There are many elements that combine to make signs attractive and effective for businesses. One of the most important design elements is letter size. The nicest logo and design will not do the trick without legible text. Letter size directly affects how close or far away a customer needs to be to see your sign. Letters that are too large seem overwhelming. Text that is too small will stop you from reaching a big audience. How can you find a happy medium?
Letter Height
How far away do you want your sign to be seen? You should consider how fast viewers will be driving by your business. For example, signs with characters 8 inches high will be visible from up to 240 feet away. Drivers headed by at 25 mph will get to view the sign for up to 6.5 seconds, but drivers zooming by at 65 mph would only see it for 2.5 seconds. To get the same viewing time at 65 mph, the character size would need to be between 17 and 24 inches. The purpose of signage is to communicate a message to a target audience. Letter sizing that is not appropriate will not accomplish this purpose!
Font Color
Colors play a vital role in establishing a brand image and making a positive first impression. Other than size, the way that you present your text also matters. If you use darker colors for the text, the background should be lighter in color to create contrast. The opposite is true for lighter text. Contrast is the key to good readability. Never let your message be drowned out by odd or unreadable color choices!
Letter Sizing Tips
- Before you choose your sign size, you should choose the appropriate letter size to make sure that it will fit.
- Never leave things to chance on your sign. If your name doesn’t indicate what your business is, add a few words to explain. “Ryan’s” doesn’t say anything about what the business does, but adding the words “bakery” and “coffee” beneath it makes things clearer.
- Avoid using more than 2 fonts on the same sign.
Business Signs from East West Sign Group
Designing and installing the right business signage can be hard without an experienced partner. East West Sign Group knows all about sign design and installation, and we have worked with countless businesses to boost business with great signage. To learn more about how we can design the right sign for you, contact us today!