Signage is so ingrained in our collective minds that most of the time we go about our daily activities without even knowing they are there. They direct us, remind us and sometimes even inspire us to make decisions each day. For local small businesses, they are a priceless way to establish an identity and gain new customers.

Signs attract new customers and alert them that you exist. Recent surveys found that many customers would have never found a business unless they had seen its sign.

Signs help your business be more profitable. Installing a new sign such as a vinyl banner or yard sign, can increase business as much as nearly 16 percent. You might consider other types of banners as well as decals and vinyl in your signage mix as well. It’s a fast, easy way to plump up your bottom line without spending a bunch of money.

Small business signs are a vital part of the community. Many new people move into your neighborhood every year—your sign encourages them to drop by your business. Over 85 percent of your customers are neighbors—they live or work within 5 miles of your business. Your customers drive past your business daily; your signage keeps you top-of-mind. Studies show that consumers are more likely to remember your business from your signage than they are from television or radio ads.

Your signage draws people in on impulse. One survey showed that up to 45 percent of people reported stopping at a business on impulse last year. You’re already making money from customers who have planned to shop at your store—why not entice a few in on impulse? You’ll gain a new customer and they’ll gain a great new place to shop.

Infographic Transcription

The Benefits of Signs

Signs bring in new customers – The question was asked: How did you learn about us? The responses were: 50% On-Premise Sign, 33% Word of Mouth, 9% Newspaper, 6% Yellow Pages, 1% TV, and 1% Radio. Signs attract half of a start-up business’ new customers, 35% of passersby wouldn’t know your business was there without a sign.

Signs Increase Profits

Studies show that adding or changing a sign directly improves sales revenue. Here are the average increases in sales revenue for the Fast Food Industry: If you add one monument sign 9.3% increase and if you add a large pole sign (144 sq. ft.) 15.6% increase. And for the Retail Industry: If you add a large pole sign (144 sq. ft.) 8.6% increase, if you add a chain identity to the plaza identity sign 7.7% increase, if you add two new directional signs 8.9% increase, if you replace storefront wall sign with larger sign 7.7%.

What can signage do for you?

Research indicates that 85% of your customers live or work within a five-mile radius of your business. 17% of Best Buy’s walk in customers did so because of a sign.

Percent of Customers That Stop on Impulse:

Shopping Center

– Larger than 400,000 sq. ft. 20% on impulse

– 100,000 – 400,000 sq. ft. 25% on impulse

– Smaller than 100,000 sq. ft. 35% on impulse

Convenience Market 40% on impulse

Discount Club/Warehouse Store 20% on impulse

Fast Food Restaurant 40% on impulse

Sit Down Restaurant 15% on impulse

Service Station 45% on impulse

Supermarket 20% on impulse

Relocation = New Customers

13% to 20% of the population moves each year, which means you have 13% to 20% new customers to attract each year through signage.

How customers know about local businesses: 35% saw it while passing, 29% always knew, 14% word of mouth, 10% advertising, 6% all other, and 7% don’t know.

Signs Compared to TV & Newspapers

Billboard – A single on-site sign costs $.02 per one-thousand views

Newspaper – A 300 line newspaper ad costs $2.81 per one-thousand views and might only reach 53% of the market

TV – A single TV ad costs $9.82 per one-thousand views and might only reach 14% of the market

One Billboard – The value of on-site signage is equal to 24 full-page newspaper ads every year.

Sources:

http://www.signs.org/SignIndustry/Signage101/SignsTheBottomLine.aspx

http://www.signs.org/SignIndustry/Signage101/SignsasMarketing.aspx

http://www.bangadvertising.com/Why_Signage.pdf

http://www.whatsyoursignage.com/StepOne4.aspx

http://www.impactsignandapparel.com/PDF%20Files/SIGN%20FACTS.pdf

The Benefits of Signage [Infographic]

A business card tells someone who you are, what you’re about, shows your logo or motto, and gives information about how to contact you. A well-done custom business card presents your business and yourself in a positive and professional way, unlike many other things can. There are countless ways to design and lay out your business card, but one crucial element for any card is the size.

What is the Standard Business Card Size?

The standard business card size is 3.5” x 2” (3.5 inches wide by 2 inches tall). The most common measurement is done in inches, but 3.5 x 2 inches can also be translated into 8.89 cm x 5.08 cm, 88.9 mm x 50.8 mm, or 336 pixels x 192 pixels.

