The road to retail success starts with compelling signage.
While a few businesses have shifted to digital-only operations in the past year, a few have resumed operating their brick-and-mortar stores to welcome back shoppers who are now doing their holiday shopping. With Black Friday just around the corner, this means this is the perfect time for stores to beef up their out-of-home marketing campaigns once again.
If your business is one of the many newly-returned shops, then a little brushing up on the rules of retail signages may be needed, specifically on the techniques of captivating the buying public. So before you place an order for your scrolling LED sign displays and digital billboards, read this article first and let it be your guide.
1. Keep it short and strong.
Always remember that you’re trying to capture the attention of folks with short attention spans. In shopping malls and city centers, as well on the roads and sidewalks, people are on the go and you only have a few seconds to get them to look at your sign’s message. Your audience is likely also to be a heavy consumer of digital content, which is often quick and striking, on their mobile phones. In this situation, to be brief but bold is the only way to go.
When it comes to writing copy for signages, the rule is very simple: the message should be clear, leaving no room for ambiguities or confusion. It should be precise and uses the language of its target audience.
2. Make sure the text is readable by choosing the right fonts.
Aside from keeping your message brief and strong, another way you can assure your message reaches and captures your audience is to make sure your message is readable in the first place.
Your font choice matters a lot when you are trying to impart something to the public. Font size matters as well and to make sure you are making the right picks when it comes to letters, you have to take into consideration the following factors:
Your audience: Are they driving or walking by?
The signage’s location: Will it be displayed in-store or outside?
Your screen’s size: Is it big or small?
You may want to run several tests or studies to see which is most appropriate for your campaign.
Your choice of font type is another thing worth mentioning. People won’t be able to grasp your message if you choose to go with a hard-to-read copy with a font that is more suitable for wedding invitations. Make it easy for your audience to understand your message by choosing to go with fonts that are easy for them to comprehend. (Read more about font types here: Serif vs. Sans Serif fonts)
Lastly, make sure your digital signages are still in tip-top shape to ensure that fonts are bright enough to be easily read by the public. Double-check for cracked screens or dimmed LED bulbs and pixels, and if they are already worn out, then it’s time to get new ones.
3. Go for targeted messaging.
Together with tip number 1, specificity is an important trait that all retail signages must-have. This simply means the messaging should be clear-cut with its intended audience getting directly addressed. However brief the copy is, it should still be able to provide important details, particularly if it is an event announcement. Teasers for sale events should announce when it happens and should also come with enticing information such as telling people how much discount they can get on the day:
“Prices slashed up to 70% off!”
“Mother’s Day special this Friday! Free massage and haircuts for all moms!”
In the case of promotional signages for a product, having a photo of the product being promoted, plus its features or unique value propositions are essentials:
“Get clear, moisturized skin with _______.”
“Tastes great even without all the calories.”
Finally, wayfinding signs should use direct language and a symbol that points the right direction.
4. Choose your sign’s location well.
For a sign to be effective, it must be placed at the right location and it varies depending on the signage’s purpose.
Promotional signages should be placed at eye level so that they are easily spotted by their target audience. On the other hand, wayfinding signages are best placed hanging from ceilings or anywhere above eye level so that they are easily spotted by those who are walking even from afar. There are however some special cases when wayfinding signages may be placed lower, such as signages for drive-thrus where the most effective locations are archway-high as well as those that will be a bit low and are within eyesight of drivers. You can see a combination of both in the photo below:
5. Use positive language.
If you want to capture shoppers, it’s best to approach them in a way that’s positive and light. In terms of language, the tone should be welcoming and encouraging. Even in signages where a call-to-action is used, messaging should focus on what the audience is allowed to do and not on the things they are prohibited from.
6. Talk to the target audience directly.
There’s a reason why a poster of Uncle Sam pointing to the viewer with the caption “I Want You for the US ARMY” became an enduring symbol of the First World War and of the US Army itself.
There is power when you use words that directly talk to the intended recipient. Signages with “you” and “yours” are much more impactful at getting people to follow what your sign says.
7. Pick colors that make your message pop.
Other than having a strong copy, powerful visuals can take your messages up another level and this includes the colors you choose for your signage.
High-contrast colors are often used in signages because they pop out and call attention to themselves. These color combos are great if you want displays that are eye-catching to viewers:
- Black on White/White on Black
- White or Yellow on Dark Blue
- Black on Yellow/Yellow on Black
There’s also the matter of color psychology where different colors evoke a certain mood in their viewers. For example, blue conveys calm and serenity while red is associated with anger and passion.
You can also use the same principle with the application of color to your advertisements and promos. You can refer to this infographic to see the other emotions associated with the different colors.
8. Apply elements of your branding.
Your business’ branding is a way for you to become more memorable to the public, so it makes sense then to apply its elements to your signages. As much as possible, try to include your logo, slogan, and colors in all your marketing collaterals. Once you have an established name, your brand’s name alone will stand for “quality” and will give credence to your signages.
9. Be adaptable to public response.
It pays to be observant of how the audience responds to your signages. There may be times when a particular campaign might not have elicited the expected response, or another may have garnered an overwhelmingly positive (or negative) public reaction. Recognizing the public response to your campaigns lets you know which approaches work and which ones are worth changing. Being proactive in this way helps you come up with better campaigns in the future.
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