What Is Retail Signage?

Signage for a retail store can be any visual medium that is made to present information to a customer about a business. The goal of a retail sign is to communicate a message or statement. Retail signage can be both interior and exterior. An example of a possible exterior retail signs goal would be communicating store products to those on a nearby street that can see your storefront. An example of an interior signage message could be a call to action or a window poster that helps customers understand the benefits of a product or service.

Below is some content to help you understand the different ways that signage benefits the retail store industry:

• A storefront sign is designed to communicate your brand identity to the customer.
• Retail store signage sizing should be based on the customers you are trying to reach. For example, if your outdoor sign is smaller than what it should be, potential customers can miss it, but if the sign is too big, potential customers may think your signage is too aggressive. 
• Signage is an excellent point of communication between the business and the customer. It allows for your store to deliver a message and encourage a satisfying customer experience.

At KDM, we understand a store’s signage can quickly drive interest in potential customers and increase foot traffic within your store. As you read about the many different aspects of retail signage, feel free to reach out to us and share your retail signage ideas, request a quote, or ask for further elaboration. We at KDM will work with you to create retail signage your store can rely on.

Ideas For Retail Store Signage

Retail Sign Location

Retail signage works best when it is in a location that the average customer can easily see. A best practice for placing retail signage is to keep it within a customer’s line of sight and keep it visible from further points within the store. A critical ratio to keep in mind when designing a sign for your store is for a customer standing ten feet away; signage lettering should be roughly one foot in height to allow for the best visibility.

Understanding A Sign’s Impact

For a sign to be most easily read by a customer, there should be an understanding of how to balance the sizing of words based on the typical customer distance from the sign or storefront. If you are having trouble deciding on what word sizing you would like to implement, there are many resources available created by the United States Sign Council.

The typical consumer only takes a few seconds on average to read and fully understand retail signage within a given space. This knowledge is essential for decision-making as it related to the visual aspects of what your signage should look like.

Creating Unique Signage

A fundamental way to set your retail signage apart from the typical is to utilize your store’s surroundings within your display. Say palm trees surround your storefront. Using colors in your signs typically associated with tropical locations may be a great way to create visually appealing signage and window posters that can set your business apart from competitors.

The Benefit Of Contrasting Colors

When it comes to outdoor signage, the addition of contrasting colors is a great way to catch the attention of any passerby in the area. Colors that often contrast each other placed together are known to grab attention. As you work on your retail signage, keep the idea of using contrasting color combinations in mind. Some examples of contrasting colors would be blue and orange, red and green, or purple and yellow. While sometimes these colors together can look loud and cheesy to a degree, choosing propers shades and hues of these colors can create an eye-catching but still appealing sign that consumers will notice.

Wall Design

When looking at both interior and exterior signage, understanding how you can use the walls of your building to your advantage is key. For example, perhaps your outdoor facade is a vibrant primary color, maybe utilizing a stark black sign on your building is the best choice for you. Or if your walls are textured, implementing sleek and smooth lettering would be a great way to create a point of visual contrast. The choices are endless, but some designs will often work better depending on the current walls and facade of your storefront.

Opportunities For Photos

Incorporating your store’s retail signage into your social media strategies is another great way to create promotional content for your business. Some businesses incorporate murals into their exterior facade; others utilize neon signage. The choices are endless but whichever route you choose, keep in mind that incorporating photo opportunities for customers at your store is a great way to increase promotion and ultimately boost store sales.

As many consumers now have access to many online options for shopping, creating a unique photo opportunity is a way to encourage in-store shopping and drive up foot traffic.

Creative Color Palette

Color can increase the recognition of your brand immensely, and it is important to take advantage of this. Instead of using a common color with your store’s retail signage, think about incorporating unique colors that will catch the eye of potential customers while remaining visually appealing. The use of contrast is an excellent practice for retail signage and window posters. A great tip is to use dark and light colors together in a way that makes certain words in your display pop.

Fonts

Fonts can make or break your retail store sign’s impact on consumers. Often many businesses will use one standard font throughout all of their signage. While some can appreciate this uniformity, it frequently comes off as dull and lacking visual appeal. Understanding your ideal customer can help you in this process. For example, if your business is catered to vintage and classic products, including a vintage-looking font into your retail signage could be a great choice. Incorporating a mix of fonts consistently through different signage at your business is a great way to keep things interesting.

Seasonal Retail Signage Displays

Using retail store signage to promote seasonal products or holiday discounts is another way to use signage to your business’s benefit. As many people shop for others during the holiday season, a great tip is to be sure to incorporate some aspects of holiday design into your signage for the season. This can help to remind customers of upcoming holidays and gift-giving seasons, ultimately increasing store sales.

At KDM, we work with companies to create long-term retail signage and seasonal signage. We will help you determine where to focus your holiday signage and what changes to your standard signage during the holiday season will offer the most benefit.

Effective Wording

Effective signage wording can be summed up by the following:

• Attention-Grabbing Headline
• Short Elaboration
• Ending Call To Action

Remember that customers benefit from receiving information quickly. If they have to spend a long time reading your sign to understand your message, they are more likely to become distracted by something else and forget about the sign altogether.

Experiment With Unique Signage Mediums

Retail signage is not bound to only window posters, storefronts, and walls. It is valuable to consider additional signage in the forms of mats, exterior umbrellas, flags, and more. One tip is if your brand has value unrelated to products and your customers often purchase due to this brand value, there are benefits in incorporating signage into sellable products. Sellable products with your business’s signage can include coffee mugs, tote bags, and more.