• Home
  • Blogs
  • How to Order a Sign: 7 Questions You Need to Ask

How to Order a Sign: 7 Questions You Need to Ask

Signs & Displays

  • Target Print & Mail
  • Target Print & Mail
Published On: March 1st, 2023
How to Order a Sign: 7 Questions You Need to Ask

Are you looking to create a sign that stands out and grabs your audience’s attention? Whether you are creating yard signs for a political campaign, a foam board sign for a conference, or a banner for a trade show event, you want to make sure you are ordering the right sign for your needs.

With so many options, ordering a sign can be daunting if you are not familiar with what you need to know in advance. Here’s a checklist of questions to consider before placing your sign order.

1. Where will your sign go and how will it be used?

Are you designing a wall logo for your company, a poster for an event or an outdoor road sign? The location of your sign helps to determine the type of sign you will need and the material it will be made from.

If you are planning to put your sign outside, you would want to choose between a yard sign, an aluminum sign or a road sign. All of these are intended for all weather conditions. Yard signs are great for neighborhood events, political campaigns, graduation announcements, and real estate marketing. Aluminum signs provide long-lasting support for important messages. You will often see these alongside streets and at parks. Road signs are much larger and are great at attracting attention from far away. They can be constructed from multiple materials such as aluminum, PVC, corrugated plastic, or polystyrene.

Do you have a large event or convention? If so, banners are an excellent and versatile sign choice. Banners can be hung from the ceiling or placed on a stand.

Another great option for meeting settings is foam board, which is rigid enough to stay upright without a hassle. Foam boards are also lightweight and easy to relocate.

2. How long does your sign need to last?

Think about the realistic time frame that your sign will be used. Do you need to get the word out quickly and for a shorter period of time? If so, corrugated plastic signs might be perfect for you. They are sturdy and water-resistant for short-term use while also being budget-friendly.

If you need something for more long-term use, you may want to consider options like PVC signs. PVC signs are a great choice if you want a sign that will last months without cracking, degrading or turning yellow.

For outdoors, aluminum compositive material signs, which are entirely weatherproof and durable, are a great choice. Beautiful images can be cut onto the 4’ x 8’ aluminum sheets into almost any shape you can imagine.

While almost any material can be used for any setting, it is important to understand which materials will be best for the length of your project.

3. How big is your sign?

Being strategic with the size of your sign is an important step in the design process. This will help ensure that your message is shared in the most effective way possible. Think about whom you will want to see your sign. Is this a poster that will be viewed up close? Or does your sign need to be seen from far away? Consider both where your sign will be located and its visibility to decide on the size.

Will your sign be in a place with a lot of foot traffic? Or will cars be passing it on their way to work? The sign needs to be large enough to be visible to your intended audience. If your sign is being used for an event, consider whether it is at a small venue or a large one. Will your sign feature an image or important information for your audience to read? If so, you will want a sign large enough to fully appreciate the image and information.

4. What kind of art will your sign feature?

Maybe you already have the design of your sign perfected—or you might have a strong idea but need help putting it together. No matter where you are in the design process, there are options for you. Many printers provide on-site design services.

Consider whether your sign will be simple and feature logos and branding, or if you would like something more complex. You do not need to be an artist to create logos and branding, but if you have an idea of what you want, a designer can help bring that idea to life.

5. How many signs do you need?

Will you be putting up multiple yard signs or do you just need one large construction sign? Be sure to consider the quantity needed before ordering. You want to select the proper quantity the first time because you may save on set up costs and possibly even materials by ordering everything at once. Additionally, your sign strategy can be more effective if you make a big splash with your new signs instead of trickling them out slowly.

6. Will you be picking it up?

While it may seem like a minor step, consider if it is more convenient to pick up your printed signs or if you will need them to be delivered to you. Don’t want to go out of your way to stop by an office? Is the sign too large or heavy for you to comfortably carry or fit in your vehicle? Many print shops conveniently offer delivery.

7. Do you need to make any final touches?

Once you have settled on all of the above questions and placed your sign order, you are now ready to bring your ideas to life! When your signs are almost ready to print, you should always receive a digital or physical proof of your sign to review. This is your chance to approve or give any additional feedback to guide the final design of your sign before printing.

At Target Print and Mail, we understand that your sign needs are unique to you. We want to provide you with the best possible product for how you plan to use it. We love working with your developed designs, but we also have a team of on-site designers to bring your ideas to life. Do you need your product shipped? We can do that, too! To view a full list of our products, check out our website here.

Do you have additional questions? We are here to help. Give us a call at (850) 671-6600.