Occupants and visitors of buildings and other structures might take wayfinding signages for granted. Still, as commercial property owners, it’s essential to put up wayfinding signages at various places on your property. These signages direct guests to their desired destination with accuracy and ease.
Because they direct foot traffic in establishments, wayfinding signages are vital in schools, hospitals, government buildings, and more. This article tackles the importance of wayfinding signages and how you can utilize them strategically in your business.
Benefits Of Wayfinding Systems
A well-thought-out wayfinding system should be inclusionary in your marketing strategy because it helps improve customer experience. Here are what wayfinding signages can do for your business.
They Improve Brand Quality
Business owners and marketing teams consider wayfinding systems when building a brand that aims at customer loyalty. For this reason, wayfinding firms work with architects and interior designers to create adequate wayfinding signages.
Employing a wayfinding system is an efficient way to get brand recognition from your targeted market. They can lead your customers to your business and, at the same time, advertise your brand in a strategic way. Signages similar to a Wooden Woodsman™ entrance sign for example are not only appealing but also give a clear message to people who see them.
They Save Time
The lack or absence of wayfinding signages in your office may cause your customers to frequently ask directions to your staff. Consequently, your staff members must leave their stations to address the concerns of your visitors. This contributes to low productivity because staff members are often taken away from their primary tasks.
Using wayfinding signages that are easy to follow allows them to find your business or office with ease. Employing wayfinding signages gives your visitors independence. At the same time, your staff members don’t need to greet and escort clients back, saving them time which they can use for more critical tasks.
It Encourages Self-Service
Many customers prefer self-service. If you observe a few, they’ll likely wear earphones, enjoying music while shopping. Customers can quickly move around and find the items they need without the help of staff members.
Adequate wayfinding signages allow them to navigate the store freely, without the need to interact with anyone. Supermarkets, coffee shops, and other stores have been employing self-service for customers, with staff members taking care of inventory and inside operations.
These are only a few of the advantages of wayfinding signages. They make exploration and discovery easy for new customers in your place of business.
Different Kinds Of Wayfinding Signages
There are a few kinds of wayfinding signages that help people get around. They differ in design but are made primarily to be easily understood by people.
Informational Signs
Wayfinding signages are created to be clear and concise. Particularly, informational signs give directions when people want to know where the washroom is or where they can find the dustbins. The characters are accompanied by widely known symbols to enhance their impact. Plus, the text on the signage is usually understandable at a glance. Some examples of these are signs that say ‘No Smoking’ or ‘WiFi Zone’. Additionally, informational signs may also educate customers about the regulations of a specific enterprise.
Destination Signs
The most common type of wayfinding signage informs individuals that they have arrived at a particular location. Through signs, people can quickly identify areas or landmarks. These signs feature simplicity and continuity. They make recognition of a building, office, floor, room type, or name.
Color and design are also incorporated to strengthen the continuity of signs. For example, if the directional signage color is red for Human Resources, the identification sign for Human Resources must also be red.
Directional Signs
Directional signs are a means to guide visitors at specific locations. These are arrow signs at malls, amusement parks, airports, and more. If you want to find the washroom at the mall, you may find a sign that depicts a male and female icon with an arrow pointing to the corner.
If you need more customers, you can use directional signs to lead customers into your shop, especially if the place is difficult to find. Strategically, you can place the sign where there is a significant traffic of people.
Regulatory Or Warning Signs
Regulatory signages directly provide access and prohibit unauthorized entry simultaneously. They can also warn when specific individuals must wear protective gear when entering a particular vicinity. These signs are often found in public places or areas with high traffic. Regulatory or warning signages use symbols with corresponding universal colors, such as red which is associated with danger. The law sometimes requires these signs for enterprises with hazardous areas. Some examples are exit signs, fire extinguisher locations, accessibility signs for ADA, and more.
Conclusion
It’s essential for business owners to create and place wayfinding signages to help people navigate routes, find and identify places and avoid certain areas. These signages utilize symbols to emphasize instructions or give ideas at a glance. They are vital in marketing strategies to ensure people find their way around your commercial space as quickly and safely as possible.
If you are new to wayfinding signages, you may want to hire a company that can assist you, so you can avoid making rookie mistakes. However, if you know your way around signage design and production, then today is great time to start. If you want efficiency and organization in your
