Common Signage Mistakes Businesses Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Your sign is one of the most effective means of attracting customers, communicating your unique image and telling a professional first impression. However, even the nicest-looking signs can flounder if certain pitfalls are encountered during planning, design, or installation. Bad signage can leave customers scratching their heads, damage your brand and leave you with a low return on investment.

Being aware of these pitfalls  and being able to avoid them can help your business get more value from its signage. Here, we share typical mistakes Business Signage experience and offer tips on avoiding them. So whether you are rebranding an old sign or creating new ones, with these lessons, your signage will continue to serve you and your location while also looking attractive and fitting for your brand.

1. Poor Visibility

A sign that isn’t visible won’t work. Visibility counts for a lot, and businesses don't seem to realize that. There are a number of variables that determine how visible signs tend to be:

• Distance and sightlines: Imagine how far potential customers are from you when they come toward you. That is about the distance at which you should be able to read the sign.
• Blockage: A sign can be obstructed if its placement isn’t well considered
• Outdoor and lighted signs: must be visible during daylight hours and at night.

One of the services a proffessional sign company such as Competitive Signs can provide is on-site visits to assess placement and lighting of your sign for visibility. For instance—reflective materials, or by having LED lighting  this will increase visibility when it’s dark outside and there is little light as well imitating how your business shows up during the day.

2. Using Too Much Text

Too many times have business owners crammed their signs with words. However tempted you are to write loads about your products or services, give them to us in their entirety, trust me when I say people only have time for a very brief look at signs. To create effective signage:

• Stick to short, clear messages
• Opt for big, easy to read fonts that are visible from a distance
• Emphasize elements that matter most for your business, whether it’s a company name, logo or even a call-to-action.

For instance, a restaurant might show its name, logo and an “Open” or “Takeout Available” sign rather than a list of menu items. Bold, easy-to-read signs get the message out. Signage grabs your customers attention by making your contact number stand out in a large template.

3. Choosing the Wrong Colors

Colors are not only a statement on your brand, but they also affect readability. In some cases, poor decisions can turn your sign into an eyesore or lose its impact. The following aspects should be considered:

• Contrast: the text on your sign should have a strong contrast with the background.
• Brand alignment: Colors should maintain a connection with your brand and not feel out of place.
• Legibility: certain bright or neon colors that produce eye strain, and some do not read easily.

For example, most people appreciate white text on a dark blue background, and it often reads well from far away. Alternatively, yellow text on white is almost unreadable. A professional signage company can provide neon and light suggestions that will present good visibility and stay in line with your brand colors.

4. Ignoring Branding Consistency

Your sign is the face of your brand. Discrepancies in fonts, colors or logos can be confusing for consumers and work to dilute your brand's identity. To maintain consistency:

• Use only approved brand fonts, colors and logo dimensions.
• Make the design of signs consistent with other advertising designs signage equals website equals social media that is equal to business cards etc
• Make all (multiple, if you have) locations stylistically the same.

Consistent branding increases your credibility, inspires trust and assists in customers recognizing your business between various touchpoints. Even minimal differences in fonts can make the site seem unprofessional.

5. Neglecting Maintenance

Even if a sign was designed perfectly, an old, faded or broken one can leave a bad taste in the viewer’s mouth. Common mistakes include:

• Not cleaning outdoor signs frequently and allowing dirt and debris to gather on them
• Excluding wear and tear from the weather such as for signs that are exposed to rain, wind or strong sunlight
• Failure to fix broken components such as lighting or mounting hardware

When you invest in lasting materials and maintain your sign, like those from Competitive Signs, well, it's never tired or outdated. Taking care of it on a regular basis can keep minor problems from becoming major ones.

Conclusion

Good custom neon signs is more than decoration it’s a marketing tool that attracts attention, communicates your brand and helps customers navigate. Doing so reduces the risk of you sharing something common that many others do and also damaging your visibility.

Working with seasoned pros like the team at Competitive Signs guarantees you that your sign will be created, installed and maintained to exact standards. With the foresight to plan, use high quality materials and install properly, your signage is a valuable investment that draws business, builds brand awareness and fosters growth.