Summary:
- Custom lawn signs are inexpensive yet captivating ways to promote your business, an upcoming event, and more.
- Little Rock Printing provides effective design tips so you can create an ideal custom lawn sign for all your business or personal needs.
- Keep the design simple and clean, with eye-catching yet readable fonts, an on-brand colour palette, and other fully-customizable design elements.
- When you’re finished with your design in Canva, submit your files to Little Rock for professional printing. We offer in-house printing services, custom order sizes with no minimums, and free proofs before you submit your full order.
If you’re looking for a marketing product that’s both inexpensive and eye-catching, a custom lawn sign is a great option. Lawn signs are super versatile—they can help you advertise your small business, promote an upcoming event like a yard sale or election, show off your kid’s school spirit, and more. Plus, they’re easy to install, move, and clean; it’s everything you could love about signage.
The sky’s the limit on what you can use a custom lawn sign for and our experts at Little Rock Printing can show you how to design them to achieve the most effective product possible.
See Also:
Best Practices for Designing Effective Custom Lawn Signs
One of the most important parts of designing a custom lawn sign is the layout. Many people only glance at a lawn sign as they walk or drive by it, so you want to make sure your design is eye-catching enough that they remember your business or event details. Provide quick and easy information and a call to action for a lasting impression.
For an effective custom lawn sign design, we recommend focusing on these areas:
- Define Your Audience: Before designing, define your target audience and create thoughtful messaging that appeals to your prospective customers. Be sure to include all pertinent information on your lawn sign like your company name, contact information, and important details.
- Choose Your Specs: Depending on the message you want to convey, choose the size and space you’ll need to tell your story in a clean and creative way.
- Determine the shape of your custom lawn sign: square, rectangle, or a custom shape for added flair
- Decide if you want the lawn sign single or double-sided
- Choose your size (we recommend a minimum width and height of 12 inches and a maximum width and height of 24 inches)
- Visual Appeal: Crisp colours, images, and typography are a great way to capture your viewer’s attention. It’s best to use your current colour palette so you’re consistent with your brand’s identity.
- Clarity: Make sure the message is easy to understand and digestible. Remember that your audience will typically be on the move when they see your lawn sign so clear and concise information is crucial.
- Call to Action: Encourage your viewers to take a specific action at the end of your custom lawn sign, like checking out your website or calling a phone number for more details. Adding a QR code is a great way to make the lawn sign actionable on the spot.
Starting With Canva
Canva is an easy place to design print products like custom lawn signs, plus it’s free to use! To get started, create your free Canva account and click the “Sign Up” button in the upper-right corner.
Step 1: Choose Your Template
Once you’re set up in Canva, you’ll be able to choose from an array of available template options.
If you have a Canva Pro account you can adjust the size. Simply:
- Click the “Magic Switch” button near the top of the screen to see a list of resize options.
- Scroll down and click “Custom Size” to add your own dimensions to the template.
If you’re looking for other printed materials for your business or personal needs, we offer a variety of print-ready Canva templates here.
For Best Results:
- Prepare the content and images for your lawn sign in advance to help you decide which template to go with and to save you time once you start designing.
- If you want more control over your design, consider upgrading to Canva Pro for access to premium features.
Step 2: Customize Text For Your Lawn Sign
Now that you’ve chosen a custom lawn sign template, add the messaging you want to include on your sign. Replace the placeholder text with your own and remove or add any text boxes as needed.
For Best Results:
- Remember all the information that you want to include on your lawn sign (company name, important dates, contact information, etc.).
Leave enough space in your design so that the text doesn’t feel too crowded. You also want to allow space to add your company logo, images, or other graphics.
Step 3: Insert Hi-Res Images or Graphics
After you’ve picked a template and edited the text, you’ll want to insert any images, logos, graphics, or QR codes. If your selected Canva template came with a stock image, simply right-click and select “Delete” to remove it.
To add an image or graphic, click on the “File” tab on the top left of the screen then select “Import Files”. Click “Choose Files” or simply drag and drop the files from your desktop.
Once your photo or graphic has been uploaded, you may need to go back and fix any spacing issues surrounding the image.
For Best Results:
- Keep images simple but punchy and choose something that aligns with your current brand and style.
- Be sure your logo and company name are prominent.
