A well designed sign that is creative and aesthetically pleasing  will affect your business in a positive way just as an old or poorly designed or an out of date sign will detract from your business.  A well-designed sign should accomplish three things:

1.  The sign should /clearly convey your message/.  The message should make your business easy to identify whether it is a single sign that identifies a group of businesses, or a single tenant sign, the ability of a sign to quickly convey its message is essential.

2.  The sign should /be compatible with its surroundings and building/.  The sign should be in scale with the placement on the building or in the landscape area and in scale with other signs in the area.  Signs are an accessory and should work within, not dominate, the building or landscape

3.  The sign should /promote a visual image and reflect the character of your company.
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GENERAL SIGN GUIDELINES

Signs come in all shapes and sizes, often featuring company colors and logos and should be designed to fit in a variety of settings.  Signs America can assist in selecting the best design, shape and colors for your sign. The following elements should be kept in mind when designing your sign:

**Number of Words – The fewer the words one must read, the easier they will be to read.  Sign*A*Rama  recommends 6 words for quick recognition.

**COLORS – Simple color schemes can aid in accentuating important words.  Sign*A*Rama recommends no more than 3 colors be used.  When a sign gets too “busy” it becomes harder to read and get its messge across to the reader.
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LETTERING COLOR SCHEME – In addition to limiting the number of colors, Sign*A*Rama also recommends that light-colored lettering be used on a dark background.

LETTERING SIZE – The most important part of the sign – your company name, should be in the largest sized letters.  All other information – i.e. address, tag line, web address – should be a smaller size and possibly in a different color.

**BUILDING SIGNS

Building signs should be compatible with surrounding signs and appropriate to the area.  If the sign is proposed in a walkable area, the sign should address pedestrians.  If constructed in a historic district, it should compliment the historic character of the district.

Instead of competing with a building’s architecture, a sign should complement it.
Alternative sign types should be considered.  Awnings, hanging, and projecting signs can be used to add greater dimension to get your message across to your clients.

**MONUMENT SIGNS

Monument signs can be made from a wide variety of materials.  Materials should be selected to to compliment the architectural elements of the building or area where the monument will be placed.  Stone, brick, concrete, and stucco are just a few choices.
Multiple listings on directory signs shoud be limited, as many names and logos on the sign make it difficult for the prospective client to identify your business.

PERMIT PROCESS – Both building and monument signs require permits.  Signs America provides the service of creating the documents required by the City of San Francisco.  The cost for this service is on a case by case basis.
COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION

Sign*A*Rama San Francisco provides a complimentary consultation service to assist you in selecting the right sign for your business.  Our staff of designers will conduct a site survey, provide ideas for type of sign as well as color that will put the “WOW” factor into your sign.