The importance of good shop signage
Have you taken a moment to really think about the impact of a sign? Probably not but there is a whole swathe of research out there that makes for sober reading IF you do not have a signage for your business – or if your signage is considered ‘inadequate’.
But, what makes for effective signage? What effect does a sign really have, if any at all? Colour Graphics has great deals on signage and so, once you have read the research and the benefits, there is nothing stopping you from creating the biggest, boldest and brightest sign!
Ignore at your peril – how a sign brings more than you think
You have set up your trade show stand, your market stall or spend thousands decking out the interior of your high street shop. You approach opening day with a mix of nerves and excitement. You have a few customers, but not the hordes of people you thought you would. And you did all that advertising, and all that marketing…
Signage could be the issue or, more precisely, lack of it. Research has shown that for a new business, the signage of a business attracts 50% of its new customers. Did you include signage in your marketing plan?
There are other interesting statistics too, such as;
- 3 in 10 people do not know you exist if you have no shop front signage
- Effective signage increases profits
- For a high street business, 85% of their customer, even in the age of the Internet, live within 5 miles of your premises – they will see you signs on average 50 to 60 times a month
- Depending on what type of business you are, and where you are located, the percentage of shoppers that buy in impulse varies from 20% to 45%; imagine having the sign that reminds them they need to buy such-a-such?
- 20% of the population move every year, thus your signs work hard all year round, year on year
- Signage is a more cost-effective way of advertising your business than a newspaper advert, or even a TV advert
In other words, no signage or poor signage is costing your business not only money, but connections and engagement with potential customers.
Poor signs are as bad as no sign at all!
Take a moment to research shop signage for both the interior and exterior of a business and you will constantly come across references to poor signage.
Poor signage literally means something that is useless; it does not set the right tone for your business, it tells the customer nothing and, it is poorly designed, with clashing colours that make it difficult to read.
In order to design and create the right kind of signage that will stand out, you need to bear in mind;
- Function
A sign, as the saying goes, is the silent salesperson of your business. So ask yourself this – what is it really saying? A sign draws attention to your business and thus, you need it to create the right impression. Is it doing that?
Really?! When potential customers look at your sign, does it ooze appeal? Is it saying, ‘we are a high quality establishment, trustworthy and reliable?’ or is it saying ‘this sign is an afterthought’?
- Type
There are permanently mounted signs, illuminated signs, signs on poles, posters, roller banners, pavement signs and so on.
There are many different types to choose from. Each will have a different purpose so don’t clutter the permanent shop sign with email address and so on, when you can invest in a window sign that can do that for you.
Pavement signs are a great, inexpensive way of highlighting a current offer, as are roller banners and outdoor banners too.
- Significance
Don’t rush the design of a sign, as it could be the fixture that is on display 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Underestimating its power could be a fatal body blow for your business. It effect is continuous. You have been warned.
- Information
You need to think about the information on each and every sign you use. For example, does the passing motorist need your email address or will a handy, clear reference to your website be a better ploy?
Take care to remove superfluous wording and graphics, making sure that the important information that the eye searches for is in bold, and a darker colour on a lighter background. For example, website addresses all start with www. but, do you need it. Would ColourGraphics.Com stand out just as well?
Vary the lettering and make sure you use capitals in the right places. As people pass a shop front quickly, even on foot, have words with shape is easier for the eye to detect. Just take a look at this as an example;
10% OFF ALL PRODUCTS TODAY ONLY! compared to this: 10% off all products TODAY only!