Top Outdoor Event Sign Mistakes Blog [Updated 2024]

Signs of the Times:

Mistakes to Avoid with Outdoor Signage

During these unprecedented times of social distancing, more and more events are being held outdoors. Whether you’re hawking handcrafted sauerkraut at the local farmers market, promoting an art fair for starving artists, or setting the tone for an outdoor church service, one thing is for certain – your outdoor displays are more than just a finishing touch.

Outdoor signage ties everything together and lets people know where to go and when. Your outdoor displays can have a huge impact on important factors such as attendance and sales. And when it comes to something this crucial, let’s just say there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. We here at Sign Shark have put together a little list to help your outdoor signage be the best it can be.

Readability Part I: Contrast

It goes without saying that the single most important part of your sign should be that people can, you know, read it, and a surprising number of considerations go into that. One of the most important characteristics of good sign design is having a sharp contrast between the background and the color of the letters. This will allow your sign to be read easily in different lighting conditions and increases the distance at which your sign is legible.

Readability Part II: Font

Font is a little trickier, and a whole blog by itself could be written about which fonts to choose. A good rule of thumb is don’t use an overly elaborate, curly font (Looking at you, Cloister Black!), because such fonts just tend to be harder to read. It’s important to try your best to match the tone of the event with the formality of the font, without going overboard in either direction of too eccentric or too plain. And last but not least, don’t use Comic Sans. Just don’t.

Placement

Placement is basically the same as presentation, and it is an important element in the success of your outdoor display. Take note of what background will be behind your signage. A black outdoor flag will get swallowed up if placed in front of a black wall, for instance. And why pay top dollar for that beautiful banner if it will end up covered by tree branches or bushes once it’s hung? Keep seasonal changes in mind if your display will be up for longer than three months. Depending on the event you’re promoting, you should also keep in mind factors like how close your sign is to the road and how large it is. And finally, an LED spotlight will keep your signage working double duty, night and day.

Place Your Order Today!

We’ll finish by giving you one last tip: With everything you’ve got on your plate preparing for your big event, Don’t forget to order your display! No worries, you’ve got this. And Sign Shark has your back with 24/7 support, 360-degree previewing, and free shipping!

Visit The Sign Shark today and check one more box on your to-do list.