Our former office space was on a heavily traveled street in Denver called Speer Blvd. (named after one of Denver’s founders), one of the few streets here where the backup stretches several blocks at rush hour. It often made for great end-of-the-day entertainment (counting how many people picked their noses, watching fender-benders unfold in real-time, etc.), but it also made for great branding.
You see, for the first few months at this location, we were debating on if we should have a sign and, if so, how elaborate it should be. The first question was easy to answer – yes, we probably should put out a sign so at least clients and visitors could find us. But how elaborate, and how expensive? Custom signage can get spendy in a hurry. Despite our attempt at frugality, we finally decided to shell out some bucks and get something nice. And within a matter of weeks of the sign going up, wherever I went in town and mentioned Kear Stevens, someone would chime in “oh, you’re the guys over on Speer.” I spent years trying to get the word out about our business, and this stupid hunk of aluminum and plastic had done in inside of a month or two. Go figure.
Signage is an afterthought for many companies, and unfortunately it shows. It’s often the first impression you make on strangers, and depending on your location(s), it could be a place where many, many strangers pass by. Now, not all signage should be big, bright and blinking. For example, the restaurant below us has positioned itself as an intimate, charming hideaway, so their signage is more cryptic and speakeasy-ish (if that’s a word). And it works great for them. On the other hand, if you’re a strip club, bold and flamboyant are what your customers expect, so give it to them (within zoning restrictions, of course).
Your sign has to fit your brand and how you position yourself. Even if street or foot traffic is minimal, a sign is a reflection of your pride in your business. And often the most important traffic are those who are visiting your office (prospects, clients, investors, etc.). So give them something to remember you by when they enter and leave.
