I hate to see people waste money, so before you go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a vinyl sign or full color banner for business, you should sit down and ask yourself these 4 essential questions:
How will my sign be used?
If you’re looking for a temporary, large-format paper sign to hang in the window on sale day your needs are going to be different than if you’re looking for a permanent masthead to hang outside of your business (in which case, you’ll probably want a hard surface, durable product).
In terms of design, you’ll also want to ask yourself if the sign is intended to direct people, sell people or inform them?
Who is my target audience?
If you’re looking for a sign that’s going to advertise a children’s toy store the look is going to be significantly different than a sign intended to welcome attendees to your annual Bookkeeping Conference.
Another consideration is the actual mechanics, meaning how far will your target audience be from the sign and how long will they have to read it? For example, a full color banner intended to catch the attention of drivers on the freeway might just be a few words.
What will my sign copy say and how will it be laid out?
Once you know the purpose of your sign and your target audience, you can focus on the actual copy and layout. Is there a certain message you want to convey? Do you have any logo requirements? Also, does your sign need to fit in with an already existing design aesthetic or brand strategy?
How will my sign be installed?
This is another important consideration – will your sign be displayed indoors or outdoors? How will it be attached and are there any restrictions put in place by building codes or the building owners? By knowing this information ahead of time and planning for it, you could save hundreds on your next vinyl sign or full color banner.
