Whether you’re an established retail business or a new start-up, effective and eye-catching signage is essential for getting your products, services and brand noticed. A strong exterior sign conveys your unique personality and values, and customers that walk by or stop into your store will be attracted to it.
While indoor signs are designed to be clear and concise, outdoor signs must be legible across busy streets with varying backgrounds and lighting conditions. Text must be larger to remain readable, and colors should be bold and vibrant to stand out on a crowded street. Outdoor business signs must also be able to withstand the elements, so their design may incorporate materials like stainless steel or aluminum that are resistant to corrosion and harsh weather conditions.
Custom sign shops designing durable outdoor signs are capable of creating many different types. The most common are sidewalk advertising signs and retail a-frames, which are crafted from durable chloroplast and mount to H-frame bases. Other options include channel letters, which are mounted directly to building walls or partitions for high visibility. Lastly, outdoor signs can also be installed on poles and pylons to elevate a building’s architecture or direct traffic in a parking lot or other area.
For those seeking to elevate their sign’s aesthetic, backlit signage is available. LED lights are installed within or around a sign’s frame, illuminating its letters and graphics for maximum visibility. In addition to attracting attention from potential customers, backlit signage looks beautiful at night and is more legible in inclement weather.
A strong sign is crucial not only for a business’s longevity but for the safety of customers and the public. Large customized outdoor business signs that are not properly supported or anchored to the ground may weaken over time, potentially becoming a hazard. Additionally, a weak sign that is exposed to heavy winds may collapse and damage nearby property.
To ensure durability and safety, a custom sign shop will make sure that all signs are fabricated with materials rated for use outdoors. For example, a foam sign is sturdier than wood because it does not rot or split when exposed to the elements. Foam is also moisture-resistant and won’t warp after exposure to icy rain or saltwater spray.
The strength of a customized outdoor business sign is determined not only by its thickness, but by the quality of its mounting hardware and its ability to resist wind pressure. A qualified sign designer can help a business select the right Madison outdoor sign for its specific environment and location to ensure that the sign can be firmly secured or anchored without risk of damage.
A custom sign company can also help a business develop a color scheme that maximizes contrast to promote its message and identity. For this reason, Madison sign studios utilize G7 Master Qualified large format printers to produce colors that are within 95% of CMYK Pantone standards for high-contrast, easy-to-read signage. In addition to ensuring accuracy, these high-end printers are also capable of producing outdoor signs in ADA-compliant colors for the visually impaired.