Written by Tim O'Donnell
Without a sign, a store may as well be an empty building.
That means a convenience store without a sign is more or less invisible. That does not mean, however, that any sign at all will do.
Unfortunately, a store with signs that are poorly lit, damaged or out-of-date is still only partly visible. The wrong sign won’t be welcoming to customers, nor will it set their expectations for a great customer experience, losing an opportunity to effectively position your c-store brand.
For convenience stores with many locations across a state or region, a good signage program can be especially complex and add to the burden of overall store management. Besides the sheer numbers involved, the demands of installing and maintaining signs with a consistent appearance and quality, in front of every store, will challenge many organizations.
For businesses large and small, here is a sign and lighting checklist that will make it easier to keep customers looking your way:
Signs make it possible for customers to find your store and understand, at a glance, what they’ll find inside. What could be more important? To protect not only the investment in your signs, but also the investment in the rest of the business, preventative maintenance should include:
If convenience stores don’t have visibility into the status of their sign and lighting assets, it’s all but impossible to stake a strategic approach to their management.
If your signs are already part of a larger inventory system, be certain that you have a way to assess them in a view that’s separate from the rest of the business’s assets. If not:
Once you have your customers’ eyes on your convenience stores and your signs, be sure to keep your own eyes on the performance of your signage. Ask yourself, on a regular basis, how it compares to the signs of other businesses, especially competitors.
Based on the traffic counts at your locations, analyze how the return on investment (ROI) of a new sign compares to other investments in advertising you might be considering.
Should you decide to go to market for a sign and lighting partner, consider the following:
The right signs, plus a clean and well-lit parking lot, represent much more than just aesthetics. To your customers, they say you care about your establishment, their shopping experience and safety.
Good signage and lighting should drive business outcomes and branding. If they don’t, this checklist may be just what you’re looking for.
Article originally appeared on csnews.com »