Banners, Signage and Print for Small Businesses

BUSINESS · CANADA

Banners, Signage and Print for Small Businesses

Materials by use, artwork and resolution, fixing signs safely and permissions

Printed signage is cheap to order and easy to get wrong, usually in the artwork or in how it is fixed.

Materials by use

PVC banners suit short-term outdoor use and need eyelets and proper fixing. Mesh banners let wind through and are what you need on a fence or scaffolding.

Correx and foamboard are light and short-lived. Dibond and acrylic suit permanent signs. Vinyl stickers and window graphics suit glass, and static clings come off cleanly.

Artwork

Supply vector artwork where you can, since it scales without losing quality. For photographs, check the supplier's required resolution at the final size — an image that looks fine on screen is frequently far too small for a large banner.

Use CMYK rather than RGB, allow bleed, and keep text well inside the safe area, since trimming varies.

Proofread every word and have somebody else read it, because printed items cannot be returned for a typo.

Legibility

Less text, larger. A rough guide is around one centimetre of letter height for every three metres of viewing distance. High contrast, a simple typeface and one clear message.

Fixing it safely

Wind load on a solid banner is considerable, and a banner that comes loose over a road is dangerous. Use every eyelet, bungee ties that absorb gusts, and mesh where wind is a factor.

Permissions

Advertisement consent is required for many signs in the UK, and rules are tighter in conservation areas and on listed buildings. Check with the council before installing anything permanent.

Roller banners and events

Keep the important message in the top third, since the lower part is frequently hidden by tables and people. Check the base is stable and the bag is carryable by one person.

Order a spare of anything you use repeatedly, since damage at an event is common.

Branding consistently

Use the same typeface, colours and logo across signage, packaging and online. Supply exact colour references rather than describing a colour.

Lead times and proofs

Allow for artwork approval, printing and delivery, and order well ahead of an event rather than days before. Ask for a digital proof and check it at full size rather than as a thumbnail.

Keep the artwork files somewhere findable, since reordering is far cheaper than recreating them.

Check the finished size against where it will hang before ordering.

Durability outdoors

Ultraviolet light fades printed colour over months, and reds and blues go first. Ask about the expected outdoor life and whether a laminate is available, which extends it considerably.

Take temporary signage down promptly rather than leaving it to weather.

Storage

Roll banners rather than folding, which creases permanently.

WHERE TO BUY

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