Sign Design & Message Development

At Signs By Tomorrow, we understand the many factors that influence the impact of any sign including the Sign Design and Message Development. 

Before you begin the design of your sign, you should consider the following:

• The Sign’s Goal or Purpose
• Indoor or Outdoor Sign
• Temporary or Permanent Display
• Sign Distance from Targeted Reader
• Existing Brand Requirements

Because your sign is a reflection of your business and many times, a customer’s first encounter with your brand, the design and message of your sign must be clear, concise and powerful. Below are a few tips and tricks to ensure your sign meets your business goals.

Sign Goals & Message Development

Your signs goal or purpose, in conjunction with your existing brand messaging, are the main considerations when creating your sign’s message. For example, a promotional sign should have minimal copy that will grab an audience's attention and drive them to act in 5 seconds or less, while an informative presentation or display, depending on the size, will have more copy as the audience is expected to read and absorb the information being displayed. For more information on what signs effectively promote, inform, brand, etc., please visit our Sign Goals section.

Outdoor Signs vs. Indoor Signs

Materials that make up your sign are the major consideration when designing an outdoor or indoor sign. Some materials are not suitable for outdoor applications, including many thin plastic materials which melt or warp in the sun. Materials influence the shape, texture and size of your sign. In addition, if you are installing an outdoor sign you most likely need to install lighting, or have an illuminated sign.

Temporary or Permanent

Decide before you request a quote on a sign whether this will be a permanent or temporary sign. If the sign is temporary we can advise more affordable materials that will allow for larger sizes and attractive graphics. Temporary signs are usually event type signs that direct attendees, or seasonal promotional signage.

Sign Distance

Distance from your audience is a major factor when deciding on fonts and sizes. For signs that are viewed from the side of the road, the fonts must be bold and block so it is easy to read at high driving speeds. If signs are placed on a building intended to be viewed from afar, then large (12” or higher) letters must be used. Keep in mind that the large font and distance, not to mention extremely short viewing time, makes for very limited words and messaging.

Existing Brand Requirements

Your sign should be an integral item in your cohesive or integrated marketing plan and as such, it should match, as close as possible, your existing marketing materials. Now, there are certain considerations that may ask for some manipulation or additions to your brand. For instance, if your logo is in a script font, this could be a readability challenge for some signage applications. Also, because signs are normally viewed for short periods of time, the color combinations must be bold and striking, so there must be a strong contrast like yellow, white and black. Please visit our color combination or font selection pages for more detailed information.

To learn more about how Signs By Tomorrow can help you design your perfect sign please visit the our services section of our website.

Visit our Inspiration Gallery to see more examples of sign designs and message development we have done for our other clients.