One of the most important initial decisions you can make for opening a brick-and-mortar startup is the establishment’s sign. Company signage and human psychology plays an enormous role in shaping first impressions about your public image. Here are some important points to consider for designing custom business signs.
Signs can be very influential at luring curious minds into a business. Much of this mystique depends on the size and shape of your sign, as well as the color scheme. Your industry will be a significant factor in the appearance of your sign, since certain organizations associate with a serious tone, while others convey fun.
Connecting with your target market visually should be a top priority when planning your design. Your choice of logo font and colors can make a difference. Usually more traditional lettering works for financial, legal and health care services, while more modern selections are appropriate for tech and entertainment businesses.
Although many new businesses with minimal budgets are willing to seek the lowest quotes, the most competitive new firms are the ones that factor in consumer behavior. Ignoring your target customer’s core values and associations with visual stimuli will limit your chances of outperforming competitors.
The most important aspects of your sign are that it’s visible and easy-to-read. Custom business signs that look simplistic are often more memorable than those that are elaborate. It’s ok to dress up the sign with creative elements, but try to avoid a complex design that’s hard to reproduce for other marketing materials.
You’ll notice blue is a very popular color with tech firms. Part of the reason for this association is that many computer screens use blue backgrounds. After years of people recognizing this association – whether consciously or subconciously – blue connects with tech.
But blue has many other associations as well. Since it’s the color of the sky and water, it works well for environmental businesses. Green and brown are also earthy and natural colors, making them ideal for conveying sustainability.
The beauty of both black and white is that they blend with many other colors. White is the universal background for industries such as real estate, while black with white lettering is common for law firms. Black communicates mystique and power, while gray signals maturity and balance between dark and light.
The more your company has recreational appeal, the more variety you may inject into your art in terms of brighter colors like lime, yellow, and orange. Sticking with just a few colors for your custom business signs is economical, as anything more than four colors starts to get expensive.
Companies that post custom business signs have the best chance of standing out in an area flooded with generic signage. If your business is a standalone establishment and you have no plans for expanding to a chain, it’s extremely advantageous to make your sign as unique as possible without going overboard. Communicating creativity in an environment surrounded by generic signage will help bring you attention among customers who prefer out-of-the-box thinking.
Psychology and practicality play a large role in how the market responds to your business sign. Design professionals can help you make your first impression count. Contact Zumar at our Arizona, California or Washington location for more information about designing custom business signs for your establishment.