You just walked out of your local city hall with that new business license. Congratulations on joining the exciting world of entrepreneurship!

Not long after you’ve set up your business entity and chosen a name for your company you’ll need to order signage.

Here are a few tips on how to decide what type of signage will work best for your location and industry sector.

If you’re a Main Street business, you might consider a decorative awning, which adds a touch of charm for walk-by traffic. Whether or not to print lettering on your awning can be a tough decision.

Take into account the type of business you want to attract. If your shop will be accessible from a sidewalk, an appealing storefront awning will lure more shoppers to come inside. Hand-lettering on the windows also creates a sense that your shop will be a delightful place to linger.

If your business is on a busy thoroughfare, the marketing focus is different. In this case you need to ramp up the size of your signage lettering. That’s because drivers will have just a short time to view your sign as they travel past at 40 miles per hour.

For stores with a large footprint, channel letters are an ideal solution. Drivers can see these signs from blocks away, and illuminated letters on the outside of your building will give a clear impression to motorists passing by.

Lastly, temporary signage is a great bargain, as it generally requires no signage permit and allows a shopkeeper to advertise current bargains. If you choose to have a vinyl banner with grommets installed and use an evergreen message, you can reuse the banner for many years. Banners are also easy to store and can be used at street fairs and public events.