Designer drawing a light bulb, concept for brainstorming and inspiration
There are a number of important factors to consider when purchasing a sign. Sometimes, though, no matter how well the purchaser thinks things through ahead of time, unfortunate mistakes can and often do happen. For those wanting to be sure to get it right, consider the following very common mistakes made by signage customers everywhere before finalizing that purchase.
Insufficient Visibility
Sign choices lacking sufficient visibility represent arguably the most common kind of mistake we see customers make in this industry. It can be very easy to just assume the efficacy of a “guestimated” sign size and shape but going off of sheer guesses on visibility doesn’t often go so well. Instead, we recommend placing an object, a piece of cardboard, or wood, for example, of the proposed size and shape in the target location and then walking out away from i, regularly noting its visibility at varying distances and positions. This pre-purchase test approach can be even more effective by adding the intended colors and other visuals.
Overly Busy Signage
When there’s so much to communicate, many signage users tend to make the very easy mistake of completely overloading their signage. In many cases, viewers do not have the time to read entire rundowns but rather look for key points or “hooks” that quickly convey a message. Consider the key points needing to be made and attention-grabbing but simple depictions or messages that may be able to serve that purpose well. Some signs are, in fact, designed to issue a longer story such as in conveying policies or rules at a location, but for most others, the long story is not and shouldn’t be the intention.
Wrong Signage Type for the Application
Yet another very common mistake in signage decision-making is the decision to use the wrong sign type for the application at hand. Certainly, in some applications, there are numerous signage types that can serve the purpose well, but in many other situations, it can be critical to pick the right sign type for the job. Consider the location, weather parameters, traffic types, and frequency in the location, the intended amount of time the signage is to be present, the use of a powered signage versus non-powered signage, and all other factors presented by the intended location and sign purpose.
Using signage that is wholly effective can totally change the trajectory of a business. Using signage that is not can just as surely act as a total waste of money and effort in the end. Consider the signage’s purpose carefully, avoid some of these common mistakes, and the likelihood of a successful signage setup will virtually be a sure thing.