I traveled to Tucson, Arizona, last week, where I saw this perfect example of giving readers what they need:
Can you tell immediately what I appreciated? Do you like it?
Because this sign was at a tourist attraction, the Mission San Xavier, it makes perfect sense to tell visitors which way is east.
As a longtime Seattle resident, I often notice visitors who appear confused when they read our parking signs. That is because the signs say things like "No Parking West of Here," and visitors aren't sure which direction is west.
My guess is that people at the Mission San Xavier got tired of pointing people toward the gift shop, and they decided to fix the sign. Nice work!
Lynn
Syntax Training
Lynn,
In addition to keeping the overall message easy to understand and with clear directions, they followed a third cardinal rule of sign making–they kept the wording brief. The sign is complete at only 13 words. Bravo!
Thanks for that good observation, Paula. As a sign expert (Sign-a-Rama Vermont), you understand the value of brevity.
Lynn
yes! Only if it is a north facing sign – hence the audience is walking to the south!
Nice graphics and simple message, agreed.
Bob VL
Excellent point, Bob!
Lynn
They could also skip “east” and “left” and simply have an arrow pointing to the left and “End of this building”.
Great example, Lynn! If only more signs could be this clear.
I love simple. 😉
George, good point! Cathy and Jack, thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Lynn
It might have been desirable to insert an apostrophe between the words “affordable” and “gift.” Otherwise, it sounds as though the gift shop is affordable. 🙂
Hi, Darrell. I believe you meant to type “hyphen” rather than “apostrophe.” With a hyphen, your idea would work well.
Thanks for commenting.
Lynn
Would you use a period at the end of sentence on a sign?
For example:
All drivers of vehicles
over 20 ft in length must
check in with manager before entering the facility
Hi, June. Because I am not a sign specialist, I asked Paula Diaco of Sign-a-Rama Vermont (http://www.signaramavt.com ) for her expert opinion. Here is Paula’s response:
“As sign makers, we focus on clarity and ease of reading. After all, signs are meant to convey information and important messages, and they need to be visually appealing to be effective.
“While it wouldn’t be incorrect to have a period at the end of the sentence, it’s not required. Signs are visual and the text is just as easily read without the period. Sometimes, it actually looks odd to have a period, and in that case, simply leave it off the sign.”
Thanks for the question, June. And thank you, Paula, for the answer!
Lynn