Before considering color, space, shape, or any other aspect of typography, you have to make sure that you are communicating clearly and getting your message across effectively through font or typeface. 

The font you use can offer a wide range of emotions, from strong and elegant to friendly and stable. 

Remember, the font you use on your storefront sign is the first impression potential clients will have about your business. So you want to be thoughtful and considerate about who you want your sign to resonate with. Do you want your company to be perceived as friendly? Then a font that’s expressive and unique should be used. Aiming for professionalism? Then a clean and traditional font would be more appropriate. 

It’s also important to take into consideration the size of your sign. 

Our friendly Pharr commercial signage builders at HiWay Neon Signs can help you make the best decision when it comes to the font, size, and other features of your commercial signage.

Category of Fonts

Sign fonts typically fall under serif and sans-serif. However, there are other typeface styles that include script, cursive, text, or novelty. 

When it comes to serif fonts, these are the typefaces that have additional tags on the edge of the letters (for example: F). The most common serif fonts include Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond. 

On the other end are sans-serif, which translates to “without serif.” This means sans-serif fonts are straight-edged without the extra little tags at the end (for example: F). Some of the most commonly used san-serif fonts include Ariel, Helvetic, Gill Sans, and Futura.

Readability Is King

When it comes to choosing the right font, readability is the most important thing to consider. If customers can’t read your sign clearly, then this lack of communication can lead to a number of issues for your business–namely loss of revenue.

When it comes to common font mistakes that can render your sign illegible, you’ll want to avoid the following: 

  • Mistake 1: Using a script-style font, which typically reads like cursive writing, can be too difficult for customers to read from a distance, especially if you consider they’ll also be driving by at relatively high speeds. Only use this font when you need to convey a certain persona, and when the reader will be up close.  
  • Mistake 2: Using all uppercase script letters is another simple mistake that can make it challenging for customers and passerbyers to read. 
  • Mistake 3: The third mistake is using an additional effect. Even though you may be using a perfectly readable font, adding the wrong effect can completely ruin a potentially solid sign.  
  • Mistake 4: While it may sound like a unique idea at the time, you’ll want to avoid using two different font types in a single sign. This mishmash of fonts can ruin your sign and message. 

Need help picking out the right font for your storefront signage? Our expert commercial signage team at Hiway Neon Signs would be more than happy to guide you through the process of choosing the right font for your business sign. 

Contact HiWay Neon Now!