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Signage Tips for Your New Bern Parking Lot

6/24/2021 | admin

Parking lot signs. They’re not exactly the most exciting thing in the world of signage—or are they?

Most New Bern business owners tend to look at their parking lot signs from a practical and utilitarian viewpoint. The lot exists to allow customers to park their cars while they patronize the business. Simple as. While technically that’s true, there’s so much more to the world of parking lots—and the signage that keeps them up, running, safe—and most importantly, your customers happy. Read on to learn more about various parking lot signage requirements and options available to business owners that will turn your parking lot into the most exciting place to be in New Bern—ok, maybe we exaggerated a tiny bit on that last one.

ADA Parking Signs

First thing’s first. We’re starting with the most important aspect of parking lot signage—accessibility for all people. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a certain number of parking spaces to be accessible to disabled people. ADA signage can help keep you compliant with the law while providing people from all walks of life easy parking access. The benefit to having AlphaGraphics of New Bern design and create your ADA parking signs is that we’re very familiar with the rules and can advise you on exactly what you’ll need.

Keep it Readable

The purpose of any sign, especially a parking lot one, is to convey a limited amount of information in a fraction of a second. Nobody, especially drivers, has the time to sit there and digest a novel’s worth of text printed onto a sign. Therefore, it’s imperative to keep your text brief and pay close attention to the lettering. The common practice is to make your capital letter heights no less than three inches tall. Otherwise, the text will be too small for motorists to read at a distance. Pay close attention to the contrast as well—high contrast color schemes offer far greater visibility than low contrast ones, such as yellow lettering on a white background.

Freshen Up Your Sign?

Now is an excellent time to walk out into your parking lot and perform an audit of your signage. Unfortunately, over time, we become accustomed to seeing the same signs repeatedly, which can cause you to inadvertently ignore glaring signage issues. Look for dirt, rust, and faded lettering. Then, hop in your car and try to read the sign as you drive by. Chances are, if there’s damage to the sign, you’re not going to have an easy time deciphering the message. There’s another important aspect to having clean and new-looking parking lot signage—it’s a reflection of your business whether you realize it or not. Faded, dirty, and broken signage can give your potential customers the subconscious first impression that the company you run is just as worn down and outdated.

Use a Memorable Color Scheme

This tip applies to those who have multiple parking lots, such as malls, fairgrounds, and other places where many people can gather. It’s far too easy for someone to forget where they parked, especially when there are several lots to choose from. Add a number and color to each lot and place the signage in easy-to-view areas, such as on a light pole. This will allow people to note which lot they parked in when it comes time to retrieve their car.

Are Your Signs Well-Lit?

Don’t rely on the 1980s-era incandescent lighting that the property owner provides to illuminate your signage. Often, the intensity of these lights isn’t enough to give adequate visibility to parking lot signage. If your sign is not receiving the proper light at night, you can opt to have one created that is self-illuminated. Solar power ones are an option as well. In addition to improving sign visibility, it can also add supplemental lighting as customers make their way into your business.

Parking Lot Signage Help in New Bern

In addition to providing accessible and safe access to people from all walks of life, updating your New Bern parking lot signs can help improve people’s impression of your business. If you have any questions or need help designing a sign, give us a call. At AlphaGraphics of New Bern, we can provide you with ideas and services to assist you. 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.

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