Start with a survey of the site

Most of those passing by a sign today are so distracted by things both moving and still that it leaves little time for reading. As sign designers, we have to make sure that we present these unique, colorful advertisements in a way that wins their attention and allows for fast, easy reading.

One thing that is sorely needed in today’s sign market is to first take the time to investigate the location and setting of your client’s sign. The placement, sign restrictions, colors and/or designs of neighboring visual competition greatly affect the success of a new sign.

A comprehensive site survey is a matter of taking the time to visit the location of the future sign and take the key factors into consideration. You look at the situation through the eyes of those who will see the sign. You pay attention to how fast the local traffic will pass by the sign. You time how many seconds they will have to read the message and make note of nearby distractions and visual clutter.