Signages are a great way of communicating and have been employed by businesses since their invention, while some of the earliest uses can be traced back to merchants in Egypt and Athens. Signages have seen a great deal of change over the years. What started as simple architectural signages lead the way to many more varieties of signs. Meanwhile, all these different options mean that it is harder for simple businesses to choose the one that is effective for them.
The intention behind using signs is to get more people to notice the business since more customers mean more sales. But for this to be effective, the signs should be appropriate and appeal to a wide audience. The wrong sign can drive away customers doing more harm than good.
What Is Signage?
Any display that conveys information or a message to an audience is signage. It includes different types of signs like outdoor, indoor and informational. Signages are very important because they are the major means of contact between a business and its potential customers. Besides, if properly used, signs can improve business significantly by bringing in more customers. While architectural signages establish the brand and its significance, using smaller and simpler signs can catch the eye of more people.
Purposes of Retail Signs
Retail signs have three main purposes – advertising, attracting customers, and guidance. These can also be different based on the type of signage being used.
Advertising
Signs come in the view of a lot of people if properly placed. This makes them very effective for advertising. A lot of billboards can be seen on the side of major roads, and these tend to market flagship products from companies or inform about franchises nearby. Such large scale ads near traffic have become a popular marketing trend.
Smaller businesses can also use signs or posters that can be placed near sidewalks. Even though it wouldn’t be as effective as near traffic, it would still contribute positively.
Attracting Customers
Signs are the easiest way to grab the attention of the people nearby and make them potential customers. Businesses that overlook its importance have a hard time with their reach among the target audiences and fail as a result. Signs can tell the consumer a lot about the business. The goal is to positively pique people’s interest and encourage them to visit the store. High quality and simple signs can also be very effective as they let the customers feel classy. With them, customers feel the quality of the business even before they’ve reached the store.
Guidance
The signs that are meant to guide are often informational. These signs can help people near the store to get to it. It also directs customers inside to different sections of the business, and this allows the products to be arranged according to their popularity or appeal, giving space for efficient product placement.
Types of Signs
The large variety of signs available today can be broadly classified into three categories based on their uses. They are:
Outdoor Signs
These are the most common type of signs and can be seen on most sidewalks. They aim to connect to people passing by and urge them to visit the store. They include window graphics and sidewalk signs or posters.
Indoor Signs
These signs are meant to guide the customers inside the store, helping them find what they need and informing them of popular products. Murals and wraps are some of the most common indoor signages.
Informational Signs
These signs do not have promotion as their goal. In turn, their sole purpose is to inform people. These include safety signs like fire escapes and hydrants.
