The Ultimate Guide to Signs for Businesses

Beyond branding, signs serve other practical purposes:

• Helping customers find the right entrance or pickup zone
• Improving foot and vehicle traffic flow
• Meeting safety and ADA requirements
• Supporting local marketing campaigns and promotions

The right signage strategy builds trust and draws in the customers you want.

Before diving into formats and materials, it helps to understand the role signage plays across your locations. Signs for businesses typically serve three core functions:

• Inform: Tell customers where you are and what you offer
• Educate: Highlight products, services, hours, or promotions
• Direct: Guide people to the right place and reduce confusion

Effective signage improves the customer experience from the curb to the checkout. It also supports internal operations by making spaces easier to navigate—for staff, vendors, and deliveries.

If your locations include drive-thrus, shared buildings, or campuses, wayfinding signage becomes even more critical.

Signs do more than advertise. They keep your spaces organized and usable.

The most common mistake businesses make with signage is starting too late. You need more than a logo file to get a sign built, approved, and installed. A clear plan helps avoid delays, cost overruns, and mismatched brand execution.

Key elements of a strong signage plan:

• Business goals: What are you trying to achieve with your signage?
• Sign types and formats: Illuminated? Digital? Monument?
• Placement and visibility: Can people see it from the road?
• Stakeholders: Who approves or maintains signage?
• Budget and ROI: What’s your spend threshold, and how do you measure impact?

Calculating the value of your signage helps align your sign plan with measurable outcomes. A good sign plan is the difference between strategic impact and last-minute stress.

There are dozens of sign types, but only a few that most multi-location businesses use regularly. Picking the right format comes down to your goals, your site layout, and local rules.

Most Common Signs for Businesses

Channel Letters

Channel letter signs are individual, three-dimensional letters or logos mounted directly to a building or raceway. They can be internally illuminated, backlit (halo), or non-illuminated. Ideal for storefronts, they offer a clean, professional look with strong brand visibility.

Cabinet Signs

Cabinet signs, also called box signs, are enclosed structures that can house lighting and graphics on acrylic or aluminum faces. These are great for logos, taglines, or multi-tenant directories. They're cost-effective, durable, and easy to update.

Monument Signs

Monument signs are ground-level signs with a solid base, often made of brick, concrete, or metal. They're used at entrances to corporate campuses, shopping centers, and schools. They project permanence and make it easy for passersby to spot your brand.

Pole Signs

Pylon or pole signs are elevated on one or two poles, making them visible from long distances, especially important for roadside businesses, retail centers, and fuel stations. They’re excellent for drawing attention from highways or multi-tenant lots.

Digital Message Centers

Digital message centers are LED-based signs that allow for programmable, dynamic messaging. Ideal for promotions, public info, or time-sensitive content, they can be controlled remotely. They're perfect for businesses that update messaging frequently across many locations.

Each type comes with specific benefits depending on use case, visibility, and property layout. Choosing the right sign type makes your brand easier to find and harder to forget.

The sign itself is only part of the equation. Where you put it, and how easy it is to see, matters just as much.

Ask yourself:

• Will drivers and pedestrians see the sign before they pass the entrance?
• Does the sign face high-traffic areas or parking zones?
• Is it readable in daylight and at night?
• Are there visibility challenges, like trees or neighboring structures?

It’s also important to confirm you have the proper mounting surface, structural support, and access to power, especially for illuminated signs. Here’s how placement impacts cost.

Poor placement equals poor performance. Your sign only works if people see it.

Sign permitting is one of the most overlooked phases, and also the biggest cause of project delays.

What you need to account for:

• Local code restrictions (height, brightness, etc.)
• Distance from roads, property lines, or intersections
• Neighborhood-specific design rules
• Landlord approvals
• Timeline to apply and receive permits

Even monument sign design can trigger code reviews, so plan early. Get this part wrong, and your timeline will slip. Get it right, and everything else moves faster.

Once your sign is approved, the real work begins. Business signs are made to order. Here’s what to expect:

• Engineering and fabrication – Custom-built to fit your site
• Install prep – Verifying power, mounting, or concrete bases
• Scheduling – Coordinating installers, access, weather, and safety
• Installation – May include cranes, lifts, and after-hours access

Many teams underestimate install logistics, especially at scale. Expect delays if prep work is skipped. Tight coordination keeps installs on track.

Even the best signs need upkeep. If your sign is flickering, cracked, or stained, it reflects poorly on your brand.

What to check:

• Burnt-out lights or dimming LEDs
• Loose panels or corrosion
• Water intrusion or insect damage
• ADA or safety signage that’s damaged or blocked

Seasonal maintenance like winterizing signage helps avoid downtime and costly repairs. Ongoing maintenance protects your investment—and your image.

A poor vendor choice can delay your project for weeks, or derail it entirely.

Look for a sign partner that offers:

• In-house design, engineering, and fabrication
• National permitting and installation capabilities
• Experience across industries and regions
• A single point of contact for multi-site rollouts

Being vertically integrated means fewer handoffs and fewer delays. When your brand depends on consistency, your sign partner should, too.

If you're planning a rebrand, rolling out new locations, or rethinking your current signage strategy, there's more to explore. We’ve compiled everything into one comprehensive resource.

Download the Ultimate Sign Guide for a deep dive into planning, permitting, sign types, installation, maintenance, and more.

• Easy to share across teams
• Includes visual examples and checklists
• Perfect for Facilities, Real Estate, and Construction leaders

Download the guide now and get ahead of your next signage project with confidence.