A good business banner does one job well. It tells the people walking or driving past who you are and what you want them to do, in a few words they can read from where they're standing. Get the message, the size, the material and the artwork right, and you'll have a banner that looks professional and earns its place on the railings.

We've been printing large-format banners for Irish businesses for more than 20 years. When a start-up or small business orders its first banner, these are the steps we go through with them, in this order.

How to make a business banner, step by step

Banner problems usually start when the early steps get skipped. Someone designs the artwork first and only then measures the shopfront. Work through these in order and the design decisions get much easier.

Step	What to decide	Our tip
1. Decide the banner's job and where it hangs	One purpose: a promotion, marking your premises, advertising an event or directing visitors	If it has two jobs, you probably need two banners
2. Measure the space and fixing points	Width and height available, what you'll tie or fix it to, how far away people will be	Measure between the fixing points, not just the wall
3. Pick the material	PVC banners for most outdoor jobs, mesh banners for windy sites, pull up banners indoors	Our guide on which banner to use when covers the rest
4. Write one message	A headline, your name or logo, and one call to action	A short tagline beats a list of bullet points
5. Lay it out for reading distance	Logo prominent, headline largest, contact details big enough to read from the footpath	Bold contrast that still works in bright sun and grey drizzle
6. Prepare artwork or brief our design team	A print-ready PDF to size, or your logo, text and brand colours for us to work from	Use high-resolution images; a web image blurs when enlarged
7. Approve the proof	Spelling, phone number, web address, colours	Read the phone number aloud, digit by digit
8. Hang it	Even tension and secure fixings	Check the ties again after the first windy week

What to put on a business banner

Start with the banner's one job and cut everything that doesn't serve it. A shopfront banner needs your business name, what you do and how to reach you. A promotional banner needs the offer and the date it ends. That's usually enough, because people passing a banner only give it a quick glance.

Make your logo prominent rather than tucking it into a corner. If people can't connect the banner to your brand, it isn't doing much for you. Placing the logo at the top is the classic layout and works well for a reason.

Viewing distance decides almost everything else. The further away your reader, the larger and plainer the lettering needs to be and the fewer words they'll take in. Choose clean, bold fonts over decorative ones, and leave empty space around the headline so it stands out. Colour is easy to get wrong: pale yellow on white, or dark blue on black, can look fine on a backlit screen and disappear outdoors. Stick to your brand colours, but pair them for strong contrast. For help with the wording itself, our post on writing copy for banners goes deeper, and the branded banner design checklist is worth running through before you sign off.

Choosing a banner size and format

Let the space choose the size. Horizontal banners suit walls, railings, fences and shopfronts, where you have width to spare and people read along as they pass. PVC banners print to any size in landscape or portrait, so we can match the gap above your door exactly.

Vertical formats work better in receptions, shop floors and exhibition stands, where floor space is tight. The Economy Roller Banner is 850mm x 2000mm and comes with a carry case, which makes it an easy first purchase for a start-up. If you need more presence behind a stand, wide pull up banners come in 1.2m, 1.5m and 2m widths, all 2m tall. For atriums and showrooms, hanging banners can be seen above the crowd from across the room.

At trade shows, think about how the banner sits beside your other display pieces and how you'll carry it in at load-in. Our tips on designing a roll up banner and designing an event banner cover those layouts in more detail.

Artwork we need from you

Send us artwork to size as a high-resolution, print-ready PDF. Set it up in CMYK rather than RGB, outline your fonts, include bleed, and keep all text inside the safe area so nothing is lost at the hems or eyelets. Vector logos give the sharpest result, because they scale up without losing detail.

We check every file before printing. If your artwork isn't print-ready, or you only have a logo and some text, our design team can set it up properly for you.

Putting it up and looking after it

PVC banners come with hemmed edges and eyelets as standard, so tie them through every eyelet with secure ties and keep the tension even. A banner pulled tight at one corner and slack at another will flap, and flapping is what wears a banner out. On exposed sites such as fences, scaffolding or anywhere along a windy coast road, we'd go with mesh, because the wind passes through instead of pulling at the fixings. Pull up banners just need their base on a flat floor and the pole slotted in.

To keep a banner looking good, wipe it gently, let it dry fully, and roll it rather than folding it across the print. If a temporary banner is up outdoors and a storm warning comes in, bring it inside.

Checking your banner is bringing in customers

Decide what success looks like before you print: more enquiries, more footfall, or more people using an offer. Then give the banner a call to action you can track, such as a QR code to a dedicated page, an offer code or a separate phone number. Ask new customers how they heard about you. If results are flat, try changing the message, the placement or the contrast before you give up on banners altogether. Our post on measuring print marketing performance has more ideas.

FAQs

How do I make a business banner that looks professional?

Set one goal, measure your space, keep the wording short, use your brand colours with strong contrast, and supply high-resolution artwork. Then check the proof carefully before it goes to print.

What type of banner is best for a business?

It depends where it's going. PVC suits most outdoor jobs, and PVC-free banners are an eco alternative for indoor or outdoor use. Pull up banners are best for receptions and events. For something permanent, look at business signs or printed boards, and feather flags or corporate flags outside the premises. Our overview of banner types and uses compares them.

How much does a business banner cost in Ireland?

We quote per job, because the price depends on the size, the material, quantity, finishing, any design work and delivery. Tell us what you need and we'll give you a clear quote.

Are banner design services worth it for a start-up?

If you don't have print-ready artwork, design software or the time, yes. Our in-house team can design a banner from your logo, text and brand colours, or fix artwork that isn't print-ready. There may be a small charge depending on the work involved, but we always quote before starting and allow for some changes. You'll find the details on our banner design service page and in our FAQs.

How long does a banner take to print and deliver?

Most orders are produced and delivered within a working week, and next-day delivery is available on many orders. If we're designing the banner for you, allow extra time for the design and any changes.

Get a quote for your business banner

Tell us where the banner is going and what it needs to do, and we'll recommend the right size and material. Contact our team for a quote.

What to Consider when Designing a Business Banner