Super Cheap Signs

Category: Sign Marketing 101

  • Keep It In the Community: Local Marketing

    In our incredibly shrinking world, “local” sounds almost anachronistic. When we can have BFFs across the country or across the globe up close and personal at the stroke of a screen, when couples have transcontinental relationships, when our food is shipped fresh and bright to grocery store shelves from another country, does GPS makes sense anywhere except in a vehicle?

    Surprisingly, yes. The Go Local movement is gaining ground. From farmer’s markets to Yelp reviews, Google Maps to hyper-local ezines, people are hungry to learn more about their immediate neighborhood. Until we can drink virtual latté, this trend will likely continue.

    What does Go Local marketing mean for signage?

    • Sign up for the local angle. Consider affixing “Buy Local” decals to your products or packaging to remind customers you’re a local business, and that by buying your products, their dollars remain in the community to boost the local economy. Your in-store banners and external marketing products such as sandwich boards and spinner signs should all carry the “Buy Local” theme.
    • Socialize locally. Social media is global, but that doesn’t mean your business can’t play up the local focus. On your Facebook page, for instance (yes, your business definitely needs to have one), you can reward new and existing customers who “Like” your page — which also tells other site visitors that they prefer to shop locally. The thank-you for a “Like” can be anything from a one-time discount to a small gift with their next purchase — a simple way to acknowledge support and let them know you appreciate their business. Be sure to include an image of your “Buy Local” signage on your Facebook real estate.
    • Support the community. Does the high school football team need signage for their stadium? Could your town’s SeniorCenter use some help hanging holiday banners, balloons or lights? Every community offers numerous opportunities to make a difference — and the positive PR for your business is a nice side benefit.

    Who knows, with all this local emphasis, you might just find a new best buddy across town, rather than across the world.

  • The Grandfather of Creative Genius

    In Marketing Magic/Part 1, author Debbie Millman discussed how to become a brand genius. Now she deconstructs the creative process itself as she recounts the wisdom of iconic graphic designer Milton Glaser, famous for the I♥NY logo and the poster of Bob Dylan in profile, his hair a psychedelic swirl.

    Celebrated as the greatest living graphic designer, Glaser offers a wealth of insight that can help business owners create compelling signage. Take this story of how he became an artist:

    “When I was a very little boy, a cousin came to my house with a paper bag. He asked me if I wanted to see a bird. I thought he had a bird in the bag. He stuck his hand in the bag, and I realized he had drawn a bird on the side of a bag with a pencil. I was astonished! I perceived this as being miraculous. At that moment, I decided that was what I was going to do with my life. Create miracles.”

    While a sign doesn’t have to be fine art, there’s no telling where tomorrow’s critically acclaimed work will originate. You might think you’re simply designing a banner for your business — but if the combination of design, colors and verbiage strikes a chord, in the cyber age anything is possible. Thanks to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and many other social sites, unknowns become global sensations literally overnight.

    Or maybe it’s a banner flag: the hybrid that makes a bold statement for your business, and is made to endure for seasons to come. At 11.5 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide, banner flags are hard to miss. And with our full-color UV-protected dyes and free design, proofing and logo re-creation, all you need to add is the creative genius.

    So go ahead: create a miracle and let that banner wave all over cyberland, drawing customers to your door and kudos for your artistic brilliance. We’ll just remain quietly in the background.

  • Real Estate: Get Ready to Move!

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    Question: How is real estate like a Zumba class?

    Answer: Spring is a super time to move!

    And while the sign of someone who’s Zumba-ready is a spandex-clad body and athletic shoes, real estate signs can range from basic yard signs to big directionals to super creative car magnets. The key isn’t just the signage you choose, but how you use it.

    So you’re ready to move: Selling a home involves a great deal of time, thought and effort. If a real estate agent or broker is handling the listing, one of their first tasks is creating and placing a real estate yard sign on the property that states the agent’s or broker’s contact information. (If a party is selling the home directly, the sign will usually state, “For Sale by Owner”.)

    Next comes sign content. Most critical: the name and phone number of the contact person — unless the sign is advertising an upcoming open house, in which case the sign should state the open house date, time and location (if the sign is placed elsewhere than on the property for sale). And while it can be tempting to create a colorful sign, what’s most eye-catching is a real estate sign that uses only two colors, such as red on a white background on blue on a white background, both of which are easy to read. Red is deemed most effective for attracting potential buyers.

    Real estate yard sign placement strategies

    Once you’ve created your real estate sign(s), placement is crucial. You may want to use multiple signs, depending on where the home is situated. For a house located mid-block, a single sign facing the street will be noticeable to people driving by from either direction. For wider properties, or those where the home is set far back from the road, we recommend placing a real estate yard sign at each end of the property.

    For corner lots, place signs on both perpendicular streets to attract traffic traveling the main road and side street. For country properties that may be far from the beaten path, add spinner signs or big directional signs to attract the attention your property deserves.

