In today’s day and age, businesses must go beyond just flyers, business cards, and media advertisement if they want their brand to be well recognized. Create a budget to invest in outdoor signs for your business, make the investment with utmost care and use the signage creatively. There are several options to choose from but here are some of the best type of signs for company use.
What business sign types are there?
High-rise Signage
If your business is a big skyscraper, use high-rise signage to show potential customers where you can be found. Find out details about your city’s building codes before you invest in high-rise signs. Also, there are some safety requirements for this type of signage. Installed towards the top of your building, these are usually made with illuminated channel letters so as to make the sign eye catching and secure.
Monument Signs
For a more permanent structure, businesses that cannot be seen from the main road could invest in monument signs to be placed a few feet from the entrance of the building. Design it in resemblance to your building structure and mention your name and address to create brand awareness.
Neon Signs
Neon signs provide a more vintage look to your business and this trend is increasing in popularity. The letters are customized with molded glass tubing and the neon gases give a very exclusive look.
Pylon Signs
Also known as pole signs, pylon signs are more often seen on properties that contain many businesses. Shopping malls, industrial parks, and other such centers invest in pylon signs to inform customers of the wide variety of businesses available within the vicinity. Pylon signs can also be used to promote individual businesses.
Blade Signs
A blade sign protrudes from the front of a building and is mounted by either a decorative bracket or a pole and frame system. Available in lit and unlit varieties, this type of sign is great for attracting passersby to your business.
Channel Letters
With face-lit channel letters, the sign manufacturing company puts together individual characters and your company logo to create a sign. The characters come in different depths such as two, three and five inches – your sign designer can help you choose this. Face-lit channel letter signs are very common amongst outdoor lighted business signage. The face of the letters produces an illumination as a result of the internal lighting, which in turn makes your sign stand out in the dark.
Reverse-lit channel letters are a design in which the channel letters are lit from behind. Also known as halo-lit letters or illuminated signs, these provide a great ambience to the storefront when light projects onto the behind wall, presenting a soft glow.
Non-illuminated channel letters are unlit options when your sign does not need lighting. The same style of individual characters and logos in a variety of depths are featured in materials such as aluminum or acrylic, painted to match your brand colors.
What types of signage material is available?
Acrylic, aluminum, wood, metal, fabric, neon, vinyl, plastic and PVC are some of the materials commonly used for manufacturing company signage. These are high quality materials that last long and make your signage investment a worthy one.
Depending on which designer is creating your sign, they will decide what materials will work best. When working with the designer, explain to him the physical location of your sign and how long it will remain there. The weather plays a big role in deciding the materials – temporary signs work well with vinyl while longer lasting signs require acrylic or aluminum as sturdy materials.
Indoor business signs work well with any material that enhances your brand appearance. Neon offers an ancient aesthetic while wood gives a rustic or homely feel.
What type of signage is suitable for your business?
Here are a few factors you must take into consideration when deciding what type of sign is required for your business.
- Location – not just in terms of weather but also if it is in an industrial park or off the main road, or if it is a multi-story building, the signage type will be chosen accordingly.
- The industry you are in will influence what signage to purchase and what tone to use in your content. For storefront, blade signs are ideal while for college campuses, monument signs are preferable.
- When considering the budget for your sign, you have to keep in mind that different types of signs have different prices. The materials used, the lit or unlit factor, the number of characters needed, and so on will determine the final price of your sign.
- The opening hours of your business will help choose a lit or unlit sign. If your day is over by 5.00pm, and the area does not see much foot traffic at night, and unlit sign will suffice as a cost effective option. On the other hand, even if your business closes at 5.00pm but is located in an area that is very busy at night, you might still want to have a lighted sign to create brand awareness.
- If your business is new, you might want to invest in a number of signs that help with navigation, provide information, and also attract passersby. Maintain consistency by using similarly designed signs for all areas of your business. You could add features such as environmental graphics and digital printing to enhance some of the signage.
- A renovating business would just have to revamp their storefront signage and a new exterior signage maybe. But if you are going for a complete transformation of your brand, interior signs may also have to be replaced.
What does effective signage involve?
- Clear and concise advertisement of your business.
- Inform potential customers about the location of your business.
- Should be easy to read for anyone.
How do you ensure compliance with local regulations?
To ensure safe installation of your sign, local permit guidelines need to be followed. One way to ensure local regulations are met is by acquiring a business permit before the manufacturing of your sign. That way the company making your sign ensures that it is as per the rules in your city. Usually, permits are not required for interior signage, unlit construction signs, real estate signs and memorials. Be sure to keep yourself updated with ever-changing local laws or you could hand over the entire procedure to full-service signage manufacturing companies who will sort out the permit process for you.
What common mistakes should you avoid with business signs?
- Although your sign provides useful information, it is of no use if you place it in the wrong spot.
- A sign that is of the wrong size would lead to additional expenses to get a replacement. Consider distance and purpose when deciding size.
- Signs will not be visually appealing if you use colors that clash or have a low-contrast.
- If your sign has too much content, no one will read it. While indoor signs are acceptable with additional content, exterior signs should be restricted to seven words or less.
- Insufficient information such as just the name of your company won’t be enough to convey a message about what your business does.
- Paying too little might end up in a low-quality sign that won’t last for long. High quality custom signs have a more professional look and are very durable.
Where should you get custom business signs?
Look out for a reputed sign company such as LED Craft Inc that offers a wide range of signage options for you to choose from. Whether you are looking for LED displays, monument signs, changeable letter signs, church signs or signs for your auto dealership, we offer a one-stop solution for all your signage needs.
