People are giving you hints all the time about how you could improve your signage. Are you paying attention? Sometimes you’ll get lucky and someone will flat out tell you, “You should have a sign.” Most of the time it doesn’t occur to them that there should – or at least, could – be a sign providing them with information, but they tell you anyway in the questions they ask and the choices they make. Here are our top tips to noticing the signs that you need more signs.
The People aren’t following direction. Be they customers, clients, event attendees, mail delivery, kids at school, or your own family, if The People aren’t following your directive, you need signs. Here are some common examples:
- Customers are parking in the wrong area.
- Garbage isn’t being thrown away.
- Lines (for the cash, the bar, the washroom, etc.) don’t begin or file where you intended.
- Waiting area is regularly in chaos.
- People often walk into the wrong room.
Directional signs are best heeded when large, consist of less than 5 words, and displayed in an uncluttered space. These especially should be quick reads so pick font very carefully.
Bonus: Looking to attract foot traffic and window shoppers into your store? Get signing! Placing a sign above your door stands out from the street, but won’t do much for anyone on the sidewalk. Sandwich boards and perpendicular building signs may be just what you never knew you needed to attract some more attention.
You get asked the same questions repeatedly.
Turn your Frequently Asked Questions into common knowledge. You can list FAQs on your website, but that doesn’t help people who are in your store or at your event right now. If you’ve been asked where the washrooms are for the third time today, get a larger identifying sign, or (and!) place a Washrooms This Way sign somewhere prominent. If customers have trouble finding your top-selling product, dazzle your display with eye-catching signage. Are your products locally made, gluten free, safe for sensitive skin, ideal for children, or come in a trial kit? Get a sign for that!
Listen to what’s not being said.
Did you expect to answer a lot more questions about your products or services? Are you wondering where the feedback is? What customers don’t tell you is as important as what they do and it pays off to pay attention to all customer behaviour. It’s possible that customers aren’t aware of your star product, don’t know about the referral program, haven’t noticed that you’ve moved! You can’t be a mind reader but if you engage customers and event goers in conversation when you get the chance you’ll learn about their needs and how you can best serve them.
We are bombarded by signs, directions, and marketing at every turn. Make sure yours stand out! Book a consultation with Grand River Sign Design to make the most of your marketing. Call us at (519) 740-7272 or drop by our showroom at Unit 5, 25 Struck Court in Cambridge.
