Do signs still matter in a digital age?
Whether they are for a storefront, or advertising along a busy route, most brick and mortar businesses use some kind of signage. But as more and more customers are going to the internet as their first point of contact with a business, you might be starting to wonder how important signage actually is in the world of smartphones, tablets and GPSs. How important are physical signs, really? While traditional signs may now have to share the attention spans of your target audience with electronic media, there are many reasons why signs still (and always will) matter in the digital age. Signs are here and now.
Businesses today can and should have a strong online presence. It allows your business to be accessible 24/7 to potential customers. Even if you don’t actually sell online, customers can make note of what they like about your business and plan to visit.
An inviting and highly visible sign on your property however, reminds the person walking or driving by that you welcome their business. It can cause them to pop in even if they weren’t planning to. Sometimes low tech is the way to go. While it may seem like everyone is walking or driving around with a smartphone glued to their hands, this simply isn’t true. Many law makers are starting to realize the dangers of texting and driving and are implemented stricter regulations concerning the use of cell phones while driving. Especially is your target customers are of an older generation, they may not carry or use their phones as frequently as other demographics. And regardless of age, not everyone has a data plan, so they depend in part on signage to locate products and services. It’s also important to note, that many people who search for businesses online intend to do quite a bit of research before they become a customer. Signs on the other hand, often persuade customers to make impromptu decisions – which is one of the reasons you see billboards along highways which let motorists know which exit to take to get to a particular business. How online and offline can work together.
More and more, businesses are discovering that traditional signage can easily be used in conjunction with their online presence. They know not every passerby has time to stop immediately and check out their business, but by including information such as a web url or Facebook page on the sign, the person can learn more about the business later. Other creative ideas to marry traditional signage with digital media include having a call to action on the sign such as taking a selfie, tweeting a message with a hashtag or texting a message in order to enter a contest or receive a coupon code. This can be a clever idea because not only does it engage the reader with the business right away (even if they don’t come in to make a purchase), but can set the stage for more long term engagement if they follow on social media or sign up for a mailing list. Traditional signage is definitely here to stay even in the digital age. – and it is the really smart business owners who will learn to use signage and digital media together. See more at: http://signworld.org/do-signs-still-matter-in-a-digital-age/