How to design an eye-catching business sign

The business sign is one of the most important promotional tools that a company can invest in.

This sign will be the very first thing many people encounter when they visit your business premises, so it needs to make a positive impression. Getting it right is all about smart design – but this is not quite as easy as it sounds.

This article will outline the steps you should take to create an eye-catching business sign.

Know what the purpose of it is

Before you can get started on the actual design, you need to be clear about what you want the sign to achieve.

Is it intended to promote some sort of offer or sale that you are running, or is it a front-of-business sign to let people know you are there? The reason this is so important is because the design will be determined by the purpose of the sign.

Those that are intended to go at the front of your headquarters will usually feature just the name and logo of the company. Advertising signage will need to include text outlining the nature of the promotion and often features images too.

Less is more

When it comes to a business sign, less is always more. Keeping the text involved to the absolute minimum will make it more dynamic. It will also allow for larger text, so the sign can be read by more people who are further away.

Then, there is the fact that most people have quite short attention spans when confronted with signage. Presented with a verbose sign, they may lose interest and walk away. To grab their attention and hold it, get straight to the point.

Consider the location during the design process

Thinking about where the completed sign will be placed can help in achieving an eye-catching design. If the finished product is intended to be an outdoor front-of-business sign, take a look at the colour of your building walls as well as any foliage that will surround it. This way, when it comes to designing the sign, you can select a colour scheme that will act as a contrast. This will ensure your sign stands out from its environment rather than blending into it – the latter will result in signage that gets lost visually.

You must also consider the surrounding environment if you are planning an indoor sign – say, for a restaurant. Most of these have low lighting for a relaxed ambience, so your sign must be bold and colourful.

Match your brand identity

The design of your business sign needs to match the identity of your brand. The simplest way to figure out that identity is to consider who your target customers are.

Brands that are aimed at younger demographics will most likely favour an identity that is edgier and ultra-modern. By contrast, if your company is targeting older consumers, you may wish to project an identity of authority and trust.

This is important, because everything from the font style to the slogan and the colours used have to fit with that identity. The colour blue combined with a bold but classy font will make people feel that your brand is trustworthy and dependable. A multi-coloured sign with a quirky font will suggest a more youthful appeal. If your design does not correspond to your brand image, the sign will stand out for the wrong reasons.

Use imagery effectively

Imagery can really help your sign catch the eye of the public – but only if it is used well.

The image chosen should always be relevant and should actively encourage people to explore your product or service. For example, if your business is a restaurant, a sign with imagery of appealing food will ensure it is noticed by hungry passersby.

If the business is an estate agency, consider adding an image of an attractive house with happy homeowners. The idea is to help reinforce what your company achieves in the minds of the public while creating positive associations.

Get a professional to design and install it

There are many factors to think about on top of all the other aspects of starting up and running a business. This is why a lot of people choose to get their sign created and installed by professionals.

A signage company will have the experience needed to create a design that fits your business image, and will also know the optimal placement for it.

At Ainsley Signs, we offer creative design in Manchester for business signage. Contact us to find out more.