business advice
BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND 11
ask the expert
AVIA SIGNS• Tel: 01236 710 060 • Brown Street Business Units, North Lanarkshire ML5 4AS
Catriona Gardner of Lanarkshire-based Avia Signs outlines key ingredients
to consider when you’re thinking signage for your business, charity or other
organisation.
How not to ruin your new
signage: 7 top tips
1 Less is more
Don’t overdo the content on your signage. Keep the words
few and far between but 100% relevant. Don’t over-clutter
the sign – all you’ll succeed in achieving is confusion for the
viewer and when that happens, the sign’s failed.
2 Epic size fail
Size does matter when you’re considering new signage.
Think carefully about the size of your signage. Too small
and you’ll not achieve the appropriate impact. Take into
account the sign’s location and how your audience’s eyes
will engage.
Can it be too big? Well, that all depends on the actual
content and unless the quality of your artwork is 100%
sharp then the bigger you go, the worse the sign will look.
3 Massage the message
Don’t get these all important words wrong...
A sign with the wrong message can be as helpful as no
sign at all. Think carefully about the signage content – what
are you communicating and to whom are you reaching out?
A sign without any words can be strong and effective –
all depends on the visuals, of course.
A sign with the wrong words can be a waste too. And
remember the grammar and spelling – two ingredients
people often overlook and then your sign will be talked
about for all the wrong reasons IF you don’t tick these
boxes.
4 That right spot
Don’t pick the wrong part of the building for signage
when 50% more people could see it if you just moved it
a few metres.
Locating the right site for your signage is so important.
The correct height, the correct angle and the correct
prominence can all play a part in achieving the maximum
message via your signage. Marketing your brand or
company is an important investment for any business – so
make sure you get the location 100%.
Many of our clients are based in the UK, with a large
number located in Scotland. It rains here. A lot!
So selecting the correct material for an exterior sign is
so important. Exposure to the elements – and let’s face
it, we can get the elements of all four seasons in one day
– can have a detrimental effect on the signage, there