette of colors will also help keep a streamlined look for your advertising.
2. Contrast
Signs for businesses should also contrast in a way that makes the sign more readable. Text or images should be an easy-to-read color against the background, and the text should be clear. Using similar colors for the background and the text or image is going to be hard for people to read, so using complementary shades is going to be more effective.
3. Cleverness
Another essential component of good business sign design is cleverness. This doesn’t necessarily mean a witty quip or silly pun, it means creating an interesting an unique image or message that customers are going to be able to easily understand and engage with. Font should be clear and large — avoid using scripts or serif fonts, since these can look cluttery and jumbled from a distance.
Do you have any tips for designing a business sign? Feel free to tell us about it in the comments.
