Retail Signage Best Practices

The ideal types of signage will depend heavily on the target audience and brand of a store. Unfortunately, no one sign or signage types are universal for bringing in or informing a potential customer.

With that said, there are a handful of general guidelines that can help make the signs in your store more engaging to your customer base. Of course, factors like your store’s physical location and where its signs are on display will always play a vital role in bringing customers to the business – but these tips from experts in the signage industry can help elevate the effectiveness of your signs further.

Be Specific

Signage for any business should leave a solid first impression. Whether your signs advertise a product or give customers directions, they should concisely serve their purpose without withholding information.

Entrance signs should indicate where the central doorway of a store is. Informational signs should have clearly stated hours of operation for each day of the week. Whatever you need your sign to say, say it clearly without unnecessary information.

Keep it Simple

Nothing makes a customer lose interest quicker than a sign display that has too much going on.

A retail store attempting to sell everything to its customers on just one sign can adversely affect a shopper’s retention, as customers typically respond better to important information delivered concisely. When creating business signage, think about what you want your customers to know at a basic level. For example, if you’re going to advertise featured items from your store, consider displaying no more than a couple. For directional signage, try to give clear instructions without being too wordy.

Consider the Colors & Font

Be sure to give the design elements of your signs as much importance as the information on them.

The font size should be big enough to capture customers’ attention quickly, and the color scheme should be noticeable without being too bright or unpleasant to observe.

In addition, signs should have a clear understanding of the brand and customer base of a business. A sign that prominently possesses a brand logo with a color and font scheme that customers find appealing will align your retail store with their ideal customer experience.

Write in the Headline Text

Every sign in your store should have clear headlines and headline text. Using a large font size for a handful of attention-grabbing words for the headlines on your signage can capture the attention of customers quickly.

Signage with clear communication can be even more effective in holding a customer’s attention and communicating information than a flashy display with LED lights.

Create a Call to Action

Once your signage has brought in customers and captured their attention, it is vital that those signs then advertise your store and brand.

For example, retail signage advertising a sale should list the available featured items with a call to action telling customers to shop now before the deal ends. Use your signs to give the customers a reason to engage with your business.

Types of Retail Signage

Now that we’ve explored some of the ways to make your signage more effective, we can start looking at the best ways to put those strategies to use.

Retail signage takes many forms, especially in the modern age. While signs advertising a sale or business hours placed in a store’s window will always have a purpose in a retail space, there are many more involved and practical uses for signs that can significantly increase customer flow to your store.

Outdoor Signage

When people think about where to place their business signage, they typically decide to place signs only on their store’s interior. However, investing in outdoor signage can be a great way to bring new customers into your store.

Sidewalk signs and other outdoor signs can help potential customers passing by your store know who you are, what you sell, and why they should shop with you. Outdoor signage can be anything from a directional sign pointing toward your store to a form of informational signage informing customers of an ongoing sale.

Digital Signage

Digital signage is a flexible way to display various signs in your store while helping customers associate your brand with modern technology.

You can customize digital displays with logos and animations in a way that will help you stand out. After you’ve customized your digital signage, you can use it for advertisements, calls to action, or as a way to provide directions.

Informational Signage

Store owners can often take informational signage for granted. You might spend all day around your store, but a new customer will not know the ins and outs of the operation the way you do.

That is why informational signage can be crucial for improving the customer’s shopping experience. These signs can take the form of directional signage, which informs the customer base on how to navigate the store.

Persuasive Signage

Persuasive signage is all about inspiring the customer to take action in your retail store.

Whether that means posting indoor signage advertising a set of featured items you wish to sell or exterior signage that informs customers about an upcoming holiday sale, these signs typically feature a call to action for the customer to spend time in your store

Accessibility Signage

Accessibility signs are a type of business signage that informs the customer about the accessibility features in your store..

These are typically smaller signs that provide directions and awareness of wheelchair ramps and handicap-accessible restrooms and parking.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliant Signage

All retail signage must comply with ADA guidelines to meet federal and state regulations for managing a store.

That might sound daunting to achieve, but the regulations from the ADA ask nothing more than to ensure your accessibility signage is in the correct colors and use the right symbols to ensure that these signs are universally understandable.