IT’S TIME TO DESIGN YOUR SIGN

Signage Outdoor

Creating the right sign for your small business is essential to making a great impression and effectively getting your message across.  At Guru Printers we know we’ve consulted some design experts to make designing and selecting your sign easier.  Getting the attention of your customers through a great sign just got easier!

How to pick the right sign type

With so many options for signs it’s best to first decide the purpose behind your sign as it relates to your business.   Your success is important to us so at Guru Printers we’ve listed some products and examples under the guidance of experts in design.

  • Use posters and window decals to get the attention of pedestrians and browsers in presenting your store or office.
  • Banners, tabletop signs, retractable banners and foam boards are great for situations in which you have a booth setup indoors at a convention or trade show.
  • In outdoor settings such as fairs and farmers markets yard signs, banners and flags will grab the attention of onlookers near and far.
  • Posters, foam boards, banners, retractable banners and tabletop signs are noticeable and clear ways to showcase a sale or promotion.
  • Stickers, posters, car magnets, yard signs, banners and flags are great for setting a general impression and raising brand awareness. They are the ideal marketing tools for displaying your logo, contact info or any other news you want your current and potential customers to be aware of. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself:  Will this sign will be used indoors or outdoors?  If it is going to be used outdoors, will it need to contend with wind or rain conditions?  Is durability important for you? How long will you be using this product?  For example, will it be in several trade shows and transported from place to place, or will it be used only a few times for special occasions?

Different materials can withstand different types of elements so it’s important to keep the questions listed above in mind.  For example, in rainy outdoor conditions we recommend selecting a material that will resist rain, like vinyl or corrugated plastic.  Non-water resistant or light materials like poster paper would not be recommended for such conditions. For windy conditions we recommend a product that is heavy and perhaps tying it down or securing it with weights.

How you are going to hang your sign and the material you’ll need to attach it are some other factors to consider. If you need to make the most out of your window space we recommend window decals, or placing suction cups on your signs. In cases where you don’t have anything available for attachment select sign stand or free standing sign.

Your product’s physical size in relation to the available space you have for this signage is another important thing to consider.  The larger your font size, the easier it will be to read your message.  Select the largest size of product you can without it being too excessive for the amount of space you have available.  A good example would be if you are selecting a window decal be sure to measure your window space before thinking about the design of your sign.  For banners you want to make sure that you choose a banner well in the awning space of your business’s front entry.  If it’s too long, you there will be trouble hanging it.  If it’s too short it’ll compromise your messaging space. 

Window Signs

How to design your sign

After deciding which suits your needs and the space it will be located in, you are ready to start designing!  Here are some professional tips that you can use to create sign customized to your needs:

  • Bold Font: Implementing a heavy typeface provides will make it bolder and more readable. If your brand calls for a more elegant, and thin font be sure the size of the font makes up for the thinner strokes.
  • Keep the message on target and simple: Avoid long messages on large signs. Stay focused on using your signs to share short brand event focused or promotional messages. Pick the one essential message you want to share with your customers and make it an easy read. The larger your font the quicker the time people take to understand it, walking or even driving by. 
  • Make it eye catching: If your logo is a lighter color, it needs to be contrasted with a dark background to ensure visibility.  For example, if your wall is white then bold colors within your sign or banner can make it pop out even more.

 

  • Select a file type for a logo: Choosing  the right vector file type can ensure your logo will be scalable at any size as a high-quality PDF or JPG file for imagery. Guru Printers supports various file formats for uploading designs:
    • JPEG Image (*.jpg,*.jpeg)
    • Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 Document (*.ppt)
    • Microsoft Word 2010 Document (*.doc)
    • PCX Image (*.pcx)
    • PICT Image (*.pic,*.pict,*.pct)
    • PNG Image (*.png)
    • PostScript Document (*.ps)
    • TIFF Image (*.tif,*.tiff)
    • Adobe Acrobat 9 Document (*.pdf) (recommended)
    • Adobe Illustrator CS3 Artwork (*.ai) (recommended)
    • Adobe Photoshop CS3 Image (*.psd) (recommended)
    • Bitmap Image (*.bmp)
    • GIF Image (*.gif)
  • High-resolution uploads: Higher resolution is required for large signs and banners.  Please don’t ignore a resolution error during the uploading process. Your logo or photo will have the right resolution if they are:
    • A logo designed by a professional graphic designer or using Guru Printer’s design services.
    • Photos taken with a high quality camera.
    • Some high resolution stock photos.

 

Do you have a logo that you want to use but the resolution is too low?  Feel free to use Guru Printer’s design and logo services to have your logo re-done in a format that is scalable.

With all these expert tips, you are now ready to create an impression setting and bold sign.  If it all still seems daunting don’t worry.  We can assist you to ensure that you’ll end up with a sign and design tailored to your specific needs.  Amplify your brand and business by contacting us about all your signage needs.