We love reading insightful articles from other companies as to why signage works. The following two articles (one from Small Business Trends and the other from Chron) are awesome resources in to why signage should be a top marketing priority.
In a square mile radius in Germantown, Maryland, are about 6 Asian grocery stores. Yet I visited the one store whose location was way off the main road and was difficult to find. I saw a sign for the business in another Asian grocery store and knew that they stocked goat meat, which is a delicacy for meat eaters from the Indian sub-continent.
I can’t tell you how many countless times I have used a new business based on their business signs. Business signs work – and here’s why.
5 Reasons Why Business Signs Work
Location
For a brick and mortar small business your sign is important as it acts like a guidepost to guide customers to your place of business and attract the attention of new customers. If you are a new business, people driving by will be attracted to stop in and try your business. People moving to the area look for local businesses that they can start visiting.
Brand Promise
A sign should always be neat and bright and should convey the promise of your brand, convey the high standards of your business, your differentiation. A sign board that is damaged or smudged may fail to convey your brand.
Special Occasions
Small businesses can attract event attendees walking by with apt signage. Find local events and community gatherings like parades to create awareness for your business
Competition
When Groupon rented ad space outside Living Social’s offices in downtown Washington, D.C. it created some buzz. You see these signs often on highways advertising restaurants or gas stations just a few miles ahead of an exit ramp. Signage is important in a high traffic location as overflow traffic from other places can find your business and make an impromptu decision to use your business.
Online-Offline Connection
Take a look at the picture at the very top of this post from an Irish pub in the Cleveland Park area of Washington, D.C. that advertises their Facebook page.
Adding your website url to your sign is a good idea for people who don’t have time to stop and can check you out later. Adding a QR code is a good idea if your sign can be scanned easily.
In photos of your business on your website, it may be a good idea to include pictures of your businesses physical location, signage and neighborhood. So that when people visit, they are already familiar with how the business and surroundings look.
More and more people are finding your business online, but that is only half the story. If you have a great location, you can also appeal to new people who are walking past your business every day.
Do you have a success story about using signs for your business?
If you operate or are planning to start a business, an important consideration is how you plan to use signage. A creative, attractive sign can help your business stand apart from the competition. According to ChamberofCommerce.com, customers are more likely to purchase from a business they have already heard of, so a sign can help plant the seed for future sales.
Function
Signs serve as a type of silent salesperson for your business. Exterior signs draw attention to your place of business and help differentiate it from others on the street. Interior signs help customers locate merchandise and can lead to impulse sales when added to special displays. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration website, signs serve as a primary link between a business and its customers.
Types
Exterior signs can be ground-mounted or building-mounted. Ground-mounted signs can take on a variety of shapes and sizes, and are typically mounted near a road to attract the attention of passing motorists. Building-mounted signs are attached to the place of business and may be useful in areas where foot traffic is prevalent, such as a downtown shopping area.
Significance
Signs can be an essential component of a business’s overall marketing strategy. A sign that contains a business’s logo can help reinforce its brand. Signs are also used to draw attention to promotions and to convey information about the business. Because an exterior sign is visible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, its effect is continuous.
Benefits
For businesses that have limited marketing funds, signs can be a cost-effective form of marketing. According to the SBA website, the cost-per-thousand, a common method used to measure the cost of reaching a thousand potential customers, is much lower for signage than other types of advertising, such as radio, televisions and newspapers.
Considerations
Signs can also be effective for off-premises use. Strategically placed billboards can convey a concise message to passing motorists. You can also place magnetic signs on the side of your vehicle to serve as a form of mobile advertising as well as pay other motorists to place signs on their own vehicles for additional reach.
