What’s Your Sign: The magic of effective signage
By Craig Miller, Senior VP, Procaps LP
To maximize your Paintball business traffic, the potential Customers in your area should be able to find your field or store literally by accident – when they’re not even looking for it! This requires signs that will draw attention, exude professionalism, and be totally readable in only a brief glance. Your sign is the very first impression most people will receive about your business, and as the saying goes, “You don’t get a 2nd chance to make a good 1st impression”. This challenge begs certain questions:
- Aren’t professional signs expensive?
- How big should my sign be?
- Should it include more than just the company name?
- Should it be lighted?
- Should I have it made professionally?
Are professional signs expensive?
This depends on size, color, materials, lighting choices, and more, but one thing is certain; A professional looking sign is always less costly than trying to overcome the bad first impression that your Customers will get from an unprofessional looking one. We’ve all passed businesses with crooked, hand painted or misspelled signs that look like they were made by knuckleheads. Nothing is more costly than trying to overcome a bad first impression. Every sign in your business should be professional, and easy to read from a distance.
How big should my sign be?
THE RULE: Your sign must be readable at a glance by the furthest car traveling at the full legal speed, past your business. For example, if your storefront or field entrance sits 50 feet from the furthest lane of a 50 m.p.h. road, then your sign MUST be easily readable at 50 ft while traveling 50 mph. Bigger is better, since some cars speed. If you must be closer than that to read it, it’s too small – period.
Some areas regulate maximum sign size, which may mean you need to simplify the sign to make it legible for this formula. Your sign must bring you the people who are looking for you, and especially those who are not! This will constantly bring you extra walk in Customers saying, “Hey! I didn’t know there was a Paintball place here!
Should it include more than just the company name?
Its been proven dozens of times that a sign that reads “PAINTBALL” will attract drastically more Paintball Customers than a sign that only reads “Xtreme Sports” or “McHenry Sports” or “Johnson’s General Store”. If your business carries a wide variety of sporting goods, the additions of a prominent “Paintball” sign will work wonders.
Let there be LIGHT!
Obviously a professional lighted sign is best, and might be more economical than you think. Professional, weatherproof backlit signs definitely cost more, but you can always consider outdoor spotlights to light a regular professional sign. This will make a noticeable difference in awareness of your business, especially in busy nightlife areas with stores, restaurants, and bars open after dark.
Professionalism PAYS
Based on the premise that “Anything worth doing is worth doing well”, your decision to go to the pros should be simple. You run a professional business. You always strive to improve. The money spent on an excellent Professional sign will be worth many times the cost of the sign. Be sure to carry the theme through every single printed communication in your business – including your price signs, sale specials, and business hours. A good first impression is a lasting impression!