No business or industry will survive for long without proper advertising and marketing, and thus, a lot of money and time is spent every year to research newer and better marketing methods. Businesses big and small alike need to advertise to consumers, wholesale buyers, business partners, and more, and there is more than one way to do this. Traditional methods such as making commercial signs or outdoor signs are augmented with Internet campaigns such as social media accounts or SEO-friendly websites. Despite what some may think, the Internet has not made commercial signs or signs for businesses obsolete, nor are paper flyers or posters obsolete. Rather, savvy business owners will take both routes, as commercial signs and digital media each offer some perks that the other does not. Good website design is the arena of digital marketing agencies, while manufacturers may offer commercial signs for businesses to buy and display prominently.
What Signs Can Do
With people in the developed world constantly looking at their smart phones and PCs, are they even spending any time looking at signs? The answer is yes. Everyone still has to go outside, and pedestrians are looking all around them, and only horribly irresponsible drivers are looking at electronic devices while driving around. Instead, these consumers are looking at signs and posters all day, and studies show how effective this can be.
It has been noted that around 85% of a business’s consumers and customers live within a five-mile radius of that business, meaning that signs placed nearby can reach out to customers with great efficiency. A customer in that area may see that company’s brand or commercial signs 50 to 60 times per week, plenty of exposure for any brand. What is more, estimates say that around the value of on-site commercial signage is the same as 24 full-page newspaper ads per year. Such signs can easily draw in customers, even if those customers are unfamiliar with the business. According to surveys, over 75% of consumers had entered a store based only on compelling signs that they saw for that business.
These studies also show how customers think about signs and the businesses who create them. Overall, a good sign will make a great impression, and inspire trust in consumers. A good sign is displayed clearly, is made from good quality materials, and has appealing and clear text and visuals on it. Such signs may strongly correlate to good businesses. By contrast, an ugly, shoddy, or confusing sign may drive away customers. Often, surveyed consumers say that they equate a sign’s personality and quality with that of the business itself, so business owners must take care to create the right first impression.
How to Make a Sign
How to make and display the right business signs for the job? There are a number of routes to take. Many signs today are made of a combination of metal, wood, and plastic, and they may have a plastic face and light bulbs inside the body. This makes the sign easier to see and read in low lighting conditions, such as night, or in rain. And where to put it? Many businesses, such as those in strip malls, place their sign right over the front door. In other cases, a standalone building may put a large sign atop its roof for more prominence, or the sign may even be placed on top of a tall pole. Fast food restaurants and auto shops often do that.
Signs may be electric, or even use neon, to be used in low lighting levels. Many night-based businesses such as bars, clubs, and movie theaters use neon signs to attract customers, and may leave those neon signs off during the day to save power. Electronic ad screens are dynamic signs that can be programmed to show nearly anything, often displaying animated visuals or scrolling through several different sets of images. In the latter case, one electric ad screen can function as many different signs in one, something that wood or plastic signs can’t do. Finally, many schools and houses of worship make use of scrolling marquees, which use LEDs and other lights to create text images. Different images can be programmed in at will, often to advertise upcoming events or other updates.