Reception Signage

Signage is important in all areas of your office building, but it plays an especially critical role in your reception area. This space is where clients, patients, customers, business partners or potential employees get their first impression of your office space and — in turn — your company as a whole.

In one survey, about 40% of respondents said their experience in a reception area or corporate lobby had negatively affected their perception of the company. No one wants their office to give off a bad impression, but some reception areas do just that. The good news is that a reception area can also provide a rich opportunity to form a strong first impression on guests. In addition to factors like comfortable seating and friendly receptionists, eye-catching and informative signs are key to a welcoming reception area.

Why You Need Quality Reception Signs in Your Office

Reception signs can serve many purposes in your office, making your reception area more attractive and information-rich. The ultimate effect is a welcoming space that leaves a positive impression. Let’s look at some of the reasons you should install quality signs in your reception area.

1. They Communicate Helpful Information

Reception signs explain quickly and effectively what your business is all about. You can also use your reception signs to give clear information. Providing information through signs can save your receptionist or other staff from having to answer the same questions repeatedly. Consider what information a first-time visitor to your office may want to know.

For example, in a healthcare office, you may install a sign prompting patients to check in at the front desk. If visitors need a visitor pass to proceed past the lobby, make that clear through friendly, informative signage. You can also share information about different areas of your office, your hours of operation or your pricing.

2. They Give Directions

Reception signage can also help clients find their way around your building. For example, if your bathrooms are tucked in a hard-to-find corner, a helpful sign can point them out. A popular form of directional signage for reception areas is directories. A directory can let people know right away where specific departments and rooms are located.

The more wayfinding information you can provide, the better, since this will help people feel comfortable and in control rather than confused or disoriented in your building. Custom office directional signs allow you to give directions in a way that both informs the reader and pleases the eye.

3. They Make Your Space Inviting

Imagine a doctor’s office with drab chairs, neutral-colored walls and an antiseptic atmosphere. This is not an ideal environment for making people feel welcome and setting anxious patients at ease. Some cheerful signage can liven the place up and make patients feel more at home. This is especially important if people may come into your office feeling apprehensive.

Other businesses, likewise, can use colorful, attractive signage to create an inviting atmosphere. Having a welcoming sign that greets people as they come in can speak to your company’s hospitality and service. Cheerful reception signage is a great way to show that you care about your clients and are committed to providing them with a positive experience in your office.

4. They Liven Up the Space

Not all reception signs have to be text-based. Graphic signs make great reception signs as well. Colorful, coordinated graphics can liven up an area and give an impression of a cheery, put-together company. You may have beautiful art hanging on your reception area walls, but why not install custom displays that serve to brand the space while enhancing the décor?

For example, a wall mural can transform a bland, uninteresting room into a vibrant and visually engaging space. This is especially important if your reception area doubles as a waiting room. As people wait for their appointment to begin, they can enjoy the lovely atmosphere.

5. They Promote and Reinforce Your Brand

Brand awareness and recognition are the two primary factors that influence client loyalty. Distinctive signage provides an easy, attractive way to promote brand recognition and keep clients coming back to a brand they remember and have formed positive associations with. This signage could feature your company’s logo, mission statement, slogan or other aspects of your company’s unique identity.

You can use text along with photos or digital artwork to tell a story about your company. When someone enters your office, they will instantly see your company takes pride in itself, and they’ll be immersed in your brand. Why settle for a generic reception area when you could make this area unique to your brand?

6. They Foster Team Spirit

Typically, we think about designing reception areas with customers or patients in mind, but it’s also worth noting that the reception area is often where employees enter, as well.  Why not design a space that will inspire and motivate them every day when they come into the office?

Branding provides an easy way to unify employees around a company’s values and goals. By using fun reception signage that prominently displays a brands’ name or logo, companies can increase employees’ sense of engagement with their workplace.

7. They Facilitate Timely Updates

Using temporary signage in your reception area helps you update your clients about changes, such as extended holiday hours, an unexpected closing or a special sale offer. Some businesses go with quick, hand-lettered signs or a generic banner for these purposes. But investing in custom printed temporary signage will allow you to share these messages in a way that doesn’t take away from the attractive, branded environment you’ve created in your reception area.

For example, a sign printed on foamcore board and displayed on an easel is an easy, affordable option that will still look polished and professional. These temporary signs can also catch people’s attention since they are not a permanent part of your reception area.

8. They Help You Comply With Regulations

Federal regulations require Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signage on interior signs that identify rooms and spaces, such as restrooms and room and floor numbers. These signs are designed to be readable for as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. Directional and informational signs must also comply with ADA standards.

Custom ADA signage from a professional service helps ensure that your business complies with ADA standards and that you maintain a welcoming space for individuals with disabilities. Everyone should feel welcome in your reception area.

