Hard to read, easy to ignore

One of the most common (and costly) signage mistakes is poor legibility. If people can’t read your sign quickly and clearly, it’s not doing its job.

How to avoid it:

• Use easy-to-read fonts. Keep it clear, bold and fuss-free. Avoid fine, overly decorative or script fonts, especially on illuminated signs.
• Size matters. Make sure your text is large enough to read at a glance from the distance it’ll be viewed. Big building? Big lettering.
• Choose the right contrast. Text should stand out against the background. Think bold colour combos, not tone-on-tone.
• Keep it simple. Don’t cram your sign with information. If you’ve got more to say, consider pairing it with window or interior graphics.

2. Your brand, but all over the place

If your signs look different from your website, van or business cards, it creates confusion. And confused customers don’t stick around.

How to avoid it:

• Stick to your brand guidelines. Your signage supplier should have your correct colours, fonts and logo files. Don’t have brand guidelines? We can help.
• Get your assets in order. Ask your designer for high-res logo files and brand specs when your branding is created.
• Think inside and out. Carry your brand through from the fascia to your interior signage using consistent fonts, colours and materials for a joined-up look.

4. Local rules matter (and so do fines)

Overlooking planning rules can lead to costly delays or, worse, having to take your sign down. Awkward, disruptive and nobody wants to be known as a rule-breaker.

How to avoid it:

• Know the rules. Local councils have different requirements for signage depending on size, illumination and location.
• Get the right permissions. It’s always better to check before you install.
• Work with a professional team. We’ve handled permissions and regulations for clients all over the UK. Ask us if you’re unsure, or read our blog about signs and planning permissions.

5. Great sign, wrong spot

Even the best-looking sign can fall flat if it’s in the wrong place. Think beyond the artwork you approve on your computer and consider how people will actually see it.

How to avoid it:

• Walk the site. Check visibility from different angles. Are you on a busy road? A pedestrian path? Hidden behind trees?
• Combine sign types if you’re in an awkward spot. Fascia signage is great, but a projecting sign might be more visible on foot. A combination of the two will get you seen from every angle.
• Add lighting where it counts. If your building’s shaded or open late, illuminated signage can make all the difference.
• Design for your audience. Position your sign where your customers are most likely to see it. Don’t just go for what looks good on paper.

Need help getting your signage right?

Whether you’re refreshing tired signs, rebranding, or planning signage for a new space, we’ll make sure your business gets seen and you avoid a signage mistake.

Get in touch with the team at Motive Graphics. We’re happy to advise, design and deliver signage that works as hard as you do.

What do you want your sign to do?

This sounds a bit odd, but what is the purpose of your sign?

Do you need something which displays basic information? Do you need a sign that entices customers to visit your shop? Are your neighbours your competitors, so you need a sign that makes your brand stand out boldly and brightly against theirs?

Once you know what impact you want your signage to have, we can help you design the perfect option.

What custom sign is most suitable for your shop?

Signs can be surprisingly heavy.

If your shop is in a really old building, there’s a possibility that the brickwork won’t take the weight of a sign made from certain materials.

Back-lit signs or illuminated signs, tray signs (where the edges are folded to create a ‘tray’ effect), and designs with big, built-up lettering – like the example from Esquire’s Coffee Shop – can weigh a lot as they often contain aluminium or steel.

The material of the building itself – brick, stone, wood, to name a few – can also impact the type of fixtures and fittings that can be used.

This is where our expertise comes in: we can advise on the best options to ensure your sign is safe, secure, and hardwearing while looking awesome and fitting in with your brand!

How developed is your visual brand?

Do you have a logo already?

If you do, do you have it in a vector file so that we can make it big enough to use on a sign?

If you don’t already have a logo, or only have it in PNG or JPEG formats, we’ll either need to create a design from scratch or re-draw your existing logo so it’s a high enough quality for our machines to cut out.

Luckily, we have an in-house team of expert sign makers and designers to help you with this process. They’re particularly skilled in taking our customers’ briefs and helping develop them if they aren’t sure what they want!

You might need to get permits for your sign

If you’ve opted for illuminated signage or a design which protrudes from the wall, you might need to be granted a council permit.

