Businesses need to leverage every tool at their disposal to create an approachable and seamless experience for their customers. Directional signage, an important but often overlooked sign type, plays a crucial role in guiding visitors, enhancing their customer experience, and ultimately promoting a positive association with your brand. This post sheds some light on how to make directional signs effectively and how it can impact your business. Let’s dive into the essentials of directional signage design:
Understanding the Power of First Impression
Customers’ perception is shaped by what they see around them even before they set their first step into your commercial space. Think of your directional signage as an office receptionist; they welcome and direct visitors to wherever they want to go within the space. Good wayfinding or direction signage provides consistent and considered points of contact that allow stakeholders to navigate spaces efficiently. While directional signage is inherently utilitarian, its potential to impact your entire brand is significant.
With thoughtful directional sign design, you can give stakeholders a taste of what to expect with the quality and aesthetics of the rest of the space, what your brand stands for, its values, and beliefs. Directional signage can substantiate the less tactile elements of your brand identity. Practically speaking, even those not initially enticed can be converted into confident advocates of your offerings thanks to your strategic interior directional sign design.
Navigating the Customer Journey
Impressing your customers does not end when they walk through the front door. They need help navigating your commercial space, especially those first-time visitors. A well-designed customer journey can significantly enhance the overall experience, transforming a good first impression into brand buy-in.
Directional signage acts as a silent tour guide, ensuring visitors don’t feel lost or frustrated as they explore. To execute this effectively, consider the flow of foot traffic and strategically position signs at key decision points – from the entrance to specific department areas.
You must also consider not all your stakeholders will be of equal capacity – so designing directional signs that cater to a wider range of needs is essential. This does more than help customers easily find what they need because it also showcases your commitment to their convenience and individuality, aligning with the principles laid out in our directional signage guide.
Showcasing specific messages
The function of your directional signage can go beyond wayfinding; it can also be a tool to drive targeted messaging. You can strategically direct customers to promotional areas or highlight special deals using eye-catching signage. You can also use this knowledge to ensure the safety of your space.
Transforming directional signage to introduce safety signage when necessary, facilitates a set of individual but connected and considered environments. Including digital signage as part of this offering at key touchpoints like reception or waiting areas can provide more interactivity and engagement too.
Incorporate These Best Practices for Designing Effective Directional Signage
Creating effective directional signage is both an art and a science – it requires a balance between functionality, aesthetics, and the subtle integration of your brand’s identity. To guide visitors effortlessly through your space, your directional sign design must be thoughtfully crafted and strategically placed. In this section, we explore best practices in how to make directional signs that are not only efficient but also enhance the overall aesthetic of your commercial space. These guidelines serve as a comprehensive directional signage guide, ensuring your signs are as informative as they are appealing.
Keep Text Minimal
In the world of directional signage design, less is more when it comes to text. The goal is to convey information as succinctly as possible, and this means using brief, clear language and avoiding unnecessary details that could confuse the reader. For instance, an interior directional sign design may simply state “Restrooms” with an arrow pointing in the appropriate direction, rather than providing a detailed explanation. This minimalistic approach helps in making the signs easier to read and understand at a glance, which is crucial in navigating unfamiliar environments.
Opt for Simplistic Design
Simplicity is key in effective directional signage – a simplistic design ensures that your signs are easily decipherable at a distance and by people of all ages and abilities. This involves using bold, readable fonts and a colour contrast that stands out against the sign’s background. The design should focus on the essential elements: directional cues, symbols, and text. By keeping the design simple, you reduce visual clutter and make the signage more visually appealing and effective.
Use Familiar Symbols
Utilising familiar symbols is a fundamental aspect of directional signage design. Symbols transcend language barriers and are quickly recognised, making them an efficient way to communicate information. For example, an arrow is universally understood to indicate direction, while a wheelchair symbol denotes accessibility. Incorporating these symbols into your directional signs enhances their usability and ensures that they are accessible to a broader audience.
Include Signs at All Decision Points
Strategic placement of directional signs is critical to effective wayfinding; this means placing signs at every decision point where a visitor might need to choose which way to go. Decision points include intersections, hallways, staircases, and entries to different areas within the space. Ensuring that your directional signage guide includes signs at these critical junctures helps in eliminating confusion and creates a smooth navigational experience for all visitors.
Use Arrows Strategically
Arrows are a powerful tool in directional signage, providing clear, non-verbal guidance on which direction to proceed. However, their use should be strategic and consistent throughout your space. The directional arrows should point accurately in the direction of the intended destination, taking into account the viewer’s perspective. Consistency in the design and placement of arrows helps in reinforcing the navigational path and aids in intuitive wayfinding.
Work in Your Branding
Directional signage offers a unique opportunity to reinforce your brand identity – this can be achieved by incorporating your brand’s colours, fonts, and logos into the sign design. While functionality should never be compromised for the sake of branding, a well-integrated sign can enhance brand recognition and create a cohesive aesthetic throughout your space. This approach ties the practical aspect of wayfinding back to your brand, making your directional signage an integral part of your brand experience.
Consider Unconventional Signage Media
Exploring unconventional signage media can set your space apart and create a memorable experience for visitors (this could include illuminated digital displays, floor graphics, or even interactive kiosks). These innovative solutions can offer dynamic wayfinding information and engage visitors in a unique way. When considering how to make directional signs using unconventional media, it’s essential to ensure that these methods are accessible and easy to understand for all your visitors.
Consider the Sign’s Surroundings
The environment surrounding your directional signs can greatly impact their visibility and effectiveness, including lighting, background colours, and any potential obstructions. Signs should be placed in well-lit areas with a clear line of sight from the approach path. The background and lighting should enhance the sign’s readability rather than detract from it. Taking the surroundings into account during the directional signage design process ensures that your signs are as effective as possible.
Get Feedback on Your Directional Signage
Finally, obtaining feedback on your directional signage is invaluable. This can come from observing how visitors interact with your signage, conducting surveys, or asking for direct feedback. This input can provide insights into areas for improvement, such as signs that may be confusing or overlooked.
Incorporating this feedback into your directional signage design process ensures that your signs meet the needs of your visitors and continue to guide them effectively through your space.
Ready to get started? Contact SignManager
While functionality is very important, directional signage can also be an extension of your brand’s identity. No matter what your brand offers, signage speaks volumes about your understanding and consideration of your customers. Partner with SignManager – we understand the art of blending functionality with your brand’s specific identity and can help you tailor a network-wide wayfinding or directional signage program that is as effective as it is relevant. Speak to one of our expert consultants today.
