Signage proves to be a slice of success for pizzeria exteriors

Folks in the business say, “signage is your handshake with the public, which is true in a lot of ways” says John Yarger, president and CEO of North American Signs in South Bend, Indiana. Exterior signage tells the world who you are and where you are.

Randy Rice, owner of Signs Now in Mundelein, Illinois, advises pizzeria operators to “approach signage almost like it’s another employee. It’s out there, it’s always advertising, it’s letting people know that you are open and in business.”

Signage matters, as these statistics from the Sign Research Foundation indicate:

• 54 percent of American consumers have failed to find a business because the sign was too small or unclear.
• 60 percent of businesses reported average sales increases of 10 percent or more by adding or updating their signs.
• Lower-performing stores benefitted the most from changes to signage, such as the addition of a sign to a building that previously didn’t have one.
• Just one additional sign yielded sales increases of 4.75 percent, an impact greater than that brought on by a larger building, longer hours of operation or location longevity.
• Modifying signs led to a 5 percent weekly sales increase for many stores; underperforming stores saw weekly sales increase by 15 percent.

Your exterior signs serve many roles, says Yarger. They index your location in the minds of the public; they establish the identity of your restaurant, whether high-end or family style; they’re an image and brand-reinforcement
opportunity.

Exterior Signage Best Practices

Here’s expert advice about best practices.

Partner with your sign purveyor

You can expect much more from your sign vendor than simply making and installing signs. Most sign vendors offer in-depth service to ensure your signage success.

“Sign companies are experts in every facet of signage, from the graphic design (and many sign companies have designers on staff) to the materials. They can assess the specific location and recommend the best type of sign. They can design, fabricate, install and maintain it for years to come. And they can help secure the permits needed to get the sign installed,” says Alicia Auerswald, senior vice president of the International Sign Association.

“We want to understand what you need, what you want to accomplish, and we want to be a part of your process, part of your success,” says Rice.

Yarger points out that “most sign companies provide maintenance as a service.” This can include upgrading to money-saving LEDs, replacing ballasts or other failed electrical components, and even cleaning – which can be a serious undertaking on high signage.

For these reasons, it’s important to bring your sign vendor onboard as early as possible and benefit from their expertise from square one.

Audience and goals

Like with any advertising endeavor, you should have a clear picture of both your audience and your goals. Consider whether you’re trying to catch the eye of pedestrians, transit riders, cyclists, local drivers or freeway drivers. Are you a new business trying to make a big splash, or do you just want to ensure that folks who phone in for pickup can find you? Do you want your sign to change peoples’ ideas about what kind of pizzeria you are?

Now you’re ready to design your signage. Christopher Stanley, art and design instructor at Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania, cites these four factors to consider: simplicity, size, location and basic color theory.

Simplicity

“You don’t want anything too complicated or busy, especially if it’s for people driving by,” says Stanley. Too much information or elaborate typefaces can be too confusing to grasp at a glance. “Simple and bold is the best way to go, with just enough information to give the customer an idea of the business and an interest to come in and check it out.”

Rice agrees that readability is paramount. “Sometimes people get a fancy font and it looks really spiffy on their computer screen, but when it’s over their door or window, people have a hard time reading it.”

Consider your goals. If most of your business is phone-in orders, emphasize your phone number. If online business is a big segment for you, you might prioritize your website. Make sure every word and image counts.

Color Theory

Stanley emphasizes that good contrast is critical to readability. “How do the colors look at five, 10, 15 feet? How do they look in the daytime? How do they look at nighttime? Do the exterior lights or the random streetlights affect the colors and make it difficult to understand the sign?”

Your color choices will be dictated by existing branding unless you’re a brand-new business.

Rice points out that “certain color combinations, like the reds, the oranges, usually indicate food.” Check out the best-known food brands and you’ll see how popular red, yellow and orange are: McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Chipotle, Arby’s, Dairy Queen, Denny’s, Sonic, and Hard Rock Café are all examples. The red, green and white colors of the Italian flag are also very popular among pizzerias.

Size

“How close do you need to be to see it?” asks Stanley. “Make sure that people have time to see it before they pass it. You are not only going to have cars driving by, but also people walking, riding bikes, et cetera, so size is an important factor for all potential customers.” Talk to your sign vendor and local building department about size restrictions.

Location

Stanley reminds that “it’s important that people can see it from multiple directions. Maybe it looks good coming down 3rd Street, but coming from Main Street, there’s a big tree blocking it or some other obstructions. Make sure it can be seen in every direction, especially in high-traffic areas… but don’t cut the tree down.”

In the case of monument signs (large three-dimensional signs at around eye level) and post signs (large signs on tall posts), “those are typically standalone signs by the roadways, so you want to position those near entrances and exits so that people driving can see them far enough in advance to be able to turn into your establishment,” advises Rice.

Always work in harmony with existing factors such as exterior street and building lights, architectural features, trees and landscaping.

What’s trending?

“There are a lot of new materials in the sign industry,” says Auerswald. “The neon look is back in a big way,” generally imitated by LED lighting. Digital displays and graphic wall wraps are both versatile and popular. She points out these can be heavily regulated, so do your due diligence.

Another trend is designing exterior signage with selfies in mind. If social media is your jam, make it easy for people to pose in front of your name or logo.

Rice notes that “pole signs seem to be going out of style” and are often being replaced by monument signs.

Common mistakes with Exterior Signage

The main design mistakes are poor readability and location issues, such as not accounting for your sign being blocked by various obstacles.

“One mistake that we often see new companies make is waiting until far into the process to even think about signs,” says Auerswald. “If a new pizza place is working on a business plan to secure a loan, chances are good that they’ll need to show they’ve thought about signage as part of that business plan. But merely putting it into a plan isn’t enough. Engage the sign company and get them started. It is a major aspect of your brand—and many sign companies can be backed up for weeks.”

She also emphasizes that it’s critical to bring your sign partner into the conversation early, because they’re so knowledgeable about local regulations, available options, and more. Engaging with your sign vendor after the design process is less efficient.

Auerswald urges operators to consider safety and engineering requirements, particularly if the exterior sign is freestanding on a pole. “Work with a quality sign provider to ensure that your sign is safe. And continue regular maintenance on that sign to ensure it stays in good working order. Having a sign in disrepair tells a story, too.”

“Signs continue to be one of the best values in advertising,” says Yarger. “While the cost of a sign may seem high, if you amortize it out over the number of people going by your location, the traffic count and the other types of advertising that you pay for, signs are actually a really good deal.”

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.