Channel letters, illuminated signs, totems, wooden signs and wayfinding signs: which sign suits which business? A guide to choosing based on budget, location and brand image.
Your sign is where customers first meet your business. The right type of sign depends on your location, how customers reach you, your budget and your brand image. Below, we summarise the most common types of sign and when each is the right choice.
Channel letter sign
A sign in which each letter is produced individually in three dimensions. It can be made in stainless steel, chrome, aluminium or acrylic, illuminated or non-illuminated.
- Where it suits: high-street shops, corporate buildings, hotels, office towers, public buildings.
- Why choose it: it gives a prestigious, lasting look and stands out with its light at night and its shadow by day.
Illuminated signs and lightboxes
Illuminated signs with aluminium composite backgrounds and internally lit lightboxes are economical, quick solutions.
- Where it suits: neighbourhood shops, cafés, pharmacies, branch facades.
- Why choose it: high night-time visibility, budget-friendly and good at displaying colourful graphics.
Totem and pylon signs
Freestanding signs on a pole or body, independent of the building facade.
- Where it suits: businesses on main roads, factories, residential complexes, petrol stations, mall entrances.
- Why choose it: if the building isn't visible from the road or is set back, it brings the business out to the road.
Wooden and wood slat cladding signs
Warm, natural-looking signs with illuminated letters applied to a wooden or wood slat background.
- Where it suits: cafés, restaurants, boutiques, agencies and offices.
- Why choose it: it adds a friendly, modern character to the space and blends in with the interior design.
Acrylic door and wayfinding signs
Door name plates, floor and wayfinding signs that help visitors find their way inside a building.
- Where it suits: hospitals, schools, public institutions, office buildings, factories.
- Why choose it: it improves the visitor experience and carries your corporate identity inside the building.
5 questions to ask when choosing
- Where do my customers see me from: on foot or by car?
- Does my sign need to work at night too?
- How much space does my facade offer for a sign, and is it even?
- Should my brand convey prestige or approachability?
- Does my budget suit one strong sign, or a combination of a main sign and a secondary sign?
Once these questions are answered, the right type of sign becomes clear on its own. If you're unsure, we can see your facade during a site survey and you can compare different options in 3D design.
