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How to Audit Your New Bern Architectural and Wayfinding Signage

2/22/2022 | admin

The architectural signage that resides in the front of your New Bern business is one of the very first things that people see when they walk up or drive by.

In addition to adding to your brand, architectural signage also helps people find your exact location in a sea of buildings—as Apple Maps and Google Maps can’t physically mark the site in real life—only on your phone screen. It’s essential to conduct an architectural and wayfinding sign audit at least once a quarter. This will help you stay on top of any potential maintenance issues (broken lights, cracks in the signage, etc.) but will also allow you to ensure that the signage is accurate and up to date. How often do you look at the architectural and wayfinding signage in front of your office or store? Chance are—not often. Bring an employee or two along with you for another perspective when you perform your audit. They might notice something you missed entirely. Read on to learn more about how to perform an audit on your wayfinding and architectural signage.

How to Perform a Signage Audit

Before you set a single foot outside, grab a pen and notepad. This will allow you to take notes on the spot and lessen any chances of forgetting something while on your way back into the office or store. Ask yourself the following questions:

Are my signs in need of any maintenance?
Are my signs dirty, cracked, or otherwise damaged?
Has vegetation overgrown my signage and is now obscuring it?
Are my signs up-to-date, or do I need to change something?
Do the lights (if applicable) on my signage work well?
Do the wayfinding signs provide clear and accurate directions?

Once you’re done auditing your architectural signage, it’s now time to take a look at your indoor signage. If your business resides in a shared building, ask yourself if it’s easy to find your office using the current signage. If you have digital signage, now is the time to check that as well. For example, many property owners have huge architectural signs with digital displays. Each business has “x” amount of seconds or minutes “on-screen” before the display shows the next company. Sometimes, these digital displays go down due to technical errors. Believe it or not, you can go upwards of a month or more before someone finally notices that the digital sign outside isn’t working. Employees are too concerned with getting to work on time, and your customers might not bring it up with your employees. Also, make sure that the digital signage is relevant. For example, some signs promote holiday sales two to three months after the fact. Now is the time to contact the property owner or landlord and request they make the necessary repairs or fix the out-of-date information ASAP.

A Hidden Problem in Plain Sight

As a New Bern business owner, you have a certain daily routine. Day in and day out, you come to your business in the morning and leave in the evening. Over time you might fail to notice that your architectural or wayfinding signage is damaged or out-of-date. You might also fail to notice that the area that your signage currently resides in is not optimal. For example, can drivers on the road and nearby intersections see your architectural signage clearly? If not, perhaps it’s time to remove the old one and install a new one in a prime viewing location.

Your Signage Reflects Upon Your Brand

The signage outside your business is a direct reflection of your brand. Consider a hypothetical restaurant whose architectural signage is faded, chipped, and yellowing. When a potential new patron drives by, they are unintentionally and subconsciously associating your run-down signage with the quality of the food. Getting new signage in place can do wonders for the brand of a business, and it will add a fresh new look and cause people who drive by every single day to take notice. New outdoor signage can also help instill and improve trust as people will think that you care about the appearance of your business.

Outdoor Signage in New Bern

Auditing you’re the outdoor signage of your New Bern business is an integral part of keeping up your brand's image. The sign experts at AlphaGraphics of New Bern can help you with sign design and installation. We will sit down with you, listen to your goals, and then develop a game plan that will put your business on the right track for success. 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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