How to Grab Customer Attention with Effective Signage

Fun (and not-so-fun?) fact: the average person nowadays is estimated to come across anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 ads every day. Every single day.

As a society, we’re constantly bombarded with messages, and because of that, we’ve become masterful at ignoring whatever doesn’t immediately pique interest.

That said, what your business prints on a sign matters. The message and design need to work together to grab the attention of your customers—and fast.

Use the Right Sign for the Job

First things first: choose the right type of sign. It sounds straightforward until you’re presented with options like: acrylic or coroplast? Decal or magnetic? Banner or poster?

Start by listing out some basic needs:

• Will the sign(s) be used indoors or outdoors? Both?

• Are you designing the sign(s) for a one-time event?

• Or should the sign(s) be long-lasting and reusable?

• Does the sign need to hang or stick to a surface?

• What are the dimensions of where the sign(s) will be posted?

Think through all of the logistics ahead of time to avoid feeling overwhelmed during the design process. From lightweight to tamper-proof, the Staples Solutionshop offers a versatile selection of sign options to draw inspiration from.

Design Signs That Are Easy to Read

When designing signs for your business, be cognitive of space. Resist the need to fill every inch with words and graphics.

White space — any colour, texture, pattern, or background image that exists between design elements — is not wasted space. It’s an opportunity to bring focus to the message you’re trying to emphasize and a sense of calm to the person viewing it.

Other things to be aware of when designing an easy-to-read sign:

• Colour contrast: light-coloured fonts on a light-coloured background will make the copy difficult to read. Instead, try a light-coloured font on a dark-coloured background to make the letters really pop.

• Graphics: utilize visuals that can help draw attention to important copy or complement the overall message.

• Borders: consider adding a border to help draw a viewer’s attention to the center of the sign and your most important text.

• Font style: script-style fonts may look pretty but they can be hard to read, especially from a distance. When in doubt, opt for block letter fonts with simple lines and shaping. Also, try to avoid using more than two different font styles in a single sign design.

• Font size: don’t make the font as small as possible just to fit more copy on a sign. Instead, vary the font size, making the most important part of your message the largest.

Tools like Canva, available through the Staples Solutionshop, make it easy to pick a template and go. Finished files can then be synced or uploaded for printing.

Location, Location, Location

Effective signage is as much about where you put the sign as what’s on it. Hanging banners, of course, are great for amplifying messages front and centre in a bold way.

Beyond that though, you can explore other ways to post signs using customizable floor decals or pavement stencils. Or re-stick cling vinyl for glass, which allows for repositioning signs as needed with zero residue.

Bottom line: there are plenty of ways to communicate with your customers in meaningful, effective ways. Know your options and if you need assistance at any point throughout the design process, our solution experts are always here to help.