When you’re designing your business office’s signage, several things can go wrong. Even if you get the design right, the individual pieces may still be problematic. Generally speaking, these mistakes fall into one of three categories:
1. They fail to communicate important information.
2. They distract from the overall design.
3. They’re unattractive or unprofessional.
For example, poorly planned or unreadable office signage can reduce productivity by making it difficult for employees to find their way around the building. Similarly, generic signage with too much text and few clear images will barely capture attention, while flashy signage with little substance might distract workers rather than draw them in. Finally, if your signage looks unprofessional, visitors and customers might not be inclined to take it seriously.
Why signage is important for a business?
Having a well-developed business office signage can help your company to stand out from the competition, and it will also provide useful information for your customers. Office signage that stands out will make an impression on people as they walk past or drive by.
If you are currently starting up a business, then you should begin thinking about developing your office signage early on in the process. Office signage can be implemented at different times during your company’s lifespan, and you will get various designs and options depending on how much money you are willing to spend. If this is your first sale or business venture, then an effective strategy is to get a simple, inexpensive sign that has your company name and logo on it. These types of office signage will still be noticed, and they can even help to generate incoming leads that you may one day hope to turn into paying customers.
When designing office signage, start by choosing a color scheme that’s appropriate for your industry. For example, if you’re in the medical field, you may want to avoid bright colors like yellow or purple (which can cause seizures in some people) in favor of more neutral shades like dark blue or black. Next, consider the space you’re working with and how you can use it to draw attention.
Finally, use fonts that are clean and easy to read at a glance; ideally, they should be simple enough for visitors without much graphic design experience to understand at first sight. When in doubt about your design choices, keep in mind that you should always strive to create attractive, functional office signage that’s appropriate for the particular needs of your business.
What are examples of common design mistakes?
Simple Text – This one is pretty simple but if the text on the sign is not easy to read it will defeat its purpose. Too Many Words – Simplicity will prevail here as well. If there is too much text on the sign it will look unprofessional and no one will be able to understand what the sign is trying to say.
Styles – A common mistake that people make when designing office signage.
Font Size – If the font is too small, it will defeat its purpose because clients will have a difficult time reading the sign.
Font Color – Make sure that the colors of your office signage are appropriate for your particular business. For example, if you’re in the medical industry, dark colors like black or purple may not be an effective choice. What’s more, you should ensure that text and images are easy to read, both from a distance and up close.
Projector Signage – A common mistake with projector signage is that people don’t consider their environment before putting it into use.
Poor Lighting – This is another simple one but if the lighting on your office signage is very dim, it will defeat its purpose and visitors won’t be able to read it.
Color Scheme – The color scheme you choose for your office signage should be appropriate for the needs of your business. Basic colors like black, blue, or grey are typically most effective in many cases.
Projector font size – When using a projector for signs, make sure the text is large enough for everyone to read.
What to think about when creating signage?
Size – The size of your business signage can play a major role in its effectiveness. If you choose signs that are too small, visitors may not be able to read them easily. However, if you go with signs that are too large, they might end up looking cluttered or tacky.
Bright Colors – If you use bright, flashy colors that won’t work well with the overall design of your business signage.
Projector Layout – When creating office signage with a projector, you want to make sure the layout is clean and doesn’t have too much information or it will defeat its purpose.
Content – Having too much text on your business signage might cause visitors to not pay attention to what’s being said. If it’s too flashy or busy, it will defeat its purpose.
Fonts – Be very careful with the fonts you choose for your office signage because they can make a huge difference in how easy it is to read. Stay away from fonts that are too complicated or distracting.
Lighting – If the lighting on your office signage is very dim, it will defeat its purpose and visitors won’t be able to read it.
What are some types of business signs?
Office Signs – Office signs are generally signs that are used for interior purposes. Interior signs are typically used on the inside of buildings or other structures.
Wayfinding Signs – Wayfinding office signage is especially important for businesses that have many different rooms or levels. It’s designed to help people guide themselves through your business more easily.
Entrance Signage – Entrance office signage communicates what spaces are restricted, where to check-in, and what’s allowed.
Office Room Signs – Office room signs are generally used for offices that have more than one office worker or individual working within them.
Exterior Signs – Exterior office signage is most often used for businesses with multiple locations or buildings. They can be extremely useful for showing clients where to go and which entrance to use.
Do I need to hire a professional designer?
There are many benefits to hiring a professional signage designer and one of the main ones is that they can help ensure your business signage is effective. Most designers have experience in design processes so you can trust them on their expertise when creating your business signage. They’ll also be able to incorporate important design elements determined by you and your company’s specific needs.
If you’re going to hire a professional designer, make sure that they have experience in creating effective signage as this will play a big role in determining the quality of work that you receive from them.
Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Duncan Parnell