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Warning Signs: The Mistakes You Need to Avoid When Outsourcing Sign Writing

 

Signs are everywhere, right? From the moment you walk out your door, there are signs pointing you and guiding you to hundreds of thousands of different businesses. In a world where we are bombarded with marketing messages, it’s more important than ever to make sure your signage stands out.

 

Here, we take a look at the mistakes you need to avoid when outsourcing sign writing.

 

Don’t live in ignorance. Design and signage is a specialised area, so we would not expect the companies and individuals we work with to have a detailed grasp of all the factors that go into sign design and manufacture.

 

However, we would always advise that as a company you do use someone to negotiate the sign writing who has some level of experience in the area. This might be your own in-house designer (who can give an expert view on how your logo or brand guidelines have been used) or another individual who has a knowledge of design, or who knows your logo and your image really well.

 

The company can’t take your computer files for direct output for signage – this requirement applies if you already have existing designs for your signs, which is likely to apply if you have existing band guidelines and logos, which brings us on to the next mistake to avoid…

 

Your sign writer doesn’t offer you proofs. If your company has strict brand and design guidelines, then all your signage needs to follow those guidelines. An experienced and professional signage company will work with you to ensure your signage meets those requirements – and proofs should definitely be offered. You don’t want the finished product to come as a nasty surprise, after all…

 

Don’t take experience for granted. Of course, a company can claim to be very experienced – they’ve been working in the sign-writing business for 20 years, for example. But the proof is always in the portfolio. Check the sign writer’s portfolio carefully and look for examples of work that echoes your own requirements.

 

Even better, look around your local area to see examples of this sign writer’s work. Do the signs, the shop fronts or the vehicle graphics still look good and brand new even after they’ve been in place for some time? That’s a good sign (no pun intended).

 

Your sign writer doesn’t listen to you. We’d expect to have a detailed conversation with any client, past or present, and we would look at all their requirements in detail.

 

How many signs do they need? Do they have existing brand guidelines or sign graphics? Where is the sign going? What height will it be? Where will people be seeing the sign – does it need to be seen from far away? What’s the budget? When are the signs needed?

 

Choosing the right sign writer can be tricky, but these are the mistakes you need to avoid when outsourcing sign writing. Choose well and you will get signs that are professional, eye-catching and long-lasting.

 

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