The mistake that companies often make when it comes to branding and signage is marrying themselves to the specific trend of the day. There is a good reason for this – to make your sign current is to convince customers that you are relevant and future-facing. However, trends are short-lived, and your sign will soon fall out of favor and be associated with the past instead of the future.
Instead, what you want is something distinct and unique to your company, something that remains trendy throughout the years and that will become etched in the mind of the public. You want something that will be associated with the quality and service you provide.
Here we will look at what to avoid and what to strive towards to make your custom sign design memorable. So just keep reading for some tips for memorable custom sign design.
How to Make Your Custom Sign Design Memorable
Font and Readability
As elegant and as eye-catching as certain handwriting fonts can be, what’s the point in using them in your signage if they are not legible to the passing pedestrian? As important as style is in branding, the name of your company is obviously what matters the most, as it is the name that people are going to say in their head and repeat to their peers.
Therefore, you need to pick a font that makes your name as readable as possible. One main factor that impacts font readability is font spacing. Are the letters separated enough? Can it be read and understood when just glanced at? Can the font still be read from far away?
The size of the font, of course, also impacts this and should be considered when developing your signage. The industry standard deems that font should be a minimum of 1 inch tall for every 10 feet of distance that the sign can be viewed. For example, if the outline of your sign can still be viewed from 100 feet away, the letters should be at least 10 inches in height.
Consider using block capital letters if you need to project your signage a great distance.
Color
When considering readability, the font itself is not the only factor at play – your background color is also just as important. First, keep your color scheme as simple as it possibly can be. Using any more than two colors tends to be unnecessary, unless the third is extremely subtle or is used to elevate one of the other two.
Secondly, the most important thing to consider when working with colors in any field is contrast. If you want to make an alluring sign, the colors chosen must be effective and in opposition to one another.
This applies to the main colors chosen, as well as your font. Most fonts are commonly black, so make sure it rests on a light color to embolden it, which will also help customers read the sign.
In some instances, depending on what type of service you offer, it is not always imperative to use your company’s regular color scheme. For example, you might want to evoke a certain mood, response, or sensation through your signage. Color choice can make a hugely subliminal impact, and you should consider what mood your chosen colors evoke.
Lastly, consider the color schemes chosen by the shopfronts that neighbor your business, and be sure to avoid duplicating any of their chosen colors. This will help your shop stand out.
Simplicity is Key
When attaching graphics or elements other than text to your signage, make sure they are relevant to your product and/or service. This is important to remember, but it is also easy to get wrong.
In the instances where your company name or typeface does not reflect what you do, there is a need to attach imagery or other elements to make up for it. For example, a florist may want to attach a floral pattern to their sign to convey the message and purpose of their company.
It is very easy to overdo this, so try and keep any additional details to a minimum. If you overdo it, you risk confusing the public even more regarding what it is you do.
Also, it’s best to avoid any additional text or information on your sign other than the name of the company. Many signs feature a phone number or an address. However, this can often make signs appear overcrowded. They often must be printed in a smaller font than that of the company title to fit, which renders them unreadable from a distance anyway.
If anything, the most you should be adding to the sign in terms of text is one to two words, such as the year that your business was established, for example.
Conclusion
To recap, avoid the trend of the day in favor of your own, unique design, and make the font an appropriate size to ensure readability. Choose your color scheme wisely, and ensure that there is some element of contrast involved. Finally, keep it simple and avoid overpopulating your sign with unnecessary imagery or text.