Part 1 : How to convey your brand on your shop exterior?

How to use your shopfront to communicate effectively?

1. Consider the overall impact of your shopfront, before you start thinking about the wording on your window, sign or awning. Your shop must be clearly visible from the street, close up and from a distance. Whether on foot or in a car, passers-by will not stop or turn to look at your shop unless the facade and window display are appealing and impactful as a whole. To find out more, consult our guides dedicated to windows and shopfronts here and here.

How to use your window to communicate effectively?  

2. Think of your facade as a whole. This means considering the sign, the window and the awning, if you have one, before adding any text or logos. Everything must be balanced and, most importantly, serve a purpose. It is not always necessary to have all of these elements. 

3. Don’t think twice about reiterating the name of your shop on the window, depending on the layout of the street. This may be necessary even if it is already on your sign. Stand on the pavement and put yourself in the shoes of a passer-by when making this decision.

4. The golden rule? Your window should never be left “bare”, with no visible information.

5. The message conveyed by a window must be read and understood very quickly: passers-by spend an average of just 3 to 7 seconds looking at it. Keep it simple: the name of your business and its speciality, in an attractive font, is often all you need.

6. Make sure it’s legible by dividing the “reading distance” by 200. For example, if you want your text to be legible from a distance of 10 metres, the letters must be at least 5 cm tall. If you want the text to be legible to passers-by on bikes and in cars, letters must be at least 10 cm tall.  

 7. Take care to choose the right colour for any text on the window: it must contrast with the window background and should not be too dark, to ensure it remains visible/legible.     

8. Turn your windowpane into a work of art! If you’ve got artistic flair and skill, that’s great! If not, you could always hire a professional.    

9. Avoid overcrowding your window with drawings and text, unless this is a clear graphic choice, such as an art project. An overload of photos, promotions and text is detrimental to legibility.  

10. Choose decals to add text to your window. Using decals requires no particular skill, and they are not subject to restrictive planning regulations. Several suppliers offer affordable personalised window stickers.                          

11. Apply soap to the surface of your window before applying stickers or painted lettering. This makes it easier to adjust their position.                         

12. Use your windowpane to give details of your website and social media accounts. They are a very useful way of staying in touch with your customers, especially if you are off work or closed.

13. Choose a typeface that suits your business. Don’t use a modern font if you sell traditional local produce.                

14. Your tagline (slogan) should be as legible as possible, even if the typeface used for the name of your shop is artistic and unique.

A few examples for inspiration on the site Charleroi-Bouwmeester   

 15. Think of your customers inclusively! Choose contrasting, clearly visible lettering to help partially-sighted customers, and position it 1.40 m from ground level for customers with reduced mobility. 

16. Regardless of height, all glazed surfaces must be well marked: as a minimum, they should have visibility strips in a contrasting colour at a height of 140 to 160 cm.                  

17. Don’t forget the display itself: graphics must never conceal the products. Current legislation in Brussels also states that text on shop windows must not cover more than 50% of their surface. Certain municipal and local regulations are stricter, for example in the Grand Place area of Brussels): check with the planning office.   

How to use your sign to communicate effectively? 

18. Before you consider installing a new sign, always consult your local municipal authority. They will be able to inform you of best practice.

For example, the following was posted by the City of Charleroi              

19. Before you do anything, you must have a clear plan. What image and values do you want to convey to customers: a state of mind? a specific product? a tailormade service? a warm welcome? a unique environment? These are the elements that make up your business concept. This concept must create an image strong enough to forge a genuine brand for your shop.

20. Not sure whether to choose a flat sign or a projecting one? Choose whichever works best for your shop location: in a narrow or pedestrianised shopping street, choose a projecting sign, which offers greater visibility. It must be placed at a height of at least 2.20 metres. On the other hand, if you are located on a wide avenue with large volumes of customers passing your business on foot or by car, opt for a flat sign.                  

21. Choose a simple shape and a unique, legible and memorable message. Your aim? Impact!                                 

22. On a parallel sign, the name of your business can be positioned wherever you like: left, right or centre. Well-chosen and well-executed typography is often all you need. You don’t need a big neon sign to make your shop stand out, especially if you have limited resources.                            

23. Choose a shape and/or symbol that clearly represents your business: a book for a book shop, a fish for a fishmonger, etc.                                     

24. There are many different types of sign, including cutout, painted and raised lettering.                             

25. Certain areas have specific regulations on the colour of sun awnings. For example, they must be red and green in the Unesco heritage area around the Grand Place.