Visibility 101: 5 Ways to Make Your Retail Signage More Visible

How apparent is your retail signage? Regardless of how ingeniously designed or how witty your signage wording may be, it won't yield much effect on your store’s footfall or sales figures if it’s not noticeable. Clarity is the core foundation for success with retail signage. Signs positioned in highly noticeable regions tend to garner better results than those obscured in understated and less perceptible locales. It's not just a matter of a few more people spotting your signage, highly clear signage can often lead to a geometric growth in the count of patrons to your retail outlet. There are numerous strategies to boost your signage visibility, ranging from repositioning to employing attention-grabbing color pairings. Continue reading to find out five strategies to enhance your signage visibility and attract more customers to your retail business. Acknowledge the value of placement The positioning of your signage can immensely affect its performance. Signs tucked away from sight will likely not pique much interest nor have any significant effect on your retail outlet’s pedestrian count. The more people who stroll by your sign, the more will get a chance to view it and subsequently respond. Even a subpar designed sign can typically draw a fair response if it's located in a space with high pedestrian or vehicular movement. Examine the surroundings of your retail outlet to zero in on the most advantageous spot for your signage. The difference in visitor count between one spot and another could potentially be manifold. Make your signage text brief and understandable The more intricate your text is, the longer it requires to comprehend. The more time your text takes to read, the fewer people will pause to read it. People don't want to digest a lengthy, complex message when they're out on the streets, so don't burden them with one. Concise, comprehensible text that directly conveys your message is typically more effective than a lengthy, elaborate one. Remember, you only have a very limited window to make an impact on each customer, often merely a couple of seconds. Aim for a signage that can be read and grasped within two seconds or less. If it takes longer, there's a high chance it'll be overlooked by a significant number of people. Adopt bold, neat, clear and impactful typography The simpler your sign is to read, the higher the response rate will be. Opting for a complex and hard-to-decipher typeface might fit your brand's aesthetic, but it will likely impede your signage's effectiveness. The ideal typefaces for retail signage are the ones that are bold, neat, clear and impactful. They boast a presence that helps them to stand out in a crowd, while not being overly ornamented or intricate to put off readers. Steer clear of confusing or superfluous typefaces in your signage, as they're seldom easy to read. Instead, go for typography that is highly noticeable and readable from a fair distance without any large serifs or stylised elements that hinder readability. Opt for high-contrast color pairing The higher your sign's contrast, the more noticeable it will be. The potent and high-contrast color combinations, such as black on white or blue on yellow, make your content pop and your signage visible even from afar. On the flip side, low-contrast color pairing like light blue on white or white on gold aren't likely to make heads turn. If your sign's content merges with the background, it's unlikely to leave a mark on the pedestrians. Pick a high-contrast color combination that aligns with your branding and facilitates noticing and reading your signage with ease. However, avoid going overboard with clashing colors that can make your signage readable but visually off-putting. Personalize your signage and call for action How personalized is your signage? The most effective marketing messages are highly tailored to resonate with their target audience. By incorporating words like "you" and "your", you can significantly enhance your signage's effectiveness. People instinctively react to offers that are centered on them. By focusing on using words that elicit familiarity and personality in your signage, you’re likely to foster a deeper connection with your target audience. Simultaneously, ensure that action is prioritized. Craft all your signage with a concise call-to-action so that people know the next steps once they've grasped your store's value proposition.