- Make sure all raster images have resolutions of 300 dpi or better and have them saved to your computer ahead of time.
- If you’re not including a QR code linking to your website, be sure to have your phone number or URL in a prominent spot.
Step 4: Customize Design Elements
Once all of your basic details are laid out, you can start playing around with design elements like the colour palette and backgrounds. There’s also a section in Canva called “Styles” where you can choose from pre-made colour palettes.
For Best Results:
- Choose a background colour or texture that suits your brand and message.
- Use readable fonts and ensure the text is clear and easy to understand with your colour palette.
Step 5: Review Your Work, Save & Download PDF
Once you’re happy with your custom lawn sign design, take one last review of your project. This is a good time to look for any typos, errors, or inconsistencies before you submit your final product.
Submitting Your Design to Little Rock for Printing
You’re almost ready to print your lawn signs! To ensure high-quality prints, be sure to save and download your custom lawn signs in a print-friendly format like PDF. There’s even an option in Canva to select “PDF Print” specifically for printing purposes.
Follow these easy steps to prep for printing:
- Go to “Share” in the upper right corner.
- Select “Download” from the dropdown menu.
- Choose “PDF Print” under “File Type.”
- Include “Crop marks and bleeds.”
- Choose “Flatten PDF.”
- Opt for “CMYK” under “Colour Profile.” (This does require Canva Pro)
- Click the “Download” button to export as a PDF.
Our custom lawn signs are printed on durable 4mm coroplast board. We recommend adding metal H-frame stakes to your order for easy outdoor installation.
Once your boards are printed and ready to go, simply insert each end of the metal H-frame into the corresponding flutes on your sign. Drive the bottom portion of the stand into solid, level ground for best results, and apply pressure evenly to both sides to avoid warping the material.
Real-World Examples
Need some inspiration for your custom lawn signs? Take a look at some awesome design options that we printed in-house!
This custom heart-shaped lawn sign was created for the Marnie Campbell real estate team of Calgary. The red and white design was simple and to the point—a strong slogan in large font plus the company’s logo and URL at the bottom, making it actionable on the spot.
This was a funny lawn sign that we made. Our client wanted a satirical election sign for the “inanimate carbon rod” as a candidate for the Premier of Alberta. The concept, image, and slogan came from a Simpsons episode where Homer is jealous of the aforementioned rod for winning the “Worker of the Week” award.
Print the Best Custom Lawn Signs with Little Rock Printing
It’s easy to print without limits when you partner with Little Rock. Design your one-of-a-kind custom lawn sign, then choose from our sizing and shape options for the highest quality product possible.
Contact the Little Rock Printing experts if you have questions about your specific order, or check out the FAQ section below for more details on making custom lawn signs work for your business or personal needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Lawn Signs
How Can Custom Lawn Signs Be Used For Business or Personal Use?
Lawn signs are a great way to market your business, a person, or an upcoming event. A few ways you can use a custom lawn sign include:
- Promoting your small business services
- As a For Sale or Open House sign
- Highlighting an electoral candidate
- Directing people to your yard sale
- Celebrating a milestone
How Long Do Your Lawn Signs Last?
Our lawn signs are made from durable and weather-resistant 4mm coroplast, which lets them last outdoors for weeks or even months in the right conditions. To make your lawn signs last as long as possible, use a damp cloth to wipe dirt and debris off them regularly and treat them carefully to avoid accidental bending or breakage.
How Can I Customize My Lawn Signs with Little Rock Printing?
We give you several different options for making your lawn signs unique. Order single or double-sided signs, with or without H-frame stakes.
We may also be able to accommodate special requests for style and sizing—put your request in the “Special Instructions” box above or email [email protected] to get in touch with a team member who can tell you more.
How Do I Set Up My Lawn Signs Once I Have Them?
Setting up our lawn sign is easy—just insert each end of the metal H-frame for your stand into the corresponding flutes on your sign, then drive the bottom portion of the stand into solid, level ground.
Can I Put Designs for Different Lawn Signs in the Same Order?
Yes! We make it easy to get bulk pricing on orders with numerous different designs, as long as all of them are:
- The same size
- Ordered at the same time
To bundle designs for multiple lawn signs together, choose the total number of lawn signs for all orders above when making your purchase online. Then, send all design files to [email protected] and specify the breakdown for each (for example, 4 designs with 250 copies each).
