Create engaging and effective signs for your employees, customers and clients to improve their experience and elevate your brand.
Our world is full of constant communication. That’s not a bad thing — but it can present a challenge when you have essential information that needs to get to your audience ASAP. And getting information out is especially important in a place of business, where you are working hard to keep people connected, safe and engaged.
Here’s how to cut through the communication clutter and make engaging and effective signs for your employees, customers and clients.
Assess your sign needs
The right amount of signs allows people to be informed in your business space, but not overwhelmed. Survey your workplace to see where communication would improve experience.
Sign needs may focus on safety, wayfinding (directional), or promotions.
Safety
There are a number of advantages in using job site and safety signs. They can serve as an alert or reminder to your team or customers about possible hazards, give contact information to a reader, or remind employees about correct procedures such as PPE requirements when undertaking tasks.
Areas to consider for safety signs:
- anywhere that vehicles, including forklifts and motorized work equipment, commonly travel
- tasks or areas where correct PPE needs to be worn (example: COVID-related guidelines or hearing protection for noise exposure)
- anywhere containing a risk of serious injury (example: signs to let people know the floor is wet because there might be a fall risk)
- wherever hazards exist that are not immediately obvious to a worker or member of the public (example: letting people know a particular trash can in a doctor’s office holds medical waste)
- anywhere containing dangerous goods or hazardous substances, including highly flammable or toxic materials
Wayfinding
Wayfinding signs guide people through a physical environment to enhance their understanding of the space.
At the grocery store, an example of a wayfinding sign is looking up and seeing “Bakery” high on the wall to tell you where the cakes and bread are located. Or seeing an Emergency Room Sign with an arrow at a large hospital so people can quickly visit the correct entrance in the event of a medical emergency.
Whether your workplace is big or small, wayfinding signs help people find where they need to go in a timely manner, and provide a more positive environment overall. Take a walk through your space and speak to trusted members of your team to see what signs could enhance the workplace experience.
Promotional
Is there someone you want your team or customers to know? Put it on a sign. Promotional signs could include attractive wall murals that boost employee morale, an A-Frame Sidewalk sign that shares current sales with customers, a window graphic that showcases your product or services, and more.
When you know what you need, use good design to give easily understood information
The Signarama Troy graphic design team has years of sign design experience and knows the importance of giving information in a simple, clear fashion — something that’s essential in a place of business.
Using pictures, colors and symbols on your signs is one approach to take. That way important information is shared no matter someone’s educational background or language.
Need hand washing reminders for employees? A blue sign showing a running faucet with lathered hands effectively shares the message. Want people to know where to park and charge electric vehicles? Put up a green sign with a picture of a car and lightning bolt. What about letting people know where the fire extinguisher is? A red sign with an arrow and fire extinguisher would work.
Of course, some signs need more than a picture. But the idea remains the same — keep the message simple and the sign well designed.
Keep people connected and information current
According to a study by Ketchum Global Research & Analytics, seven out of 10 respondents (people who are both consumers and employees) said a business’ signage reflects the quality of the business and its products or services. So people are paying attention to a job well done, which — when it comes to signage — is a mix of good design, clear messaging and relevant information.
Lobby signs make a statement when someone first walks in the door and establishes both location and a level of professionalism. It puts your business name front and center and makes an instant connection with your team or customers.
If you are looking to get out need-to-know information quickly, digital signage, like an LED message center, is key. LED message centers serve many purposes. They can help highlight that your store sells an in-demand product (for example, if you had hot chocolate bomb molds in the 2020 holiday season or your restaurant sells fish on Fridays during Lent) to an external audience.
They are handy for your internal stakeholders too. LED signage could share always-changing safety procedures with your team as soon as updates are announced. Since the signs can be changed often and are customizable, you could promote your company’s top employees to give recognition in addition to other business-centered news. It’s all about getting information out to the right group of people at the right time — and with digital signage, it can be done instantly right at your fingertips.
Be consistent
One more pro tip — include your logo and adhere to your brand standards to keep things looking polished and cohesive. That way your business name gets in front of people, it elevates your brand, and people know the message is coming from a trusted source: You.
Want help assessing the right sign needs for your workplace? The Signarama Troy team has decades of sign experience and can help you plan, produce and install the best signs for your business.
