So, you’ve decided to replace your old signage on the front of your premises. It’s been looking tired for a while now and it doesn’t seem to get attention anymore. So, with some expert help and advice, combined with beautifully crafted new signage, you’re getting ready for your frontage to look far more eye-catching.
New signage is an investment in your business. It has to grab passers-by and bring them those few yards to your doors, where you can tempt them with what’s inside. But relying on new signage to just appear and increase takings is asking a lot. And when you have made this investment, you should be thinking about maximising the opportunity you now have to promote your business.
Doubtless some may read this and become puzzled. After all, is it really that significant when a retailer updates their signage? The simple answer is yes – it matters a lot, even more so if there are any changes to the branding of the business. When you invest in new signage, you have a great opportunity to get your name in front of as many people as possible. It’s a chance to engage with customers old and new, to remind them about you and tell them why you should be important in their lives.
It’s also a great opportunity to coincide your new signage with any other changes within your outlet. It can be an internal refit, a new product line being launched, even new opening hours – with new signage you have a firm date when it is installed, and this gives you a starting point for any other changes within your outlet to publicise to customers.
You can also expand on this to include a sales promotion – either end of line or introductory discount – promoted via instore flyers and local press adverts mixed with a press release to push your new-look shopfront.
The bonus benefit to this marketing activity is your new signage will be actively noticed; well-constructed press releases have good recall by readers, and as such your local customer market is more likely to not just notice your new signage in passing but even make a conscious decision to see it for themselves. And that gives you the perfect opportunity to tempt them inside.
But there is one group of people you must never forget to tell about your shiny new signage. Your staff. So often from our own experience we have had employees ask us what we are doing and when told, reply they weren’t aware their workplace was getting new signs adorning the premises. Your staff are your most important brand ambassadors. It’s vital they know about your new signage and what it means. It could symbolise a change in your brand values, or simply be a new, more sustainable sign with lower running costs and using environmentally friendly materials. Letting them know allows them to tell your customers what is going on, to push positive messages about your business into the local community, and leaves them feeling part of your business.
So, when you are thinking about updating your retail signage, take the time to also think how you can use it to promote your business. It could provide a very real uplift in sales and boost your long term prospects.
