People should see, understand, and remember it. To get the desired response from your target audience, you need to keep in mind that both form and content are essential in making your outdoor signage.
No matter how good your message, if someone cannot read it because of the design, your outdoor sign is useless. Therefore, you should make sure that your sign is visible and legible. Here are some things that you should consider when creating an effective outdoor sign.
- Location
Location is the foremost consideration when creating outdoor signage because you need your signage to be seen by people. In this case, it is essential to place your sign wherein there are many people to view it. Of course, you should also keep in mind the regulations to avoid some troubles.You should see to it that your sign is not obstructed by trees, wires, buildings, etc. It is also vital to ensure that it is positioned at a suitable height so that passers-by and vehicle traffic can notice it. You can check the best location of your sign by driving past your business from all directions.
- Size
Aside from the fact that your sign should be easy to read, it is also crucial that the font is big enough to be readable for most people. You should also keep in mind to use mixed-case letters instead of typing the letters in all caps. All caps are more complicated to read because of their uniform shape and size.Basically, your outdoor sign will require an inch of letter height for every ten feet of viewing distance.
- Color
Choosing the right color contrast is the key to making sure that your outdoor sign is easily noticed and remembered. High color contrast can boost the effectiveness of your outdoor sign significantly. Examples of color contrast are choosing dark blue on a white background or black on yellow.Of course, you have to keep in mind the colors of your brand as well as the response you have to elicit psychologically from your target audience. Red, orange, and yellow are known to obtain a high response. Blue, white, purple, and green are considered more soothing colors.
It is also essential to leave 30 to 40 percent of “white space” to make sure that your outdoor sign is neat and easy to read.
- Brevity
Generally, the average adult reads around 250 words in a minute or roughly four words in a second. So it will be wise on your part to ensure that you drive the message succinctly. Consider the message you want to convey, write it using few words without throwing the meaning, then edit it until you get that desired brevity.You can make three to five words per headline as your goal with supplementary information below if needed. Avoid using abbreviations because they are harder to read even though they use few words. You can only use abbreviations if they are necessary for your message.
These four considerations mentioned above talk about the form of your outdoor signage.
Now what about the content or the message you need to convey?
Of course, concerning the message, there is really no hard and fast rule when it comes to it. However, with the development of technology, such as LED, you now have the option to change your message as often as you want and to use these pointers below so that your message can elicit brand awareness and increase sales.
- Convey the Benefits to the Consumer
People typically buy things or avail services because of the benefits. Does this product make them beautiful? Does it improve their health? Does having this product make them cool to their peers?You need to incorporate the answers to such questions in your outdoor sign message. Tell your potential customer that the product or service you are selling is beneficial to them. The more convincing your message, the more sales you will get from your advertisement.
- Provide Context to the Content
Context allows readers to get the message more quickly and clearly, whether they are reading or looking at a familiar image, logo, emoticon, or the initial part of a two-part message. Using familiar words, phrases, rhymes, alliteration, or repetition can help them process the message in their memory and elicit recall and response.Even using common abbreviations like OMG, LOL, and BFF can be useful, especially if your target audience are millennials. So you have to know your target market beforehand before crafting a compelling message.
- Utilize the Words “You” and “Yours”
People are more likely to respond to an advertisement when they can visualize themselves using the product or service that is being advertised.In advertising, a message gets more traction to a target audience if it has the words “you,” “your,” or “yours.” For instance, “You’ll get healthier with this fruit juice,” or “Lose your weight using this treadmill.”
- Ensure It is Creative and Easy to Recall
Don’t create outdoor signs that are boring. You should make sure that it incorporates humor so that people will easily recall the message. It is also essential that your sign is creative. You can use a clever wordplay or anything artsy to grab people’s attention.- Make an Urgent Call to Action
This technique has been around since time immemorial. In fact, it accounts for a majority of retail sales and to what we call “impulse buying.”Once you create a sense of urgency, such as time-sensitive, discounted sales of your products, most people will be compelled to buy your products lest they will not avail the discounts at the right time. So you should make sure that you incorporate this kind of advertising technique when creating an outdoor sign to draw in more customers and increase your sales.
- Customer Testimonials
Testimonials are another thing that you should incorporate in creating the content of your outdoor signage. Testimonials, reviews, achievements, and awards can help you enhance your advertising and boost your sales.- Takeaway
Outdoor signage plays a significant role in your business success. It can convey your brand’s message, attract customers, and drive up your sales. Thus, you need to see to it that you create compelling outdoor signage for your business. At Shieldco Art, we provide you with well-designed and creative signs for your business.What do you think? Kindly drop us a comment and share to your friends.
Author bio
Rebecca Nelson is a blogger and writer. She writes about technology, business, marketing, health and lifestyle, and real estate.In her free time, Rebecca either spends time with her family or play sports with her colleagues.
We give you the best daily information on news, technology, lifestyle, career, health tips, agriculture, business and entertainment. If you can write very well and want to make a living writing online, click HERE!