Outdoor Signs: Why They’re Among the Most Effective Forms of Advertising Landmark Sign Company November 10, 2017

Outdoor Signs: Why They’re Among the Most Effective Forms of Advertising

outdoor signsWhen many business owners think of signage, they think of elements like size, type (e.g. digital, LED, etc), design, and so on. However, signs are much more than labels: they’re also highly effective forms of advertising that generate significant ROI.

Statistical Research on Outdoor Signs

Indeed, according to a study commissioned by FedEx Office and carried out by Ketchum Global Research & Analytics, 76 percent of consumers have entered a store entirely because of its signage, and 68 percent of them ended up purchasing from that business at least once — but in many cases, multiple times. What’s more, 75 percent of consumers have referred a store to a family member or friend based exclusively on the sign.

The substantial impact of outdoor signs on customer behavior was also explored by researchers at the University of Cincinnati, who discovered that approximately 60 percent of businesses that improved their signage experienced an uptick in sales and profits, with the average increase being 10 percent.

What Consumers Focus On

Of course, not all outdoor signs are created equal. Some are noticed, admired and remembered by consumers, while others are either instantly forgotten, or worse, they irritate or even repel consumers — and send them to the competition.

Naturally, each business must make sign-related decisions that that apply to their respective industry, marketplace and target audience. For example, an upscale restaurant should not have the same type of sign as a hospital or family fun center.

Yet with being said, there are some fundamental best practices that the above-noted studies revealed about what consumers like — and just as importantly, what they don’t. These include:

  • Coverage: consumers perceive a business as being more credible and worthwhile if there are two or more outdoor signs.
  • Quality: consumers are less inclined to enter a store if the outdoor sign (or outdoor signs) are of poor quality. For example, the sign may not be suitably lit, it may look dated and worn, or it simply may look inferior compared to other signs in the immediate area.
  • Legibility: while consumers are impressed by intelligent and creative sign design, they don’t want to have to guess what a business is called. They want to get the message quickly, clearly and completely.

Learn More

To learn more about improving your business’s outdoor signs so that you reap the rewards noted above — and avoid being crowded out by your more sign-savvy competitors — contact us today. Your consultation with us is free.