    Finally, let the web bring you buyers. Today most real estate firms offer a virtual tour of featured homes on their website, so potential buyers can get a sense of their new home before ever setting foot on the property.

  • Seven Sure-fire Tips for Real Estate Signs

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    When it comes to real estate success, it’s not what you say so much as how and where you say it that makes the difference. Try these tips to create real estate signs that will have competitors asking for your secret:

    Assess your audience

    While some crossover artists are able to bridge diverse worlds (think Adele’s blockbuster album, “21”), this is a rare gift. It makes more sense to sing (or write) to your intended audience. Imagine a group of teen girls turning out to hear the latest rock band, only to watch the group take the stage and croon Frank Sinatra ballads! They’d request refunds. So if you’re selling upscale, designer homes, don’t create signs that appeal to young, middle-income families. Instead, make wealth your central message: “A home for people who appreciate the finer things.”

    Tell them what to do!

    It seems so obvious it’s often omitted: let prospective homeowners know what action you want them to take: stop by this weekend for an open house; call now for an appointment; email for a full-color brochure, etc.

    Testing, one, two

    Before you order dozens of signs, test your message on a market sample to make sure it generates the desired result.

    Sell the steak

    Yes, it’s common practice to sell the sizzle, but then your prospects won’t really know whether the house you have to show them will meet their needs. So give ’em the WIIFMs: “What’s In It For Me?” All the features — and all the benefits.

    Be sure to proofread everthing

    Did you notice the “y” was missing from “everything”? It’s all too easy to skip over a typo, or leave off essential information, such as your phone number or address. While the team at Super Cheap Signs takes pains to turn out a perfect sign every time, you have the final say. This is “y” it pays to have a fresh set of eyes review everything.

    Balance visual and verbal cues

    Don’t create a gorgeous sign with lackluster content, or sparkling copy with poor design. Aim for both excellent graphics and high quality content to captivate your prospects. If you need help, just ask us.

    Learn from the masters

    Do your homework, study what works and what doesn’t, and incorporate the best ideas into your own real estate yard signs. Who knows, someday a recording artist might immortalize your business in song!

  • Thirsty for Success: A powerful slogan

    Invest in a campaign you believe in! Give your customers something they'll remember and hold onto.
    Invest in a campaign you believe in! Give your customers something they’ll remember and hold onto.

    The stunning success of the California “Got Milk?” campaign is legendary, and the powerful slogan is now part of the American lexicon. While this kind of advertising accomplishment is exceptional, it’s not the exception; any brand can apply the same principles used to develop, launch and maintain a landmark campaign — or build name recognition for their business.

    Here are some of the most valuable lessons from “Got Milk?”. They’re especially relevant for real estate professionals and investors looking to dominate their market, which our real estate signage solutions have been helping them to do for years:

    1. Make New Friends But Keep the Old. Focus first on keeping those who are brand-loyal, because they’re your best source of increased sales.

    The California Milk Processor Board (CMPB) chose to target regular milk drinkers, who constituted more than two-thirds of the market and were already favorably disposed toward the product — and thus more open to influence, especially in the short-term.

    Entice your existing customers with discount offers and specials before expending energy attracting new business.

    1. Be Candid. If you employ a “Candid Camera” approach to discover how consumers feel about your product or service, you’ll be able to develop strong brand positioning based on these insights.

    The “Got Milk?” ad agency removed all the milk from company refrigerators, placed video cameras inside, and recorded employee reactions to discovering there was no milk. In another research study, consumers were asked to forgo milk for a week, then report back. Their stories provided fabulous fodder for future ad direction.

    1. Cozy Up. Find a strategy that speaks to the consumer’s heart — or stomach, or bank account — and go the distance with it.

    When the CMPB tried to sell more milk based on its health value, people yawned. But when the CMPB heard what consumers were telling them — that food choices drive milk purchases — they came up with the winning “deprivation strategy”: chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches lost their cachet without the classic accompanying beverage.

    What “goes with” your product or service like peanut butter with jelly? Put that on your yard sign or sandwich board and gauge how customers respond, then tweak your strategy accordingly.

    1. K-I-S-S (Keep It Super Simple). A great ad campaign that is too clever can lead to the opposite result from what you intend. Consumers must be able to easily grasp your message and understand what action you want them to take. This is where a powerful slogan is key.

      messypaws
      A great example of a simple, memorable slogan that could lead to an enlarged customer-base and generate new interest in your brand!

    In two words, “Got Milk?” functioned as a hook, a call to action and a take-away that could be adapted to a variety of placements. Think, “Got House?” if you’re a real estate professional, or “Got Lumber?” if you’re a builder.

    Got the idea? Great. Just order it on the yard sign, banner or car magnet of your choice, and we’ll take it from there.