8 Effective Signage Design Ideas For Small Businesses
When you run a small business or a Fortune 500 enterprise, branding is an integral part of your success. Your brand identity helps customers understand what your business is like, and helps them remember you even after they’ve visited your shop.
This is why it’s critically important to have consistent and creative branding, particularly when it comes to your business signage. Here are a few examples you can use as inspiration while you create your own signs!
Less is More
Apple is a giant in the tech industry, which means that nearly everyone recognizes their brand logo. As a result, they don’t have to do much with their signage; a simple sign with the Apple logo tells customers all they need to know.
Even if you’re not running a multi-billion-dollar business, you can opt for minimalism in your signage design. A classic wood or metal sign that bears your company name in a clean, clear font always looks sleek, old-fashioned, and timelessly cool.
Make Use of the Space You Have
When this TV station bought this billboard space, they likely knew they’d have to work around this light fixture. However, they were incredibly creative and integrated the light into their signage design! This kind of design work is innovative and unique, and it’s sure to attract attention from passersby.
If you have other elements near your business signage (a light, a mural, etc.), try to find a way to incorporate it into your own sign. This will make your sign stand out from the crowd — and it’s likely to be a fun creative exercise for you!
Go Big
When PDX Pop Now (a music festival in Portland, Oregon) wanted to spread the word about their event, they went for signage that was simple in design, but large in scope. This reflected the indie vibe of the event itself, while still being large enough to catch the eye of people walking around the city.
A simple but large sign is a great way to make use of the space you have and make a big impact. If your business is in a tall building (or if you have a lot of wall space near your shop), consider choosing a large design to advertise your business.
Light it Up
If your business is one that operates into the night, you’ll need to find a way to make your signage visible when the sun goes down. Neon signs are a great way to advertise your business from morning until dark.
Additionally, neon can be a great way to show off your creativity. Consider creating an image out of light, the way this sushi restaurant. A unique and beautiful image lit up in the night sky is sure to catch customers’ eyes and draw them to your business.
Make Your Signage Useful
Signage has one main purpose: to advertise your business. However, that doesn’t mean it needs to be the ONLY purpose your signs serve. If you want customers to pay attention to your business signage, you might need to design a sign that both promotes you and meets their needs.
For example, the IBM advertisements above also provide benefits for people near them. The signs are also a bench and a shelter from the rain, respectively, which means that potential customers are likely to spend some time around the signs. As a result, these users are bound to wind up reading the ad copy and remembering the company.
Play with ColourÂ
This sign plays on the idea that the right side of the brain controls creativity and artistry. With this sign, the company can express the ingenuity that goes into making a Mercedes Benz vehicle.The bright colours represent creativity — and they’re sure to catch people’s attention as they walk past.
Similarly, bright colours are a great way to communicate with your audience. If you’re running a food establishment, signs in red and yellow trigger viewers’ hunger centers. If you’re running a law firm, royal blue signifies authority and sophistication. Playing with differently coloured signs is a great way to test how your audience views your business.
Use Negative Space
By contrast, sometimes the best colour you can use in your signage is none at all. This billboard for pain colours uses negative space (the white background with missing pieces for the sky to peek through) to give the impression that their paint colour is a perfect match for the sky.
Negative space can be a great way to keep you signage simple while still saying a mouthful. When you design your business signage for a wall or window, make sure you consider what’s happening in the space you’re not designing as well.
Make it 3-D
How do you make your signs really stand out from the crowd? Literally make it a 3-D design! In the photo above, the famed American baseball stadium Fenway Park in Boston, USA, used large, 3-D numbers to advertise their team, the Boston Red Sox. These numbers certainly stand out when people walk around the area, and everyone who sees them is certain to stop and take a look.
While you may not have the budget of Fenway park, you can still use 3-D signage to draw a crowd and advertise your business. Something as simple as a 3-D logo on the side of your building or a sandwich board sign just outside your door can have a lasting impact!
Print Beautiful Business Signage Today
Whether you’re printing some large business signage or a new set of business cards, it is always important to have the best-quality print you can. Luckily, it’s easy to get a high-quality print — thanks to online printers like Banana Print! Our team will work with you to get beautiful branded materials, from wall signage and brochures to promotional stickers and other swag.
Take a look at our selection of print marketing materials, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions on getting started!