How to boost your business profile with custom signs
In an increasingly digital world, it can be tempting to skimp on printed signage in favour of online branding tools. But studies show that signs can be a powerful motivator for customers to take positive action, especially when businesses take a strategic approach.
In this article, we speak to Daniel McKenzie, Owner of Kwik Kopy Miller Street in North Sydney, and David Lynch, Owner of Kwik Kopy Gold Coast, about what custom signs can do for your business and how you can maximise their impact.
Is signage worth the investment?
The value of signage lies in its visibility, which is a vital element of any branding or marketing strategy.
“Making it easy for your customer to find you is essential, so even simple wayfinding signage can be vital for business success,” says David.
But in a competitive market, signage without strategy is unlikely to give your business the edge it needs to build meaningful traffic.
“I see a lot of businesses who have a great product, but what’s on the outside doesn’t reflect that,” Dan explains. “Their signage is either old or uninviting, so it’s letting them down.”
Well-designed custom signs, meanwhile, have the power to drastically increase customer traffic (via walk-ins and word-of-mouth referrals) and boost sales. This is most likely because more than two-thirds of consumers believe that a business’s signage reflects the quality of its products or services.
With this in mind, it’s important to ensure your signs:
- Look visually pleasing because a quality finish suggests a quality offering.
- Express your brand’s identity because consistent design helps with positive brand recognition and recall.
For the best results, make sure to develop your signage projects alongside other media under your business’s wider marketing strategy.
“It’s important to understand that what’s on the outside reflects what’s on the inside,” says Dan.
Does your business sign clearly reflect what you do?
Which type of custom sign should I choose?
When people think of business signs, they usually picture an illuminated sign on a shopfront. And while neon signs are trending right now, the possibilities of signage don’t stop there.
“Business signage is actually quite a broad term,” says Dan. “For example, corporate spaces like law firms need small signage like wayfinding boards, while businesses running events need media walls, flags and banners.”
A wide variety of branded signage types are available to suit your needs, such as:
- A-frame signs and sandwich boards – popular among shops and restaurants for street-level advertising
- Bollard covers – affordable and impactful (these work well with shopfront signage)
- Car stickers, decals and magnets – turn heads at events and in the street!
- Custom banners – ideal for advertising and events indoors and outdoors (e.g. feather flags, teardrop banners, pull-up banners)
- Corflute signs – highly customisable, tough, waterproof and easy to transport (making them perfect as outdoor business signs and for events)
- Custom acrylic signs – a long-standing favourite that’s recently soared in popularity due to the potential for letter mounting (which creates a pleasing drop-shadow)
- Floor signs – help guide customers to what they’re looking for and promote sales
- Metal signs – durable and professional-looking
- Novelty cheques – great for a PR moment at your next event (available on sustainable stock)
- Removable wallpaper and graphics – a trendy way to entice people to engage with a space (ask for PVC-free material and for materials intended for sensitive areas like education and food preparation settings)
- Window and door decals and frosting film – draw more customers into your store
- And more!
When browsing signage options, don’t forget you can mix and match for a dynamic result.
A professional can help!
When it comes to signage, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Expert advice can be invaluable when choosing the right business sign for your needs.
“Any business considering signage should consult a signage specialist,” suggests David. “The building type, situation and access will determine the type of sign required.”
Discover how expert advice can transform your business signs
3 tips for an effective business sign
A weak sign can cost you more in lost customers than the price of a strategic one, so it’s important to get it right. Follow these top tips for a successful outcome.
1. Start with your budget
As with any branding project, determining your budget is a smart place to start.
“Work out what you can spend on your signage, and don’t go over the top when you don’t need to,” says Dan. “Don’t create a large LED sign for the local fun run.”
Ask yourself:
- What’s affordable?
- What works for what you’re trying to do? (e.g. Who is your target market?)
- What will provide the best value for money?
2. Keep it simple
A common pitfall for businesses is that they often try to fit too much information onto their signs.
“They might think, I need to put lots of text onto my signage so people can read all the things I do,” says Dan. “But people aren’t going to stand there and read lengthy copy. To attract people to your brand, your signs need to be simple and inviting.”
This is particularly true if you’re hoping to attract foot traffic in a busy area.
“If you don’t have very clear signage, people will walk straight past you,” Dan says.
3. Engage a full design-and-print service
If you engage a separate designer, they may produce a beautiful graphic only for your printer to say it’s incompatible with the sign you’ve selected. (Not something anyone wants to hear towards the tail end of a time-sensitive project!)
Conversely, a full design-and-print service can take you through every aspect of your project right from the beginning – from the visuals to the format, materials, customisation options and placement – to ensure every decision you make aligns with the results you want. This promotes a smooth production process and a desirable outcome.
“At Kwik Kopy, we visit the site to take photos, discuss ideas, assess any traffic and laser-measure everything so that the dimensions are all millimetre-perfect,” says Dan. “A designer that’s offsite or overseas may receive photos of the site, but the finished signage might be less accurate or fail to maximise potential visibility.”
To attract people to your brand, your signs need to be simple and inviting.
We make striking signage possible
As an experienced print-and-design service specialising in custom signage as well as marketing and communications, Kwik Kopy acts as an extension of your team to make your signage goals a reality.
Whether you need some slick branded stickers or a stunning interior fit-out for a grand event, we’ll go the extra mile to deliver a brilliant product within budget and on schedule. Our brand purpose is We Make Possible, after all!
“With custom signs, we can quickly transform a blank wall into a masterpiece,” says Dan. “And that’s really satisfying for our teams and our customers.”
