10 Tips For Effective Wayfinding Signage

Do you know how to find your way? Whether you need signs to direct customers around your store, or wayfinding signs for an exhibition or display in West Sussex, there are certain fundamental rules you’ll need to follow to create the most effective signs.

Creating effective wayfinding signage is an art, and there are a wide array of signs at your disposal. From directional to information signs, each piece of the wayfinding jigsaw needs to fit into a cohesive whole. Here are 10 design and display tips to help you and your customer’s make the most of your wayfinding signs.

1. Never make assumptions

Always treat your customers as if this is their very first visit.

2. Know your space

Always take the time to survey and walk through the space. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and consider all the landmarks on your way, including places that are easy to navigate and those that present a potential problem.

3. Look for the decision points

Where are the places that a decision needs to be made about the direction of travel? Staircases, lifts, entrances, exits and crossroads are all obvious places to locate wayfinding signs to help visitors make informed decisions.

4. Add travel distance

Adding a distance or an estimated time of travel is useful when visitors may have deadlines to meet. It clues your customers into navigation between points A and B by creating concrete details around your landmarks and helps visitors to plan their visit.

5. Keep it concise

When you’re designing wayfinding signs, there’s no space for visual clutter. Keep the message and the way of conveying it clean, clear and precise. Use as few words as possible or, even better, use a symbol or pictogram. Your signs are there to inform, not to impress with your use of vocabulary, so don’t use fancy terms for the sake of it.

6. Don’t reinvent the wheel

If other signage in your building uses a consistent set of symbols, fonts, language and colour scheme, then stick with them. If your reception area is known as reception, don’t suddenly redesignate it as the foyer or lobby.

7. Keep signage up to date

Make a habit of revisiting your wayfinding on a regular basis. If any routes have changed, then outdated signs will cause confusion and disorientation where you should be seeking to introduce order and clarity.

8. Take note of hazards

If you’re installing signs outdoors, what are the immediate risks to the longevity of your sign? Will it fade in strong sunlight or be exposed to high winds? Is it likely to get pranged by cars or be covered in mud, obscuring the message? Assessing the risks will help you find the ideal installation spot.

9. Use the right materials for the job

If you want your signs to stand up to the rigours of the job, choose long-lasting materials that are appropriate to the installation site.

10. Understand the options

Design, fonts, colours and materials – at the Sussex Sign Company, we can help you assess all your options to create wayfinding signage that is informative and useful for your customers. Want to know more? Contact us for details.

Signage History – The Ghost Signs Of London

Have you ever half glimpsed a faded piece of signage in London? Then you’ve seen a ghost sign, one of the fascinating pieces of advertising history that can still be seen around the capital. These fading adverts, like the Hovis sign in Haringey and the Bovril sign in Brixton, have endured over the centuries and survived against all odds.

Victims of modern sign making materials and techniques, these remnants of our advertising past can be found all over the world.

How were ghost signs produced?

The signs that remain are all a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of early signwriters. Smaller signs were often produced freehand, using the height of the bricks as a guide. Larger and more elaborate signs were often produced by a technique like stencilling – the design would be traced on paper with a spiked wheel and then chalk or charcoal would be used to mark out the perforations and create the outline of the design.

Particularly skilled signwriters would often embellish their signs with decorative flourishes like illustrations.

The early days of marketing

Ghost signs are a fascinating snapshot of changing attitudes in society – like the cigarette advert that claims smoking is good for your throat! Some of the businesses associated with ghost signs didn’t outlive their own advertising, but those that did moved with the times and started to explore other ways of bringing their branding to the public’s attention.

Though the heyday of signwriting was the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the art hasn’t died out. The craftsmanship that created the ghost signs is still around, although the materials have moved on – after all, many of the signs that remain were painted using lead based paints, making signwriting something of a risky business.

What modern signage can learn from ghost signs

With the uptick in interest in these remnants from marketing’s history, modern signs can learn from their more primitive ancestors:

– Good signs have a clear message: That’s demonstrated by the enduring popularity of ghost signs that keep the branding message simple. Your signs should be equally clear and easy to grasp, so your customers understand your business at a glance.

