4/22/2019
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Business owners across the United States invest in big, bright and bold retail signs for one reason: They work!
A sign alerts, informs and reminds the general public that your business exists. What’s more, signage often tells people the nature of your company, what the opening hours are, or announces a sale or other special events.
Good signage helps bring more people through your doors. In its research, Best Buy found that around 17 percent of its customers hadn’t initially planned to shop there but stopped specifically after noticing their signage!
Of course, retail signs are most effective when they’re in the best shape possible. When they’re broken, or the logo and other business information is outdated, you risk losing that all-important foot traffic. Because of these risks, sign audits are a must.
Here are five reasons you should schedule regular reviews of indoor, outdoor and even temporary or event-based signage.
1. Logos and information become outdated
Businesses occasionally change their logos or even their focus, but signage often gets overlooked when upgrades happen. While detrimental to good branding, it’s not uncommon to see a storefront sign with an older, outdated logo.
The nature of a company can evolve, too. A masonry repair business, for example, may branch out to offer carpentry services. Its signage, of course, should reflect the expanded focus.
Outdated information on a smaller scale can also be damaging. Consider a restaurant that previously shut its doors by 1:00 a.m. and has a sign in front showing these opening hours. However, a few years later, perhaps someone opens a late-night club across the street. Now that hungry club patrons are pouring out at 3:00 a.m., the restaurant owner makes the decision to stay open until 4:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. But, if he or she forgets to update their storefront sign with the new business hours, they’ll surely miss out on potential new business! Even the smallest updates, if overlooked, can have a big impact.
2. You lose track of the latest developments
The sign industry is a dynamic one with new materials and better technologies entering the marketplace — and benefitting business owners — regularly.
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are one bright, shining example! They illuminate more brightly, last longer and consume less electricity than traditional incandescent, fluorescent and neon signage lighting sources.
New materials such as sign foam, also known as High-Density Urethane (HDU), offer great versatility and value. This material is completely waterproof, can withstand extreme heat or cold, is guaranteed not to warp or bow, and can be easily routed to give a wood-like appearance.
An experienced signage provider can help you identify opportunities to enhance your brand. They may recommend a new sign with LEDs or sign foam. Alternately, they may suggest retrofit options for an already lighted sign with newer, more efficient and affordable illumination.
3. Broken signs signal poor quality
Have you ever noticed a sign for the wrong reason? For example, when some of the letters were missing or the illumination for them burned out?
Sign quality is essential! Per a FedEx Office survey, over two thirds (68%) of consumers believe a store’s signage is reflective of the quality of its products or services.
Poor signage can actually deter people from entering a store. Over half (52%) said they are less willing to enter a store with misspelled or shoddily-made signs, according to the research.
Bottom line? If a sign is broken, especially for a long period of time, people may begin to wonder what else is being overlooked. This may cause them to equate a broken sign with poor service or product quality at your place of business. Don’t risk it!
4. Municipal signage codes can change
Some cities are stricter than others when it comes to erecting or mounting exterior signs. In fact, before you install any outdoor sign, it's important to check with the local laws. Chances are you will need a municipal permit before putting up your sign or risk a hefty fine for non-compliance. Worst-case scenario? Your new sign isn't allowed and removal will be required.
Of course, gaining a city permit to install an outdoor sign today doesn’t mean that it will still be compliant tomorrow. Signage laws can change at any time. Sometimes, those who have already mounted their signs may be allowed to keep them, but that’s not always the case. To avoid being fined for noncompliance, it’s always a good idea to review local laws when auditing your signage.
5. Multiple locations are more difficult to manage
If your business has a lot of branches, this may be all the more reason for you to conduct a regular and thorough inspection of them all. Why? Because a bad image established at any one location may negatively affect the reputations of all the others!
Additionally, being in charge of more businesses in different locations makes it easier to lose focus on any given one. You may be more inclined to ignore broken signs, overlook potential signage updates and miss local changes to signage restrictions. Because of this, if you have a large business, you’ll want to schedule a signage audit at each location on a frequent basis.
Ready to begin? Look to Image360® for any, several or all of your needs.
Image360 is your all-in-one source for graphics that enhance, signage that works and displays that inform. We work with you closely from imagination through installation to attain the high quality you seek, while adhering to your timeframe and budget. This, of course, includes sign reviews of the type described here. Contact us to discover the many ways we can help you.
