Your shop sign is probably the piece of marketing more people will see than anything else you pay for. It works every hour you're open, and every hour you're closed too. Even so, a lot of new shops leave it until last and order it in a panic the week before opening.

Go through this list early in your fit-out and you'll avoid the mistakes we see most often.

Before you design

1. Who has to approve the sign? Commercial signs in Saudi Arabia need the municipality's approval, usually through the Balady platform. [TODO: client confirm] In a mall or a managed plaza, the landlord will have sign rules of their own as well. Get hold of both before any design work starts.

2. What has to be in Arabic? Arabic is required on commercial signs. [TODO: client confirm] Plan for both languages from the beginning, so the Arabic doesn't end up squashed into a corner.

3. How far away will people be reading it? Drivers on a main road need much bigger letters than shoppers on the pavement. Measure the real viewing distance before you pick a letter size.

4. Which way does the shop face? Signs that face south or west get the harshest sun, and that changes which colours, vinyls and faces you should use.

Design and materials

5. Does your logo work as a sign? Thin lines and fine details that look fine on a screen can disappear once they're cut from metal or lit from behind. Try the logo at full sign size.

6. Lit or unlit? If most of your trade is in the evening, like a lot of shops here, a lit sign keeps you visible when the most people are out. Decide early, so the electrician puts a power point in the right place.

7. Will the materials survive the climate? On the coast, ask for grade 316 stainless steel or powder-coated aluminium, cast acrylic faces, UV-protected graphics and sealed LED modules.

8. What else is going on the front? Window graphics, opening hours, a projecting sign and delivery-app stickers all fight for attention. Plan them as one layout instead of sticking them up one at a time.

Installation

9. Is there a power point and a timer? Ask for the power supply to go somewhere ventilated that someone can reach, and add a timer or light sensor so the sign comes on at dusk.

10. What's behind the fascia? Cladding, blockwork and glass all need different fixings. Your sign company should check this when they survey the site, not on installation day.

11. When are you allowed to install? Busy streets and malls often limit working hours. Book installation early, especially before Ramadan and other busy times.

After opening

12. Who looks after it? Heat and dust wear signs out. Get it checked at least once a year, ideally before summer, and know who you'll call when a letter goes dark.

The short version

  • Get the municipality's and landlord's rules first.
  • Design the Arabic and English together.
  • Size the letters for how far away people really are.
  • Pick materials that can handle the climate.
  • Sort out power, lighting and a timer with your electrician.
  • Get the wall surveyed before installation day.
  • Plan maintenance from day one.

Opening a new shop? Send us a photo of the front and your opening date, and we'll tell you what to get ready and when.