– Good signs withstand the elements: just like the lead based paint of old, modern materials should be chosen to withstand all weather conditions including harsh sun, wind and rain.

– Good signs boost business: there’s no way of quantifying what impact the ghost signs had in their time, but our enduring fascination with them suggests they continue to engage with passersby. A good sign will attract customers and have an impact on sales, otherwise you’ll need to rethink the way you’re using your branding and brand colours.

– Good signs reflect your business personality: Ghost signs are a snapshot of businesses that were around over a hundred years ago. If you want your signs to endure, they need to reflect the personality of your business by maintaining consistency across all the signs you use.

High quality signs for your business

Your current signage may not last as long as the beloved ghost signs, but at The Sussex Sign Company, we can help ensure they have just as big an impact. To find out how to maximise your ROI, contact us today.

The Sussex Sign Company scores top marks.

When it comes to ensuring the highest levels of health and safety for its staff and customers, The Sussex Sign Company has scored top marks.

Based in Portslade, East Sussex, The Sussex Sign Company has a long record of providing some of the most innovate and creative signage in the South East and London and has now been awarded CHAS accreditation for the second year running, which is considered to be the highest accolade in terms of health and safety credentials.

MD, Norman Mayhew, is delighted to report that the business is one of a very few who have achieved the status – on top of Safe Contractor certification – putting The Sussex Sign Company at the top of its game in terms of health and safety.

CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) is rapidly becoming a construction industry award which improves standards across the whole industry.

Founded in 1995, The Sussex Sign Company has grown into one of the most successful sign manufacturing companies in the industry, with a reputation and diverse portfolio to match.

Norman said health and safety is taken very seriously and the business constantly works towards improving their processes and systems wherever they can.

‘We are delighted to gain the CHAS Accredited Contractor Award for another year. It demonstrates our commitment to Health and Safety legislation and because CHAS also focuses on reducing duplication, it helps our suppliers and buyers work with us seamlessly,’ he added.

The Sussex Sign Company also hold SafeContractor accreditation, which further provides assurance that the business has achieved the highest levels of health and safety compliance.

Choosing The Best Sign Material For The Job

If you need new signs, then the chances are you’re looking for a high quality sign making company to deliver on your concept. You’ll need to think about design, manufacture, installation and the type of material to be used.

Whatever the kind of signage you have in mind – whether that’s a shop window sign, wayfinding signage or signs for schools – it’s critical that you choose the right material for the job. Will you be wall mounting your sign, creating a car wrap design or covering up an existing signboard? Or will you be creating a new freestanding rigid sign or display? Is this an interior or an exterior sign, and for permanent or temporary display? When you have the answers to those questions, you can start making choices about available materials.

As with any aspect of the sign making process, a good sign company in Arundel or elsewhere will be able to guide you through the process, offering the right material for the signage you have in mind.

I want to cover an existing rigid sign

If you have an existing sign that you simply want to cover with a new image, then printed self adhesive vinyl is the savvy choice. This has a white surface and can be overprinted with your branding, slogans, or even a high resolution image. It’s a clever way to recycle existing signage without breaking the bank.

I want to put a sign in a window

Printed clear self adhesive vinyl can be printed on in reverse, stuck to your window, and then backed with white vinyl. The effect is crisp and smart and the vinyl is lightweight and can be easily removed when you want to update your signage.

I want something flexible

If you want to create a stunning wall display, or a car wrap design with plenty of impact, you need cut self-adhesive vinyl. This comes in a wide range of colours and is most often used to produce single colour text or silhouette shapes. Unlike using a wall stencil, it’s easy to unpeel cut vinyl, making it ideal for temporary displays or to add design accents for summer or Christmas promotions.

These types of cut stickers are often seen as single panels on a car, when a fully vinyl wrap is not required. They can even be used on display stands to spice up your exhibit, but remember to remove them if your stands are hired.

I need a rigid sign, after all

There are three main types of material that are used for rigid signage. These are usually known by their brand names: Correx, Foamex and Dibond. These are also sometimes known by other names and come in various thicknesses. Each has its particular strengths and weaknesses as a material, which your sign company will explain.