European vs US Standard Business Card Sizing

Although there is a standard size in the US, standard business card sizes vary by region. In the UK and Western European areas, business cards are a bit more square at 3.346” x 2.165” (85 mm x 55 mm). In Australia, a standard business card is 3.543” x 2.165” (90 mm x 55 mm).

Layout for Business Cards

With the standard size of 3.5” x 2” in mind, there are three areas of the business card to consider; the design area, the margin area, and the bleed area. The design area is where you’ll have your text, photos, and other design elements. The margin area, sometimes called the safe or inner margin area, is where main design elements should end, and the bleed area (the point outside of the actual business card that allows colors near the edge to bleed over, providing full color along the edges of the card) is what will be cut off when your card is finished. The standard file size for a business card with bleed area is 3.75” x 2.25” (0.25” larger in width and height than the finished business card), so you’ll want to set your design to that size to begin with.

Think about your design elements and how you’d like them to appear. If you want your design to go to the very edge of the card, it can extend into the bleed area, but keep in mind that anything within the bleed area (which is beyond the trim line) will be cut off. To be safe, we recommend keeping all pertinent information within the design area. One thing to note is that the design tool found on our Signs.com website does not show the bleed area by default. To see the bleed area, go to the “Advanced Tools” section in the design tool and click on “show bleed area”. 

Another thing to note when setting up your business card is the font size you should use. Choose a font that is unique but still easy to read. Usually, 7 to 11 point fonts (.09 to .15 inches tall, respectively) work the best for readability. Be sure you choose a font that is easy to read in a small size, and don’t overdo it with graphics and words. Sometimes less is more.

Horizontal or Vertical? Which Orientation Is Best for Your Business Card

Horizontal orientation refers to your card reading wider than it is tall, sometimes referred to as landscape orientation. The benefit of using a horizontal layout is that this is a standard layout, so it’s easy to read and recognize quickly. However, one thing to note is that it doesn’t particularly stand out. Vertical orientation is when your card reads taller than wider, known more commonly as portrait layout. The advantage of this layout is that it’s a bit different than the norm and can make your business card stand out in a world full of business cards.

Additional Shapes and Sizes

The standard 3.5” x 2” rectangular business card is not your only option when it comes to shape and size. You can get a custom cut shape, also called die cut, while still staying within the standard size. You can also round the corners of your card or play with other shapes such as circles (frequently sized at 3” x 3”) or squares (frequently sized at 2” x 2”). Keep in mind that with any sort of shape customization, you’ll most likely see a price jump. Just like using different orientations, using an uncommon shape or size has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that the shape is unique and eye catching, and you can cater to your business logo or product. The disadvantage is that a unique shape might not get recognized as a business card and could be easily discarded or overlooked. For example, a square or circle business card could be mistaken for a tag or label and tossed out. These types of cards also might not fit in business card binders, clips, or other card carrying cases.

Common Materials and Thicknesses for Business Cards

Business cards are a chance for you to be creative. The most common type of paper used to create business cards is 16pt cardstock, with 14pt and 32pt being used frequently as well. There are even more types of paper used to create business cards, and here is a list of the most common types of business cards with their corresponding thicknesses:

• 100lb Cover – 0.35mm thick (.014 inches)
• 14pt – 0.39mm thick (.012 inches)
• 16pt – 0.41mm thick (.016 inches)
• 18pt – 0.46mm thick (.018 inches)
• 32pt – 0.81mm thick (.032 inches)

Although these are the most commonly used types of paper, cards can go even thicker (up to 48pt, which is nearly the thickness of a penny). Most people stick with 16pt stock, as it is a sturdy option at a great price point. If you want something even more outside the box, you could look into business cards made from wood, plastic, cork, metal, or other similar materials. These options are definitely sure to stand out, but you’ll want to make sure the price point is worth it. 

Business Card Finishes

Another thing to note when considering the thickness of your business cards is whether they are using any special finishes or coatings, as it will be sure to add to the thickness of the card. There are many options for finishes and coatings, but the most common are gloss, matte, spot UV, embossed, and foiling. More specialized finishes include pearl, luster, silk, suede and velvet. Make sure that your finish works well with the design and wording on your card. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to add superfine spot UV to a 100lb linen paper type because of conflicting texture issues. There are also other finishing options for the physical aspect, like die cut, folded, and double-sided cards. Even in our digital age, business cards are useful and relevant. You can say a lot about yourself or your business with a small paper card, so be creative and come up with something extraordinary. Brainstorm ideas that will set your business apart from the rest of the crowd. Signs.com offers many options for custom, innovative business cards. Click here to get started on your own custom business card.

