A good shopfront doesn’t need fancy gear or a huge budget. It needs clear words, smart color, and a few simple choices that help people spot your place in seconds. When someone walks past, there’s only a tiny window of time to make them stop. If the sign is messy, hard to read, or dull, they keep going. If it feels bright, clean, and welcoming, they look up, slow down, and step in. That’s the goal here.
This guide keeps everything simple. No marketing talk. No confusing terms. Just easy steps that anyone can use this week. Small changes stack up fast, and most of them cost less than a takeaway dinner.
Start with clean, clear, and bright
First, clean the glass, the frame, and the area around the door. Dust and streaks kill shine. A tidy window makes cheap prints look better and makes good signs look amazing. Clear away old tape, faded flyers, and clutter that blocks the view inside. People need to see what you sell. If they can’t, they guess, and most guesses are wrong.
Next, check the light. Brightness gets attention. Even one low-cost LED strip under a shelf can throw light on a sign or a display. Warm light feels friendly near food or clothes. Cooler light feels crisp for tech or tools. If the street is bright, make sure the sign still stands out. If the street is dim, use light to guide eyes to your door.
Pick materials that last without costing a lot
The right sheet or panel can save money over time. Outdoor signs deal with sun, wind, and rain. Some boards swell. Some crack. Acrylic (often called Perspex) stays clear, is tough, and handles sun well. For short events, corrugated plastic is cheap and light. For windows, vinyl letters stick straight to glass and keep costs down.
Need ideas on local options and custom builds that suit Perth conditions? A quick browse through the site of a company creating custom signage Perth (or elsewhere) can help compare choices and spark plans for your own front. Keep it simple: match the material to the job, and don’t pay for strength you don’t need.
Make words easy to read
Huge letters help from far away. Small letters belong on the door for hours and details. Use no more than seven main words on the front sign. Short words hit harder: “Fresh Bread Today” beats a long sentence. Use a solid, plain font. Fancy curls slow people down. If a child can read it fast, adults can too.
Think about what someone needs in three seconds. Name, what you sell, and one reason to enter. That’s it. All other info can go on a window card by the handle or on a poster near eye level.
Use color and contrast that pop
High contrast makes text jump out. Dark text on a light panel or light text on a dark panel will always beat weak color mixes. Pick two main colors and one accent. That’s enough. Too many colors fight each other and blur into a mush from across the road.
If the building is dark brick, a light sign shines against it. If the wall is white, a deep color gives the edge you need. Place the accent color on one keyword or on a border line. That small touch frames the whole view and keeps things neat.
Light the sign without burning cash
LED tape or puck lights are cheap, safe, and easy to place. Aim the light across the face of the sign, not straight at it. That spreads the glow so the letters are even. Put a small light near the door handle and another above the main price or daily special. Light guides the eye in steps: sign, display, handle. When people can see a clean path, they move forward.
If power use is a worry, set lights on a timer. Turn them on for busy hours and off late at night. Keep the key areas bright during the after-school rush and the early evening walk home.
Window tricks that work on a budget
Windows are the best free billboard. Use clear suction hooks to hang a slim board or a clean poster frame. That keeps holes out of walls and makes swaps easy. A chalkboard or whiteboard near the glass lets you change a short message each day. Short words and a simple drawing beat a messy paragraph.
Vinyl decals give a crisp look for little cost. Place store hours near the handle and one neat line about what’s inside on the glass at eye level. Make sure people can still see your products. If prints block the view, trim them or move them lower.
Layout that guides the eye
Good layout is only about where people look first, next, and last. Put the shop name high, the main message in the center, and the action near the door. The action can be “Open,” a daily deal, or a clear arrow. Space is part of design. Leave air around letters. Crowded words feel cheap and are hard to read.
Line things up to an invisible grid. Keep the left edges straight, and match gaps between lines. Even hand-made signs look pro when the edges and spacing are tidy. A simple way to check balance is to step back across the street and squint. If the main words still read in a blink, the layout works.
DIY moves that still look pro
Templates help a lot. Print your words on paper first and tape them to the glass to check the size. For vinyl, use the “tape hinge” method: tape the top edge of the decal in place, lift it, peel the back, then smooth it down from the center out. Use a plastic card to push bubbles to the edge. Take time on edges and corners; clean edges make cheap material look premium.
If painting a board, use painter’s tape for straight lines. Two thin coats beat one thick coat. Let it dry fully before hanging anywhere near the door, where hands and bags pass by all day.
Keep it safe and strong
Wind is sneaky. If the sign hangs, use solid hooks and check them after the first gusty day. For a-frame boards, add a small sandbag on the lower shelf or tie the legs with a short strap so they don’t spread and snap. For panels, thicker sheets bend less in the sun. Simple spacers between the panel and the wall can stop water pooling and keep mold off the back.
If the door swings wide, make sure the sign and any lights sit outside that path. A bump from a pram or a bag should not knock anything loose. Safety keeps costs low because nothing breaks.
Small extras that make a big difference
A clean doormat cuts dirt and keeps the entry sharp. A small plant by the frame softens hard lines and makes photos of your shopfront look better online. If you use scent, keep it gentle; strong smells push some people away. Music near the door should be clear at low volume; blaring speakers turn a lot of heads the wrong way.
Swap messages by time of day. Morning walkers look for coffee or fresh baked goods. Afternoon crowds respond to quick deals and school-friendly snacks. After work, people want easy dinners or gift ideas. The sign can change with a simple flip board or a printed insert in a frame.
Track what works without fancy tools
You don’t need an app to test signs. Pick one main change for the week. Count how many people stop and look for three short windows each day. Note the weather and the time. If more people pause when the sign says “Hot Pies Ready,” keep that line. If “Two for $10” gets more heads to turn, use that on busy days. Simple notes help you learn fast and avoid guesswork.
Ask two customers a day what helped them find the door. Most people will tell you in a sentence. Those words are pure gold for the next sign.
Quick wins you can do this week
Wash the glass and frames. Remove old tape and faded prints. Fix one light so it hits the sign well. Pick a two-color scheme and stick to it for every piece on the front. Print one big, clear line for your main message and place it at eye level. Add a small board near the handle with the day’s offer. Step back across the street, take a photo, and compare it to last week.
Wrap-up: small steps, steady gains
A sharp shopfront is not about spending big. It’s about clean glass, bold words, strong contrast, and simple layout. Use light to guide eyes, choose materials that match the job, and keep messages short. Test one change at a time and keep what works. Do these things, and more people notice your place, stop, and walk in. Keep at it each week, and the outside will match the care inside.
