Signage Essentials For Small & Medium-Sized Businesses

Every business needs to make itself known. For some, that is enough to simply open the doors and wait for new customers to come in. But others may want to take a more proactive approach by putting up signage, either on-site or off-site.

Businesses typically need signage for four purposes:

• Answering Prospective Customers' Questions Example: "What goods or services do you provide?" Answer: "We provide the best damn food at the cheapest prices! Come check us out!"

• Promoting Goods & Services Example: "Come try our special sandwich today!"

• Making Your Brand Recognition Example: "Eat Here!"

• Driving Action (visitors to your establishment) Example: An ad saying "Now Hiring."

Each of these purposes requires different signage. Here are some basics on what signs are needed for each purpose, as well as examples of the most common types of business signs.

Answering Prospective Customers' Questions

People who are prospective customers or clients may approach your establishment with questions about what you do. A sign is an effective way to answer those questions immediately and concisely. The more information you can provide, the better. For example, if someone was asking about your business hours, it would be helpful to indicate that times may vary by season or day of the week along with contact information for specific questions regarding hours. If someone wanted details about a service you offer, the more details you could give them, the more likely it is they will be able to make a decision about whether or not to patronize your establishment.

It's also important to answer questions before people have a chance to ask them. Your signage should indicate if there are any restrictions on who can enter your establishment, such as a minimum age requirement. Additionally, it would be helpful if you provided information that might help someone out who was wondering if your business could meet their needs. For example, if you were an accounting firm and found yourself with a customer who seemed skittish about whether or not you could handle foreign taxes, it may be helpful for another potential client (who overhears the discussion) to see a sign saying "We've helped dozens of non-US citizens with their taxes."

Related Article: 20 Innovative Signage Ideas for Small Businesses

Promoting Goods & Services

Sometimes, the best way to market is by telling everyone exactly what you're selling. People need to know if your business offers a product or service that could help them out. If you don't want to promote only one specific item or service, you can always use more general promotions such as "We've got great deals that are guaranteed to help you save money" or "You'll find great snacks that won't break your budget here!" It's also helpful if people are aware of any specials events going on at your store. For example, if it's your anniversary, it may be worth putting up a sign saying something along the lines of "Come celebrate with us! Eat cake and get 10% off your purchase!"

"Business owners have to be proactive about marketing their services or products to prospective customers," added Feras, head manager at Signarama Vancouver. "Putting up effective signage is one of the most basic things you can do to make potential customers aware of your business. Not only is signage informing people about what you have to offer, but it's also a promotional tool that can help your business stand out."

Making Your Brand Recognition

People have to be able to recognize you before they can say whether or not they want to patronize your business. The easiest way for people to identify you is by having a sign with your company logo, motto, name, etc. Customers should know who's responsible for their experience at the establishment and it allows them to put faces (and personalities) with each member of staff. For example, if someone sees the "Eat Here" sign that includes an image of a smiling face below the words, then they might feel more inclined to tell the owner how much they liked something about their meal.

Driving Action

Sometimes signs are useful for getting people moving in the right direction. When signage is used to point people in the right direction, it's helpful if signage is both visible and easy to follow. For example, you'd want your signs to be immediately noticeable so that someone who was trying to find your business would have an easier time spotting the signs. Additionally, having lots of signage pointing in different directions can be confusing. It's best if you pick one or two places for patrons to go and then put up signs that will lead them down the correct path.

Examples Of Common Business Signs

The following are examples of some common types of business signage:

• Entrance Signage Example: "Welcome!"

• Exit Signage Example: "Goodbye!"

• Notice/Warning Signage Example: "Warning! You must be this tall to ride."

• Service-Specific Signage Example: "We repair iPhones!"

• Promotional Signage Example: "Today only! 10% off all tacos."

• Pointing/Indicator Signage Example: "Turn right for the bathroom."

How To Make The Most Of Your Store's Signage?

Effective signage is often overlooked as a way of making your business more successful. However, even something as simple as having a sign on the door that says "Closed for lunch" can make a big difference in whether or not people come by when you're closed for certain periods of time. Additionally, it may be worth looking into if there are extra costs associated with making these types of changes or additions to your signage. Even something as simple as printing out a few new signs may be well worth the money if it means that you can improve your business.