The Internet has emerged as a powerful and wide-reaching tool for businesses to communicate with their partners and customers and consumers alike, but the Internet cannot replace everything that came before it. Rather, modern companies tend to use the Internet alongside, rather than instead of, traditional means of communication such as paper flyers and posters, custom business lighting on the premises, custom sign design, and outdoor signage in general. After all, while many people use the Internet, they also go outside most days and will walk drive around an urban area. There, such customers and consumers will see buildings, signs, and more, and a quality sign may make a good impression and draw in a customer. Plenty of studies show that quality custom business lighting, custom lighted signs, and more can have a lot of power to bring in new customers and make a good impression. What might a company expect when it has attractive signs and appealing custom business lighting displays to offer?
The Power of Signs
Businesses large and small both make use of signs. A smaller, one-location-only company or shop both cannot afford and does not need an Internet campaign, since a sandwich shop in Boston does not need an Internet user in Seattle to see their brand name. Smaller shops mainly make use of physical signs to draw in customers and advertise their products or services, although small companies might have a modest website or social media account of their own at a low cost.
A company, big or small, can expect a lot of results when they put up quality, attractive signs on their premises. In fact, studies have shown that the value of on-site signage is the same as 24 full-page newspaper ads every single year, and many customers say that a business sign’s quality is a good measure of the company’s own quality. If a sign is attractive and well-made, it may give viewers confidence that the business puts a lot of care into its products and services. Some 70% of consumers say that the sign’s quality may accurately reflect that of the business itself. A shoddy or ugly sign may make a bad impression and discourage most consumers from visiting or making a purchase, a scenario to avoid at all costs.
Many Americans are constantly looking at signs and other physical display boards, even if they do not realize it. For example, for most businesses, 85% of their consumer base can be found within a five-mile radius of the premises, meaning that physical signs may reach out to most of their potential customers. Someone going about their business in a city or large town may see a particular brand’s sign 50-60 times per week, which means a lot of exposure. Many American consumers, about 79% of them, say that they remember a brand because of a sign, and this may subtly affect their behavior in the brand’s favor. A person wanting to get dinner may remember an attractive sign for a sandwich shop and decide to pay a visit.
Varieties of Signs and Displays
It is clear that signs pack a lot of power for sending a message. What do they look like? Some signs, such as those for fast food restaurants or auto repair shops, may have their sign on top of a tall pole so that it’s easy to see from a distance. In other cases, a sign is a large board right on top of the roof, or it may be a sign right over the front door. Signs may be made of metal, plastic, wood, and other materials. Some, in fact, are electronic or neon. Many bars and clubs make use of neon signs that glow attractive colors to draw the eye, even in low lighting conditions (which is not a coincidence).
Custom business lighting is also a factor here. Many shops have display windows for customers to see the products offered inside, and well-positioned lighting rigs such as LEDs may be set up to illuminate those items clearly. This can create emphasis on the items and displays and make them easier to see, especially at night. Inside the store, strong but soft lighting can keep the place pleasantly lit without glaring in anyone’s eyes.
