Exterior Signage for Small Businesses

In our last blog post, we discussed just how important it is for businesses of all sizes to invest in signage. For small businesses, however, using signage is particularly important. With a limited budget, space, and time, many small businesses are restricted to only a few advertising methods. In today’s blog, we’ll elaborate on why signage is such a valuable investment for small businesses, and how it can be used to generate more revenue. Share your Location For small brick-and-mortar businesses, signage acts as a declaration of your location. Exterior signage such as hanging banners, sidewalk signs, and window graphics are large enough to draw attention to your storefront, but affordable enough for bootstrapping start-ups to incorporate into their already limited budget. Push Away Competition More often than not, small businesses are surrounded by established companies offering similar products and services. By incorporating well designed signage into your company’s advertising campaign, you will be able to boldly declare the aspects of your business that make you stand out against the competition. Consider advertising the unique prices, products, and value-added services your brand offers that others do not; incorporating these unique features onto your sign by way of written content or graphics will help drive new customers into your store and spread the word about your unique offers. Create an Offline Presence In today’s world of internet advertising, it can seem useless at first for small businesses to spend time and money coordinating physical signage. Contrary to popular belief, however, physical signs are critical to declaring your store’s presence in the real world. In fact, 75% of consumers are not only more likely to enter a store displaying a sign, they are also more likely to refer a friend to that store as well! For small businesses who are short on an advertising budget, using signage to facilitate word of mouth advertising is the first step to lowering advertising costs and increasing revenue. Advertise Special Events Although special events such as grand-openings and exclusive, one-time sales do not happen often, capitalizing on those occasions when they are coordinated is crucial to securing a hefty ROI. While internet and social media marketing has become a preferred way to share information, the fact of the matter is having a physical sign outside your storefront alerts passing shoppers of your deals when it matters most. Because most exterior sign campaigns can cost less than an online marketing campaign, there is less overhead associated with using signage for one-time events. Placing your Exterior Signage Once you’ve designed your exterior signage, the next step is to determine the best location to place it. If you are using hanging banners, try to place them on the busiest side of your building, allowing cars and shoppers the opportunity to see it as they travel to their intended destination. Window graphics should be placed as close to your building’s entrance as possible, however any empty glass that is sidewalk-facing could also be used effectively.