Top 15 Creative Business Sign Ideas to Inspire You in 2022
Kelly is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and Apple Developer who has counseled businesses of all sizes and growth stages. You can find her expertise across Fit Small Business in marketing, business website, and business trend content.
Even in a digital world, signage remains an effective marketing tool for businesses with a physical location. For your business to stand out, you need eye-catching and recognizable signage, but there are several ways you can use signs to increase foot traffic or advertise your products and services. We’ve compiled a list of different business sign ideas to capture the attention of would-be customers for inspiration when it comes to designing your own.
1. Flag Mount Signs
Flag mount signs, also known as blade signs or projecting signs, are mounted perpendicularly to a wall. These types of signs are typically used outdoors as “brand” signs to draw the attention of passersby to your store. There are many different designs you can go with for a flag mount sign, but the important thing is to show your store’s name clearly.
2. Light Box Signs
Light box signs are a fantastic way to illuminate your business’s name or any other information that can fit inside the light box. These work best in the dark and can double as indoor wall decor for your store, but they can also work outdoors—especially during nighttime. You can also create a light box sign and mount it as a flag sign to be effective day and night.
3. Neon Lights
A more modern take on the light box sign, neon signs work exceptionally well both outdoors and indoors. They give extremely high visibility, especially in the dark and are great to use for brand names and other branding materials like your brand’s tagline. Creating a custom neon sign doesn’t have to be extremely expensive, either. You can get a designer to layout a sign for you on Fiverr for as low as $5, and then have it made for just a few hundred dollars.
4. A-board Sign
A-board signs, or sandwich signs, are signs placed on the pavement, right outside your store. As the name suggests, it comes in the shape of the letter “A.” These signs are an effective way to showcase stores’ promotions, new items, and menus. They’re affordable and easily replaceable, should you ever need to change your sign. You can also create your own with a service like Vistaprint, which has A-board templates that you can customize and print out.
5. Awning Sign
Aside from having your store’s name up top, use awnings to complete the look of your storefront. These awnings give extra room to add more business information, like store hours, locations, and promotions. These are collapsible and easily replaceable, so they’re a good alternative to more permanent business signs.
6. Metal Sign
Although generally more expensive than other types of signage, having a customized metal sign for your business can be a stylish way to attract potential customers. Metal signs are also waterproof and weatherproof—ideal for the outdoors.
If intricately crafted metal signs are way above your price range, you can create etched sheet metal signs. These are much more affordable alternative, starting at only $16 on Vistaprint.
7. Window Decal
Decals are an inexpensive solution to providing business information to your customers. You can create your own on sites like Canva and have it printed out. Don’t feel limited about what you can put on a decal. Since they’re meant to be replaced every so often, you can use these decals to promote new products and store promotions. You don’t even have to place them on your storefront windows. Decals can be used on floors, shelves, ceilings, and walls too.
8. Painted Business Sign
Hand-painted signs aren’t only for information. They can be a part of your exterior and interior decoration as well. These artistic signs look good in restaurants, bars, and any industrial or rustic-looking stores. They can also your branding further by being customized to fit your identity. One other benefit of a hand-painted sign is that they age very well and don’t need to be replaced frequently.
9. Ghost Sign
Ghost signs are hand-painted signs―many of which are located outdoors―and they are effective in attracting passerby into your store or in providing a decoration piece. They were extremely popular in the 20th century but have recently come back in popularity. Since ghost signs are located on the sides of buildings or interior walls, you can be as creative with these as you like as you have a lot of space to work with.
10. Hanging Business Sign
You may think that signage is mainly used outdoors, but signs also play an important role inside your store. Hanging signs are indoor signs that can be used to direct your customers around your store. Place them around exits, restrooms, counters, and on aisles. These types of signs are very popular in cafes, buffet restaurants, supermarkets, hardware stores, and anywhere your customers will need extra direction.
11. Flag Sign
Flag signs or banners are weather-proof cloth signs you can hang or mount outside your establishment. These signs are an effective advertising tool to promote your business, products, or events. In case you can’t mount these signs up, you can create feather flags instead. These have poles that go in the ground and are an excellent way to catch attention at a trade fair or garden show.
12. 3D Sign
3D signs can be used both indoors and outdoors. They add depth and are more eye-catching than regular signs, especially when paired with the appropriate lighting. Use this to your advantage and create 3D signs for your business’ name or other pertinent information like directions and labels like restroom signs.
13. Projected Image Sign
Go the extra mile and use projected image signs to attract customers to your business. Not only are these extremely creative, but they’re cost-effective as well. Despite the added cost of the projector, these signs don’t have any wear and tear―unlike more traditional signage―and the images can be easily changed to suit your business’ needs.
14. Acrylic Signs
Acrylic signs are a popular, affordable type of signage, especially when compared to materials like wood and metal. Although they’re inexpensive, they usually last long, although you should note that they aren’t shatter-proof. Aside from the cost, they’re very customizable and easily created. Vistaprint has acrylic signs that you can customize and buy.
15. Digital Signage
Digital signs are one of the most popular types of signages today. These can be seen in restaurants, bars, banks, spas—basically almost every industry you can think of. A reason why they’re so popular is because you can easily customize them. Similar to light signs, the images on the screens can be changed to fit your business’ signage needs. They’re also more eye-catching and interactive than traditional signage, so create your own today with a service like Raydiant.
What Makes Good Signage Design?
A business sign’s goal is to impart information to your customers effectively. Information for a business sign can range from a business’s name to its office hours and even products it’s promoting. Whatever content is in your business sign, try and keep it concise and to the point.
Other things to consider are the following:
Color
Color tops the list of every visual marketing and merchandising guide. While your colors should always match your branding, you should also consider your sign’s objectives and visibility. Strong colors—like black, white, and red—are attention-grabbing and can effectively impart your information.
Contrast
Aside from picking colors that speak of your brand and its products, determine how the colors look together. Contrasting colors make it easier for your target audience to read what’s on your sign.
Font
Serif and sans-serif fonts are popular for a wide variety of industries. Because sans-serif fonts are perceived as more modern and “strong,” these fonts are usually used in titles. Serif fonts, on the other hand, are usually used for longer content.
There are also other types of fonts, like script fonts, which can be used on signage. The most important thing to consider when designing your sign is how easily it can be read.
Size
Consider the size of your sign. If it takes up an entire wall, then you have more leeway when it comes to font and vice versa. Your sign’s size determines how it looks and where it can be placed. Again, the most important thing is to make your sign readable, and a well-designed sign should provide information to your customers effectively and efficiently.
If you’re having trouble creating your own business sign, hire a professional designer through a platform like Fiverr. They can create an eye-catching, effective custom sign for your business for as low as $5.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What should I put on my business sign?
The main purpose of a business sign is to provide information to your customers. This information can range from basic business information, like your brand’s name, contact information, operational hours, and address. Information about where things are in your store and even information about promotions and new products are also some things you can spot on business signs.
How do I create my own business sign?
While buying a business sign isn’t too expensive―and can cost a few hundred dollars for a custom design―creating your own can still save you money. You can do it yourself through graphic design sites like Canva, or with customizable templates from Vistaprint. You can also choose to hire a graphic designer through Fiverr for as low as $5 if you want a completely customized, professionally made design.
Bottom Line
Business signs are important marketing tools to promote your business and provide your customer with the information they’re seeking. Because its goal is to attract attention and to impart information effectively, ensure that your sign is eye-catching through the use of color, contrast, fonts, and sizes. Get inspired by the 15 creative business sign ideas above, and create your own today with Canva, Vistaprint, or Fiverr.
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