All companies and brand names, no matter how large or modest, need an advertising campaign to reach out to customers, consumers, and business clients at all times. Today’s businesses can do this both online and with traditional media, such as business signs or outdoor signs. The Internet is far-reaching, and a good company website and social media accounts can do lot of work. But all the same, the Internet has not made paper mediums obsolete. Rather, most companies today take both routes, to get the most out of digital marketing and a sign over their door. Digital marketing firms will handle creating a good website or social media account, while a signage company will provide physical signs for a business client to make use of. What are today’s signs capable of in a busy world?
How A Sign Can Do Its Work
Can a physical sign made of wood or plastic really attract customers in today’s digital world? The answer is yes, and many hours of work and money is spent every year to research trends and strategies in advertising. The results show that a physical sign is far from obsolete; in fact, a sign may act as respite from burnout of using the Internet and e-mail so much. The Internet may pester a user with pop-ups or a cluttered inbox, and careless Internet users might even download spyware or viruses by mistake. But a physical sign will never do that, nor will posters or paper mail.
For one example, studies show that around 85% of a business’s customers live within a five-mile radius of that company, meaning that physical signs put in that area will easily and efficiently advertise that brand name to many customers. One of those typical consumers may see that brand name around 50 to 60 times per week, which is plenty of exposure by many standards. What is more, over 75% of surveyed consumers have reported going into an unfamiliar store simply because of the compelling signs that they found. Meanwhile, billboards may also be effective, often being placed along roads where there isn’t much else to see. Local attractions, law firms, and even political candidates may advertise there and spread their name far and wide.
Many surveyed consumers agree that a sign will say a lot about the company that put it there. Consumers believe that a sign’s design and quality will reflect the personality and quality of the business, so a well-made and attractive sign may inspire trust and bring in consumers. By contrast, an ugly or confusing or shoddy sign may turn customers away. How to mount them? These signs can be placed right over the business’s own front door, and this is common for shops or services found in strip malls. Other signs may be placed on a building’s roof for prominence, and those signs can be larger than those found over doors. Yet other signs might be placed atop tall poles to be seen far and wide, a strategy that many fast food restaurants and auto shops use. How might a sign be made? Can they run on electricity, too?
Different Models of Signs
There are a few different ways to build a sign, depending on the buyer’s budget or even the time of day when most consumers will see it. Some signs are made of wood, plastic, and metal, such as those over the shop’s door. These signs have clear plastic faces, and they may have light bulbs inside that will turn on at night so the sign is easier to see. Having the lights on inside the sign can act as a “we’re open” message for consumers who see it. Businesses that operate mainly by day may use these.
Other businesses get many guests at night, so they may use neon signs and displays to be prominent in low lighting levels. Movie theaters, bars, and clubs often do this, and they may keep the neon displays off during the day to save power. Meanwhile, some signs are electronic ad screens. Such a sign can be programmed with any number of visuals the owner wants, such as animated graphics to attract a customer’s attention. Or, the screen may provide a slideshow of different images, acting as many signs in one.
