Is there anything worse than paying good money for a sign to advertise your business presence only to realize that your customers can’t read it? Planning ahead for sign visibility is vital to making the most of your marketing dollars. Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can improve the visibility of your next project right from the beginning. 

Learn more in our detailed guide about how to enhance your sign’s visibility: 

Choose a Larger Size

The first and most obvious way to improve sign visibility is by making it larger. Keep in mind that how tall the letters are on your sign will determine from how far away you will be able to read them. Smaller letters are great for signs that will be read close-up, but larger letters are required if you want a sign to be read at a distance. 

To give you an example, a letter height of 76 mm (3 inches) will only be visible for about 30 metres (100 feet). On the other hand, 304 mm (12 inches) letters are typically visible for about 160 metres (525 feet). 

Evaluate where your sign will be posted and the farthest distance that your customers will need to read it from. Do they need to read the sign while they are driving by, or will they survey the sign from the sidewalk in front of your store? From here, it is easy to figure out just how big the letters and images on your banner should be for maximum visibility. 

Select a Better Colour Contrast

Colour contrast refers to the difference in colour between a sign’s background and its lettering. In most cases, you want to choose colours that have a high contrast between them, such as black and yellow or black and white. A higher colour contrast makes your text easier to read and prevents your customers from straining to figure out what your message is. 

Not only does colour contrast make a difference on the sign itself, but it can also influence how well your sign stands out against the building. Take the colour of the building where the sign is set to be hung into consideration. If the building is a typical beige or grey, you will want to steer clear of these colours in your sign.

Pick a background colour that will make your sign stand out against the brick, metal or another type of siding on your building. From here, you can select a text colour that corresponds with both the background colour and your branding. 

Choose the Right Stroke Width

When it comes to spelling out what you want your sign to say, you need to keep the letter stroke width in mind. Along with size, this is one of the biggest factors in how easily your sign can be read at a distance. Letters that are too thin will never stand out enough to be read easily by your customers. Letters that are too thick will blend together and may be too difficult to read. Instead, you should choose a stroke width that is somewhere in the middle for the best results. 

If you aren’t sure what stroke width is appropriate for a sign like yours, be sure to consult the designer or sign professional that you hired to create your sign. They should be able to offer you some guidance regarding the appropriate width for your letters. 

Consider Sign Placement

Last but not least, you need to think about where your sign will actually be placed once it comes back from the printer. You want a location that is highly visible from the road or the sidewalk, depending on where your business resides. Make sure that your sign is not going to be blocked by other buildings, trees, or other obstacles. 

What do you do if you discover that your new sign is not going to be as visible as you hoped? You may be able to reinstall it as a freestanding sign in a different location. Be sure to consult with your city guidelines to determine whether a freestanding sign located near the entrance to your business is permissible.

Having Quality Signs Made

Installing quality signs on or around your building is essential to drive more foot traffic through your store. At SpeedPro Winnipeg North, we pride ourselves on helping your business find the perfect sign for every application. Our Winnipeg sign company has the experience you need to get more visibility from your sign. Contact us today to see how we can help you!