Standard Business Card Sizes – Signage 101

Buying Groceries at the Gas Station

On the corner of 1300 South and 1100 East in Salt Lake City, you’ll find a quaint building that was once a gas station in the 1920s, but now houses Liberty Heights Fresh. When you buy your groceries at the once-gas station, you won’t be getting the typical gas station fare of fat, sugar and salt. Instead, you’ll find fresh local produce, locally-made honey, jam, pasta, breads and cheeses and tons of great imported food. I spoke to the owner and CEO (Chief Eating Officer), Steven Rosenberg, who shared with me his passion for good food and told me about the importance of buying local.

Just the Good Stuff

You’ll find a huge variety of tasty, decadent food at Liberty Heights Fresh. Every product found in the shop has gone through an extensive vetting process—Steven travels the world looking for fabulous food to import to the shop, and local food is held to the same standards. Steven told me that there are just a few very basic rules for the food he buys for Liberty Heights Fresh:

• The food has to make you smile when you eat it.
• It has to be made with basic ingredients that would be easily recognized by your great-grandparents.
• No junk—no synthesized corn or soy. Just real food ingredients.
• Good food should be made with 3-5 ingredients.

Steven said, “It’s very important that people buy food that’s going to make them happy and healthy; not sick and tired. We strive to sell that kind of food and we honor all kinds of eaters. So whether you’re a vegan, a vegetarian, an omnivore, a raw food eater, we will support and provide food that will fit your diet and we’re very  respectful of an individual’s choice of what they eat. The most important thing is that food makes you well and that it makes you smile.”

The Foodies at Liberty Heights Fresh

The staff at Liberty Heights Fresh knows their stuff. They can tell you where every product came from, what’s in it, what to pair with it and how to prepare it. They can recommend something special. Planning a dinner party and have no idea what to serve? Find out what’s new or in season. You can also get recipes for seasonal treats. Try asking the bag boy at your big grocery store where those apples originated and if they were sprayed with pesticide, let alone ask for a baking tip…. you’ll most likely get a blank stare.

Local Products Introduce Variety

Steven buys produce and other products locally whenever possible. He considers “local” to be products that can be purchased and transported from their original location to his store between breakfast and lunch. Local products vary depending on the season and availability. Currently, Liberty Heights Fresh offers a locally-made apple cider. Steven told me why it’s special, “Our apple cider is not made from Red Delicious apples. It’s made with Cortland, McIntosh, Jonathan,Yellow Delicious and an old heirloom variety called Winter Banana. The cider is made by the Zollinger family up in Logan and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s much different than what you’d buy in a supermarket. I go up there every week or two to get it.”

Why Buy Local?

I asked Steven why it’s important to buy local. He said, “Buying local means you’re supporting producers. And you’re also supporting your community. Locally owned businesses are far more generous in the local non-profit community; supporting the arts, supporting museums and supporting culture, than companies that come here and may sell their goods in a retail establishment, but in comparison give very little back to the local community.”

Steven also maintains that people should expect more from their small, local shops than they do from the big box store retailers. In addition to getting better food and better customer service, Steven said, “you should expect more from them and they should deliver more. You might be paying a little bit more for something—I don’t have the buying power of a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe’s. I’m one store. But what I do is give back to this community.”

The list of charities that Liberty Heights Foods contributes to every year is lengthy and includes everything from local youth sports to shelters for the homeless. Steven told me that the shop donates tens of thousands of dollars and food every year because he believes in supporting the community that supports his store.

Why Shop at Liberty Heights Fresh?

Well, once you walk in the store, you’ll fall in love. If the baskets of gorgeous, fresh produce doesn’t seduce you, the fresh breads behind the counter will. Ask one of the friendly staff to make you a sandwich made from all the wonderful breads, cheeses and meats on hand—if the weather is accommodating, you can eat your lunch at the picnic table. Bite into a variety of an apple that you can’t find in the large chain grocery store. Discover a new olive oil. Taste a sample of locally-crafted jam that has only two ingredients: fruit and sugar. Re-discover what real food tastes like. Those are just a few of my reasons for shopping at Liberty Heights Fresh.

Steven gave a few more reasons, “We like to get to know our customers and establish a relation that’s built on trust. When we’re dead and gone the only thing we leave behind is our reputation, so it’s important to leave a good one.”

