Branding through Signs: Ideas, Tips and Comparisons

The Guide to Designing a Door Sign

Every good business needs good, well-designed door signs. Door signs are imperative in conveying the right information about what's in a room, and a business with clear and effective signage makes everyone's life that much easier. When choosing the door signs for your business, there are a few questions that you need to ask to ensure that the signs carry out their intended function:

What is the Sign's Purpose?

Is the sign intended to keep people out, or to invite them in? You need to make it absolutely clear who is allowed into the room, particularly if your business deals with dangerous goods or chemicals.

With this part, clarity is the name of the game. Avoid any ambiguous language, and make sure that anyone reading the sign (whether they are an employee, a director, or a random person off the street) knows exactly whether or not they can go through the door.

Is the Sign Accessible?

Accessibility means making the sign legible to as many people as possible. If someone is impaired in some way, are they still able to read it?

Large letters with strong colour contrasts make the sign easily legible for people with visual impairments.

If your business is open to the general public (or just a large amount of people), you may even want to include braille lettering on the sign.

Is it a Warning or a Brand?

Stylistically speaking, how you approach the sign ties in with its purpose. For a warning sign, as mentioned above, there is nothing more important than clarity and function. If the sign is intended to warn about dangerous goods or animals, there are a number of regulatory standards that describe exactly how the sign should be displayed.

If the sign is designed to show off a business's brand, however, then it should be approached as a marketing tool. In this case, stylistic design preferences take the precedent. Bright colours and unique fonts are acceptable, as long as the sign clearly conveys your brand. Again, accessibility is an important consideration here; after all, you want as many people aware of your business as possible!

Does it Need to be Seen from a Distance?

Is the sign intended to label a door that newcomers to the business must be able to find? If so, you need to ensure that it is highly visible as soon as someone walks through the front entrance of your business.

If the door is not visible from the entrance, you need a series of signs (mounted in front of corridors or other doors) that point the visitor in the right direction. To learn more, contact a company like Landells Signs.


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