How to choose your sign company
You have decided that the time is right to invest in new shop front signs, which is great news, but how do you know where to begin? Planning your shop signs can seem like a daunting task if you know you have little in the way of graphic design knowledge or think you lack an artistic eye; however, with a little planning and the help of a professional sign company, you could get the perfect signage solution for your business.
There are lots of things you will need to consider before you approach the signage company of your choice. To get you thinking, here are a few top tips to follow when planning your new shop signs.
What do you need to include?
An obvious starting point is to plot out what sort of information your signs need to convey to potential customers who might walk past your business premises. Naturally, you will need to incorporate your company name and logo, and to use your company colour scheme to ensure your signage matches the other strands of your branding to create a unified look across your marketing material. You might also want to include contact details, such as your address and telephone number, and directions to your website and social media pages.
What is your budget?
There is no two ways about it – signage can be expensive; however, you really do get what you pay for. Attempting to cut corners and scrimp on your shop signs could spell disaster. Not only will they look cheap, tacky and unattractive but also they will probably need more maintenance in the long-run to ensure they stay intact, well-lit, and do not pose a safety risk. Stretch your budget to high-quality signs and they will more than pay for themselves long-term, especially if you invest in a maintenance package to keep them in tip-top condition.
Prepare to be flexible
It is always good to enter a process such as this with a rough idea in mind, but be prepared to be flexible and heed advice. If you work with a top-quality professional sign company, its graphic designers will be experienced, highly skilled and extremely well trained, so trust in them and listen to what they have to say. They will always take your ideas on board and work with them, but they may be able to suggest alternatives or find ways to improve on your initial thoughts.
Location, location, location
Think about where your signs need to be positioned for maximum visual impact. There is no point investing in high-quality signage only to tuck it away somewhere passers-by might struggle to see it. You want your building sign to occupy a prominent position so it is directly in people’s eyeline as they walk down the street. Take a few steps back from the façade of your premises and see where your eye is naturally drawn, which may not be the same position your old signage currently occupies.
Think size, shape and scale
Once you have decided where your signage needs to go, you will be able to tell your signage company how much space they have to play with and how large your signs need to be. Too small and people will either ignore or find them difficult to look at, too large and you risk detracting from window displays or other attractive elements of your shop front. Signs do not have to be limited to boring square or rectangle shapes either – there is plenty of scope to experiment and create something unusual!
Bright ideas
Illuminated signage is definitely the way to go if you want to make the biggest visual impact on passers-by. Push through letters backlit with LEDs, halo illuminated signs or traditional fluorescent tubing can all work wonders on your shop front signage, with a well-lit sign impossible to ignore. Illuminated signs act as a beacon come rain or shine and stand out from a mile off. When people see the glow of a shop sign that stands out, they are far more likely to be drawn towards your business.
Choose your sign company with care
It is vital that you choose your sign company with care. Not only will they help you to create your new signs but also you might be entering into a long-term partnership if they take on a maintenance contract from you. The best sign companies employ experienced and talented graphic designers in addition to installers who know the trade inside out. Check out previous examples of their work and perhaps look at a few projects in person. Make use of other customer reviews to gain a better picture of their work and ensure it fits your own vision for your signs.
Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we have been crafting beautiful bespoke signage for well over two decades, helping local businesses across London and the South East to find the perfect signage solution. We employ only the most skilled designers and installers in the industry and have all the experience and technical know-how to produce the very highest quality signs, tailor made to suit your company.
We can take your initial spark of an idea and work with you to convert it into the perfect signage solution. For more information on the services we provide, simply get in touch with The Sussex Sign company today and let us help you to plan your next signage project.