Signage: How To Choose Your Professional Plaque In 5 Questions

Contrary to what is sometimes imagined, professional plaques are not reserved for liberal professions. If you run a business, training center, or association, you can also indicate your presence in a building using this type of signage. We will explain how to choose your personalized professional plaque in 5 questions.

1- Why use a professional nameplate?

For businesses as well as for liberal professions, custom professional plaques are not a legal requirement. Nevertheless, most liberal professionals choose to install them to signal the entrance of their office.

In the fields of health and justice, the professional plaque is often the first image presented to patients or clients. This signage has the dual advantage of providing better visibility for your activity and giving credibility to your office or business.

In an increasingly competitive environment, exterior signage is an asset not to be overlooked for the success of your activity. Thanks to this type of plaque, passersby and visitors will spot you more easily.

But the interest in investing in a custom professional plaque goes far beyond the practical aspect. This type of plaque is also a symbol of professionalism and a guarantee of credibility in the eyes of your future patients or clients. It contributes to the image of your activity and its success.

2- What are the regulatory constraints?

Even if you are convinced of the interest in installing a plaque at the entrance of your professional premises, you should take the time to reflect before ordering this type of signage.

First and foremost, you need to inquire about any potential standards and constraints that apply to your professional plaque based on your activity. Indeed, if you practice a regulated liberal profession, such as a doctor or notary, it is your Order that sets the rules to be followed for your communication. For medical professions, recommendations regarding the content and size of the plaque are listed in the Public Health Code.

Regardless of your activity, you also need to inquire about the urban planning and co-ownership rules that govern your premises before purchasing and installing this type of signage. The installation of a plaque may require prior authorization from the general assembly of co-owners.

This signage must not obstruct traffic, signaling, or road safety. It may require prior authorization from the municipality, especially if your professional premises are located less than 100 meters from a listed building or historical monument. If in doubt, check with the urban planning department of the town hall.

3- What information should be written on the plaque?

If you practice a liberal profession that is not regulated by an order or if you are an independent professional, you are free to choose the format of your personalized professional plaque.

However, be aware that the content of this plaque is governed by law. French law clearly defines the difference between professional plaques and advertising panels. That is why your plaque must remain purely informative and must not contain any advertising message.

4- Which material to choose?

The material used is another criterion to consider when choosing your professional plaque. All custom professional plaques are designed to be placed outdoors and to withstand the weather.

Nevertheless, some materials are easier to maintain than others. If ease of maintenance is important to you, preferably choose a material like plexiglass or aluminum rather than brass.

The choice of material can also be dictated by the design you want to display. If you want to feature your logo in color on the plaque, you must choose a material that allows four-color printing, such as plexiglass or composite aluminum Dibond. Conversely, brass or engraved aluminum plaques can only display a few simple colors.

5- Which plate to choose according to the location?

Custom professional plaques are informational and communication tools designed to enhance your company's visibility. Therefore, it is very important to choose a highly visible location, in the immediate vicinity of the building entrance.

Even if you think you have found the ideal spot for your professional plaque, check the characteristics of the wall before proceeding with the installation. All types of professional plaques can be screwed in, provided the wall is sufficiently smooth and solid. When this is not the case, it is better to install the plaque on spacers or a special support rather than in direct contact with the wall.

If you plan to attach the plaque by gluing, you must have a perfectly smooth and clean surface, such as a painted wall, door, or glass. Preferably use double-sided adhesive rather than acrylic glue.

Acrylic glues can only be used with metal plaques. Indeed, the solvents contained in most of these glues can alter plexiglass or plastic plaques.