A good signage design is more than merely being a visual guide or providing relevant information. They are visual means to convey messages. Marketers today create signage designs not just as directional signs but also to promote a business.
This promotional tool is used to display almost anything from your business logo to warning, directions, and more. Using them as great storytellers is beneficial for businesses as it combines art, marketing, and customer psychology. Let’s explore some crucial signage design tips to make it effective.
Signage design types
The signage design comes in three types — informational, directional, and promotional. Let’s check them out one-by-one.
Informational Signage: As the name suggests, an informational signage is all about informing the customers about relevant services and updates. It features product specifications, store hours, and other info.
Directional Signage: Unlike informational signage, the directional signage is all about navigations. It helps people find directions. It includes floor directions, restroom signs, and more. Office buildings and malls usually have such signage designs.
Promotional Signage: This type of signage helps promote products or services, and special enticing offers. Some of the popular examples of promotional signages are display windows, billboards, and more.
Crucial signage design tips for a lasting impression
Before designing your signage, know that its unique design is the key to successful brand promotion. Here are some key sign design tips to follow:
01. Keep it simple
The first thing you must consider while creating your signage is simplicity. A simple design is crucial since everyone can understand it. People and the target audience can get your brand message by just glancing at the signage.
Therefore, avoid crowding the signage space with lots of elements. Do not include too much text or lines so that viewers can read the signage even from afar. The signage should have a few words so that the meaning and text is legible.
Ensure that there is enough ‘white space’, which is the vacant space, so the design elements do not get mixed. It would be good to leave at least 30% to 40% vacant space.
Do not try to give too much information in the signage since it is just an indicator of your business. Include only the minimum detail viewers can read within ten seconds.
02. Make it stand out
Your signage design must stand out. There are already hundreds of signage designs around the market. People see them daily and are familiar with their designs. A similar-looking signage will, therefore, not be appreciated by them. They will take such signage as an ordinary one, which will evoke a bad impression about your business.
So, consider ways to make your signage stand out from others. Use quirky text, attention-grabbing headlines, and images.
03. Target your buyers
Ensure that your signage design targets your buyers. Find out who your ideal audience is and what they would like in terms of design. Strategize to create a design that matches with their requirements and evokes their feelings.
Know that most people are impulsive buyers. They just see shops and buy. When signage fails to make an impression, it may damage the business. The signage design should tell customers what is inside the shop or business. For instance, you can show your main product or service as part of your strategy.
04. Use high-quality pictures or graphics
Another aspect of signage design you should consider to make it impressive is pictures and graphics. These elements drive attention instantly. These can be a company logo or a pictorial graphic. However, avoid overusing graphics or photographs as they may clutter the signage design space.
A high-quality image is always a head-turner. So, ensure whatever graphics you use are of high quality.
05. It should be memorable
Every element that you use in your signage design is an exemplification of how professional your brand is. Make it memorable by adding your brand elements like logo and related illustrations. A strategic display of elements creates a cohesive visual appearance that becomes memorable.
06. Consider colors strategically
Colors evoke our emotions. For example, red is the color that gives the feeling of aggression, love, and energy. Yellow evokes hope as it is the color of sunshine. Purple stands for royalty. So, first, you need to know your brand personality and message. Then, pick the colors that evoke emotions related to your brand.
However, avoid using too many colors in your signage design. One or two colors of your brand is enough to make the signage attractive and memorable.
07. Use high-quality pictures or graphics
Signages with pictures or graphics make them easily visible and attractive. But ensure that the images or graphics you choose are relatable. These should also relate to your business. Do not overuse them as that can make a signage look cheap. That will leave a bad impression. So, use these elements selectively and ensure they do not clutter the design.
For example, if your business is all about travel, add travel-related images.
08. Ensure consistency
Whatever signage design you prefer should be consistent with your other brand visuals. That means using your brand marketing and promotional campaign’s colors, fonts, or images. Make sure you choose the design elements in your signage considering your logo design.
Such visual consistency helps viewers quickly identify the business through signage. So, ensure that your key design elements are added accordingly.
09. Place it at a strategic location to grab attention
A successful signage design is the one that catches the passersby’s attention at a glance. So, its strategic positioning is important as well. A unique design and strategic location compel people to notice it immediately. So, ensure making it memorable and placing it at a location that gets enough footfalls.
According to a FedEx survey, 76% of consumers visit a store based on their signs. So, place your signs at a location that easily grabs the eye-balls.
10. Use new technologies like AI
When designing your signage, think of leveraging new technical advancements and tools. Marketers are experimenting and including technologies even in signage design. Life-size 3D signages are widely seen. Companies like IKEA, Apple, etc. are making most of AI to design such signages.
So, these are the tips you should follow when designing your signage as your tool for business promotion. Focus on each tip and pay attention to make the signage design unique and memorable.
There are many ways to get your signage designed. You can hire designers and brief them about your requirements or share your ideas. Alternatively, you can use a signage maker tool to create it on your own or launch a signage design contest on Designhill.
Wrapping Up
Signages are crucial directional visuals that help viewers and customers find what they are looking for. However, designing a signage strategy with the right colors, text, images, etc., makes it a potential marketing tool. Signages should be simple designs with relevant information to target audience, drive attention, and boost sales.