Making your business stand out in a sea of competitors can be challenging at times. Fortunately, retractable banners can help deliver your advertising message in an effective and impactful way.
Retractable banners, also known as roll up banner stands, are very popular due to their ease of set up and take down. A single person can quickly set up, install, then take down a retractable banner. They can be stored in a very compact space which makes them the perfect advertising medium that can be re-used over and over again.
If you’re considering a retractable banner for your store, event, or trade show, here are five tips on how to create the perfect DIY design that will draw eyeballs from far and wide.
Overall Messaging
Your overall advertising message should be impactful and concise. The fewer words you use, the better. The sign needs to be instantly readable at a glance. Otherwise, people will walk by and ignore it.
Your primary goal with the messaging should be to build trust. Trust is established by creating an emotional connection and delivering on promises. If you run a church, a great way to develop an emotional connection would be to quote a few scriptures or bible passages to keep people coming back week after week.
If you’re promoting your business at a trade show, try to have your messaging showcase the cause and passion that is at the core of your company. It creates an honest connection with viewers versus being just another stale advertising message.
Left to Right
People are used to reading from top to bottom and left to right. Keep this information in mind when designing your banner – lest you confuse. The overall message of the banner should be able to be seen from a distance, and it should be instantly apparent what it’s all about.
Try to keep the overall advertising message cohesive – build upon the anticipation that your retractable banners have initially built and then deliver the payoff in your printed materials such as brochures, newsletters, and catalogs.
Color and Fonts
The colors that you use in your design are also important. Try choosing complimentary colors. Colors that are complementary are said to be opposite of each other. These contrasting colors are essential for creating a clean design that can easily be read at a glance. If you don’t use complementary colors, then the entire design will be tough to read and decipher – which will cause most people to ignore it altogether.
You should also take the font and font size into serious consideration. Some fonts are easier to read at a distance than others.
At what approximate distance will people be reading your retractable banner? Are you trying to capture the attention of people walking by in the mall or are you trying to attract the attention of people on the other side of the convention hall? 1” of letter height is roughly equal to a 72-pt. font and the best legibility is around 1 foot. 2” of letter height is roughly equal to a 144-pt. font size and can be read at a distance of 20 feet.
Images Sell
If you decide to include pictures, be sure that they’re high quality. Professionally taken photos work best, but if you have a newer smartphone and need a good picture, try putting the photos settings on ultra-high definition.
The photos themselves should be at least 300 dpi (600 dpi provides for a much clearer and sharper image) and should be saved as CMYK ready for print. If you download an image from a website, there’s an excellent chance it won’t look at right due to it being RGB. If you have any questions about images, give AlphaGraphics of New Bern a phone call, and one of our friendly experts will help advise you on the best way to incorporate images.
Call-to-Action
Without a doubt, the most crucial aspect of any retractable banner is the call-to-action (CTA). Without it, people will just read your message at a glance and walk away. A properly designed CTA will direct people to act, such as:
- Please take a free sample
- Ask our sales rep for more info
- Inquire within
- Ask about the trade show 15% discount
Retractable Banner Design and Printing in New Bern
If you need a retractable banner designed or printed, look no further than AlphaGraphics of New Bern. Our expert in-house graphic designers will sit down with you and create the perfect banner that’s sure to make an impact wherever it’s displayed. To learn more about how AlphaGraphics of New Bern can produce and design your next project, you may
email us,
request a quote or call us at
(252) 633-3199.