If you happen to have a shopfront for your business then you've got a fantastic opportunity to put your personal twist on the way your business presents to existing & potential customer.
Tips
Here's a few things that we have learned over 20 years in the business.
* Planning your launch date - Allow 2-3 weeks lead-time for your job. Anything less will mean that your job is rushed, potentially leading to more expense and compromise on options available.
* Ask for advise - Why not ask the signage experts for their advise on the design & materials best used for your job. It's free ! and might just highlight some key areas that you weren't aware of.
* When discussing the signage job with the signage company, be forthcoming with information about the setup of your shopfront. eg. What lights are you putting in ? Where is the reception desk going ? Do you want to keep the window clear for displays ? etc. The more information that you can provide, the better advise your will get.
* Be realistic with you expected opening date - Most reputable signage companies understand the importance of meeting deadlines, especially opening dates, and will go out of their way to make sure your signs are up for opening day. In tern, it's usually appreciated if the shop owner is transparent about the actual opening date & communicates any unexpected things that crop up.
More Tips
* Refurbish your lightbox - if your new premises has an existing lightbox which you are planning to insert new panels into, it's worth getting the tubes and starters replaced at the same time. Your new illuminated signs will look brilliant & the tubes won't need changing for a long time.
* Trading hours - The best way to present your business trading hours is usually on the entry door. If it's done using vinyl cut lettering, with no solid backing, then it will be easy to modify at a later date. As a general rule, the best colour to use is white, as it contrasts best on glass.
More Tips
* If you are considering colour schemes for your shopfront, take a step back and have a look at what your neighbours are doing.
If for example your neighbours on either side of you use dark blue & black as their predominant colours then your wouldn't go for these colours or for that matter a similar colour. Consider a contrasting or complimentary colour scheme.
* Use changeable signage where possible - Aframes, flags and posters keep potential customers interested and show that you are ready to do business.
Consider using some of these in your advertising presence.