I also asked him why he goes to such great lengths to choose the food he offers at the shop. He replied, “It’s really, really encouraging and invigorating to know that somebody got something from our shop they couldn’t get anywhere else. And it made them, and their family extremely happy. And that’s why I do what I do at Liberty Heights Fresh.”

Success Stories: Liberty Heights Fresh

Best. Cupcake. Ever. I just returned from a wonderful meeting with Allison Regan, owner of Sweet Cake Bake Shop and I’ve polished off the gluten-free German chocolate cake cupcake I brought home. To be honest, I don’t really know much about baking. I do know that cupcakes normally contain wheat flour, and that the heavenly cupcake I just enjoyed didn’t have a lick of wheat in it. But do I care? Let me just say it again: Best. Cupcake. Ever. 

I met with Allison because I wanted to highlight her adorable shop in our Small Business Success Stories series. From her energetic, bubbly, passionate personality, I never would have guessed that Allison had faced some serious, debilitating health issues before becoming the successful business owner she is today.  Most small businesses start with a “lightbulb moment”—a sudden inspiration that usually comes when someone wants something that she can’t find or that doesn’t exist. Allison’s lightbulb moment would come from after seven years of searching for answer to health problems.

Diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2002, she was told to “never eat wheat again.” Ever. Imagine not being able to eat anything with wheat in it… the ingredient is found in a huge percentage of the food we enjoy. And wheat? Is the main ingredient in cake. Cookies. Bread. Cupcakes. Brownies. All the yummy stuff.

According to Wikipedia, “gluten gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.” So it sounds pretty important if you like to bake delicious goodies. And it’s easy to see why Allison would be so upset after finding out that she can never eat wheat again (I’d be obsessing about chocolate cake, too!) Allison had always enjoyed cooking and baking. And she wasn’t going to give up all the stuff she loved just because it made her sick. But it did make her sick (really, really sick). So she had to find another way— a way to have all the stuff she craved without having the wheat.

There are many gluten-free baking mixes on the market (and gluten-free baked goods at some grocery stores). So Allison tried them. And over several years she was able to find a few that weren’t too horrible. But she was left feeling… unsatisfied. And dreaming of the chocolate cake she used to bake—moist, chocolatey, light and flavorful.

Allison’s lightbulb moment came while she was dreaming of that cake. She decided that the baking mixes on the market were never going to satisfy her. So, she would develop her own! Literally hundreds of tries later, she had two mixes: Master Mix and Master Lite Mix. With these two mixes, dozens of delicious recipes would be created and Sweet Cake Bake Shop would be born.

In the beginning, Allison was simply milling and selling her baking mixes to other people who had to avoid wheat but wanted to convert their favorite recipes. Then she started taking requests for baked goods and baking them in her home kitchen. But eventually, the endeavor out-grew her home and Allison decided to open the first Sweet Cake Bake Shop in Kaysville, Utah in 2009.

“We were Utah’s first retail gluten-free bakery,” Allison told me, “It was scary at first because I didn’t know if we had a market. And I don’t do a lot of advertising about gluten free. I don’t want to limit my market.” But word got out that there were yummy new cupcakes in town. “The more people found out about it, it just kind of snowballed.” But Allison hasn’t forgotten about the many people who suffer from Celiac Disease, who inspired her to start the business. “The bakery isn’t marketed as solely gluten-free, and part of that is because I don’t want to make my customers with Celiac Disease to feel like they’re singled out. Children especially have a hard time with this diagnosis. I want them to feel like they can come in and get a treat and have it seem normal. I love having kids in the shop.”

Allison’s passion is creating delicious recipes. She listens to her customers and tries to cater to their wants and needs. She said, “I want to make people happy. Especially when it’s something that they’ve been told ‘No’ and they want to have the things they remember. I want them to leave satisfied and happy and content.” This sometimes leads to challenges—customers were asking for cinnamon rolls, so Allison finally decided to tackle the recipe. Three years later, she’d perfected the perfect cinnamon roll. That’s dedication to customer service!

One key to Allison’s success is that she let her business grow slowly. She wanted to avoid taking out loans to finance a business during a time of recession. The fiscally-conservative approach worked; three years after opening the Kaysville store, Sweet Cake Bake Shop opened a second shop in Salt Lake City earlier this year. The business is a family affair; her husband does most of the accounting and her children get in and help with baking.

Allison said, “My favorite thing is talking to customers. They come in and tell me their stories. I’m so grateful and thankful for this business. It’s fulfilled me in so many ways.”

