What’s the point of having a sign? Or an awning? They help people find you and let potential customers or building visitors know who you are. Signs and awnings introduce or reinforce your name and brand image. But they also offer an entire palette of visual opportunities beyond simple name recognition.
Take banners, for instance.
Banners are just another form of signage. They can add character to your building, augmenting your signs and awnings by telling more specific details of your company story. The more people know about what you do or sell, the more comfortable they’ll feel stepping inside. Banners can do that for you. And they look good doing it.
Banners can do things signs and awnings cannot do.
Character is individuality — something special for people to look at. But character that counts does double-duty to market your building, your products or services. Signs and awnings give
your building character, certainly. But banners can display messages, not just your name or logo. And they look good doing it.
Banners are more versatile than signs and awnings which are permanently affixed to your building. They can be attached to poles like flags or be fitted with grommets to hang in mid-air or against the side of your building or inside your windows. You can use them with a metal stand for placement on the sidewalk or even a table-top.
Banners can be small as a daily “lunch specials” sign or huge as a wall mural that announces a grand opening or your sponsorship of an important community event. They can reflect the holidays or seasonal themes. And unless you’re creating them for a one-time occasion, you’ll be able to re-use them.
Banners help you get noticed. They help build excitement, especially if you use them in series. Display a new one each week, leading up to grand opening or special event, to repeatedly pique interest and keep people wondering what’s coming next. Or create a series of messages you place outside each day. Or use a series of stand-alone banners to create a kiosk outside your building.
People will start looking forward to seeing what’s next. If you’re creative enough, they’ll take photos and share them with others. That’s marketing you couldn’t pay for. Use banners indoors, too, repeating the outdoor theme and message like stepping stones to lead customers to your designated point of purchase.
Banners are economical to create, so they’re a cost-effective investment.
Repeat the look of signs and awnings with offsite banners.
Some banner styles are designed to be collapsible and lightweight, so they’re easily portable.
That lets you take your “character” on-the-go for meeting displays, trade shows, festivals, wherever you need an instant “booth” or backdrop. In fact, why use a boring table skirt when you can use a banner in front of your display table to promote your name and company graphics? Often banners used to dress tables can also be used in-store or even outside your building.
Giving your building added character is important, but it has to be in keeping with your overall company image. The key, of course, is consistency. Even though banners, signs and awnings may have slightly different purposes, they are all there to market your building and business. That means they have to send the same visual message, using your corporate colors, logo, etc. That reinforces your brand.
Don’t do anything before you check the regulations.
It’s safe to assume that someone – most likely your landlord or the city – has some rules in place regarding signs and awnings, including even temporary banners. Checking up on restrictions before you begin to plan your banners will give you a good starting point and ensure you don’t create something you cannot use.