Have you ever wondered why some restaurants just naturally seem to attract more hungry guests than others? Well, one of the most effective means around for enticing customers to step inside your establishment is the restaurant sign that lets everyone know you're there in the first place.
It seems like a simple thing, but if you take a moment to really think about the signs that hold your attention, and compel you to investigate further, you'll notice that they usually have some fundamental elements in common. And one of the secrets to getting more traffic into any restaurant has a lot to do with incorporating these elements into your signage.
Capture Attention Quickly
If you talk to almost any expert in design elements about what constitutes effective signage versus those that never get a second glance, you'll notice that they almost all point to a few basic elements that any captivating sign will display.
At first you may be tempted to think that there is some special gimmick, or a particularly creative image that is the secret to putting together an especially appealing restaurant sign. But the most effective designers will usually point to four basic components that all of the most magnetic signs have in common.
Visibility – a good restaurant sign must be appropriately sized so that it can be seen from all the viewing angles and distances where your potential customers will be. No matter how appealing your sign, it's no good to you if it can't be seen.
Readability – make sure that your sign can be easily understood – and quickly. If there is a particularly important word or phrase that you want to emphasize, it should stand out and be easy to notice. And take the time to make sure everything flows logically. You want to make it as easy on the reader as possible.
Noticeability – utilize interesting color combinations, motion elements, and creative images. These are the sorts of things that make a good restaurant sign stand out from the surroundings of where it's located.
Clarity – making sure that your sign is legible is crucial. If the font you use is difficult to grasp on the first viewing, then many potential customers just won't make the effort to read it. Use a attractive letter style that is also easy to understand.
Paying attention to these core design elements will pay dividends by making the elements of your establishment that you want to draw attention to, immediately understandable. And that's something all passersby appreciate – and respond to.
Be Consistent
Another fundamental concept that professional designers emphasize is the consistency of your visual message. Making sure that the feeling you convey in the wording, fonts, and core message that you're aiming at is vital to creating a recognizable brand that your customers will always know is yours.
Put effort into avoiding mixed massages that confuse the viewer. For example, you certainly wouldn't want to have an image of seafood included in a restaurant sign for a steakhouse – even if you do serve few of those items. They belong on the menu, not on your sign.
A good sign professional understands these concepts, and is always an excellent place to turn when looking to create the type of display that gets customers in the door. And that is the bottom line on a good restaurant sign.