If you are a property owner with multiple locations, there is nothing more important than professional, consistent signage. Your signage should quickly and effectively communicate that this is a “blank” property. There are a few keys to achieving these goals, and we will discuss those here. 

LAYOUT

The first key for effective outdoor signage is a consistent layout on each sign. This entails your property’s name, address and any contact information you may want to include, along with your property management name. With a consistent layout, this allows you to simply drag and drop information for each new property into the same template. The most important part of the sign is of course the property name, which should be displayed front and center in large lettering. From there consider adding the address and a phone number below. This can be achieved two ways, with a hanging rider panel, or right on the sign face. For information that may change, we always suggest a rider panel with vinyl that can be swapped out easily. Constant information, such as the address, can be carved right into the sign panel. Next, displaying your company name clearly allows people to correlate this property to your business. This can be done by writing the name out, or by simply displaying your logo. The decision will come down to availability on the sign face, and whether people can easily identify your business from the logo. 

(Portage Hill Apartments Sign for ODS Management)

COLORS

The colors of your signage should also be constant across all properties, even down to the lettering on your rider panel. Consistent colors increase brand awareness and recognition, as all your properties will have the same look and feel. This all comes back to having your signage quickly and effectively communicate this is a “blank” property. Often towns will not be too strict on the colors of your signage, so it is usually advised to use the main color in your branding. Keep in mind that lettering on the sign will often be white or gold. One factor that may be overlooked is the rider panel, which is a fantastic way to display additional information that may clog up the readability of your sign panel. This rider panel should mirror the design of your main sign panel as closely as possible, including the material thickness and colors if possible. Often a painted sintra panel can work nicely with an HDU sign panel, giving the rider some thickness and the ability to be painted the same color. Whether your sign panel contains two or three colors, as long as they are consistent across your properties you are one step closer to effective signage, and one step ahead of most of your competitors! 

(Community Village Apartments Sign for ODS Mangement)

SIGN TYPE

The final key to effective signage for your properties is the implementation of the two steps above, what will this sign actually look like, and how are we going to install it? The most common types of signage for properties are monument style signs and post and panel signs. For residential neighborhoods, often a nice monument sign will add value to the area, and increase the likelihood of a potential customer looking into your property. This is often the case with HOA’s choosing their sign style, as spending a couple more bucks on a premium sign is the preferred option. Choosing a consistent style of sign is yet another way to effectively communicate your brand. Monument style signs are often more expensive than a post and panel sign, but both are great signage options. If you choose to go the monument style route, you can ensure the stone pattern for each property is the same, while if you choose the post and panel route maybe you decide to paint the post sleeves the same color for each property. The customization options are endless, but locking yourself into a consistent style, design, and color scheme will only lead to less headaches and more business! 

(Garden Park Apartments Sign for ODS Mangement)

Whether this is a residential or commercial property, consistent, professional signage plays a big role in your perceived value to customers. Increasing brand recognition is easily done by following the few keys above. Some owners may downplay the importance of signage, but with effective signage, comes increased visibility, business, and reputation!

Check out the “Our Work” section on our website under outdoor signage to see some of the coolest property signs we have done! If you see something you like, give us a shout and let’s work on creating something special for you.