Opening a new business is all about customer acquisition. To help make customers aware, it's very common for businesses to rely on an eye-catching "Grand Opening" sign. When you are creating a custom banner for the grand opening of your business, there are many important factors to keep in mind. By using simple tips, you can dramatically improve the viewing of your sign to attract as many customers as possible.

The following four tips are easy to implement in any type of graphic software and can also be conveyed to a company that prints banners.

Banner Symbols

Instead of just adding plain text to a "Grand Opening" sign, you can infuse some symbols. The symbols can help represent your business and there are a number of ways to place them on the banner.

• Bullet Points: Place a symbol before and after the "Grand Opening" text. For example, if your business is a golf shop, you can choose two golf ball symbols to appear on the sides of the text.
• Underlined Text: Use large symbols to underline the text and make a big impact. For example, if you're opening a hair salon, a large symbol of a pair of scissors can underline the text. In the previous golf store example, a golf club can be placed under the text.
• Letter Replacement: Replace some of the middle letters in "Grand Opening" with a symbol. For example, if you're opening a hardware store, the letter "P" can be replaced with a hammer symbol. If the business is an Italian restaurant, the "O" can be replaced with a large olive symbol.

Font Selection

A bold and impact styled font is the best way to get potential customers to see your sign. You want the text to be clear, but still have a vibe that showcases your business. A number of free fonts are available to download. The following categories all feature easy to read font designs.

• Sans Serif Fonts: Straight and to the point, Sans Serif fonts feature hard edges, a lot of thick letters, and plenty of style options to match the type of business that you own.
• Cartoon Fonts: A variety of cartoon fonts feature open letters that can be filled with colors and bold edges. This is a great way for family businesses to appeal to both grown ups and children.
• Retro Fonts: Search for retro fonts that feature a rustic touch and easy-to read-lettering. These fonts are often filled, bold, and easy to read, like a classic theater marquee sign.

Color Selection

The background color you select for your banner is an important decision. Not only should it represent your brand, but it should stand out from any other businesses located near yours. For example, if there's a red and yellow themed fast food restaurant next to your business, then colors like purple and blue can stand out more.

To help the "Grand Opening" text stand out from the background, it's important to apply a drop shadow behind the text. This will help separate the text and make it easier to read. A "stroke" can also be added to the text. This adds a small border around each letter so they are easier to read. For example, if you have a black font, a white stroke around each letter can make it easier to read.

Dual Banners

Sometimes just one banner is not enough to grab the attention of customers. To make a bigger impact, you can use dual banners in a variety of ways.

• Splitting the Phrase: Use one banner for "Grand" and the other banner for "Opening." This will double the size of your display and give you more room to add symbols or other information.
• Contact Information: Use a second banner for contact information. This can be anything from social media accounts to websites and phone numbers. It allows intrigued customers to keep in touch when they don't have a chance to stop by at the moment.
• Sales: Showcase any huge sales on the second banner. This can include "Buy 1 Get 1" or a percentage off. It all depends on the sales and promotions that you have running.

Work with the designers at printing company that specializes in banners to make your creation come to life!