Today, there are many ways to advertise your restaurant. You can design a sign to promote your daily specials or announce a new dish. Using signs can be cost-efficient and effective, especially in high-traffic areas. If you are searching for ways to create memorable signage, here are some tips for your restaurant or cafe.
Memorable Signs Create a Better Impression
Dull signs don’t generate much interest from potential patrons. When you have a memorable sign, it will capture the attention of returning and potential customers. With that, they will be more likely to stop in for a snack or return for a great meal. You want to create a sign that will stick in your clients’ minds.
Signs Make Your Business Visible
All signage should be displayed where they are visible at all times. Whether it is a sidewalk sign, neon sign, or menu board, place it in a spot that will advertise your business to the local community.
Choosing the size of the signage is another critical decision. If you have the space, consider using a large sign that pedestrians or drivers can spot. Think about investing in a roadside sign or billboard for those in tourist-heavy areas. With these signs, make sure to include directions to your business.
For your signs, you want to consider all of the viewing locations. While sidewalk signs are great for pedestrians, they can block the view of your diners. You want to place all signage at eye level. It would be beneficial to add signs to your windows, rooftop, or awning. Restaurants in a corner building can also create signage to hang on both sides to attract those customers.
Advertise All Day and Night
Your marketing efforts shouldn’t stop after the sun goes down. You can add lighted signage to advertise your restaurant when your business is closed. Think about a sign with LED lights. These lights glow brighter than traditional lights. Plus, they can be seen behind glass windows and in direct sunlight. These signs also use half the energy as those conventional ones. Along with that, they are safer because they don’t rely on a high-voltage transformer. Consider illuminating your signage with some overhead lighting to make it more visible.
Signage is designed to attract the attention of your customers. You can create programmable signs to display multiple messages to your patrons with today’s technology. These LED signs have modes that can use action and animation for an interactive experience. You can customize signs to alternate between colors and fonts. The possibilities are endless to take your marketing efforts to the next level.
If you have a restaurant, your menu items are the stars of the show. You can let your products do the advertising for you. Use some of that window space to place a sign that advertises your breakfast, lunch, or dinner specials.
Simple Is Better
While the possibilities are endless for restaurant signage, you don’t want to overwhelm your patrons. If you have a stationary sign, make sure to keep the message short. On average, you have about six seconds to capture a customer’s attention. Long-winded messages will just be lost on a driver or pedestrian. Fewer words are the best way to connect with your clients.
Humor and Nostalgia Goes a Long Way
When you want to create a memorable sign, a little humor can go a long way. Make sure to assess your audience and choose the right type of humor to match your demographic. Signs with food puns or cheesy humor are popular ways to reach potential clients.
You can use nostalgia for your restaurant’s signs. Use phrases like “operated since 1958” or “family-owned.” These taglines can play upon the sentimental factor of your audience so that you can stand out from the competition.
Use Social Media
Memorable restaurant signs are not just for your physical diners, but you can use them to attract an online audience. Use signage to promote diners to check into your business on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. When you post your unique signs on these platforms and share them with a larger group, you can generate interest in your restaurant.
Branding Is Vital
Hopefully, you already have colors and fonts associated with your branding. You will want to use those specific colors with your signage. Choose a few of your branding elements and then add them to your signage. Don’t forget about your logo. You want to make sure that it is prominently displayed inside and outside your restaurant.
Everything should have a uniform appearance. When customers see those colors and fonts, they associate them with your restaurant. The goal of branding is to create a positive connection with your potential and returning customers. Remember to make the fonts legible. Never use background colors that can overpower and distract from your message.
Create a Digital Outdoor Menu Board
Potential diners will want to browse your menu before sitting down at the table. Yes, you could have a standard paper menu on a signage board, but why not take it to the next level? You can use a digital message center to list your menu items. If you don’t have the space for the whole menu, then take time to promote a few signature dishes. Use that space to announce the daily specials. Along with that, it is not a bad idea to display a few traditional favorites for those less adventurous diners. There are plenty of ways to incorporate your menu into digital signage.
These are just a few tips to create memorable signs for your business. In a crowded industry, you want to stand out from the competition. Signage is one way that you can reach that goal.
Let Us Help Create Memorable Restaurant Signs
If you are ready to design a memorable sign for your restaurant, reach out to Tupp Signs. We have been in business since 1928. Our company can craft a customized sign for your business, from digital message centers to channel letters. You can schedule a consultation by calling our office at 302-322-1600.