Promotional signs are one of the oldest forms of marketing and also one of the most effective.
A good sign could be the difference between a customer visiting your auto repair shop and a customer driving by your shop.
To help you get the most out of your signage, here are seven important promotional signage tips for auto repair shops.
1. Post Signs In Visible Areas
Signage should be posted in visible areas where customers can see them. Great areas for store signage include:
- Windows
- Near counters
- In waiting areas
- Areas near the entrance to your shop
Some auto shops tend to post signage in low-traffic areas. This is a big mistake. If you want to get the most out of your signage, post in high-traffic areas.
2. Design Easy To Read Signs
You want your signs to be big enough so that a person with Coke bottle glasses can read them.
A lot of times, auto shops will post signs on 8.5 x 11-inch sheets of paper. This isn’t going to cut it. Spend a little money and invest in a high-quality sign. It will make all the difference in attracting customers to your shop.
SignIndustry.com has an excellent chart on sign readability distance. For instance, a 3-inch letter on a sign would be able to be seen 30 feet away. A 60-inch letter would be able to be seen 600 feet away.
It’s important to pay attention to the signage laws in your community. Some communities prohibit the use of certain types of signage. Be sure to check the signage laws in your community before spending a lot of money.
3. Keep Text Short
There is nothing worse than a sign that looks like a high school book report. Signs should be concise and to the point.
Don’t spend a lot of time explaining every detail. Signs are meant to grab people’s attention. Work to have a strong call to action on your store sign.
A call to action urges customers to take action now on a promotion that your shop may be running. Be straight forward and to the point with your promotional signs.
4. Make Exciting Offers
If you want to get people into your auto repair shop for an oil change, you better make it an exciting deal.
To do this, you really have to understand your target market. You need to understand what drives and motivates customers to visit your store over the competition.
You can figure out what customers want through customer satisfaction surveys or by just talking with them. When creating an offer, ask yourself: Would this offer really make me stop everything I’m doing?
5. Use Eye-Catching Colors
There’s a reason that road signs are painted certain colors like yellow, orange and red. It’s because they’re eye-catching colors.
When designing promotional signs for your shop, use colors that will grab people’s attention. Simple black-and-white signs will not cut it. At the same time, you don’t want a sign that looks like a tie-dye t-shirt.
It’s best to use strong primary and secondary colors. In the color wheel to the right, primary colors would include: red, yellow and blue. Secondary colors would include: green, orange and purple.
6. Use Graphics Sparingly
Graphics are a great way to draw attention to a sign. However graphics should be used sparingly.
Graphics that are too large or bold can overpower the sign, taking away from the important message. If you decide to use graphics, don’t let it be the primary focal point of your promotional sign for your auto repair shop.
7. Don’t Post Too Many Signs
Signs are important for your auto repair shop. However if you post too many signs, customers will start to ignore them.
Try to keep signs limited to one per area. For instance, don’t clutter your shop’s windows with signs.
By doing this, you’ll keep people focused on the important promotions that you are running.
Summary
Following these seven tips will help you get the most out of your signs at your auto repair shop.
Remember to get people’s opinions and the signage as well as its placement. This will help to ensure that you have effective promotional signage.
