In today’s fast-paced, we want it now, world customer loyalty can shift with the wind. It’s hard to imagine any other time in recent history where businesses must be constantly looking for a competitive advantage.
While much of the focus for marketing has shifted to digital marketing and social media (especially for small businesses) there is still a need for more traditional methods.
Marketing techniques like newspaper advertisements, TV and Radio commercials and signs/banners should still have their place in every marketing strategy. Yes, even banners.
Large banners placed outside are a great way to promote a new promotional deal, product or service, or maybe to drive traffic to your store. Yet, while you may have already used personalized printing services in the past for postcards or stickers, banners are vastly different.
Check out these 6 design tips to make your banner stand out as the best among the rest!
- Purpose of Your Sign
The first thing to consider before thinking about what to put on your sign is the purpose of the sign. What are you hoping to accomplish with this banner?
A few questions to ask might be:
• “Are you promoting an event?”
• “Are you trying to attract new customers?”
• “Will you be making an announcement (new product/service/deal)?”
Knowing the purpose of the outdoor banner will help you to determine the sign’s content. After all, a banner intended to announce a new product wouldn’t want to read “Check out today’s deals and specials, new product!”
Since the business intended to use the banner to announce a new product, the focus on sales and specials is unnecessary. A better choice for the sign would be, “Check out our new product today! Plus loads of deals and specials inside!”
The casual observer or passerby will see that you have a new product right away. If they read further they’ll discover the deals and specials. This can be done as an added incentive to come into your store on top of checking out the new product.
- Where Will Your Banner Be Displayed?
If you aren’t sure where you are going to hang your banner now is the time to decide. It’s very important to know where you will be placing your banner before ordering or even designing your banner.
This is for a few reasons:
1) Space will need to be measured to ensure the banner will fit and look good,
2) It will need to be in a heavily trafficked area, and
3) Will your banner compete with anything else?
Knowing where your banner is going to be placed will allow you to determine what you will want on the banner.
- Simple Message
Keep your message simple. That means short and to the point. Remember even if your placing your outdoor banner on a popular street for pedestrians doesn’t mean those walking will have the time or desire to read a lengthy message.
Get your point across as early in the message as possible, and keep the whole message as short as possible. Look back to the example earlier, “Check out our new product today! Plus loads of deals and specials inside!”
The purpose of the banner is to announce a new product. Right away the new product is mentioned. Followed up with an added incentive of deals and specials. It’s short, simple, and to the point.
- Graphics
When it comes to graphics think of everything on your banner as a graphic. To include the words you use. Or more importantly the font. Choose a font that matches the overall style and tone of the banner and your brand.
Make your logo easily recognizable and attention-grabbing. It should be the first thing passersby begin to process as they glance at your sign. Next should be the colors and images used on the banner.
Choose colors and images that entice potential and loyal customers like to read the rest of the sign.
Designing Your Banner
Remember that designing a large banner, whether indoor or outdoor, is much different than printed stickers and postcards. One of the first and biggest differences is the need to determine the purpose of the banner before anything else.
Knowing what you want the banner to accomplish will help you to decide what should be on the banner and even where to display it. Next is to find a location keeping in mind the size of the space you choose, the competition the banner will have, and the amount of traffic able to see it.
Designing your own larger outdoor or indoor banner can seem daunting, but keeping these tips in mind should help you to get started the right way.
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