Article Contributed by Brandon Serna
When starting a new business, you’re going to find yourself working closely with advisors and consultants of all types. There’s a lot of ground to cover, after all, and it’s important that you get things right the first time. In the business world – particularly today – there’s seldom such a thing as a second chance.
For this reason – and others, as we’ll see below – it’s important to work directly with a good signage company as well. A sign company can quickly become one of your most valuable allies as a small business owner, as they can guide you through the process of selecting not only the signs that you might want, but also the signs that you will need.
For example, do you know offhand what signage the Americans with Disabilities Act requires your business to have? If not, make sure you work with somebody who does! Regulations will vary according to the nature of your business, but you may need signs that warn of specific dangers, direct traffic, indicate parking areas, identify exits, identify handicap accessibility, include words in Braille and carry out various other tasks. Do you really want to be responsible for that yourself?
Whatever kind of business you may be starting, signage of all kinds should be a prime concern. It can attract customers, direct them to where they need to go, inform them of valuable selling points, help them to compare various products or services, keep them safe, keep them knowledgeable, and even keep them entertained, and those are just the most general applications. What you decide to do specifically with your signage can help you to create and reinforce a “personality” for your business, and that’s going to be very important as you grow your brand.
You should have business signs that identify the name of your company and its purpose, services or products. If your company has its own building, those signs should be mounted outside, on the building itself or as near the building as possible. If your company shares a building with others, interior signs can identify your business location, and they should be used effectively in order to keep your customers from getting lost or, worse, finding one of your competitors instead! Even in this case, an additional sign outside the building will attract more attention and may help gain new customers or clients, so be sure to take advantage of this if possible.
As far as the actual design of your signage goes, this is where a reputable signage company will be worth its weight in gold. Colors and font sizes are important when designing signs, so you want to make sure you maximize their effectiveness and choose the most vivid, readable and exciting combinations available. Certain colors go together better than others and have different effects, and some fonts on signs are easier to read than others. It is difficult to get all of this correct without a great deal of trial and experimentation, so hiring a professional sign company is nearly always the most cost-effective way to go.
Whatever you decide to do, it’s ultimately your responsibility to have the signs that you need, so take signage seriously. Do your research on local rules and regulations, as well as federal ones. Work with a professional to maximize the effectiveness of your signage, and start projecting the image you desire. There are customers out there who want to shop with you, so help them find you!
About the Author:
This article was written by Brandon Serna on behalf of FASTSIGNS, a company that specializes in business signs and other visual communications services.