The store takes special orders. Customers can call 24 hours in advance and the shop will have their treats ready the next day.

Sweet Cake Bake Shop also ships out of state from its website: www.sweetcakebakeshop.com .

So here’s all you need to know: if you have celiac disease and miss decadent treats like cupcakes, cookies, brownies and bread that doesn’t taste like sawdust, Sweet Cake Bake Shop is your place. But if you aren’t concerned about gluten and you can pretty much eat any cupcake you’d like… Sweet Cake Bake Shop is still your place. Because the cupcakes? Are amazing.

Success Stories: Sweet Cake Bake Shop

Of all the strategies you’re thinking of for your new business, pricing is the one that can truly make or break your business. Price too high and your competition will get all the business. Price too low and you won’t make enough money. Super-smart business economists have come up with dozens of pricing models – any of which can be used to help bump up your profit while keeping the customers happy.

Figure out your costs

You should have a very clear idea of how much your product actually costs. You’ll need to figure out the cost of goods which includes the amount paid for the product plus shipping expenses. You’ll also need to factor in operating expenses, which include everything from office supplies to marketing to labor. Obviously, your product should be priced high enough to cover all these things, plus include some profit.

When setting your prices, consider a few different pricing models:

1. Psychological Pricing

Studies have shown that consumers tend to round down instead of up when looking at prices. For instance, pricing an item at $9.97 instead of $10.00 encourages the customer to think of the item as $9.00 instead of $10.00.

2. Multiple Pricing

“Buy One Get One Half,” or Three for $1 are both examples of multiple pricing. Consumers purchase more than they originally intended with this pricing strategy. Think about the last time you saw a “Buy One Get One Half” sale at the shoe store. It’s pretty hard to pass up saving 50% on a second pair of shoes, even when you walked in the door intending to only buy one pair.

3. Loss Leader Pricing

Most common at the grocery store, loss leader pricing highlights one or two products that are priced so low that the store actually loses money on them. But they bring people in who will buy other things. So, if the canned soup is on sale for 25 cents a can, the store loses money. But it makes money on the full-priced items such as milk, crackers, bread and the box of donuts that the consumer buys when he comes in.

Even if you have a different kind of business, you can use loss leader pricing. For instance, a clothing store might offer graphic t-shirts at a loss, but sell jeans, shoes and accessories to people who come in for the advertised deal.

4. Premium Pricing

At the other end of the spectrum from the bargain pricing techniques is Premium Pricing. With this strategy, you price your goods at an inflated rate and tout your premium quality. You can sell fewer items in order to reach your profit goals, but you’d better be sure that your stuff is worth the extra money, though.

What do you offer that the competition doesn’t? Is your product better quality? Do you have better follow-up service? Apple is one of the most famous companies with this pricing strategy. Its laptops sell for several hundred dollars more than its competitors, but it offers stylish design and in-store customer support.

5. Freemium Pricing

The “Freemium” strategy combines the words “Free” and “Premium” because you’ll be offering both. You’ll give something away for free, then charge a premium price for a related product or service. For instance, HULU offers free viewing for many television shows and movies. But customers pay a monthly subscription fee for premium shows and movies.

Be careful of this kind of pricing. Sometimes consumers may see it as a bait and switch. Help your customers understand clearly what they are getting for free and what they must pay for . . . and why it’s worth it to upgrade!

6. Penetration Pricing

With this strategy, you enter the market with super-low pricing. The intent is to garner as many customers as you can and get them to move from your competition to your business. This works when you have a product with a lot of demand. But it can backfire, too.

It’s a common practice in my town for the Internet service providers to offer a super-low rate for the first year. But at the end of that contract, the rate doubles. The companies are counting on the fact that I don’t have the time or energy to find a new provider. But it makes me angry enough to see my bill double that I take the time to find someone else.

7. High-Low Pricing

This pricing strategy involves pricing your product higher than your competitor, but then offering discounts or coupons on some of your inventory with the idea that customers will still buy the higher priced items when they arrive at the store. It’s similar to loss leader pricing, except that your main product line will be priced higher than normal.

This can backfire in several ways. First, you’ll have to make sure that you’re clearing a profit on the low-priced items because people will be less likely to make compulsive purchases on high-priced items. Second, you’ll be targeting customers who might be able to afford your low-price discount item, but don’t fit the demographic for the higher priced items. For instance, if you sell expensive stereo systems, you might decide to offer steep discounts on a pair of headphones. But if you bring in customers who just want to pay $15 for headphones and then hope that they buy a $1800 stereo, you might be disappointed with sales.

