Custom Sign Design: Data Driven Tips To Increase Sales In Conroe, TX

Looking for help with your custom sign design? Look no further. Drawing from sign studies, graphic design research, and the experience of our in-house experts, today’s post shares 3 data-driven tips to increase sign conspicuity, legibility, and sales.

Read on to learn more, or call The Custom Sign Haus at (936)-539-4200 to speak directly with a custom sign designer near you in Conroe, TX.

Best Practices For Custom Sign Design: Top-3 Data-Driven Tips

1.    Stick With Solid Fonts In Your Custom Sign Design

In a seminal study published in Trends in Optics and Photonics, researchers Arditi et al. (1997) compared the legibility of standard solid fonts and outline fonts, which define the shape of the letter but leave the center of the character unfilled, like this:

Across multiple experiments, study participants found it much easier to read signs that used solid fonts, and their increased legibility led to consistently stronger sales performances. In fact, in order to achieve equivalent legibility, outline fonts needed to be nearly twice (1.8x) the size of solid letters!

For this reason, we generally recommend using solid fonts, especially if you are working with size restrictions or targeting audiences who are on-the-move. If you want to create an outline effect without negatively impacting readability, consider introducing a third color to your custom sign design to create contrast between the background, outline, and characters.

2.    Keep Your Custom Sign Design Simple For Outdoor Advertising

In one study by the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, research Knuth et al. (2020) showed how consumers appreciated complex, info-rich signs that could tell them more about products with minimalist packaging.

But that doesn’t mean all of your signage should strive for high word counts and complexity—in fact, taking this approach to your outdoor sign design is a recipe for disaster.

As discussed by Knuth et al. (2020) in that same study, “less complex stimuli are generally easier to process, resulting in higher fluency” (p. 8). And with the average driver or passing pedestrian only able to give your outdoor signs 3-5 seconds of attention, it is critical that they can be read in a single glance.

Further research indicates that low-complexity outdoor signage “enhances the perceived attractiveness of the advertiser,” and because it requires less cognitive effort to process short messages, simple signs speak straight to the heart, increasing emotional responses to brand messaging (Ortho & Crouch, 2014; Etyam et al., 2017).

In light of these findings, we generally recommend limiting outdoor sign designs to 1-3 fonts, colors, and graphic elements, and keeping your sign copy as clear and concise as possible. It can be easy to overdo it with so many options at your fingertips, but our custom sign design team can keep your sign order on track.

3.    Create Contrast To Convert Passersby Into Paying Customers

In a meta-analysis titled “Factors Affecting Sign Visibility, Conspicuity, and Legibility,” James Bullough (2017) reviewed decades of sign code recommendations and marketing research to identify the keys to effective custom sign designs.

At the end of his report, Bullough (2017) concluded that “the contrast between a sign and its immediate background is the primary determinant of one’s ability to detect that sign, perhaps more than size.”

In other words, when you want to get your signs noticed, contrast is king.

There are plenty of ways to add contrast to your custom sign design, but the easiest option is to choose contrasting colors for your substrate and font. White-on-red, blue-on-white, and yellow-on-black work great, but of course these aren’t your only options. To learn more, get in touch with our custom sign design team.

Book A Free Custom Sign Design Consultation In Conroe, TX

The Custom Sign & Graphics Haus is your one-stop shop for custom sign design in Conroe, TX, giving you access to the most popular sign products, an arsenal of modern design and manufacturing tools, and a team of multidisciplinary experts, all under one roof.

Whatever you order, we guarantee:

• Outstanding custom sign designs that meet your exacting brand standards and incorporate current best practices
• Exceptional customer service, clear communication, and streamlined project management
• Full compliance with local sign codes, OSHA/ADA standards, and the requirements of your landlord
• Full support with every step of your order, from permitting to installation

To book your custom sign design consultation and get a free quote on any order, you can:

• Call (936)-539-4200 to speak directly with a custom sign designer near you
• Email Hello@CustomSignHaus.com with questions, artwork, and schedule availability
• Fill out our quick contact form to book your consultation online

References

Arditi, A., Liu, L., & Lynn, W. (1997). Legibility of outline and solid fonts with wide and narrow spacing. Trends in optics and photonics, series, 11, 52-56.

Bullough, J. (2017). Factors affecting sign visibility, conspicuity, and legibility: Review and annotated bibliography. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 1(2), 2-25.

Eytam, E., Tractinsky, N., & Lowengart, O. (2017). The paradox of simplicity: Effects of role on the preference and choice of product visual simplicity level. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 105, 43-55.

Knuth, M., Behe, B. K., & Huddleston, P. T. (2020). Simple or complex? Consumer response to display signs. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 4(2), 7-22.

Orth, U. R., & Crouch, R. C. (2014). Is beauty in the aisles of the retailer? Package processing in visually complex contexts. Journal of Retailing, 90(4), 524-537.

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