Ms. Career Girl

Why Signage is Still Important for Every Business

by · Oct 18, 2018

reopening your business

Why Signage is Still Important for Every Business

When launching a business, one thing overlooked by many owners it the importance of signage. Creating an attractive sign for your business is a key important visual element. Along with building your brand, signs also act as an inanimate salesperson for your business.

Why Signage is Important for Businesses

How important is signage for a business? Two studies – one commissioned by FedEx Office in partnership with Ketchum Global Research & Analytics and one by the University of Cincinnati – found that:

  • 67% of consumers said they purchased a service or product because a sign caught their attention (FedEx).
  • 76% of consumers said they entered a store or business they had never visited because of its monument signs (FedEx).
  • About 60% of consumers said the absence of signs deterred them from entering a business or store (FedEx).
  • 38% of large companies with multiple locations said branding/image is the most important purpose of effective signage, while small firms and single establishments believed signs are the most important for making the business stand out (UC).
  • About 75% of consumers said they told others about a business simply based on its signage (FedEx).
  • Nearly 68% of consumers believe that a company’s sign reflects the quality of its services or products (FedEx).
  • About 60% of businesses said changing the design or enhancing their sign’s visibility had a positive impact on the number of sales, transactions and profits, with an average increase of 10% (UC).
  • According to consumers and businesses, legibility was the most important characteristic of signs (UC).

These surveys show that signage is important for every business. Consumers don’t trust a business without a sign. They serve as a form of credibility.

Sign Location

While signage is important, the location of the sign is even more important. The key most important thing is to ensure that your sign can be seen by those driving and walking by.

A sign above the door and out in the front of the parking lot, as is common with a shopping plaza, will help customers find your business. It will also help them become familiar with your location.

While a sign at your actual place of business is practical and common sense, signs can also be effective in other locations. For example, a sign at a busy intersection would be effective for attracting commuters who have to sit in traffic, staring at the sign for your business.

Size is Important, Too

Size is also important when it comes to signage, but we’re not just talking about the overall size of the sign. It’s also important to consider the size of the sign in comparison to the objects around us and the writing on the sign itself.

Sometimes, bigger isn’t better. A sign that is too big can be distracting and take away from your brand’s message. There may also be restrictions imposed by the local government, and there are federal regulations related to outdoor advertising as well.

It’s important to think carefully about the type of sign you’ll use. Conventional signs are more economical, but digital signs give you the opportunity to change your brand’s logo and identity in the future without having to start from scratch.