Tips for Successful Storefront Banners
Whether you are announcing a Grand Opening, Dinner Special or 50% off Sunglasses, Storefront Banners serve as your 24/7 message to your potential customers. A well planned Storefront Banner will attract more customers through your doors. The purpose of your banner is to grab the attention of your audience and deliver a specific message. Combining your message with proven graphic design and signage techniques will deliver positive results. Here a some tips to follow to maximize the impact of your banners.
Simplicity is essential in effective banner design. Choose your specific message and focus your text and graphics on communicating that to your target audience. When a banner attempts to deliver too much information, your message will get lost in the clutter. A single simple image, tagline or call to action is all that is needed for an effective banner. Remember that your potential audience has a very limited amount of time to see and process the information. Bold, clear and concise are the trademarks of effective storefront banners. It is important to keep in mind that what looks great on your computer screen will not necessarily work as a banner.
Once you have decided on your message, your choice of fonts and color usage can add significantly to the effectiveness of your finished product. In keeping with "keep it simple"; it is best to stick with one font for your entire banner. Larger font sizes work best. The human eye takes longer to process words in upper case, so it is a good idea to avoid designing a sign that is in all caps. Sans serif fonts like Helvetica or Impact are the easiest to read at a distance. Color combinations with higher contrast between the letters and the background are most effective. Black on yellow, black on white and white on blue are examples of good color choices.
Consideration of viewing distance is vital in designing your storefront banner. Always ask yourself "How far away will my banner be from the viewer?" If a "Grand Opening" banner is placed on a building with a large parking lot between the storefront and the street, the letter height must be large enough to be read by motorists passing by. For example four inch high letters have a maximum impact at a distance of 40 feet and can be read at 140 feet. Eight inch letters can have a maximum impact at 80 feet and can be read at 350 feet.
It is also important to take into account weather and wind conditions in determining the choice of banner material. A fabulous looking banner, with the right message, perfect color and graphic design will not work if the wind tears your banner to shreds overnight. Mesh banners can all but eliminate this disaster.
The bottom line is that all signage materials must be well planned to make the most of your marketing budget. Any banner or sign that you put in or on your business sends a message about who you are. Remember: it is more than a sign .... it is your identity.
About the Author
Meg Adler, owner of Symphony Signs in Orange County, CA, has had a successful career in assisting customers with solutions based answers to Graphic Design, and Education questions. A University of Southern California Marshall School of Business graduate, she has a passion for delivering quality results. Having taught at the Secondary level for fifteen years Meg believes in educating customers. Visit http://symphonysigns.com for more information.
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