Contact a Studio Near You for Your Office and Reception Signage Needs

Types of Office Reception Signs

Reception signs come in many different styles. A good printing business will work with you to customize the sign that’s right for your purpose, budget and aesthetic. SpeedPro can help you create the following signage types and more:

• ADA signage: ADA signs are specifically designed with ADA guidelines in mind. They ensure people with visual impairments of various kinds can still read the information on your signs, making your reception area accessible and informative for all.
• Backlit graphics: Backlit graphics or lightboxes use LED lighting to provide an elegant touch in the interior of a business. You can use backlit graphics in your reception area to create an attractive, welcoming area for people to wait.
• Contour-cut signage: Contour-cut signage is great for emphasizing your business’s name in letters that stand out. Using contour-cut signage in your reception area helps you emphasize your brand in a professional, flattering way.
• Corporate marketing signage: Corporate marketing signage is also an excellent way to promote and emphasize your brand. Corporate marketing signage can include a diverse array of products, from wall murals to window graphics to digital signs and more. Any attractive sign that promotes your company’s name, values, products and culture in a positive, professional way is sure to help you draw in clients.
• Directional and wayfinding signage: Businesses can use directional and wayfinding signs to help clients know where to go. Use directional and wayfinding signs in your reception area to point out helpful features like restrooms, product locations and client service areas.
• Digital signage: Digital signage has many outdoor applications but lends itself readily to indoor use as well. One of its main advantages is that you can change your message quickly without having to make a new sign. Using digital signage in your reception area allows you to update your clients about daily specials, tell them about new features or give holiday greetings.
• Dimensional signage: Dimensional signage stands out from the wall in a way that’s hard to miss, so it’s great for catching your customers’ eyes. You can use dimensional signage in your reception area to direct your guests or draw their attention to important information.
• Environmental graphics: Custom environmental graphics offer a way to brighten up any space. If your reception area could use a bit of livening up, consider investing in adhesive environmental graphics for your windows, doors, walls and even the ceiling.
• Floor graphics: Floor graphics can instantly turn your lobby’s floor into a branded display. Why not use this surface, normally left blank, to show off your logo or simply welcome each guest who walks inside? Floor graphics are made to withstand foot traffic and look great for extended periods.
• Office signage and graphics: The category of office signage and graphics is incredibly versatile. It can include anything from directional signs to graphic office murals — the choice is entirely up to you. Liven up your reception area with some funky art or give your clients helpful information — or do both at the same time — with the help of customizable office graphics.
• Point-of-purchase displays: Point-of-purchase displays are helpful for enticing clients to make purchases. The typical American makes three impulse buys a week — three out of four of us buy the candy at the register when we check out — so why shouldn’t your product be one of those impulse purchases? If your reception area is also a point of sale, consider investing in some attractive point-of-purchase displays. That way, you can showcase items that your clients can’t pass up.

Schedule a Consultation with a Studio Near You to Design Your Office Reception Signs

Choosing the Right Office Reception Signs

The great thing about custom signage is that you can tailor your design and material choices to your needs and preferences. The choice of reception signs for a business usually depends on several different factors.

Budget

Your budget will help determine what kind of reception signs you choose. If you’re working with a smaller budget, you may prefer to go with a few small, well-placed directional signs for your reception area. Or, you may choose to create large displays from more affordable materials.

If the sky is the limit, you may invest in several different types of signs, such as large, durable graphics and lightboxes, to brighten up your space. Keep in mind that your reception area is a place to invest your finances since it’s where you form that first impression.

Brand

When designing your signs, make sure their message and aesthetics align closely with your brand. If your office is a vibrant, outgoing place like a hair salon or hip new restaurant, consider choosing bold colors, bright digital lettering or artsy graphics to enhance your aesthetic appeal.  If your business caters to a very young clientele — as in the case of a preschool or a pediatrician’s office — cartoonish graphics on your signage may go a long way toward making the little ones feel at home.

If your office is a more traditional professional institution like a law office or financial firm, elegant and understated signage such as contour-cut lettering might be the way to go. The key is to maintain consistency with your brand so you send the right message and increase brand recognition.

Purpose

Of course, your intended purpose will also help determine your choice of signs. There’s no need to invest in flashy digital displays just to tell people where the bathroom is, or to create massive, detailed graphic murals to display your new hours. For informational signs, being concise, direct and to the point is often key.

For signs intended to create a particular atmosphere, you may want to go bigger and bolder. For signs intended to generate brand awareness, consider using large, attractive lettering and a color palette that reflects the mood of your business. With these evergreen displays, you can invest in larger, more durable graphics. However, for temporary messages, you may want to stick to typical forms of temporary signage or use a digital sign for changing messages.

Placement

Reception areas often share similar layouts, but no two reception areas are exactly alike. That means you need to consider your waiting room, lobby, atrium or entryway and determine the best places to install signage. Where is a visitor’s eye naturally drawn when they walk inside? Where will they need to receive some directional guidance? Where will they be looking when they’re seated in the waiting area?

Design your signs with placement already in mind. This will help you choose the best signage types since you’ll know whether you want to hang your sign from the ceiling, set it on top of the reception desk, apply it to the wall, stick it to the floor or create a freestanding display.

Partner With Promo Wraps for Office Reception Signage

At Promo Wraps, we specialize in all types of custom printed products. No matter the size of your plans or budget, we can help you find the printing solutions that work for your business and make it shine. As our many returning clients can attest, we strive to work in partnership with our clients to ensure they get the results they’ve envisioned. Our high standards influence everything we do.

Our nationwide network of studios means clients all over the country can access our quality printing and professional customer service. We’ll consult with you to get you started and help you select the best reception signage options for your business. Use our online locator to find a studio near you and then get in touch with us today.