The Last Word on Pricing

No matter which pricing strategies you choose for your business, know that they’re all flexible. Pricing is something that constantly changes (more so in some businesses than others, but to some extent with every business). Don’t just set up your pricing models and forget them. Keep track of sales and profit margins to make sure that your strategies are working. Test out new strategies every once in awhile.

*All Images courtesy of CBS and ThePriceisRight.com

7 Pricing Strategies Every Retailer Should Know

While I’m certainly not an expert shopper, I do know how to shop sales when I see a sale sign. For instance, at my two favorite clothing stores, I know that the new, full-priced merchandise is at the front of the store. The merchandise right behind the new stuff is usually 20% off. The merchandise behind that (about halfway between the front and back of the store) is on sale for 30% off. And at the back of the store, everything is 40% off. Merchandise rotates from the front to the back of the store every two weeks. So if I see a beautiful new suit hanging in the window, I can wait two weeks and get it at a 20% discount. This is not rocket science – it’s just a tiny bit of shopping savvy.

Sales Pricing Works

Customers usually pay attention to sales, but especially in a tough economy. And they base buying decisions on sales. Marketers know that customers love a good sale, and that they are more likely to buy based on the fact that the price is lower. Customers also feel an urgency to buy products that are on sale because they anticipate that the product will sell out at the reduced price and no longer be available. Some stores (like my two favorite clothing stores) use pricing strategies that build in sales prices in order to sell inventory.

Sales Signs Announce Bargains, but Sometimes Backfire

Signage is integral to a marketing strategy that includes placing products on sale. But can placing too many “Sale” signs throughout the store backfire? A study at the University of Chicago took a look at consumer behavior toward sales signs and it suggests that stores with too many “Sale” signs are losing out.

I never pay full price in one store where I shop. Partly because almost everything is on “sale” every day. So when I occasionally run into a full-priced item that I want, it seems over-priced. Standing in that store, I can gaze across the top of the clothing racks and see nothing but “Sale” signs. The few racks that don’t have signs are the racks that I avoid.

In addition to making sure that I don’t pay full-price, the proliferation of “Sale” signs makes it seem that the store never actually has sales, since the “sale” prices are typical, they’ve become “regular” prices.

Sale Signs Make Customers Buy Now . . . Sometimes

In the University of Chicago study, test subjects who saw a store where 25% of the products were labeled with “Sale” signs reported that they felt urgency to buy the product. They reported that they felt unsure that the product would be available later, and that they didn’t think the product would be priced lower. However, when test subjects entered a store where 75% of the products had “Sale” signs, they reported that that they felt confident that the price would decrease and that the product would still be available to purchase later.

Special Event Sales

Businesses drive more traffic and increase profits by holding special sales such as anniversary sales, summer clearance sales and holiday sales. But those positive results decrease significantly if the store holds too many “special” sales. If customers become accustomed to periodic sales where merchandise is offered at a significantly reduced price, they tend to wait for the sale to make purchases, especially if there is a very small amount of time in-between sales.

On the other hand, store that offer sales infrequently find that those sales are a boon. Nordstrom’s has historically offered semi-annual sales for each department, at different times during the year. Since the store doesn’t bombard shoppers with “Sales” signs on every rack during the rest of the year, the semi-annual events bring in lots of customers.

Place Sales Signs Effectively

Instead of offering a sale price on 75% of your merchandise, put only 25% on sale and place signage on only those racks. You’ll increase the chance of selling full-priced merchandise and your customers won’t get in the habit of only buying stuff from you when it’s on sale.

How to Rock the Sale Sign

How important are first impressions? Everyone from your mom to your professors in business school told you that they’ll make or break you. If you’re getting ready to open the doors of your brand new business and introduce yourself to the public, you should be thinking about the first impression you’ll make. It’s difficult to offer perfect service during the first days of your fledgling business. But customers will give you a break that first week, right? Surely they’ll understand that you have new employees and that you’re still figuring out how to run your business. It will all work out – even if they have to wait a little longer for service or stand there while you try to figure out how to operate your cash register. Right? Um… nope.

Sadly, Joe customer doesn’t have warm, fuzzy feelings in his heart for your earnest (and failing) attempts at becoming a paragon of retail perfection. He just wants to buy a widget and be on his way. You opened yesterday? That’s nice. Now fork over the widget, ring it up and put it in a bag. Oh, and do it with a smile on your face. Or he won’t be back.

