How to Make a Sign for Your Business

There are plenty of marketing strategies to try out there when it comes to your advertising. Surprisingly, even in today’s digital age, one of the most effective ways is business signs.

 

Nothing beats getting your message across and attracting more attention to your brand than through business signs. Surveys show that 64% of small-business owners find the graphics and content of a sign to be very important when drawing people in.

 

Making good signs for businesses can be a bit intimidating, but don’t worry. We’ve come up with a few tips to help you learn how to make a sign for your business.

 

Determine What the Sign Is For

The first step in learning how to make a sign for your business is determining the sign’s purpose. It could be to grab the attention of people walking by. It could also be to showcase a sale/event or to spread general branding awareness. 

 

There are plenty more options to choose from but you don’t need to become overwhelmed. You have to answer what needs the sign will be fulfilling. From there, you can start thinking about the more technical aspects of the sign.

 

By this, we mean the environment it’s going to be in and the elements it’s going to withstand. If it’s going outside, note how long you intend on keeping it there. Know how long you want this sign to last to maximize its benefits.

 

Depending on the use of the sign, it’s material and location are going to vary. Make sure you know what the sign is for to ensure a smoother planning process. 

 

Sign Content

One of the most important elements of your sign is what it says. Once you’ve determined what the sign is for, choose words that will correspond with it. Make sure the message comes across clear and concise. 

 

When people view signs, it’ll only be a brief period when they can pass by and read the sign. You’ll want to make sure that you’re able to get your message across in that short amount of time. At the very least, catch their attention long enough to continue reading it.

 

Remember that if people notice that the message crowds the sign, they won’t take the time to read it. Use as few words as possible and make those words count. Keep in mind that less is more when it comes to making a sign. 

 

You’ll also want your sign to instantly let people know what type of business you have. Many people struggle with an unclear message that makes their sign ineffective. When designing your message, you should make sure that your services and products are apparent.

 

Designing Your Sign

You’ve decided what the sign is for and what it should say, now it’s time to start designing it. There are a lot of different design elements you need to consider when making your sign. It may seem intimidating, but here are a few tips to help you create an effective design. 

 

Use a Bold Font Style

A good way of catching the attention of your target audience and getting your message across is by using a heavy font. Having a bold font gives more contrast and makes it more readable. You’ll want to avoid script or cursive fonts as well as other fonts that have thin strokes. 

 

A Simple Message With Large Font

When making a sign to market your brand, you’ll want to stick with the essential details. Try and stay away from more in-depth content. Keep it short and simple with big fonts to make it quick and easy to read.

 

If you make your font size larger, it allows people to understand it faster. Whether they’re in a car or walking by it, the sign needs to be something they can understand at a glance.

 

Contrast for Readability

The contrast between the background and lettering is a big factor in determining sign readability. So, to make an engaging sign, you’ll want to include a good amount of contrast. This is to emphasize the message and draw the viewer’s attention to the text.

 

An example would be having the background a lighter color and the text a darker color or the other way around. You could also use two colors that contrast each other. You can do this by picking out a color and pairing it with the color opposite to it on the color wheel.

 

Choose a Compelling Color

Your choice of color plays a huge role in your branding and what your audience relates it to. It’s what helps define the identity of a brand. For example, the distinct red of the Coca Cola company or the yellow of McDonald’s.

 

Another thing to remember is that you’ll want to choose a color that’s not a passing trend. Take the longevity of the color into consideration to ensure it doesn’t become an eyesore after the trend passes. Always refer back to color psychology when it comes to proper branding.

 

High-Resolution Graphics

If you’ve added a graphic to your sign to give it some more impact, make sure that it has a high resolution. This is especially important with a larger picture as you can see the sharpness of a photo better. If you come across any resolution errors when editing the sign, don’t ignore them.

 

Now that you’ve come up with the use, content, and design of your sign, the last thing you need to do is set it up. This involves the printing, up to the sign installation. If you need help with sign installation of any type, contact the pros.

 

Now You Know How to Make a Sign for Your Business

Making business signs isn’t always an easy process. Hopefully, we were able to give you a good idea of how you make an effective sign that reaches your target audience. We hope that after reading this article, you have a better understanding of how to make a sign for your business.

 

Of course, creating a good sign is only the beginning. There are more ways to advertise your business and we cover a ton of them with our other guides right here.

 

Feel free to discover more useful tips with our content today!