Attract customers with good sign design for your business

Sign design is a crucial part of marketing for every business. Well-designed signs can promote your location to passing traffic and lure passers-by onto your premises, which in turn can increase sales.

Whether it's on a shopfront, a sandwich board or the side of a vehicle, good sign design is essential to get your business noticed. Here's an overview of how to make your sign sell.

Creative sign design

Dan Seddon of Signs Plus Graphics says almost any design can be re-created on a sign these days, with professionals able to turn their hand to anything.

"You can be as creative as you want," he says. "There aren't really any limits to what we can do."

A good sign design should:

• be eye catching - using strong graphics or colour
• clearly communicate what your business does
• reinforce your brand identity
• provide contact details, such as address and/or phone number.

The right information 

The most important element of sign design is communication. Potential customers often have only a moment in which to digest the information on a sign, so you need to get it right.

Consider including more than just your logo and business name. For example, if your business is difficult to find, it might be smart to include your street number. Or, if you're retailing online, include your website address. 

Think of other important points, too. Is your business known for a particular thing, like fast service or a well-loved mascot? If so, it could pay to include that on your sign.

Keep it simple

Simple messages are more powerful in getting your message across. When a sign becomes cluttered or visually confusing, customers will switch off, which means you've wasted your money.

Avoid using fussy typefaces, a lot of different typefaces, or clashing colours in your sign design. Opt instead for a few well-chosen colours and try to limit the words to six or seven at most.

Clear and practical

Sign design can be a crucial element in capturing the attention of passing traffic, whether that's on foot or on the road. For this reason it's imperative that your sign is clear and legible, even from a distance.

Check the boxes

It's important to see a proof prior to the sign writer going ahead with the job, to ensure any problems are rectified. This is also the time to ensure the basics like spelling and phone numbers are correct.

"We do a colour proof for the client, as we want to make sure everyone is on the same page before we go ahead," says Dan.

Signed, sealed, delivered

Your business sign sends an important message to the outside world. Whether that message works for you or against you comes down to the design. To get your sign noticed and promote your business to a whole new audience, call a sign writer today.