I know, it sounds harsh. But it’s reality and as a new business owner you’d better be living in the real world. Opening week is crucial to your success; you absolutely must do it right. Here are some reasons to delay your big grand opening event:

1. Your Employees Aren’t Thoroughly Trained

Your employees are the ambassadors of your business. Customers will expect them to know where product can be located and be able to extol the many features of the product. Customers want to be able to complete their transactions quickly and be on their way, so employees should be thoroughly trained on how to use the cash register.

I took my family to an amusement park during spring break. It had opened for the season just two days before we visited, so most of the employees were new. When we stopped for snacks, only two people were in line at the snack kiosk, so we figured we’d be able to grab some goodies fast. After ten minutes, the guy at the front still hadn’t received his order; the clerk was holding his $5 bill in her hand and frantically punching buttons on the register, which kept making a beeping noise. Apparently, the customer had tried to add an item onto his order after she had pushed the “Total” button. The cash register was having none of it. The guy finally told her, “Never mind. Don’t worry about the extra soda.” But it was too late. The register was hopelessly screwed up.

In the meantime, the line had backed up to about 10 people, all of whom were starting to get irritated. The customer at the front of the line requested that his order be cancelled, and the clerk gave him his money back. But the register couldn’t complete any transactions until a manager showed up. After another five minutes, everyone gave up, griping and complaining as they walked away, sans sugar and caffeine.

2. Your Signage is Insufficient

Customers can’t find your business unless you have plenty of signage to point the way; especially when your store is brand new. Make sure you have several signs placed right next to the road, pointing the way to your shop. A large banner on the exterior of the building will call attention to your business, too. Without some noticeable signage, it can be particularly difficult to find a new business—you won’t show up on GPS mapping programs for a few months, so your customers will need to know your exact address to find you. And if your shop is tucked away from the main street, it will still be hard to locate it in time to turn into the parking lot. Make it easy for customers to find you.

3.Your Store Isn’t Fully Stocked

You won’t make a very good first impression if customers show up to find your shelves half empty. If you don’t have anything to sell, it’s a given that your customers won’t be buying. Make sure that your product will arrive well before opening day, and get it stocked on the shelves before you open the door. You’d think this would be common knowledge, but I’ve visited several new stores that are unprepared.

At one store, the grand opening had been well-advertised and there were several coupons on the flyer that encouraged customers to stop in during the first four hours of business. A line at the door testified that the marketing campaign had been successful. Unfortunately, the product had arrived late. When the doors opened, employees were frantically trying to put product on the shelves and were telling customers, “Hang on a minute… I know we have that… Let me just look through this stack of boxes.” Needless to say, customers quickly became frustrated and many left without buying anything.

4. You Haven’t Figured Out Best Practices Yet

It can take awhile to figure out how best to run your business. But some general policies and procedures should be in place well before you open your doors. Set regular hours right from the beginning—having special Grand Opening hours will only confuse your customers when they try to return later. Make sure that all employees are aware of your policies regarding returns, price matching and rain checks.

4 Reasons to Delay Your Grand Opening

Attending a trade show is a lot of work – you’ll be walking for miles, talking to dozens of people and gathering tons of information. It can be overload… but it can also be fun if you know what to expect before you get there. In our article this morning, Attending a Trade Show: Plan Ahead, we talked about pre-planning before you get to the show. Once you arrive, it’s important to have a game plan in place so you can make the most of your time and meet the goals you made back at the office.

When You Arrive

After you check in and get your badge, you’ll head to the entrance of the show. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you walk in the door: some trade shows fill as much as 80,000 square feet of space, with hundreds of booths.

I accompanied Kirk Green, CEO of Ferrari Color, for a walk-through of the ISA show, where he shared his trade show floor strategy with me. Kirk likes to start on the left side of the show and work his way down every aisle, taking notes of booths he wants to visit later (Kirk is a veteran trade show attendee, so he was able to do this mentally–I had to take physical notes in order to find stuff later). Kirk pointed out that shows tend to group vendors from specific industries into sections. He’s able to get a feeling for available offerings in each section and focus on those with the most relevance.

As you work your way through the show, you’ll see sales people hanging out in the front of booths, trying to catch your eye and draw you in. This is their job, and they do it especially well at the beginning of the show when everyone still has lots of energy. Avoid getting drawn in during your first run through—you’ll end up spending way too much time talking to people otherwise. If he’s interested in looking over a booth more closely, Kirk steps across from the booth in an unobtrusive spot where he can’t be seen by the sales rep. He doesn’t stop to talk—he just keeps moving at a rapid clip in order to get through the entire show.

