What is My Sign Going to Cost?

"What will my sign cost?" is probably the question we answer more than any other for our customers. And it is really to answer quickly! Budgets vary wildly and the needs of our clients come into play in a lot of different ways; speed, durability, size, visibility, quality, and even location will impact the budget, often unpredictably. However, there are some good RULES OF THUMB that will help you consider your budget before you even speak to a signage professional. Your sign budget should reflect the IMPACT the sign needs to make in your situation. In other words, if your business RELIES on signage to make it successful, plan on spending as much as you can! Restaurants, car washes, retail stores and other businesses that rely on instant visibility and quick decisions to pull in, you should be sure your signage does the job of making that happen. If your business is a destination, meaning customers find you online and then drive directly to your business, signage may not be as critical except to help them find the entrance. For example, a law office may want visibility, but their business might come from recommendations and relationships, not because someone drove by and pulled in, generally speaking. Plan your budget BEFORE you finish your business plan. I’ve seen clients spend $100,000 on their interior layout for their restaurant, and leave NO budget for their signage. If your product is high quality, customer centric, and about creating and experience, your SIGN SHOULD TOO! That client spent thousands on an interior, and then let us put up a flat metal sign screwed into the brick. The sign said NOTHING about what was going on inside the restaurant, and, of course, they closed within a year. Know what you want your sign to SAY, other than what it reads. Sign say a LOT before you even read the name. Neon says “established” or “retro” or “edgy”. Flat metal letters say “professional” and “reliable”. A 3-dimensional mascot says “fun” and “welcome”. What does your sign SAY? Or does it only “read” something? Be prepared to spend more if your sign is part of your client experience. Remarkable signs can do an incredible job of drawing in the right buyers. Keep your ego in check! One of my earliest clients opened a boutique and spent thousands on a very fancy metal and neon sign. Huge investment and her desire to look “established” outstripped the size of her business. She was out of business in 6 mos. Start with a smaller budget sign if you can, grow your business, and then replace it with something that expands with your business. Consider nighttime visibility carefully. Illuminated signage will cost you a multiplier of a non-illuminated sign. Only spring for illuminated if you have the right budget and the right nighttime client who will see it! I know I didn’t answer your question - “What will my sign cost?” So I will leave you with this basic response: Your business sign should probably not be cheaper than $2,000, installed. This is not going to be an illuminated sign, it will not be incredibly effective at night or capture the attention of thousands of passerbys, but a durable, well-designed sign in that budget can do a lot! A basic illuminated sign should probably land in the neighborhood of $5,000. Remember; there is SIGN FINANCING available as well! Most sign companies are very happy to talk to you about budget and give you reasonable expectations. It’s a great conversation to start with, BEFORE they show you a design or get you excited about a really expensive option you end up not being able to buy! Our team is ready for YOUR sign budget questions at [email protected].