I want an estate agent’s sign board

The cheapest form of sign board is Correx and it’s ideal for estate agent signage. This is a type of corrugated plastic sheet that’s super lightweight, and it should be printed with weatherproof inks, then laminated, for superior weather resistance. Correx signs are often used when low cost temporary signage is required – on a building site or for a short term exhibition, for example.

For outside use, a Correx sign should be mounted to an additional wooden board for strength, as the material is prone to bending along the flutes when caught in a strong wind. Washers should always be used to stop the screwheads ripping through the board.

I want an outdoor wayfinding sign for a visitor attraction

PVC foam sheet is an excellent material for use indoors and out, and comes in 3mm, 5mm and 10mm thicknesses. Foamex offers good durability while also being cost effective and it behaves like a solid plastic sheet.

Foamex has an excellent strength to weight ratio, although the 10mm sheets can be quite heavy for larger signs, making Dibond a better option. Because this material is so easy to cut, it can be used to create really exceptional signage for indoor and outdoor use. It’s waterproof too, so it can withstand the worst that the British weather can throw at it!

Opt for lightweight 3mm for indoor boards that can be wall mounted with velcro, and use the thicker boards for outdoor signage that has great strength, resistant and durability – ideal for wayfinding signage. These outdoor signs are simple to drill and attach with screws.

I need a permanent display sign for a coastal café

You need Dibond, the longest lasting of the rigid materials. Consisting of a solid sheet of polyethylene at its core, sandwiched between two thin aluminium panels, Dibond is just 3mm thick, but can stand up to heavy wind and rain.

There’s no limit to the signage shapes you can create with Dibond, as it can be drilled, screwed and shaped with ease. It has a huge range of uses, from shop signage to exhibition and event signage and so much more. Dibond can also be clamped to metal poles for even greater stability.

Dibond is fantastically light and terrifically strong, making it the premium choice for rigid signage, especially where it needs to stand up to all weather conditions and stay looking good for years.

I need to find a good sign company in Arundel

At the Sussex Sign Company, we can help you create permanent or temporary signs for interior or exterior use that will make the best possible first impression. When your visual assets are so important, let us help you maximise your return on investment by creating signs that use the right materials for the perfect installation. Contact our friendly and knowledgeable team by phone or email for more details.

Fitting signs all across Sussex

Fitting signs all across East and West Sussex.

Many people ask us where we work, well right across the South East of England is the real answer, however we must admit that whilst we do carry out a tremendous amount of work in London, most of our work is completed in Sussex, both East and West. After all we are The Sussex Sign Company and over the last twenty years we have completed over five thousand different orders for our clients, from parish councils to corporate conglomerates, The Sussex Sign Company can look after all your signage and vehicle signwriting requirements.

A small list of the major towns we work in throughout the county is listed below.

East Grinstead , Crawley, Gatwick, Horsham, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Steyning, Worthing, Arundel, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Selsey, Chichester, Midhurst, Petworth, Portslade, Brighton, Hove, Newhaven, Seaford, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, Hailsham, Lewes, Uckfield, Heathfiled, Crowborough.

Newhaven Town Council launch Poppy Trail…

The Sussex Sign Company had the privilege of working with Jenny Flood, Project Officer, from the Newhaven Town Council, on a heritage project that took months of planning.

The interpretation panels are around the town as part of the Council’s Heritage Lottery funded project ‘Newhaven’s First World War’. During the First World War, Newhaven became one of the major supply ports to the Western Front. The number of soldiers at the Garrison increased to over 4,000, the Boys’ School (Hillcrest Centre) was converted into a Military Hospital and a Seaplane Station was built on the beach between the East Pier and Tide Mills.

The lecterns are Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) Mounted Duralite weatherproof and vandal resistant full colour digital panel size A1. These were fitted at a 45degree angle to a double legged zinc plated mild steel lecturn powder coated to a RAL colour and they were fitted all across the Newhaven Poppy Trail, a total of six signs were fitted in total.

