Four Things Your Store Sign Tells Customers

Just like how people judge books by their covers, customers judge your business by their first impression of it: your storefront sign. Here are four different messages your signage sends customers and why they matter.

An Old Sign Can Mean Poor Financial Planning

Business owners usually renovate at least one section of their store every few years. Even if they maintain their store well, things naturally wear and tear, or fall into disrepair. Customers do not mind if your store is defective is some cosmetic way, like some peeling paint, or scuff marks on the flooring. However, they notice when too many areas are not properly maintained.

Store signs are an affordable way to renovate your store while saving up for the bigger expenses like new flooring. Your sign should, at the minimum, be re-painted or finished every few years to remain bright and welcoming to your customers. If you let your store signs look tarnished and weathered, it reflects badly on your business. Customers may assume that if you cannot cover the cost of re-painting even one storefront store, you must be having operational financial planning issues that prevent you from doing so.

A New Sign Means Some Form of Change

Alternatively to hosting an old, weary storefront sign, replacing them with new ones every few years is a great way to renew a customer’s interest in your business. New signs show you care about your business, our goods and services and, most importantly, about your customers.

Even if you have not changed or renovated anything in the store’s interior, a new sign will make your business seem brighter and healthier, which customers like to see in their favorite businesses. Re-paint or replace your store sign every few years to take advantage of this optimistic consumption outlook from your customers.

A Unique Sign Means Creativity and Innovation

Even though entrepreneurs are generally individualistic and innovative, many still conform to certain business practices and ideologies. Even their stylistic choices may be industry-standard. This is why most bars and pubs have neon signs of their business name or of beer names, why different grocery stores stock similar items in similar areas, or why different gyms with different training philosophies share the same training programs. Buck the trend and be unique. Your customers will thank you for breaking the mold.

Start by having a unique storefront sign. Having a unique sign, however, means more than simply appearing innovative. If you can think differently and host a different sign than that of your competitors, you are more likely to offer innovative and creative products and services to customers. When faced with a common industry-wide problem, customers seek out innovation. Be the business they think of first. However, as creative or innovative as you and your business are, your storefront sign should still be relevant to your business.

An Informative Sign Means More Customers Will Remember You

Even in big cities like Toronto, many businesses put surprisingly little contact information on their storefront signs. Besides the name of the business and a phone number, many do not put information relevant to consumers like a website or email where they can be contacted. Although practically everyone has a cellular phone, there are many times consumers cannot use them and need to remember information. If an interested prospective customer is driving by and sees your store, they will have to remember your telephone number, which is a challenge unless your number spells out a word that is easy to remember.

For example, if you own a hardware store and your telephone number is (416) 342-5782, this is a great number to list on your sign because it spells (416) DIAL PVC. Easy to remember and relevant to your business, such information is easily recallable by pedestrians passing by. While you may not have such a number, think of other relevant words your phone number spells, or include your website or a memorable slogan or logo so prospective customers will remember your business and return to shop when they can.

For all your storefront sign needs, contact Vital Signs today. We are located in Markham and serve clients in and around Markham, Toronto, the GTA, Newmarket, and Thornhill.