There’s a lot that goes into choosing the just-right business sign, and we’re laying down everything you need to know in these tips.
Putting your best foot forward is the easiest first step you could take to creating a successful business.
Whether you are just starting as a business owner or if you’re looking to give your company a facelift after 25 years, the business sign you pick if the first step. Is an essential step in the process.
Let’s face it, business signs are the face of your business.
But what happens when you need a little bit of extra help getting your professional image together, or if you need to navigate an interaction with the government over your signage?
Alberta Sign Association is here to help you. Our association supports business owners in Alberta to create safe work and business environments, adhere to electrical code standards and provide help creating a network of like-minded owners.
We’ve been around since 1992 and love putting together events to bring business owners together to make our industry boom in Alberta! As a member, you’ll be able to reap all the benefits from our great members and services, like extra education and networking.
The Alberta Sign Association also hosts fun annual tradeshows!
To better help you, we also have our Sign Courses Website that gives Signage Companies the opportunity to better train their employees through an Electrical Certification Course.
We’ve put together our top 8 business sign tips that you should know about. You won’t want to miss out on these game changing tips that could really help hit your signage out of the park!
So you want to better your business sign?
When you own a business, there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything you need to do! You have to keep up with customers, finishing up orders, and online marketing– the list goes on.
One thing that shouldn’t be a worry is how well your sign is working. And if it is you’ll want to keep reading our tips to find out what you can be doing to get your signs just right.
8 business sign tips you need to know
1. Check out your area
Although you may have a great idea for your pool business to have a bright pink flamingo with sunglasses standing next to a melted snowman, you’ll want to look around your storefront to see how it matches with your brand appearance.
A massive mistake that some business owners make with their signs is to stray too far from the pack.
Seeing the types of signs that popular and successful businesses around you are using should be an indicator of whether or not your idea is on the right path.
Here’s a great video on the story of a sign from the ISA : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i63Lqmy-os
Make sure that you do stand out, but for the right reasons so that your business can be best represented to attract your target audience!
2. Know what you want from your custom business sign
Another part of making signs work for you is knowing what you want and what will work.
Getting the biggest, brightest sign around may be less useful than having great A-frames or banners.
When you come in with a vision, you’ll be able to focus on making your sign reflect your company and pull its weight when it comes to bringing people in. A well-designed sign can market for you all year round without you having to invest additional time and money.
3. Keep up with your permits
The Canadian government has put together a set of standards all business owners should pay special attention to when it comes to the kinds of signs they use with their business.
In our area, it’s important to know that, as of May 2016, the fines for having expired sign permits have been changed so that the minimum fine is $1,000!
Here’s the thing. That $1,000 can be used for a lot of other great reasons, like investing in more products, training or hosting community events to get customers out for a good cause! These permits only last around five years so be sure to keep up with them!
4. Get educated
Another pro-tip when it comes to selecting the right business sign is to get educated. You should not only know what permits and rules you have to follow, but you should also know about the signs itself.
Great questions include:
What’s the upkeep like?
What safety regulations and maintenance do you need to maintain?
How much does a particular type of sign cost per month?
Will you be able to maintain it even in the winter?
Going through these types of questions could help you dodge a potential error when choosing a sign for your business.
5. Be distinctive
Come up with a design that sells your business before anyone even walks through your door.
Regardless of what type of sign you decide to go with, it should be able to stand alone and say all it needs to say– both literally and figuratively! Have your logo, font, and word choice be smart and distinct.
Creating a brand image is the best thing you can do if you want your business to become recognizable. You’ll want to make sure your business gets the foot traffic it deserves.
You can also look around in other areas for inspiration. Decide what niche your business fits into and compare your idea to the other business signs in local cities, for example.
6. Make it readable
Sure, this may seem like a throwaway tip but let’s be honest: some business signs are just plain unreadable.
Before you finalize your design and invest in a sign, make sure to consider it from all angles and distances. Ask yourself if your font choice, color, and size is suitable for your customers.
If this step is skipped over, your business could suffer as a result.
7. Target traffic
As far as placement goes, don’t take it for granted! A well-placed sign can accomplish just as much as a well designed one. If you have that combo, you’re in a great spot!
Make sure you follow the laws as far as closeness to the road goes, but you will want to target traffic with your sign!
If your sign is visible to both sides of the road throughout all seasons, it’s in the perfect location.
When you are placing your signs, you’ll want to make sure that this decision is made carefully!
Don’t worry: getting a business sign shouldn’t be a long and drawn-out process, but you’ll want to put as much thought into making this sign work for you as you do with your products and services you offer!
8. Have fun!
When it comes to the business sign you select, feel free to have fun and mix things up.
If you have your major sign locked down, look into options like window etching and vinyls, car signs, even booths, and other types of signage that will reach your target audience!
So what’s the bottom line?
Alberta Sign Association knows business is all about the bottom line. Here’s the deal: picking the right sign is a difficult decision and we’re here to help you get all the information you need through our resources and awesome network.
So contact us on our Association website if you are looking for some great companies to help you through the process, or if you are a Signage Company take a look at our Electrical Signage Course and join us.