- Outfitting your store or office<\/strong>, posters and window decals will grab the attention of people browsing.<\/li>
- Preparing for an indoor event, like a trade show<\/strong>, banners, retractable banners, tabletop signs and foam boards will complement your booth well.<\/li>
- Preparing for an outdoor event, like a craft fair<\/strong>, banners, yard signs and flags will catch the attention of traffic \u2013 even at a distance.<\/li>
- Showcasing a sale<\/strong>, banners, posters, foam boards, retractable banners and tabletop signs are effective ways to make your promotion clear and noticeable.<\/li>
- Spreading general branding and awareness<\/strong>, banners, posters, car magnets, yard signs and flags are the right products to display your logo, contact details or any other information you want to reach your potential customers.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cms.cloudinary.vpsvc.com\/image\/upload\/v1675872773\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/rectangle-guide-to-sign-design-001-2x.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cms.cloudinary.vpsvc.com\/image\/upload\/v1675872771\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/rectangle-guide-to-sign-design-002-2x.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nNow that you\u2019ve determined what business need your sign is fulfilling, start to think about where it is going, and ask yourself some key questions. Will this sign will be used indoors or outside? If it is going to be used outside, how long are you going to be leaving it there? Will it need to withstand certain wind conditions? Will it need to stay out in the rain, or do you plan to bring it indoors overnight? Whether you are using this inside or out, how durable do you need this to be? In an ideal world, how long would you want this product to last? Are you going to bring it with you to multiple trade shows across the country, for example, or will you just be using it once or twice for a special occasion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you\u2019re looking for a specific product to meet your signage needs, it is very important to keep the answers to these questions in mind as you shop. Different materials can withstand different types of elements. For example, if you know your sign will see some rainy days, we recommend selecting a material that will resist rain, like vinyl or corrugated plastic. Rainy conditions would also indicate that you should stay away from lighter, non-water resistant materials like poster paper. If you\u2019re up against anticipated windy conditions, you want to make sure you select a product that is either heavy on its own or can be securely weighted or tied down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be sure to think through how you are going to hang your sign, or to what material you are going to need to attach it. Need to utilize window space? Check out window decals, or signs that can be attached via suction cups. Have poles or a fence available? Make sure to get rope or zip ties to secure the sign in place. Don\u2019t have anything available? Choose a free-standing sign or sign stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cms.cloudinary.vpsvc.com\/image\/upload\/v1675872769\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/rectangle-guide-to-sign-design-003-2x.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nYour final location consideration should be your product\u2019s physical size, especially as it relates to the amount of space you have available for this signage. Keep in mind that the larger your font size, the easier it will be to read your message \u2013 you want to select the largest size of product you can without overwhelming the space. For example, if you are selecting a window decal to merchandise store hours or a sale or promotion, make sure to measure your window space first before thinking about the product\u2019s design. Another example could be a banner that\u2019s being designed to hang over an entryway. You would want to make sure that you select a banner that fits nicely within the awning space. Too long and you may have trouble hanging it, too short and you\u2019ll sacrifice your messaging space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to design your sign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve decided which sign fits your needs and where it\u2019s going, you\u2019re ready to start designing. While customizing a large product can seem intimidating, our design experts gave us their master tips that anyone can use to create an effective sign:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_350,h_1050,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1675883907\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-ca\/rectangle-guide-to-sign-design-004-2x\/rectangle-guide-to-sign-design-004-2x.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n- Use a big and bold font.<\/strong> Typography is important for getting your message across, and using a heavy typeface provides higher contrast to make it more readable and bold. When designing a sign, avoid script fonts with elegant, thin strokes.<\/li>
- Write a simple message with a large enough font size to reach your expected audience.<\/strong> Large signs are not meant for complex messages. Stay away from educational content, but instead use signs to share promotional, brand or event focused messaging. Don\u2019t try to say it all at once \u2013 pick the one message you want to convey to customers and make it a quick read. The larger your font and message is, the faster people will understand it, whether they are in a car or just walking by.<\/li>
- Create high contrast to make your sign eye-catching.<\/strong> For example, if your logo is a light color, it needs to be on a dark enough background to be seen. Also, think about contrast in context of the sign\u2019s location. If you\u2019re hanging a banner on a brick wall, it won\u2019t stand out of its red.<\/li>
- Know what substrate is best for your images.<\/strong> If you\u2019re highlighting art or photography and you don\u2019t expect glare, glossy will work best for making those shots standout. Otherwise, matte is your best bet for a readable sign.<\/li>
- Choose a vector file type for a logo<\/strong> so it can be scalable at any size and a high-quality PDF or JPG file for imagery. We support a variety of file formats for uploaded designs:
- Adobe Acrobat 9 Document (*.pdf) (recommended)<\/li>
- Adobe Illustrator CS3 Artwork (*.ai) (recommended)<\/li>
- Adobe Photoshop CS3 Image (*.psd) (recommended)<\/li>
- Bitmap Image (*.bmp)<\/li>
- GIF Image (*.gif)<\/li>
- JPEG Image (*.jpg,*.jpeg)<\/li>
- Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 Document (*.ppt)<\/li>
- Microsoft Word 2010 Document (*.doc)<\/li>
- PCX Image (*.pcx)<\/li>
- PICT Image (*.pic,*.pict,*.pct)<\/li>
- PNG Image (*.png)<\/li>
- PostScript Document (*.ps)<\/li>
- TIFF Image (*.tif,*.tiff)<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Upload a high-resolution photo or logo.<\/strong> The larger your banner, the higher resolution you\u2019ll need for your photos. If you get a resolution error, don\u2019t ignore it. Your images will likely have the right resolution if they are:
- Photos taken on a quality camera.<\/li>
- Stock photography.<\/li>
- A logo designed by a professional designer or using our design services.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cms.cloudinary.vpsvc.com\/image\/upload\/v1675872768\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/rectangle-guide-to-sign-design-005-2x.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you already have a logo that you want to use but the resolution is too low, you can use our logo-recreation services<\/a> to get the logo re-done in a format that can be stretched out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Upload a high-resolution photo or logo.<\/strong> The larger your banner, the higher resolution you\u2019ll need for your photos. If you get a resolution error, don\u2019t ignore it. Your images will likely have the right resolution if they are:
- Write a simple message with a large enough font size to reach your expected audience.<\/strong> Large signs are not meant for complex messages. Stay away from educational content, but instead use signs to share promotional, brand or event focused messaging. Don\u2019t try to say it all at once \u2013 pick the one message you want to convey to customers and make it a quick read. The larger your font and message is, the faster people will understand it, whether they are in a car or just walking by.<\/li>
- Preparing for an indoor event, like a trade show<\/strong>, banners, retractable banners, tabletop signs and foam boards will complement your booth well.<\/li>