Kirk is usually able to get a quick glance of all the booths in the show before lunch. Then he finds a table at the food court and grabs a sandwich. He reviews his findings while eating and makes a general plan for what to see that afternoon, and what should wait until the second day. After lunch, Kirk grabs a free tote bag (these can be found at many vendors and sometimes even at the entrance to the show) and heads off to get more information from the companies he’s interested in learning more about.

Kirk advised me to pay attention to the small booths in the back of the show (the less expensive trade show real estate), “Pay attention to small, fringe booths because you might find something unique or clever. Some of the first software we found was in a small 10×10 booth. Everyone focuses on the big boys, but some of the smaller companies may have some really interesting things.”

When talking to sales reps at the show, Kirk tries to be selective about which information he gives and takes. He says, “Only have your name scanned if you really want to get info. The sales rep’s job is to get everyone’s name. If you know his product is something you don’t want, do everyone a service and say ‘It’s not something that applies to us.’ Take a few select materials—don’t lug brochures, magazines and books all around the trade show floor. Use your smart phone to capture information so that you can visit a company’s website later to get more information.”

After the Show

Once you get home, go through all your collected material and photos while your memory is fresh. Draw up an action list to make contact within one week. Kirk makes sure that everyone at Ferrari Color is updated about the show. He says, “If there’s more than one person in your office, take opportunities to convey the information you gleaned at the show to the rest of your team so that everyone can benefit from your attendance.”

Attending relevant trade shows is well worth your time and money, if you plan ahead and work the show thoroughly. When asked why companies should bother to attend trade shows, Kirk told me, “Trade shows are a great way to stay updated. You get a sense of scale and scope of your industry very quickly that you just can’t get from magazines or Internet.” We agree.

Attending a Trade Show: How to Walk the Show

Think all signs are the same? Think again. In many cases, the effectiveness of a sign is determined by its use. Is it going outside on your storefront or hanging in window? Is it leading your customers to an event or simply helping them navigate to your store? When starting the design process, think of these 5 functions of a sign and get the most bang for your buck.

Recognition and Awareness (Outside Signs)

In the most basic sense, a sign on the outside of your store provides information. It makes people aware of your existence. It identifies the space as belonging to your business, and lets customers know that they’re in the right place.

Make sure that your signage is clearly visible from the street and that it is easily read. In a 2011 study by BrandSpark, 49.7 percent of people surveyed indicated that they had driven by and failed to find a business because the sign was either too small or unclear (1).

Complement Other Marketing Efforts (Inside and Outside Signs)

You’ve probably heard the term “branding.” Think about the McDonald’s golden arches. Studies have shown that even small children can connect the arches with McDonald’s. Your business might never become quite as globally famous, but it would be great if local consumers recognized your logo and connected it to your business. Your other marketing pieces, such as coupons and print ads, should feature your logo and business name. Your on-site signage should reinforces your “brand” to customers, in turn helping them begin to recognize it in other settings.

Entice Customers to Purchase (Outside signs)

Signs can be used to prompt consumers to make impulse purchases. Signs advertising big sales or discount days entice customers into your store for specific items. A customer driving down the street might not be thinking about buying a new pair of jeans, but if she sees a big sign in the window of a clothing store, advertising a sale on jeans, she might stop in to have a look.

For the greatest impact, these signs should be as large as possible, and displayed in a prominent spot.

Entice Customers to Purchase Something Else (Inside signs)

Once the customer is in your store with the intention to buy something, provide them with signs to point out other things they may find interesting. You might have a sign placed on an easel directly inside the doorway, announcing the sale of another item, or a table of merchandise with a sign displayed prominently.

Directional or Wayfinding (Outside signs)

Directional, sometimes called wayfinding, signage helps get your customer from the street to your store in the safest, most convenient way possible. These signs need to be well-placed and easily read so that drivers have time to change lanes, slow down and signal to turn into your parking lot. If your business is located in the back corner of a shopping center, or is difficult to see from the street, a directional sign not only lets customers know where to turn, it makes others aware that your business is there.

(1) Kellaris, James J. 100,000 Shoppers Can’t Be Wrong: Signage Communication Evidence from The BrandSpark/Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study. 2011.

5 Functions of a Sign