Businesses are always looking for ways to bring in new customers. Commercial signage is one of the most cost-effective methods that businesses can use to reach out to potential customers. Something as simple as an eye-catching sign outside your business can be just what you need to draw in new clients who will make a purchase or become a regular customer. Commercial business signage serves several important purposes.
What does it say about your business?
Does it look professional and inviting? Does it attract people’s attention? An effective commercial sign makes people take notice and gives them all the information they need regarding what goes on inside your business.
What is your business known for?
You need a commercial sign that reflects the identity of your business. Does someone special work there or is it just a family-owned business? Put their name on the commercial sign and let people know what makes you special so they can choose you over other businesses in your area.
What is the purpose of your business signage?
Is it to announce new products, inform potential customers about daily specials or something else entirely? Point out whatever the purpose may be with an appropriate type of commercial sign. A wayfinding sign, changeable messaging board and social media display are some common types that businesses use today.
Commercial Signage Options
A Complete System – Commercial signs come in many forms but usually include a background, lighting, and way to change the sign. Some business need a complete commercial signage system that is modular so they don’t have to replace everything at one time.
Lease or Purchase – You can choose either option depending on your budget and how long you think your business needs its new signage. Leasing is usually cheaper if you are not sure how long you will run the business or own the property where it’s located. Buying involves buying and installing everything yourself but it gives you more control over the appearance of your signs and when you could change them as needed. If you plan to stay on the same premises for a long period of time you can plan out your interior design to compliment the exterior facade of the building and your signage.
Short-term vs Long-term – Short term solutions may be a great for a seasonal company like an ice cream shop or holiday decorations store while long term solutions may be better if you’re going to be in business for a while.
Custom or Prefabricated – In addition to the type of commercial signage you need, there are many ways that it can be customized. You may opt for custom-made signs made to your specifications by an experienced sign maker while others will find prefabricated signs with premade graphics on them a better fit. It depends on how comfortable you feel doing this work yourself and what your budget is like at the time. You can consult a professional or visit their site to see which signage would be best for your business.
Weight of Your Signs – How much will your new sign weigh? Will they have enough support holding up all that weight? These are important considerations when choosing your commercial signs so make sure you take them into consideration before making a final decision.
The Best Place for Business Signs
Determine the best and most visible place for your business signage. For example, will it be by a busy street or at a highly-trafficked crossroads? Outdoors are better than indoors when possible because there is more visibility but they will need to be lit up at night so you can see what’s on them. If your business isn’t open during the day you may want an indoor sign instead. The type of businesses that are usually found in strip malls benefit from having their own individual storefronts with large window displays and signage where customers can easily spot them from outside as well as clearly identify what each business does from the sidewalk. This also looks much better than a bunch of similar-looking businesses bunched together in one space.
Commercial Signage for Major Companies
Major companies have commercial signs that are just as impressive and eye-catching as the ones you see in storefront windows or on the sides of other buildings. This isn’t only good for advertising but also to serve as a means of branding and maintaining an image with customers. There’s nothing worse than failing to stay ahead of your competition so make sure you use any available resources such as signage, social media, print ads, commercials, etc. in order to do so.
This is especially true when you are dealing with major corporations because they won’t hesitate to spend money on advertisement if it helps them gain new customers while driving away their rivals’ customer base. You can compete by spending more money or by being smarter about how you do business. Those large companies that catch your eye with their advertisements are doing so because they know that everyone will see them and be influenced one way or the other. The best thing you can do is to be sure to give people a reason to want what you offer by offering good products at reasonable prices as well as top notch customer service.
There’s no denying the simple fact that signage is also important for helping customers find businesses in local areas, especially when directed towards a specific group such as the LGBTQ community, or other minority groups that might feel neglected by some other businesses. There are even large corporations out there that have faced lawsuits for discrimination, such as the case with Abercrombie and Fitch back in 2008. This was known as “branding” by putting signs up on their stores saying that they don’t sell to certain groups even though others do. If this is a concern of yours then make sure you include some form of business signage to let potential customers know they’re welcome at your place of business.
You’ve probably seen the many different types of commercial signage around town and how people use them for advertising businesses ranging from small family-owned shops to large chains like McDonald’s or WalMart. No matter where you live, chances are most people recognize these brands because they use commercial signs to advertise who they are, what they do and where their business is located.