And if your shop is located on a busy high street, health and safety requirements might state that parts of the road and pavement need to be closed for installation. This means either you or we will need to liaise with the council to make the necessary arrangements.

This might sound daunting, but we’ve liaised with many councils to arrange for the safe fitting of signs for our customers – it’s easily doable; you just need to know what’s required!

If you’re unsure what paperwork your dream custom sign might need, we can advise on that.

Give our friendly team a call

If you’re ready to bring a new lease of life to your shop or retail premises, a custom sign is the perfect place to start.

Get in touch with us today and we can help you navigate the process from design to installation.

Where can you use LED-illuminated signs?

LED lights can be used for both internal and external signage. 

They perform well in the cold and are durable, meaning they’re an excellent choice for external signage: illuminated shop signs, LED brand names, and lit-up graphics…the possibilities are endless.

Illuminated signs are also the perfect way to add a bit of life to the inside of your building. Use internal LED signs to add the “wow” factor and a great first impression by lighting up your reception or waiting area.

Bring those dull rooms to life, brighten up dark spots, and help people navigate around your business (think illuminated fire exit signs!) in a cost-effective, on-brand way.

Long-life illuminated signage – guaranteed

In the long term, choosing LEDs means your illuminated signs will last much longer: LED bulbs last up to ten times longer than traditional ones. This means they’re super cost-effective: you’ll reduce your maintenance costs as you won’t need to replace the bulbs – or the whole sign – as often. In fact, all of our lighting modules have a ten-year guarantee.

How much do you save by switching to LED signage?

Old, deteriorating signs are often extremely inefficient. Upgrading your old sign will make your business easier to find and improve that first impression, and you could use up to 75%* less energy every time you turn the sign on. And, when you have a sign illuminated for most of the day during the winter months, that’s a considerable amount of money you could save!

With LED signage, your brand awareness and reputation are the only things going up – and not your energy bills!

Now is the perfect time to consider your LED signs

Start thinking now about how you could upgrade your signs to illuminated options with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). As well as shining a light on your brand all year round, you’ll benefit from:

• Immediate energy savings of up to 75%.
• Longer-lasting bulbs (LEDs last up to ten times longer than traditional bulbs).
• Less time spent replacing and maintaining bulbs.
• Reduced risk of fire.
• Reduced waste disposal costs.
• Increased recycling opportunities.
• A ten-year guarantee on your light modules with your Motive Graphics sign.

Get a quote for an illuminated sign

Speak to us about how we can illuminate your business and take the frustration out of finding your business this winter.

How we can help

We’re a local sign company based in St Neots covering St Ives and Huntingdon. We’ve transformed the look and feel of many business properties just like yours by offering specialist advice and installation for:

• illuminated signs
• wall and window graphics
• tray signs and fascia signs
• printed signs and banners
• shop fronts
• built-up lettering plus much more!

Far from just turning up and fitting a sign or graphic, we offer a one-stop-shop for advice, design and installation and will be on hand to support you throughout your project – no matter how big or small.

As locals, we recognise the vast benefits of renovating our town centres, making them more modern and enjoyable for everyone.

Safety

Which leads us neatly to safety. How much traffic chaos have you caused slowing down to look for a business in the past (not to mention the extra time added to your journey)? High-quality, clear, illuminated signage make you easy to find, and ensure that your customers, delivery drivers or new staff arrive safely and in a chilled-out state!

Choice

Illuminated signage can be designed to suit your building and colour matched to your brand. Office graphics have come a long way, and there are so many ways to make your office shine! 

Rather than explain, we’ve shown real life examples we’ve installed!

Energy & cost efficient

If you’re wondering how much lighting your building will cost, you’ll be pleased to hear it’s incredibly energy efficient.

Long gone are the days when lights sucked the life out of the national grid. Illuminated signs use LEDs, meaning they are cost-efficient and extremely long-lasting.  

With a huge choice of weatherproof materials guaranteed for years and energy-efficient lighting, outdoor signage will look after itself. 

Installation costs depend on the height of the building, size of the installation, whether access is restricted (for example, if your premises are on a busy high street) and if extra equipment or safety measures are required.

