Tips to Ensure Your Self-Storage Sign Is the Right Face for Your Business

By Abhi Goyal

As humans, we recognize and remember each other by our facial features. Striking eye color and size, expressive eyebrows, adorable dimples, luscious locks or shiny bald heads, distinctive noses, sensuous or thin lips are all memorable characteristics. These unique features comprise our identity—our brand.

Signage at your self-storage facility serves a similar function. It should convey your brand in a way that creates consumer awareness and interest. If a brand isn’t compelling, no one is going to remember your company, service or product. Custom signs are critical for long-term branding, a business launch or any short-term promotional strategy. Here are some tips to ensure your sign is the right face for your business:

• Powerful statement: Your signage should reflect the unique personality of your business. When done correctly, it will become familiar and valuable to your desired target market.
• Collaboration: Whether you’re starting a new brand, spinning off to a new company or combining brands through a merger, your marketing team and key company leaders should work collaboratively with a sign company as soon as logos and taglines are chosen.
• Communicative design: A well-designed sign ensures effective messaging. Its graphic elements include the layout of the message, colors, lettering and shape symbolism. It should be big enough and easy to read from afar. Pay special attention to the proper blending of colors. Even if signs are mobile, people need to be able to read them quickly. With this in mind, keep verbiage short and concise while still creating impact. Also, be aware of distractions like shadows, street-light glare or nearby business signs.
• Consistency: Whether your business is local, regional, national or international, your company logo should be displayed on public signage that uses a consistent “family” of colors and shapes that positively reinforce your image. Exterior and interior signage need to complement the feel of the brand.
• Location: Signage that isn’t placed effectively can defeat its primary purpose. Examine your property. Does it make the most sense to install signs on rooftops, on building walls, as awnings, or as standalone elements in front of buildings? Make sure nothing obstructs the sign’s visibility for pedestrians and passing motorists. It’s also important to think about how the signage needs to be seen during the day as well as at night.

More Than Just a Street Sign

Crafting a strong presence in the market is a crucial piece of any advertising and promotional strategy. The foundation of brand recognition is built from home offices, single-location businesses and franchise locations. As a component of brand extension, the right comprehensive signage strategy can take your business personality to the next level.

Consider taking your brand to the street with vehicle signage or magnetic decals. Banners, canvas, posters, flags and vinyl printing can be used effectively whether at a facility location or attending a tradeshow. A great way to stay in front of customers is on their desks and inside their homes with promotional items such as pens, magnets, shirts, water bottles and backpacks.

Your goal should be to come up with signage that is reflective of your business character. Do you want your brand to reflect an image that is traditional, progressive, quirky, elegant, dependable, tech-oriented or something else entirely? At the same time, consider your target market. Does your brand appeal to a specific group of customers, whether young professionals, families, commercial businesses or military? Once you know what you want your brand to convey, you’ll be able to work effectively with a sign professional to put your best face forward.