Businesses can split their audiences into many different groups in order to effectively market to them. This helps you get your message across better and show these audiences why they should work with you instead of a competitor. For example, you will want to market to returning customers differently than you would market to potential new customers. You may want to market to younger people using social media, while marketing to older people may be more effective if you use more traditional means.
Another important way to split your audience is into customers who plan to visit your store and those who see it and are curious. These walk-in customers don’t have appointments, and some may not have any clear goal when they walk into your store. They may come in to just browse or get some information about the services you offer. They’re a potential customer, and once they’re in your store, you have a much better chance of getting their business.
One way of increasing your walk-in traffic is to use sidewalk signs or sandwich board signs, as they’re sometimes called. Here are some of the ways these signs will help boost your traffic and what TNT Signs can do to help you create these marketing items.
Sidewalk Signs Are in People’s Field of Vision
Think about walking along the sidewalk in front of buildings. Are you looking up at the signs over the doors? Probably not unless you’re looking for a specific place. You also may not even be glancing in the windows as you pass. However, if a sidewalk sign is right in the middle of your path, you’re going to take note of it. Even if you simply move around it, you’re going to take a quick glance at what it says. If it catches your attention, you may even stop to read it.
This is a great way of getting your brand in front of people without trying to pull their attention elsewhere. Yes, signs on your storefront and window displays can get attention, but they require people to look right at your store. Sidewalk signs don’t. They attract people who are parallel to your business, while anything on the storefront is aimed more at people who are perpendicular to your location.
Think about the orientation of potential customers and what’s in their sight line. People walking past your business need something to catch their eye when they’re looking straight ahead. A sidewalk sign will do that.
Sidewalk Signs Aren’t Permanent
Another great way you can make use of sidewalk signs is by moving them around as needed. Unlike signs attached to your storefront or that need to be staked down or attached to poles, sidewalk signs are completely mobile. You can put them anywhere.
This means you can take them to events you’re holding. Just pick up the sign, fold it flat, and you’re off. These signs are typically pretty lightweight, so they’re easy to move. When you set it up, it doesn’t need anything other than fairly level ground. If you have a food truck or other mobile business, sidewalk signs are perfect for your needs. They can move with you. You can even move the signs around in front of your business to change things up every few days.
Customize Your Sidewalk Signs
Sidewalk signs can be customized. You may have seen some cafes, coffee shops, and other restaurants use chalkboard sidewalk signs to advertise daily specials. You can design a sidewalk sign to include your branding at the top and a space to either post a paper sign or attach a chalkboard or dry-erase board. There are even sandwich boards that have pockets to slip signs into or clips to hold the paper in place.
You don’t want to leave a sign completely blank. It should have your branding on it, even if you’re going to use the rest for customized messages. You won’t need to worry about adding your branding to your custom sign, plus your sidewalk sign will always stand out.
They Work in Any Weather
Sidewalk signs created by TNT Signs will withstand just about any weather. Rain, snow, and direct sunlight are no match for the high-quality materials and inks we use in crafting these signs. There’s only one thing that can affect a sidewalk sign, and that’s high winds. However, they do better in high winds than banners since they have less surface area. While a banner is going to get caught in the wind like a sail, sidewalk signs are more likely simply to blow over. Some collapse once they do, so they won’t really blow around once they’re on the ground.
If you have a sidewalk sign that features a chalkboard, the rain will likely wipe off whatever you’ve written on it. However, the sign itself will be fine, so you won’t need to worry about replacing it. Some sidewalk signs can be attached to the ground or poles, giving them extra stability. Some plastic sidewalk signs also have small pockets or cups on the legs that can be filled with sand, rocks, or even water to add a little more weight to them.
They’re Very Affordable
Sandwich board signs are very affordable. This means you can purchase several of them for the cost of some other, larger sized advertising items. There are a few different reasons why you might want to have multiple sidewalk signs. First, you could have signs for different specials or events. You can rotate these signs out as needed. You could even have one sign that can be customized with chalk or paper signs and another one that has set information.
Another option would be to design each of your sidewalk signs with different imagery. You still want them to convey your brand, of course, but having different options will help attract attention. When someone sees the same sign day after day, it can start to become part of the background. If you swap signs out, they will take notice. Putting the sign in a different place also helps with this.
If you have multiple locations, having multiple signs is a must. You’ll want to advertise at each location. Restaurants that also have a food truck may need one sign that stays at the restaurant and another that travels with the truck. Businesses that also do events or popups will also benefit from having multiple sidewalk signs.
How to Make Your Sidewalk Signs Stand Out
While having sidewalk signs will help get your brand in front of people passing by, you likely won’t be without competition. Other businesses on your street or in the same shopping plaza may also have sidewalk signs out, so you’ll want to make certain that yours stand out from the crowd.
First, as with all marketing materials, you want to make certain that your signs are branded. This branding should complement the branding you use on your other marketing materials, including your storefront.
Second, sidewalk signs have a limited amount of space, so you need to make sure the information you put on them is impactful. In some cases, your branding and an arrow pointing toward your store may be enough. In other cases, you may want to keep the message short. Something like “Get your holiday gifts here!” may be enough to attract customers during the holiday shopping season. In other cases, you may want to highlight a specific product. You don’t need to put a lot of product details on the sign, though—people aren’t likely to read them, and they can make the sign look crowded.
Third, be sure to change things up. If you have a part of the sign that you can customize, change it daily. Use different colors or add some fun drawings. You want to be sure you’re always getting people’s attention. If your sign isn’t customizable, at least think about moving it around. You can also attach balloons or other things to it to help draw attention. Just don’t overdo it. You don’t want your sign to be an active nuisance to people walking by.
TNT Signs is Here to Help You Create the Ultimate Sidewalk Sign
Creating the right sidewalk sign is important. You don’t want to use low-quality materials that won’t stand the test of time, but you also want to keep your marketing budget in check. That’s where TNT Signs comes in. We can assist you with creating sidewalk signs and many other marketing items, including banners, stickers, and even vehicle wraps, all while staying within your budget.
Our design team is here to help you, too. We know not everyone is a graphic designer, so you may need a little help taking the image that’s in your mind and translating it to paper. You may not know what your sidewalk sign should look like. That’s okay—we’ll work with you until it’s perfect. Then we’ll send the design over to the printers to get your signs finished.
Want to know more? Give us a call at 707-528-8523 for more information.