Signs as Advertising
Signage is the least expensive but most effective form of advertising, and is an investment that pays a return many times over.
A few years ago, a sign manufacturer performed a study of its clients to find out whether their signs were bringing in customers. The businesses surveyed were a year or less old and the surveys were conducted within 30 to 45 days after the installation of a new sign. Thousands of shoppers were asked, "How did you learn about us?"
The results, shown in Table 1, clearly demonstrate that the signs attracted half of the start-up businesses’ new customers – more than any other form of advertising the businesses used and even more than their word-of-mouth referrals.
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Table 1: How did you learn about us? |
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Number of Customer Responses |
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On-Premise Sign |
Word of Mouth |
Newspaper |
Yellow Pages |
TV |
Radio |
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1,234 |
820 |
212 |
139 |
32 |
38 |
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Percentage by Category |
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50% |
33% |
9% |
6% |
1% |
1% |
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(SOURCE: http://www.signs.org/IndustryResources/Signage101/SignsTheBottomLine.aspx)
How to Choose a Sign Company
Shopping for a sign company is just like shopping for any other company. Look for signs you like and ask the business owners to tell you who built it for them. Look at examples of signs the company has built and decide whether the company is capable of meeting your particular needs. Cost, quality, and follow-up service are obviously important considerations, as well as the variety of other services that may be included.
The materials used in a sign will greatly impact how long the sign will last and how expensive it will be to maintain. The sign will be exposed to all sorts of weather and temperature extremes. Find out how many years you can expect the sign to serve your business and factor that into your buying decision. If you expect to use your sign for many years, you will want to be sure the sign is constructed from durable materials and that you can afford to keep it in good condition. A dilapidated sign will not do your business any favors.
The important factor is whether the company can provide a quality sign that will satisfy your unique communication needs at a reasonable price you can afford.
(SOURCE: http://www.signs.org/IndustryResources/Signage101/HowtoChooseaSignCompany.aspx)