Regardless of your chosen industry, if you operate a retail store, then signage is a critical element, as it helps your customers in several ways. How you put across your information, and indeed, the location, are both important aspects of good retail signage, and with that in mind, here are a few of the different forms of retail signage that you might want to consider for your store.
- Calls to Action – Perhaps the most important of all, calls to action signs can make the difference between an actual sale or not. Things like, “Buy Now, While Stocks Last”, and “Sale Ends This Week” can have a dramatic effect on your business, so you do need to sit down and think about calls to action, and where they should be placed. The right fonts, colours and indeed shape will combine to create a powerful incentive to buy now, and this can really make a difference. If you were to walk into a successful, busy store and take note of their call to action signage, you will likely see some great examples of how it is done.
- Informational Signage – These signs tell store visitors where things are, and the shop signage (called ร้าน ทํา ป้าย สินค้า in Thai) should be placed above eye level, so that people can see them at every location. A double-sided sign that tells customers that sports goods are to the left will be visible from any position of your store, and with suitably sized text and the right colours. Restrooms need to be sign directed, as do fire exits and other departments, if you have them. A multi-storey retail store would likely have a digital information board just inside the door, which tells visitors where everything is located.
- Compliant Signage – We must all cater for people with disabilities these days, which means signs pointing to restrooms for the disabled, then there’s parking (if you have it), along with entrance and exit signs, not forgetting emergency fire exits. Some stores even have signage in braille, located at the right height for blind people, and if you would like more information about compliancy signage, talk to your local council, as they can advise what is compulsory and what is not.
- Ground Level Signage – Welcoming mats are a classic example of how ground level signage can be put to good use. Mats are a great way to get your company colours and logo out there, and in this competitive business environment, every little helps. Mats can also be used in a directional way, in cases where overhead signage is unsuitable, in order to direct store visitors to specific areas.
Retail signage is a critical component of any successful store, and by joining forces with a local signage specialist, you can design your very own signage that helps customers recognise your branding. Taking a little more time to analyse your signage will certainly pay dividends, and while we can never be sure what it is that persuades the customer to go ahead with the purchase, we should cover every angle, and signage is just one area we need to think about.
