Image Sign Studio – Signage for hospitality

Hospitality is getting back to some sort of normality for staff and customers now it can, finally, welcome guests back inside. But there are still challenges for hospitality businesses, after over a year of pandemic many things have changed, so getting the hospitality industry back on its feet will not be easy; businesses will have to take advantage of everything they can, including their signage.

1. Attract attention

After over a year of closures and restrictions, businesses need to remind people they are there. Even before the first lock-down last year trade dropped significantly, and while Eat Out to Help Out got things moving last year, there isn’t a similar scheme in place this time. Many people’s habits have changed, so the regular diners for 2019 might have discovered a joy for home cooking or simply got out of the habit of nights out.

Signage can help remind people that you are there, and you are open. And there are lots of options you can consider. If you are slightly off the beaten track, you might want to consider a banner that draws attention. If you have seating outside, visible from the street, you might want to use signage to mark your borders, highlighting exactly who is open.

2. Inform people

Things are still not quite back to normal, and you will likely have many restrictions in place for guests. Some will be required, such as wearing masks indoors, and some might be necessary because of the layout or your premises, like a one-way system. Whatever the reason, people will need to be informed and reminded of any changes.

Signs can help make sure people follow the rules, helping to keep both customers and staff safe. Whether it’s advisory signs on walls, or using floor or wall vinyls to highlight routes. But you can also use these signs to be creative. A one-way system can show people the way, but it’s more likely to be followed if you make it engaging, using not just arrows, but perhaps incorporating your brand identify into the design.

3. Welcome people back

Perhaps the most important use of hospitality signage is to welcome people back. Signs can, of course, be purely informative, providing directions or highlighting restrictions, but they can also be used to make sure everyone feels safe and welcome back in your venue.

It’s nice to let people know that you have missed them on the way in, or to thank the on their way out. But you can also use signs in other ways. You might want to highlight special offers or forthcoming coming events, encouraging guests to come back again, now you are open.

It’s great to be open again, and there’s a lot to do. But using your signage creatively can help you ensure that people notice your business, know what to do when they are in there and, most importantly, feel safe, welcome, and want to come back again and again.