subject: The Goals Your Signs Must Accomplish [print this page] If you're starting a new business, one of the most important things to consider is what your signs will look like. It may seem like an insignificant aspect of growing your business, but rest assured that few companies have managed to make a success of themselves without effective signage. If you're going to survive in the cut-throat world of real world retail, you have to implement things that will set you apart from the competition. Some-perhaps most-of this will be woven into your overall business strategy. But no small part should be integral to your advertising. Signage is a part of that. Here are the goals it must accomplish.
Branding
Although the term is relatively new, branding is as old as business itself. You have to develop it for your retail company and find ways to make people think of your company when they think of the products you sell. Your signs need to be a part of that effort. If you have a distinct logo, motto, or other distinguishing features, make sure you have them out there where they can become familiar to the public.
Drawing in Customers
Your signs should be attractive to drive-by traffic encountering your business for the first time. If possible, you should develop images that will attract customers on impulse. If you can bring people in based on the quality of what they see, you can cut down the need to spend money on other forms of advertising.
In Store Psychology
Signs aren't limited to what you put on your storefront or out by the highway. You should also have plenty of them in your store and they should be designed to strategically create a purchase need in your customers' mind. It will, whether you designed it or not. What you put out for the customer to see will have an impact. It is up to you to make sure it is giving out the message you want received.
Blending
While it is important to stand out, it is equally important to blend in. How can you accomplish these seemingly exclusive goals? Your signs play a big role. Yes, you want to stand out from your competition, but you also want to fit in with your surroundings. A garish neon sign in a shopping center created to appeal to a classical architecture fan is going to stand out, but it's going to do so in a way that puts people off. You don't want potential customers thinking, "I wish that store hadn't moved in." You want to make sure your signage meets the tone and standards of the community.
