How to Make Stunning Lawn Signs that Sparkle and Get Noticed
CREA communications experts weigh in.
The ground in most of Canada is thawed, the pollen is swirling, and spring has sprung! For REALTORS®, lawn signs are a big part of business. The iconic ‘for sale’ sign is a staple when people think about the home buying and selling process.
But how do you make a lawn sign that gets noticed?
We’ve collected a few tips to help you design a lawn sign that suits your business, attracts potential buyers, and keeps bylaw officers away.
Great headline
What’s going to catch someone’s eye first? A great headline. The best headlines, or taglines, are short and easy to understand, with bonus points for being clever.
Maybe it’s something as simple as, “Now on REALTOR.ca”. Or, maybe its something a little more creative, like, “Your Commute Could Stop Here”.
Think about your community and your general clientele, or desired clientele, when you’re coming up with a headline.
Legible font
When designing your lawn sign, make sure to use a legible font. Sans serif fonts, fonts without any decorative strokes, are common sign choices for professional graphic designers; but serif fonts are also legible in some cases.
To check legibility, consider making a physical mockup of the sign at the intended size.
You can print out your design using basic 8.5 x 11 inch paper by using the tiling and overlap features, and then trim and tape the pieces together for a cost-accessible way to see a physical sample. Then, hang it up, take a step back, and adjust where needed.
Contrasting colours (make it accessible!)
Using colours with a high enough contrast is crucial to ensuring your signs are readable from a distance, and readable to people of all abilities. It’s easy to check the contrast ratio of the colours you’re using with online contrast checkers.
The Government of Canada offers handy design and copy guidelines that you can utilize to make sure your signs, and all content, is accessible.
Choose the right size
What’s too big… and what’s too small?
Think about the types of properties you typically work with, and what the surroundings are. Are they on a wide-open country road? A crowded city block with limited space? A suburban neighbourhood?
Try to choose a size that fits the space around it and allows for legibility. Typically, the more remote the property, the larger you can go.
When it comes to size being creative is also an option, provided your information and message is clear. You might strategically choose an oversized sign with a humorous tagline that references the sign’s size, for example. If your sign is strictly informational, we recommend choosing a property-appropriate size to maintain a professional look.
Materials matter
There’s a lot of materials and forms that your sign may take. While your choice will depend on your exact needs, consider these factors.
Durability: How often will you use this sign? What’s the weather like in your area? How long do you expect the sign to be up on the property?
Cost: Does the cost of this sign fit into your marketing budget? How many signs will you need to have available?
Materials: Is sustainability a factor in your decision? Are you looking for a structure where the design can be interchangeable? How easy or difficult are the signs to move around and set up?
Whenever possible, it’s best to try a sample of a sign before committing to a larger order.
Front, and back!
In many cases, people are going to see your sign from both directions. Make sure you have critical information clearly presented on both sides, wherever possible, to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Use CREA’s trademarks correctly
Did you know that not all real estate agents are REALTORS®?
REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are trademarks controlled by CREA and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. As a CREA member, you are licensed to use the REALTOR® marks by virtue of your membership. But there are rules about how the words and logos can be used, including in your lawn sign design, to preserve the value of the marks.
The Context Rule: All uses of the REALTOR® marks should convey to the public that a REALTOR® is a licensed real estate professional who is a member of CREA. The REALTOR® mark must never be used as a job title.
The Form Rule: Always check that the REALTOR® mark is being used in the correct form:
- All letters must be capitalized;
- The word must always be followed by the registered trademark symbol (“®”); and
- Every use of the mark must include a trademark statement where possible, such as:
- REALTOR®. Member of The Canadian Real Estate Association and more.
- Not every real estate agent is a REALTOR®. Only REALTORS® are members of CREA.
- I’m more than a real estate agent. I’m a REALTOR®.
- The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.
Provided the rules outlined above, along with those in CREA's trademark resources, are followed, pre-approval from CREA for use of the REALTOR® mark on your lawn sign is generally not required.
Additionally, MLS®, Multiple Listing Service®, and the associated logos are all registered certification marks owned by CREA and are used to identify real estate services provided by brokers and salespersons who are members of CREA. The MLS® marks have their own Context and Form rules, which you can also find in CREA's trademark resources.
Other trademarks may be owned by real estate Boards and other third parties who have rules of their own.
Here’s a quick video to help you better understand trademarks:
When designing your lawn sign, it’s important to be disciplined in using CREA’s trademarks correctly so that the REALTOR® brand remains strong and CREA’s trademarks retain their value.
Other compliance considerations
Speaking of legalities, municipalities may have different bylaws dictating the use of lawn signs or other forms of neighbourhood advertising you’re considering. Be sure to check for any local bylaws related to the sign(s) you’re designing, including open house signage, before placing them to avoid potential removal of signs and/or fines.
Provincial and territorial legislation governing the conduct of real estate licensees may also include general advertising requirements, alongside the federal Competition Act, which sets rules regarding performance claims that could be deemed misleading or deceptive. If in doubt, consider checking with your brokerage or legal counsel to ensure that your lawn sign complies with any applicable legal requirements.
Lastly, remember that under CREA’s REALTOR® Cooperation Policy, lawn signs are considered a form of “public marketing” which means that REALTORS® must generally place the associated listing on an MLS® System within three days of a lawn sign going up, or within the timeframe adopted by their Board or Association.
Make it you!
Make sure that your lawn sign accurately represents you and your brand! Consider what you want people to think and feel when they see your finished design.
If you’re including photos or logos, make sure that the resolution is appropriate for the sign you’re printing and, where possible, in the correct colour format (CMYK versus RGB) to preserve the desired colours during printing.
While these guidelines outline some best practices, and a few steps that simply can’t be missed (see: accessibility and trademarks), we encourage you to be creative.
If you’re at a loss for ideas or simply don’t have the time, there are many professional graphic designers who can help you create a lawn sign that meets your needs.
The article above is for information purposes and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.
