If you plan to make an investment in signage marketing for your business, you want to make sure you get your money’s worth. And the last thing you want to do is turn away customers with your sign. Here are 10 glaring sign mistakes you should be sure to avoid.

Mistake #1: Misspellings.

Not only do misspellings take away from the professionalism of a sign, but they can sometimes result in sending out the wrong message entirely.

Mistake #2: Grammar or punctuation that changes the meaning of a sentence.

In one hilarious episode of “The Simpsons,” lawyer Lionel Hutz’s advertisement goes from “Works on Contingency – No Money Down” to “Works on contingency? No, money down!” with just a few tweaks. Don’t let your grammar or punctuation get in the way of a clear message, or worse.

Mistake #3: Bad directions.

“Bad directions” doesn’t just have to refer to getting something wrong. It can also refer to something that’s so unclear that it makes the directions useless. For example, a Point of Sale sign announcing a contest that doesn’t make the rules of entry clear can actively discourage customers from signing up. In signage directions, clarity and simplicity is often as important as accuracy.

Mistake #4: Getting the facts wrong.

Is your store open from 10-10? Then your sign has to get it right. If you make this common sign mistake, you’ll have to deal with some pretty unhappy customers who were counting on your business.

Mistake #5: Failing to stand out.

Standing out is one of the most important rules of signage. If your sign doesn’t stand out from its environment, it doesn’t matter how many of the other sign mistakes you didn’t make—people won’t be able to read it. This means adhering to basic rules like color contrast, lettering that’s large enough to be read, and knowing the surrounding environment.

Mistake #6: Formatting errors.

When you start a sign with more lettering than you have space, you know how frustrating formatting errors can be. To correct formatting errors, either work with a professional signage company, or plan your signage out in advance. Hint: It’s a lot easier to leave the work to the pros.

Mistake #7: Selecting the wrong font.

Some fonts simply don’t communicate the image you’re going for. A professional restaurant shouldn’t use Comic Sans for its menu—that one’s obvious. But there are more subtle font mistakes that people make, such as using font that’s too fancy for its own good—it ends up being unreadable. Font should be appropriate for its context and clear to read.

Mistake #8: Using the wrong colors.

Colors should be there for more than just contrast. Restaurants and fast food chains tend to use red because it’s associated with a healthy appetite. Lime green lettering might work for some businesses—but for others, this is a sign mistake that looks plain wrong.

Mistake #9: Putting your sign in the wrong place.

Your business signage needs the chance to show off what it can do. It needs to be placed in an opportune place where it will naturally draw lots of eyes. Bury it somewhere in the corner, and it may not generate any buzz at all.

Mistake #10: Not working with a professional signage company.

You can avoid these sign mistakes when you work with an experienced signage company. Request a quote from Sign It Quick today to ensure that your sign has every element produced the right way. Maximize buzz and promote your business.