Stop using floor plans! 3D signage design is the secret weapon to attract customers

Hey, friends who make signs, do you feel that it is becoming more and more difficult to get customers recently? The plan was changed over and over again, but in the end the client still shook his head and said "it doesn't feel right". I also encountered such a headache a while ago - I was building a wayfinding system for a shopping mall, and the floor plan was revised seven or eight times. The customer always said that he couldn't imagine the actual effect. Until I changed the floor plan into a 3D design, everything suddenly went smoothly.

Why are 3D design drawings so useful?

Think about it, what we usually show our customers are plan drawings with a bunch of lines, dimensions, and color blocks. The customers are not professionals. They look at those two-dimensional drawings and have to put them together to create a three-dimensional effect in their own minds. This is too difficult. I have a friend who works in a hotel and suffered this loss. The signs looked very coordinated on the plan, but after they were made and installed, they found that they did not match the architectural style at all. In the end, they had to redo everything and lost tens of thousands.

3D design drawings are different. It can "place" signs directly into the actual environment - shopping mall lobbies, office building corridors, hospital waiting areas. Customers can see the effect at a glance. The luster of the material, the three-dimensional effect of the text, and the lighting effect at night are all clear. Last week, I made a plan for a cultural and creative park, built a model of their iconic building, and put the designed guide sign in. The customer made the decision on the spot.: “Yes, this is how I want to feel! ”

Those doorways in actual operation

However, making 3D design drawings is not just a matter of just building a model. I have summarized some experiences and will share them with you.

Regarding the perspective issue, you can’t just show the client a rendering from one angle. I usually provide several key perspectives.: The angle from which pedestrians look straight down (this is the most common viewing angle), the angle from a distance, and the lighting effect at night, especially for indoor signs, are very different at different distances and under different lights. Last time I gave a guide to a museum, the effect under natural light during the day and under spotlights in the exhibition hall were completely different. Thanks to the 3D drawings of different lighting conditions, the client understood why we recommended using matte materials.

Material performance is also critical. Nowadays, good rendering software can express materials very realistically - the brushed texture of metal, the translucency of acrylic, the texture of wood grain, and even the graininess of stone. I once made a sign for a restaurant and made the texture of solid wood and the reflection of varnish in a 3D image. The customer was very satisfied and said, "This is more textured than I imagined."

Those pitfalls that are easy to step on

Of course, 3D design drawings are not a panacea. I also encountered detours when I first started using them.

One is the problem of over-rendering. For a while, I especially liked to make the pictures very "dazzling", with full light and shadow effects, making it look like a movie scene. As a result, the customer's expectations were raised too high, and the actual work always felt "not as good as the renderings." Later, I learned better and tried to make the renderings as close to the real effect as possible, and even deliberately kept a little "imperfection", which made the customers more satisfied.

The other is cost control. Detailed 3D modeling does take time, especially for complex architectural environments. I will deal with it on a case-by-case basis now.: Complete environment modeling for important projects and major customers ； For regular projects, the sign itself is carefully modeled, and the background is synthesized with simple models or real-life photos, so that the effect can be demonstrated without being too costly.

Tips for customer communication

When communicating with customers using 3D drawings, the method has to change. My current habit is to first let the customers look at the 3D renderings for a while, and then ask them: “What do you think it would be like to put this sign here and see it for the first time when you walk over there? ”Guide customers to think from the user's perspective instead of simply evaluating "good-looking or not."

The modification opinions will also be more specific. In the past, customers might say "This blue is wrong", but now they will say "This blue is a bit too bright under the light, can it be darker?" or "Will the reflection of the metal frame be dazzling in the sun?" The communication efficiency is much higher.

Finally, let’s be honest

I know that some colleagues think that making 3D design drawings is troublesome and requires an extra step, but to be honest, it is worth the money. It can not only reduce the cost of later modifications, but also increase customer trust - if you are willing to spend time to make such detailed renderings, customers will think that you are professional and attentive.

Moreover, these 3D materials can still be used in the future. For the same scene model, changing the signage design is a new solution. ； The accumulated material library and lighting settings can be reused, which can improve efficiency over time.

By the way, I have recently been trying to combine 3D graphics with AR, so that customers can see the effect of virtual signage at the actual location using their mobile phones. Although it is still in the exploratory stage, some customers have expressed interest. This may be a new direction.

After all, competition in the signage industry is becoming increasingly fierce. It is no longer enough to just make physical objects. How to let customers see and feel the final effect before they say "do it" is the key to winning orders. 3D design drawings are not some fancy stuff, they are a bridge between us and customers - turning our professional ideas into pictures that customers can understand and feel.

Next time you meet a client, don’t just bring a flat plan. Try showing a 3D rendering on a tablet or laptop. You will be surprised to find that communication becomes so smooth and the plan is passed so easily. This is the power of vision and the charm of three-dimensional expression. After all, the signage we make is inherently three-dimensional, why do we have to revolve in the two-dimensional world?