Lecterns are perhaps the most used structures for interpretive panels. The Sussex Sign Company manufacture interpretive lecterns in many different materials such as Stainless Steel, Galvanized Steel and Powder coated mild steel.

Many of these are made to specific designs and incorporate routing and sandblasting.

As well as stainless steel and galvanized steel we supply powder coated steel and aluminium in our metal range. We manufacture many different designs as well as our standard classic shape.

The Sussex Sign Company can work with you or your design team right across East and West Sussex including Heathfield, Crowbourough and Uckfield. Call us today on 01273 417057

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New environmentally friendly LEDs

LED lights offer huge advantages to the sign industry. They can be attached to signage brackets and projected onto the design, enabling it to be seen at night. One manufacturer has recently launched a new range of LED lights that provides environmental advantages.

The new set of LED trough lights, released by Iron Design, offer significant benefits, both in terms of the quality of the light and their energy consumption. They are designed to be used in place of existing T5 fluorescent lights. They consume much less energy, whilst still providing a high quality and consistent bright light. The bulbs will last for more than 50,000 hours.

The lights are manufactured using a much slimmer profile than previous models. They are available either as 600mm or 850mm long lights and measure only 53x25mm. This means that they have less of a detrimental impact on the sign they are designed to illuminate. The slimmer fitting can be easily hidden and doesn’t take away from the overall sign.

The LED lights can be bought as a pair and come with the cables, transformer and the required fixings.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company we can produce a range of LED illuminated signs based on our customer’s requirements.

New concept in LED Lighting

Wandlite have launched a new LED light model, which has the ability to offer 360 degree tube lighting. The product is waterproof, durable and long lasting.

In the past, there has been a tendency for LED manufacturers to focus on the capabilities of the light, rather than the design elements. However, with the new Wandlite, it remains visually attractive as well as practical. The LED tape has been spiral wound along the tube to better direct the light.

This new LED light is extremely energy efficient. It uses 12v or power, but only takes up 1.2 amps of energy per metre. It can be used where there is no direct electrical supply, including outdoor and temporary settings. In these cases, the light can be used with a rechargeable battery, solar panel, car battery or cigarette lighter.

The Wandlite is available in a range of lengths, from 800mm to 2000mm. They can be used to independently or a number of tubes can be connected together to create a longer length. It can also be produced in a range of colours to meet customer needs.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company we can offer a range of illuminated signs to suit the requirements of our customers.

Important workshops to be held at SDUK 2014

The British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA) has announced that it will hold two workshops a day at this year’s Sign and Digital UK event. These will focus on key areas for the industry, to keep companies up to date on legal issues

Signage businesses are often busy with the day to day running of their company. This means that legislation and planning amendments can get overlooked. However, they can have a significant effect on a business and ignoring them could be costly. The industry needs to ensure they’re aware of the implications of any changes and the impact they have on their business. These workshops will provide companies with a concise forum to bring themselves up to date.

One of the workshops will examine signage design and construction standards. It will pay particular attention to the new European standards and the implications of these for the UK industry. The second workshop will focus on planning regulations, especially in light of the changes regarding signage maintenance and warranties.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company we keep ourselves a-breadth of any developments within the industry, ensuring we understand the implications for our customers of any legal changes.

Signs for 2014 looking healthy

With the wider economy showing more signs of recovery, there is a growing feeling of optimism within the signage industry about the future. The outlook for 2014 is looking considerably healthier than it has in the past, with increased orders and new technology coming to the market.

Developments within the industry have enabled companies to have a greater appeal to customers and to widen their target market. More are investing in wide format printers, which can increase their portfolio. They allow shorter print runs to be completed at cost effective prices, as well as the ability to personalise individual items.

Even with this renewed confidence in the industry, some experts still feel that the market will have more tough times over the coming year. The increase in electronic media, the squeezing of retail spaces and sustainability requirements, will all have an impact on the performance of signage companies. However, those companies that take advantage of new techniques and think further afield, will be better placed to move forward.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company we can help our customers with a wide range of signage requirements, from shop signage and vehicle wrapping to illuminated signage and pop up displays.