The start of a new year often gets us thinking about the things that we could change and refresh in our lives, but instead of going down the typical routes of losing weight and stopping smoking, why not think about what you could do for your business instead? A new year often triggers a new look, and your business could benefit from this too, which is why it could be the perfect time to look at refreshing your signage options.

When was the last time you updated the signage around your business? If it takes more than a few seconds to think about the answer to that, then it could be a sign that now might be the time to do it. It could be anything from a simple upgrade to a whole new style but taking the time to refresh things can be hugely beneficial for your business.

Time for a change

Whilst an important part of branding is familiarity, it can also become tiresome. When people see the same thing every day for a long time, they no longer tend to notice it, and your sign can lose the impact that it once had.

Taking the time to refresh things will stop your business from blending into the background and gets people to sit up and take notice of you again.

That doesn’t mean that you need to completely rebrand your business (although it might be a sign to look at this as well) but simply that you can modernise and redesign your signage to retain your business identity but also get some new eyes on to it.

Illuminated signage

If you decide that you want to make a change to your signage, then it is generally because you want more eyes on your business and illuminated signs can be the perfect way to achieve this. They are incredibly eye catching and can be incorporated into any business style through light boxes, back lit signs, and externally lit signs.

These can come in the form of a single sign or even individual letters to make sure that your business really stands out from the crowd. These can be effective at any time, but they also ensure that it is your business that will be seen the best as night draws in or the miserable weather takes over, ensuring it is you that is easy to find and offering a bright and warm appeal.

Smarten up

As a business owner, it is sometimes possible to stop noticing things about your business, so the new year is the perfect time to reassess. If you stand outside of your business today, will you be proud of what you see? If it has been a while since you upgraded your signage, then there is a good chance that you are actually looking at something that is tired, damaged, or tatty, and this isn’t usually the impression that most people want their businesses to make.

Investing in some news signage can make your business look sharp and smart, giving you a more professional appeal. A new look shows that you care about your business, and it can be a lot more inviting to customers than letters that are falling off, peeling paint or crooked angles.

Correct information

It is also important to check that the information on your sign is still up to date. Have you had a new website or phone number? Do you offer different services now? If your sign is correct, then you could be losing out on some significant business. Ordering a new sign means that you are getting all of the right information out to your customers.

Move with the times

The retro look is very fashionable at the moment, but only if it is intentional. If your sign looks old fashioned and you didn’t design it that way, then it is a probably a sign that you need a new one. Trends and styles change over time, so it is only natural that you might need to update bits of your business to reflect this. It could be something a simple as a font or a style of graphics, but these things can make your signage look dated very easily.

You could opt for a more classical look that will stand the test of time, illuminate your sign for something modern and eye catching, or turn your flat wall sign into something 3D that stands out for different reasons!

Size

They say that size isn’t everything, but when it comes to your sign, it certainly is. Maybe a small sign was all you thought you needed when you started out, or maybe you have expanded and now have more space available to you. The bigger your sign, the greater the impact it can have, so take a look at whether you have the room to go a bit bigger than before.

A larger sign doesn’t just mean that more people will see it, as it can also make the information that is displayed on it easier to read. You want to be seen from far a wide so make your sign big enough to be read from a distance instead of relying on people being close by. Make yourself a local landmark and people will recognise you and your business much more easily.

Declutter

We all know that we surround ourselves with too much clutter, and the new year is a good time to cleanse this and remove the rubbish from around us, but did you know that the same thing applies to your sign?

Sometimes we can be guilty of trying to cram too much onto a single sign, especially when starting out and wanting to tell the world everything about what you do. However, now might be a good time to look at whether you sign needs simplifying a little. Whilst you still need to let customers know who you are, it is important not to overwhelm them, so try toning it down.

Your signage is one of the biggest branding tools that you can have, so it is important to make sure it stays fresh and reflects the right tone for your business.