Appealing and effective signage is essential for any business. After all, your employees want to know where the break room is, new customers constantly ask where the bathrooms are, and your regulars want to know your weekly specials. But what if you’re a small business or a startup, and you can’t quite afford all that fancy, flashy signage? Relax! You have options. Consider these DIY ideas for low-cost signage for your business.

Business-Related Signage

A creative solution beloved by customers, clients, patrons, and employees alike is signage you display on a business-related item. Own a café? Use a permanent marker to highlight coffee blends on oversized mugs. Own a toy store? Arrange plastic toys to spell out the name of your store.

Painting on Pallets

Wood pallets are an adorable and effective sign option for cozy coffee shops, boutiques, and gardening centers. Just grab a pallet, and paint your signage on the boards. But where do you find them? Simply stake out a hardware store, pet shop, or supermarket, and give them a call. Ask if they have any extra pallets that they’d be willing to part with. In fact, you may be doing them a favor and may even get a pallet or two for free!

Chalk and a Chalkboard

Menus, daily specials, or directions on a chalkboard are downright pleasing to the eye. Maybe it’s a nostalgia thing, or maybe it’s just that we enjoy the artwork. Regardless, chalkboards are a fabulous (and diverse) low-cost signage option for your business. You could use a traditional chalkboard or paint a canvas, wall, or music stand with chalkboard paint. Just be sure to use a chalk marker that’s big enough for your patrons to see it! 15mm chalk markers usually do the trick.

Paint A Window

Painting your business’s windows is a simple, effective, and budget-friendly signage option. It’s also a great way to add life to an otherwise dull space. This option is ideal for messages that need to reach many people from afar. You don’t have to rent a billboard to draw attention to your business! All you need are windows, paint, and a paintbrush.