But, in general, illuminated signage is extremely cost-efficient to install and run, and we can talk you through all of the options during a site survey. 

  The Beauty Beat in a snapshot

The result

⭐ Event branding, production and installation

⭐ Perfectly matched up 200m of vinyl, inside and out!

⭐ Props wrapped

⭐ Full project management

⭐ Full removal

⭐ 1 deposit returned to customer in full

⭐ Lots of laughs had

The event

⭐2 day weekend event, packed with the world’s top beauty brands, speakers and experts

⭐ 800 guests, including high profile influencers and A-listers

⭐ 1.2 million unique views across Instagram and TikTok alone.

Give our friendly team a call

Speak to us about how we can take your event to the next level

Shop Signage

Kerb appeal 

From boutique coffee houses to estate agents, how a brand looks from the roadside forms our opinion on the business. It might be the best coffee house in town but if the paint is peeling and the shop graphics are past their sell by date, you’re unlikely to visit. 

From shop signage and window graphics, what you can see of the inside through to themed booths with custom graphics, we recommend considering every part of the kerbside experience.

Over time, it can be easy to add things to an interior or order an A-frame that all look slightly different, which can stop your brand looking cohesive and recognisable. Refreshing what you’ve got with the same fonts, colours and designs can be transformational without the expense of a redesign.

Commercial signage

Outdoor signage

The types of commercial signage you can install are vast. Your signage can be functional and practical wayfinding or creative and quirky to bring the personality of your brand to life so you are noticed by potential customers.

Your outdoor signage can be simple and relatively small or large scale and lit or unlit.

“Think about when and how people will see your sign. If it’s functional wayfinding and only ever seen in daylight you might choose unlit. If you want people to see it from a distance in every weather condition and time of day, then we’d recommend a lit outdoor sign”, suggests Ed Marshall.

Illuminated signs

If you are looking to upgrade your commercial signage from an unlit sign to one that can be seen day or night, illuminated signage is a great option. 

How do you fit a large sign?

During a site survey, we can offer ideas and advice on the design and materials, talk through the health and safety requirements to install the sign on site and liaise with your electrician or recommend our own to make the process seamless. 

Looking for commercial signage inspiration?

Read our in-depth post on the different types of signs, illuminated sign ideas and a summary of materials we use in the design and manufacture of our signs.

Find us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram where we showcase our latest installations – the perfect place to get ideas.

2. Interior Illuminated Signage

With smart technology and energy-efficient LEDs, illuminated interior signs have become increasingly popular (both in the home and office) with the added benefit of being very instagrammable!

From cool cafes to reception areas, coloured interior illuminated signage can complement your brand and bring your logo and company values to life. If you’re not able to have externally illuminated signage, interior signage in the right position is also a great way to navigate visitors to you.

“We’d really struggled with customers finding us. As soon as we installed our illuminated sign, it made it easier. We weren’t answering the phone every 5 minutes trying to guide people in. Customers love it and it’s more welcoming than lots of bits of paper stuck to the door with our logo on it. We feel 100% more professional. Thank you Motive!”

3. Put your door number in lights

If you can’t accommodate large scale illumination, you can still benefit from lighting. Light up your door number or company name to make your premises easy to find in gloomy conditions and create a professional first impression. 

Give our friendly team a call

Speak to us about how we can illuminate your business and take the frustration out of finding your business this winter

Our useful guide covers the 7 key things you need to consider whilst planning your new building signage to ensure you have the correct permissions:

1: Get the Landlord’s permission for your signage

2: Check you don’t need permission from the estate owner

3: What you need to do for sign planning permission in National parks.

4: The types of permissions for signage projects

5: Getting signage approval in a town centre

6: Signage approval near power networks

7: Internal signs planning consent

This document is a brief guide and gives an overview of some of the key considerations you need to take. We would always recommend that before you undertake any work on a building, that you consult the local planning department for up-to-date advice on the latest changes to planning rules.   For the latest government guidelines click here

Do you need more information or advice on changing your office building or warehouse signage?

Please don’t hesitate to contact the motive team if you would like any help or advice