How To Enhance Outdoor Sign Visibility For Southfield Drivers

Outdoor signs are your business’s “silent salesperson,” but only if they’re spotted. To that end, today’s post explains how to enhance the roadside visibility of outdoor signs in Southfield, MI.

Borrow Outdoor Sign Design Ideas From Retail Sign Research

The International Sign Association recently conducted a major study to determine some of the most important retail sign design practices. Researchers interviewed architects, designers, retail specialists, display specialists, and digital specialists, then synthesized their results with findings from numerous case studies. Ultimately, they identified the following 6 attributes as key to retail sign success:

1. Legibility—Even complex designs need to be consumable at-a-glance
2. Enjoyable to view—Striking designs and engaging messages generated more impressions than bland stock counterparts
3. Informational—Readers should derive some value from your sign copy, whether it announces your location or details business hours
4. Quality—Sign quality is directly proportional to sign visibility
5. Appropriately scaled—Bigger isn’t always better; even big signs need bite-sized messages
6. Uniqueness—The human brain is hardwired to tune out banality, so get creative

All six of these retail sign design principles can be applied to make your outdoor signs more visible to Southfield drivers.

Follow All Outdoor Sign Best Practices In Southfield’s City Code

If you want your sign to be seen at all, you’d better keep it up to code. Failure to do so can be costly, as you’re forced to pay fines and cover the costs of a redesign, to say nothing of the money you lose during the downtime.

Though some might dismiss Southfield’s Code of Ordinances as bureaucratic, much of our city’s sign law is made with business owners in mind. Not only does it prohibit competitors from mounting ugly, unsafe, and over-bright signage next to your business; Southfield’s sign code also helps business signs get spotted by mandating certain best practices for installation and design.

For example, Section 8.46 of Southfield’s Ordinance No. 1667 prohibits any sign “which makes use of words such as ‘stop,’ ‘look,’ ‘danger,’ simulated traffic signs, or any other words, phrases, symbols, lights or characters in such manner as to… confused drivers of vehicles traveling upon any highway, driveway, or parking area” (p. 11).

This not only prevents dangerous traffic-sign mix-ups, but also encourages businesses to create more distinctive sign design and copy, rather than piggybacking off banal templates.

SignScapes carries a wide range of illuminated outdoor sign options, all of which can be customized to meet any roadside advertising needs or budget.

Free Outdoor Sign Quote And Design Consultation In Southfield, MI

Call 248-354-8346 or request a quote on the SignScapes website to view our complete outdoor sign catalog and get a free quote on your custom design today.