Ask any entrepreneur for the key to their success and they’ll respond with a simple answer: sales. Great sales are the difference between success and failure for many businesses, from exciting startups to friendly local retail stores.

Unfortunately, many businesses view sales and marketing as an optional extra that is only worth investing in during good times. They see marketing as a luxury rather than as the driving force behind the growth and development of their business.

A classic example of this is the cutback in advertising that occurred following the financial crisis. Short on cash, companies reduced their advertising budgets to cut expenses; the end result, of course, was that their growth completely stopped.

Selling isn’t just verbal or personable. Sometimes, the best way to sell is through a great advertising strategy or, in the case of a retail business, signage and displays that make your business more visible to prospects and customers.

Why is signage so important?

No matter how good your products are, few people are going to purchase them if they never find out about them. Many potentially great businesses fail because of poor sales and awareness – symptoms of ineffective, reserved marketing.

In the world of retail, being seen means success. Effective signage is just one aspect of success in retail, but it’s one of the most important. More signage visibility means more foot traffic in your store, which in turn means significantly more revenue.

The right signs are a huge part of increasing your store’s visibility for prospects and customers. From exterior signs (which bring in customers) to interior signs that tell them where to go, all signage has a serious impact on your retail store’s bottom line.

Getting the most from your signs

There’s more to raising awareness of your business than simply showcasing its logo or branding to the public. The best signs don’t just tell people about your business – they tell people what you have to offer and how they can claim it.

Get the most from your business’ signage by focusing on three key things: visibility, purpose and action. Each plays a significant role in catching people’s attention, then converting that attention into commercial intent:

  • Visibility helps people notice your business, understand what it’s about and consider its value
  • Purpose explains what your business has to offer and why it’s worth buying or investing time in
  • Action inspires people to go from being interested in your business or retail store to being actively involved as a prospect or customer

How could you make your business more visible?

Whether in retail or hospitality, your business wins no prize for being modest and reserved. Visibility is the key to success, and well designed signage is often the key to visibility.

If you’d like to increase your store’s foot traffic, drive more sales and produce more revenue, think carefully about how you could make your store more visible. There’s a good chance updating and optimizing your signage is the best step you could take.