Proper management of your business signs is very important, especially if you are in a position where you really need more business. When you are counting on those signs to bring you some new customers, there is no room for amateurish mistakes. The fine art of sign management does not come easily to everyone, but it’s also not that hard. You just have to understand a few basics and the rest is common sense. However, in spite of that, let’s go over some common sign management mistakes that can really hurt your business.
Failing To Properly Vet New Signs
When you are ordering a new sign, you will probably have a specific idea in mind. If you really have your act together, you will probably know exactly how you want that sign to look. Unfortunately, it can be hard to take that image in your head and translate it accurately to your sign artist.
What you don’t want to do is simply give the artist a set of guidelines and wait for the result. That may work in some businesses, but not here. You need to make sure that every new sign is evaluated by a qualified person before being put on display. One junky-looking sign can do much to damage a company’s image. Think about it: When you see a poorly drawn business sign, do you not stop and think that it’s unprofessional and sloppy? Subconsciously, your customers will then be inclined to think that you are unprofessional and sloppy. A good sign should reflect the professionalism of its owner.
Poor Placement
A business sign has one basic purpose: To communicate with your customers. It might tell them that certain goods are on sale, or it might inform them about a special promotional opportunity, or any number of other things. Here’s the bottom line, though…people need to see them at the right time. You want to look for “decision points” when thinking about sign placement. When it’s time for your customer to make a decision, you want the appropriate sign to be staring them right in the face.
For instance, let’s say you have some lawnmowers that are on sale, and you really need to move them. signs which promote this sale should be placed between the entrance and the lawnmowers. Thus, people who walk this way will see the sign before they see the merchandise. Thus, when they look at that lawnmower, they will know it is cheaper than usual. As such, it will be more appealing. If that person happens to need a new lawnmower anyway, that one little bit of influence might be the deciding factor.
Too Many Wayfinding Signs
In case you don’t know, wayfinding signs are those little instructional signs that tell you which way to go. They will usually have arrows next to each destination to mark the proper direction. These signs are necessary to a large extent, as they provide directions to important locations like entrances, exits, fire escapes, and bathrooms. However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
If you have too many of these signs, it can clutter your space with too many visual distractions. If you are using a fairly small space, the problem becomes much greater. Besides, there are certain things that are so obvious as to need no signage. For example, let’s say that your bathrooms are located directly across from the front entrance. You wouldn’t really need to have a bunch of wayfinding signs directing people to the bathroom. Most people will see it immediately, and even the less-observant types won’t have to look very long. Thus, you can forego that particular sign.
Lack Of Maintenance
As we already said, a junky-looking sign will reflect poorly upon you and your business. That usually translates into a loss of business and loss of potential profits. To expand upon that concept, you need to remember that all signs require maintenance. At the bare minimum, they will have to be cleaned on a regular basis. A good sign should last for years, but that doesn’t mean you can simply leave them to the elements.
One problem here is that signs have a high probability of being vandalized or broken. It is common in some places for people to shoot at road signs, riddling them with unsightly bullet holes. We have no idea why people do this because they are taking a risk of going to prison for a ridiculous reason. Anyway, that’s just one good example of why you should perform regular maintenance checks on your signs.
Poor Choice Of Colors
This one may not be as important as some of the others, but it does make a difference. Certain colors just have a tendency to draw more attention than others. Indeed, this is why hunters are required to wear blaze orange when hunting on public lands. Bright colors are simply easier to notice, and bright orange stands out better than just about anything. For that reason, bright orange is never a bad color to include.
Overall, bright and vibrant colors are the way to go. You don’t want to go with dull or pastel colors unless it is an essential part of your business aesthetic. Still, bright colors can be worked into most decorative styles. When combined with colored lights and moving shapes, it will be hard for a passing motorist to avoid noticing your sign. In the end, your sign is competing with other signs for the attention of potential customers. You aren’t going to win that visual conflict with dull and muted tones.
Conclusion
Now you can see why many people choose to hire professionals. Right now, a lot of you are probably wondering: Where are the best business sign companies near me?” The art of sign management is a little more intricate than most would suspect. You have to work with your artist, make sure they understand what you want, and then make sure that your expectations are faithfully rendered. From there, it’s all about proper placement and the grabbing of attention. We hope that this knowledge will be helpful to you. If you need a little more advice, you can always call Tupp Signs at 302-322-1600. When it comes to companies that make business signs, you couldn’t ask for anything better.