Creating & Printing Dynamic Signage for Maximum Exposure
When running a store, one of the top considerations is displays and signage. It catches a customer’s attention and directs them towards the inventory that needs to get sold and off the floor. However, if signage isn’t placed or used correctly, that negates its usefulness. If the signage is dynamic and calls a person to “buy one get one” or “match your colors here”, then the image and text representation are just as important as where the sign is placed in the store.
Dynamic signage isn’t used only in stores anymore. It’s used on car windows, trains, restaurants, anywhere that has a deal to sell. Dynamic signage should do two things –
- Give information that helps make a decision
- Gives a call to action
Considerations include where the signage is used, size, how long it will be used for, and how it will be used to attract customers. Truly dynamic signage that is placed and used properly drives a customer to make quicker decision and ordering or buying processes so sales move faster. Instead of putting a sign wherever one has room, it needs to be integrated into the store as part of the experience so it gives the customer a sense of what the brand and store is about the second that they walk in the store.
When creating dynamic signage, the true challenge is to ask “what do I want to sell?” and convey that message in a fast and simple manner. Some signs are geared toward people who are already customers or those a store is trying to attract as a new customer. Imagery is the best starting point of creating dynamic signage, because the point of a sign is the visual appeal. This begins with the material the sign Is on. What are you looking to create? A sleek jewelry advertisement with lots of metallic tones would look wonderful on rigid vinyl PVC. For a glossy and bright look, a banner on synthetic paper can show the many tones and colors a makeup store might want to promote. Promoting a more natural brand like Earthbound Trading can be done on wood veneer, for a truly vintage and antique finish. There are many material options for signage, but a good digital material expert can help you choose one that will compliment your application and give the best end result.
The images for dynamic signage should be vibrant, bold, and appealing so that the customer stops and notices the effect. There’s no point in having signs that no one stops to read. Even if the customer does not come into the store, it does not mean that the sign has been wasted. Later the customer may go shopping online or come back when they have more time; and these customers are technically the most motivated because they held onto the sign in their mind for an extended period of time. Keep images interesting and related to what you are trying to promote. The text should be sharp, simple, and stand out. The text should be crisp and easy to read, and the message it promotes should be simple and to the point. A convoluted message might scare people away from making a purchase, as can text that blends in and doesn’t shout the message.
Whether a store owner, graphic designer, print executive, or any other position, it helps to look at creating long lasting and effective signage as a process, from beginning to end. We believe that the creative process begins with identifying what will attract potential clients, and then creating a strategy from there. That strategy should include choosing a digital print material, designing images and textual messages, and then putting everything together for a sign that pulls people in every time.