The Difference With LED Signage

It’s about 9 am. Paul is driving down a busy road on a sunny Tuesday morning, trying to ignore the slight rumbling in his stomach. He quickly glances at the clock – he has at least 10 extra minutes before he has to be at his appointment downtown. He decides that he will stop in at the next coffee shop he sees to grab a quick snack.

Paul sees a coffee shop coming up on his left – Cathy’s Coffee. The sign is mounted on a dingy pylon post, and the words are slightly faded and peeling. The white text on a black board lacks the personality and the style that Paul usually associates with his favorite coffee shops. Paul decides to play it safe today. He flicks his turn signal and slides into the right lane. He will stop and pick up a donut from the grocery store instead.

Cathy has noticed a decrease in sales at her coffee shop as new chains seem to endlessly pop up in town. Although her locally-sourced coffee and fresh-baked scones have always gotten raving reviews, she is struggling to compete. Only a few regular customers are scattered around the room, absentmindedly stirring their lattes and macchiatos. Cathy scans the empty tables and sighs. She is at a loss as to how to bring in more people – people like Paul. 

The Importance of Quality Signage

A sign is often the first thing a person sees when they drive past your business. Not only does having a sign bring awareness of the location of your business to potential customers, it affects whether or not they decide to come inside. A survey from FedEx Office found that 76% of consumers enter a new store because they saw its sign. Not only that, but 68% said they bought a product in a store because the sign captured their attention. 

Having a sign is important, but as we saw with Paul and Cathy’s example, what your sign looks like also matters to the consumer. In a study from the University of Cincinnati, 85% of people surveyed said that they think a sign shows the personality of the business it represents. If your sign is unengaging, badly designed, and made of low-quality material, people will naturally associate those characteristics with your business. 

Signs That Tell a Story

In today’s business environment, it is not enough to simply sell a product – you have to sell the story of your business. 

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin

Potential customers driving past your business only have a few seconds to glance at your sign and make a decision. How can you compel your customers with your story in that short amount of time? Using a compelling image can help showcase an aspect of your brand that is important to you. Make sure your signage has a great design that reflects the quality of your business. Imagine if Cathy’s sign had included a picture or illustration of a steaming scone, fresh from the oven – Paul would have been sold in seconds.  

At GDTech, we are passionate about helping our clients tell their stories through the use of high-resolution LED signage. With an LED sign, you can customize your message to showcase your brand, and increase your revenue while you’re at it. 

The Point

After some research, Cathy decides to install an LED sign for her coffee shop. Although it’s a big investment, Cathy is confident that it will help set her apart from her competition and bring more customers in the door. 

Interested in LED for your business? Contact GDTech about scheduling a free demo of our outdoor LED technology today!