How to Turn a Retail Store Sign into a Silent Salesperson

Signs are part of any store's marketing strategy. Signs can serve as silent salespeople when the rest of the garden center sales staff is busy. Signs do more than give out information. They brand the garden store, tell the customer where he is and help him remember exactly what the store's branding looks like. A garden store's signs are part of its personality and tell the customer about who the store is and what it does. In today's competitive marketplace, every customer counts and it's critical to make your market dollars pay off. Signage is another marketing tool you can use to tell your customer who you are. Your signs reflect what you want your customers see and feel.

Instructions

1. Find the right signage for your garden store. The right signs are the least expensive and simplest ways to attract today's consumer. When a customer sees your signs, you want them to know immediately that they are in your store. Consistency in signage with your logo and colors on every one of them reinforces what the signs stand for.

2. Put signage in your store. Customers need to be able to find what they are looking for. Lead your customer through your store. 65% of all sales are impulse buys. Signs will take them from the one tool they came in for to the bedding plants they hadn't seen and will buy. Get those customers through more departments with your signs and contribute to impulse buying.

3. Increase promotional signs in front of a display. A promotional sign increases sales by 12% over the same display with no sign. Pick a hot spot in your store, add signage and watch the cash register ring.

4. Engage your customer with signs. It is difficult to find knowledgeable sales people, so signs need to be silent sellers. Signs can give your customers directions when staff members are not available. The sign can direct the customer to different display areas in the garden store. Today's younger consumers will not ask where a product is; they'll just leave.

5. Pick a format, color theme and design style that fits your store's personality. Remember 80% of all buying decisions are made by women. Be sure to let all women staff members see the signs before you make your final sign decision.

6. Use color and imagery rather than words. Customers don't really care what a rhododendron is. They want to see a photo that will pique interest.

7. Keep your message simple. You have less than six seconds to keep your customer's attention.

8. Make your sign readable. Don't use a complicated font. Be sure your customer can read the sign from 75 feet away. Dark print on a light background is easier to read.