How to Use Signs in Your Retail Space

You know how important signs are in getting your customers to the checkout counters of your store. That is why you have ensured that they say what you want. But is that really what you need? Isn’t it more important that your signs tell customers what they want? The aim of a sign is to provide information and motivate purchases. To do that effectively, it must be customer friendly, not store management friendly. Here are a few tips on making your retail signs more effective and communicative.

Keep to the Point

We live in the age of Twitter where everything has to be conveyed in 140 characters. Novels are being written in texting language. Attention spans are getting shorter all the time. Customers are often in a hurry, and they want information as quickly and concisely as possible. Respect that and use signs to give them the information they want in the way they want it.

Make It Easy To Read

Ornate fonts with curly-cues and flourishes may look attractive and sophisticated. But you don’t want a customer to say “That’s a nice sign” and move on. The first objective is always to convey information that leads to a purchase: fancy lettering and colors can be distractive. Add extra touches to your signs only if these do not affect the main objective.

Give Reasons to Buy

Every purchase has a reason behind it. It could be a grooming aid to improve appearance. It may be a gift for an important date to please, or a reward for a child who got good grades. You know your business and you know your customers. Make it easier for them to buy by giving them compelling reasons  - for example “Get the latest look with this!”

Relate To Your Customers

A customer buys after visualizing how they would be using the product. Consider these two signs:

• Straighten curly hair with XXXX.
• Use XXXX to straighten your curly hair.

Which one relates more to the customer? Which one makes him think about how using the product will benefit him? It is the second one. Use expressions like “you”, “your”, “for you and your family” and so on, directly engaging them.

Use Images

Texting and social media like Twitter have made the use of emoticons an integral part of modern communication. A picture may not be worth a thousand words, but it is worth a dozen. With limited space on your signs and customer’s attention span itself limited, use effective images to convey emotions. Your sign could say “Buying XXXX will make you happy.” Or you could use instead a smiley face. Which one saves space and has a more positive impact?

The best way to get signs that work for you is to use the services of a signage professional. Tell him what you need the sign to do. Give him the specialized inputs about your business and customers that only you have. He can then combine his skills with your knowledge to give you the right signs that will work, and keep your checkout counters always busy.

Vehicle Graphics and Lettering

The old saying “Word of Mouth is the easiest way to advertise,” couldn’t be less true these days. With the ability to have vehicles customized, this now presents businesses with a faster and more convenient way to advertise with little to no effort on their part. If for example, you are a repair service you can now not only place your company logo on your company vehicles, but advertise your services. It’s almost impossible to go somewhere and not see a company vehicle that displays the name, contact information, location and the services they offer on the side. This is a cost-effective way in which you can advertise.

For businesses that are located in high traffic area’s this is especially beneficial for a few primary reasons.

• Stop lights- Any time a vehicle is stuck for a prolonged period at a stop light, the driver’s attention off wonders to the things around them devoting their full attention. Therefore, when they see a vehicle with writing on it, they’re more likely to read it—sometimes more than once.
• Traffic Jams- Much like a stop light, for anyone who has been involved in a traffic jam knows that they’re not going anywhere for a while and there is little that can be done about it. It’s only natural when a vehicle pulls up in front of you or beside you that you’ll find yourself remembering and reading the information out of pure boredom. While some may think this isn’t too important, it’s not only attracted a possible consumer’s attention, but allowed them to sublimely commit that information to brain for possible future use.
• Children- It goes without saying that children are like sponges, they absorb information easily and can retain it for long periods of time. Therefore, it’s only natural if they see a vehicle with an advertisement not only are they going to read it, but if it’s something they realize you have a need for or they have a desire for, they’re going to approach their parents with the information.
• No extra training require- Not only can you advertise on your own vehicles, but this type of advertisement won’t cost you any extra money in which you have to train someone or pay them do what you’ve got a car or truck doing for you anyway. This means big savings!

If you’re uncomfortable with the thought of having a semi-permanent design or logo placed on your personal vehicles there are other options available. For example, they now make car magnets which prevent you from having to deal with the permanent lettering placed on the vehicle. By ordering and using a magnet you can still have all of your information placed on it which can be easily attached to basically any metal surfaces. Allow the company to print whatever information you want on the magnet, then attach it to your desired location on the vehicle. Later on if you no longer need it, you can easily remove it.

Why use Signs

Signs have been an age old marketing technique, and as a business owner, you may be wondering in a technological age such as ours, “Are signs worth it?” The truth remains that signage is still one of the most effective marketing strategies to this day. And here is why.

First off, signs are so widespread that consumers seemingly don’t notice them. It is almost as though they don’t notice them unless they are seeking out a particular business. However, this is a reason why signage is so effective. Consumers don’t consciously recognize that they are noticing and reading all these signs when as a matter of fact, the messages on these signs are tucking themselves away in their back of the minds, waiting for the right moment to be recalled. Plus, it is proven that almost everyone reads signs including small children.

Additionally, signs act as guideposts to your business. Some people will see it as they are driving or walking by and be drawn into your business on a whim. While new people in the area or visitors will want to a taste of local life and seek out small businesses such as yours while they are driving around. If placed in the right place, your sign will attract new customers frequently. Good places include high traffic and visual places, as well as large community events. This is especially beneficial if you are located in a building that is tucked away from major streets, since your business sign should effectively convey your business’s image, product or service, name, and location. Think of the large billboards located prior to freeway exits indicating that their restaurants or gas stations are located in the next few exits. Travelers’ often take note and make the stop. Your sign could do the same.

Signs automatically reach your target consumer population. Your sign may narrow its audience through design aspects, such as choices of color or typeface. The reason they automatically reach your target consumers is based on location. Only locals or people within the area who would be capable of visiting your business will see the sign, therefore you are not wasting money that might not reach the correct population.

Speaking of money, signs are a cost effective way of marketing. They are cost effective and with the correct strategic placement offer almost guaranteed results. On top of that, signs provide constant advertisement, twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week to your target audience.

So when looking into marketing for your business, put signage on your list. Now that you have been convinced, it is time to design your sign. Ensure that it represents your business well and conveys everything you need to about your business. Then make it to appealing to the eyes, check out previous blog posts, and you’re on your way to more and more business!