There are an endless number of reasons for decorating your storefront window with a creative logo, display or lettering. Window advertising helps to steer more foot traffic your way, excite the public with creative and entertaining decorations, announce sales and special offers, present new products and services — as well as provide vital information on store hours, contact information, social media, QR codes, etc. The purpose of this blog is not to convince you that window ads are essential.
You probably already know that. In this article, we’ll show you how vinyl window lettering makes the most sense — both as a more budget friendly, economical alternative to costly displays and hand-lettering, as well as by bringing you the fastest return on your investment with the “wow” factor your customers want. First, let’s go over why vinyl window decals are quickly becoming favored by businesses both big and small as the smart choice for effective window marketing.
How Window Decals Useful in Both Retail and Office Settings?
Whether you own or run a medical office, financial compliance department, retail store or restaurant, window graphics help to take advantage of your space’s existing architectural features. From floor-to-ceiling windows to high ceilings and large bay, transom windows and wide storefronts in prime locations, window decals and lettering allow you to take advantage of unused real estate like many other forms of window ads. However, what sets vinyl decals and lettering apart from the pack is not just their affordability but their versatility as well.
With strategic use of window decals — which can be continually changed, replaced and swapped out at will — you can help to transform the ambiance and entire interior environment of your business, property or organization for the better. What vinyl window graphics can accomplish goes beyond what many other signs can manage. These advantages include:
- Mitigating the heat and brightness of direct sunlight coming into your store or waiting room
- Contributing to the privacy of your customers, clients and guests, as well as maintaining the confidentiality of their papers, records and documents
- Combined with translucent elements, such as window wraps, they can allow those inside to see out while continuing to provide privacy indoors
- They provide a quick way to create an attractive window display which can be modified or completely changed in just minutes
- Increasing morale in the workplace by using inspirational, beautiful, and colorful decorations, all at a minimal cost to you (this also applies to wall decals as well)
- Easy to install, remove, and modify, while requiring a bare minimum of maintenance
A (Window) Sign of the Times
As any business owner or manager knows, conditions can change at the drop of a dime. Today’s inventory can be tomorrow’s clutter and new regulations can require a complete overhaul of the way you do business or decorate your space. In short, we live in a rapidly changing world where sometimes the only certainty is uncertainty. Window decals, along with other types of glass decals, provide the perfect solution to volatile market conditions.
After all, why invest in pricey construction and signage displays such as lighted cabinets when you’re on a six month lease or using a pop-up space? While permanent signage can be smart choice for some, many organizations of all sizes are taking advantage of window lettering because they know that if worse comes to worst, they’ll have one less thing to worry about. If they have to pull up stakes and move to greener pastures, removing some vinyl signage can be done quickly and at a moment’s notice.
At Signs NYC, our high quality vinyl lettering is also free from stubborn adhesives. This means they will leave behind minimal residue which can easily be cleaned off in seconds using soapy water.
And now we move on from the “why” of window decals to the “how”.
Window Vinyl Decals Design and Installation Tips
In this segment we’ll go over some important design and installation tips that will help your window signage to really stand for the right reasons.
1. Replicate the look of more expensive, hand-painted lettering
Thanks to advances in printing technology, it’s easier to give your vinyl decals the look of more expensive signage. By incorporating design elements such as gold leaf, silver leaf, metallic lettering and frosted glass you can add significant value to your property — either temporarily or permanently — with attractive custom-crafted creations that set your location apart. Think about how you would feel if your local barber shop or coffee shop started using gold leaf to great effect — or if your company added frosted glass lettering to your office door, in order to both decorate as well as enhance privacy. Make your customers and employees feel more special with bespoke designs that can either invoke the past with traditional designs or harken the future with cutting edge graphics.
2. Complement Your Space with Oversized Window Decals
In large, multi-story buildings with floor to ceiling windows a large format window decal, or vinyl lettering used in conjunction with a full window wrap, can go a long way to complement and even complete the look of your entrance or side window displays. For this option, we recommend keeping your lettering and typeface simple in order to prevent the appearance of a crowded graphic. The point here is to offer the public an elegant, clean and seamless look that fits right in as much as it stands out.
Pro Tip:Stick to simple letter designs and logos in order to prevent overcrowding your glass decals
3. Punch Above Your Weight With A Complete Look For Your Logo
A more sophisticated look for a window decal can incorporate elements such as the metallic lettering mentioned previously, as well as an insignia combining your company name or abbreviation in an arch or another geometric shape, along with a slogan or tagline. Generally speaking, the wordier your logo is, the smaller it should be and vice versa (remember what we said about oversized decals!). This will help even a startup business attain the panache of an internationally established brand.
4. Fortune Favors the Bold
If you have a business that bills itself as casual, fun, youth-oriented or kid-friendly, you’ll want to use bold, bright colors in order to emphasize your brand identity and corporate culture. While an insurance office may need to maintain a more staid, monochrome look, a toy store or take out restaurant requires fun, festive colors to attract pedestrians and drivers into your business for a fun and friendly casual experience. This is why custom signage is so important for any business. The one size fits all rule just doesn’t work when it comes to vastly different industries, sectors and age demographics.
5. Function Creates Form
If necessity is the mother of invention, then function is the father of form. Practical, useful facts such as store hours, contact info, QR codes and social media accounts can all be prominently displayed to customers and passersby can see them. Additionally, promoting amenities such as Wi-Fi, handicap access, public restrooms and the presence of certain sought-after goods and services (Milk, Lotto, WIC, Public Notary, smart phone repair, etc.) can allow you to maximize the effectiveness of your storefront signage with minimal effort. Conversely, if you’re located in a busy downtown area you may want to include polite reminders such as “No Soliciting”, “No Pets”, “Rest Room for Customers Only”, etc.
Make Your Office, Property or Retail Space More Inviting with “Win-Win” Graphics
As we’ve seen in this article, window decals are the perfect way to create a high reward, low risk scenario that business people like to refer to as a “win-win situation”. Effective vinyl graphics lay at the intersection where versatility meets affordability. They contribute towards both informational signage and branding efforts while lending a new look to your property. Window decals stand as an innovative medium that can benefit you and your business both in the short term, as well as the long term.
The uniqueness of your customers’ experience has a direct relationship to their brand loyalty, word of mouth recommendations and willingness to go out of their way in order to visit your location. Window decals provide a one of a kind opportunity to improve the consumer experience with a very modest investment.
They also allow you to “beta test” different advertising and marketing strategies with a minimal commitment of time, space, and resources. Get more bang for your buck with one the most popular types of commercial signage available today.
To learn more about how window decals can win you more business with little to no risk, please visit our Window Decals Page to view our portfolio for some examples of our work. If you’d like to discuss specifics, please feel free to contact the team at Signs NYC for a free consultation. You can also fill out this quick and easy form for a free quote at any time.
