Most businesses, regardless of size, depend heavily on signs. Signs are one of the most efficient and effective communication media available to the small businessman. Signs will help people to find your FEC or concession track; they reach people who are passing by your park; they present an image of your business. In short, signs tell people who you are and what you are selling.

Signs are such a powerful communication medium that it is difficult to estimate the extent of their influence. Other media require the direct attention of the person receiving the message. Signs, however, can convey a message while creating a mood or feeling of atmosphere. It is not necessary for people to give full attention to a sign in order to derive meaning from its presence.

Before selecting a sign, there are several things to consider.

WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS?
Potential customers for your FEC or track and people who reside in your trade area. Trade areas come in assorted shapes and sizes. Trade areas may also vary seasonally as well.

HOW DO YOU GET INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS?
Plot a map of your customers. This is easily done by plotting the addresses of customers on a large map of your city or state. Within a few months, you will have a fairly clear idea of the key areas from which you are drawing your customers (Did you ever wonder why a store asks your zip code? Now you know; they are tracking their customer areas.) You will then be able to decide what type of sign would be best to meet the needs of the people in those trade areas.

For example, if your customers can only reach you by automobile or you are located on a very busy street, the type of sign that you use will be very different than if you have a shopping center location and people must walk to you facility from parking lots.

Obtain your street profile for a city traffic engineer. Since your sign communicates to people who pass by your business, you can direct your message to potential customers if you know what type of traffic passes by your door. You city traffic engineer can tell you: where people begin and end their trips. How people travel, when people travel by time of day, why people travel and where they park when they reach a destination. Even small cities and towns have traffic volume maps available.

Know how many new people move into to your market area each year. This is a potential market for new business. This type of information can be obtained from realtors, a chamber of commerce or police department.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS?
A sign must be noticeable. After a while, a sign become part of the landscape. It loses some of its ability to attract attention. By periodically changing some small design element or by using changeable copy, a sign continues to attract interest. Time and temperature devices or rotating and moving parts can be used to maintain interest in a commercial message. Time and temp units also provide a needed public service.

A sign must be readable. A sign needs to be large enough to be read. You need to know how far a person is when he/she first sees your sign, and the real speed of traffic on your street. With this information, a competent sign company can use a formula to calculate the necessary size for your design and build a sign that communicates effectively.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?
Decide on a message that is clear and simple.

Focus on key words. Choose one or two words which describe your business. Clever or strange words may only attract certain customers to your park.

Be brief. The cleaner and clearer the message, the more impact it has. Listings of names or unclear symbols confuse rather than communicate.

WHAT IMAGE ARE TYOU TRYING TO PORTRAY?
The design of your sign is very important. Your sign tells people a lot about your business. Stark, simple design and materials may suggest discount prices and no frills. Elegant and expensive signage may suggest high-priced goods and services. Three basis design considerations are important when ordering a sign:

Physical elements of sign design. These include considerations such as size, placement, materials and structure. The size of the sign is an important consideration. The biggest sign that you can afford may not necessarily be the best one for your needs.

A sign should go with its surroundings. A sign which is either too large or too small will not communicate your message effectively. The number of signs is also important. When there are too many signs, they compete with each other and draw less attention.

The materials used for a sign determine its appearance and performance. For example, differences in cost, appearance and color, durability, flexibility and reaction to harsh weather conditions can be found in many types of plastics available. The structure of a sign also contributes to its effectiveness. Pole covers and cantilevered construction helps build a favorable image and portray an attractive message.

Graphic elements of a sign design. Graphic elements of design include layout of a message, colors, lettering, shape, symbolism, harmony and daytime versus nighttime lighting conditions.

Legibility is a test of good design. If your sign is well designed, it will be easy to read. Legibility means that the letters or characters on a sign are distinct from one another. Some color combination of background and letter give excellent legibility while others are very poor.

To test a sign’s legibility, drive past your business and see if you can read it from a distance. Look at it in both day and night. Some signs are difficult to read because of illumination problems such as glare from street lights, other signs on nearby business establishments, or shadows caused by buildings or trees. A well-designed sign blends in with the environment, has a message impact and overcomes viewing problems.

HOW MUCH SHOULD A SIGN COST?
A sign is an investment. The average life of a sign varies from five to eleven years depending on the type of materials used, construction, climate and other factors. Find out how many years of service to expect from your sign. It pays to purchase good materials if you intend to use a sign over a period of years.

Maintenance Costs. No businessperson can afford to have a sign fall into disrepair.  A dilapidated sign tells the public that a business is not concerned with image or visual environment. Some types of signs are virtually maintenance-free while others require frequent attention. Find out how to replace burnt out bulbs or tubes in your sign. Determine who is responsible if the win blows your sign down and injures someone?

Energy consumption. New technological developments now enable some types of signs to achieve energy savings without sacrificing performance. Inquire about new energy-saving bulbs and internal materials.

Owning or leasing? Many sign companies have programs whereby you an lease a sign for a given period of time and they will maintain it for you. This may be more cost-effective for a new business, especially if there is a chance that logos and names may change within the first few years of operation. Statistics show that if a small business fails, it will happen somewhere between the first and second year of operation. Leasing a sign during this period of time might have save some of the initial capital needed for operating expenses.

Custom or standardized? Some larger companies offer standardized types of signs which are cheaper than signs which are custom-designed and constructed. Many of these standardized units can utilize ingenious design techniques to bring forth creativity and individually. Often the standardized units can be arranged in different configurations depending upon your needs. Some standardized signs units use the highest quality of materials and are designed to be relatively maintenance-free. Mass production enables these signs to be sol much cheaper than if designed and produced from scratch.

SIGNS COMMUNICATE IN A SHARED ENVIRONMENT
A sign’s ability to send its message beyond its location requires that you be sensitive to the effects of your message on others. Since you share space with others, consider their rights and sensibilities too. They are  potential customers.

Consider city or town planning goals and regulations when ordering a sign. Some types of signs are not permitted. Determine what the regulations are in your community before you discuss design with a sign shop. Most sign companies are well aware of regulations in any given community, and can guide you in selecting a sign which is not in violation of the law.