4 Things to Know Before Deciding on your Storefront Signage: Part 1
What do you need to know before deciding on your Storefront Signage? A lot! Good design is key to an effective sign for your business. Presenting your brand effectively is something your storefront can do well…or poorly. Check out Part 1 of our Signage Design Tips below to make sure your storefront stands out!
#1 Your sign is part of your façade, and your façade is part of your brand and the streetscape.
Your storefront might be the largest ad your business has. Don’t limit yourself to just a narrow strip across the top of your storefront to get your message across and give potential customers a feel for your business. Consider your whole storefront together to make a bigger impact. Use your storefront to present your brand! Know who you are and be you! Your location is unique too, so be sure to contrast colours, scale, and materials from your neighbours to stand out. You might also use elements of the streetscape to ensure your design is a good fit in the neighbourhood.
Don’t take your signage and façade design lightly... it’s key to presenting your overall brand and telling your potential customers and the community who you are.
#2 Consider the other elements of your façade in your sign design. That could mean surface texture, windows, doors, lighting, trim, awnings, or paint.
Turn the odd elements of your storefront façade into unique features to get you noticed. Use overly large or small windows to highlight your brand. You can add creative window vinyl to large windows, or paint the wall surface that small windows leave in a brand colour.
The size, colour, location, and style of lighting, trim, and awnings can be used to accentuate your brand.
#3 The Town of Whitby has a grant program for downtown Whitby and Brooklin businesses that can include signage, façade improvement, and design costs.
Check the Town of Whitby website for the Community Improvement Plan grant programs. There are maps of the Whitby and Brooklin downtown areas that are covered by the programs. If your business qualifies, you may receive 50% (up to a certain amount) of your signage and facade improvement costs, and there’s an additional grant to cover the design costs. Of course, there are conditions and requirements, but I think they are very generous and accommodating. Connect with the town directly, or I’d be happy to help you understand the possibilities.
Make the most of these grant programs to help your business!
#4 You have more choices than you think in the size and location of your storefront sign.
Sure, you can make a sign the full width of your storefront, but you might make a bigger impact with a smaller sign. A smaller sign on a large area can be very attention grabbing…the breathing space around the sign means the sign stands out, and can help to distinguish it from the neighbours. You can use some of the surrounding space for distinctive lighting in a style that says something about you.
Your sign can be at the top of your building, in a window or door, over the door, project from the building, or be on the property in front of your building. Anything’s possible!
Check out my VIDEO WORKSHOP on Storefront Signage Design for the Town of Whitby. And stay tuned for Part 2 coming up soon!
