Importance of Signage
Quality wayfinding and signage's are the most effective ways to drive traffic and communicate with customers. If you are looking to start a retail business, a creative and effective signage will help will help your business to stand apart from other competitors. According to a research b the chamber of commerce, customers are more likely to buy if they have already heard or seen a signage of that product.
However, if done incorrectly, it can create confusion or over stimulation. Business way finding and signage are as important as a website designed and it should not be overlooked. Signage acts as a silent sales person for your business. There are interior and exterior types of designs both have different functions and importance.
Exterior signage helps customers to find your place of business and differentiate it from others while interior signage helps customers to find goods and services, which ultimately leads to sales. According to US small business association, signage acts as a important link between a business and its customers.
No signage and way finding is complete without proper display and a well thought information. Now think like a retailer perspective, a product display is not only a place where a retailer should have signs; there are other types of signage that you see everywhere.
Let us have a look on them briefly.
Types of Signage
1. Directional Signage
If you are running a large retail store with huge inventory, It becomes very important to place a signage so that customer find it easy to navigate through the sections of the inventory and get what they want. For example, if you are going to a grocery store there will be different sections with signage display, making a shopping experience much easier for you plus it also makes them stick around the shop and this means more sales for the shop.
One more benefit of having a directional signage is about analyzing the layout of the store; is everything kept in order and logical position, is there any need to move any section of the store.
2. Discounts & Deals Signage
Even if you do not have a big promotion running at your store, there must have a way to highlight what you have or sell in your store, at least one deal or a promotion. For example, if a product is priced at 5$ each, you can promote it placing deal signage of 2 packs of $10. This will eventually highlight store and increase number of purchases.
3. Outdoor Signage
It's easier to search for a friend's home or location if some sort of wayfinding or signs are placed in the entrance of the society or at the gate. From a retail point of view, by placing way-finding signs you can convince customers to see and walk inside the store. You can also update that signage with new promotions, deals or special events so that the customer finds it a fun shopping at your store.
4. Persuasive Signage
Every retail store should have one display that keeps the customers coming; a sense of urgency in customers that they need to shop at your store otherwise the deal would have been closed or it is out of stock. Food and beverage stores use these types of signage to keep customers' interest and boost sales. You might have seen signage on the store with persuasive lines such as "last chance", "hurry before its late". These lines draw customer's attention and engage them to buy from you.
