There are actually two ways to distinguish types of signage. One is by categorizing signs by the three purposes they serve, and a second classification is based on where a sign is placed.
Signs tend to serve one of three purposes. Informational Signage gives people useful information that can help shoppers find promotional items, visitors navigate through unfamiliar surroundings and customers make decisions with more confidence. Promotional Signage supports advertising promotions using colors, placement and calls-to-action with the specific purpose of making sales and increasing revenue. Finally, Wayfinding Signage helps guests find hotel rooms and amenities easier and reduces stress for patients in healthcare facilities. They also increase student experiences on campus, improve employee productivity in the corporate workplace and guide shoppers to locate products without difficulty. Signs can also be grouped as either exterior or interior signage. Exterior signage attracts attention with large sizes, brilliant colors and designs and strong, brief calls-to-action. It’s important that exterior signage be positioned where it will be seen. Its success relies on attracting customers and guiding them safely through the doors of the business. Interior signage creates environments designed for deeper engagements in stores, hospitals, hotels, workplace and throughout a campus. Most businesses and organizations require a combination of exterior and interior signage to maintain a consistency in branding for a full consumer experience.