The retail sector in the UK has grown to become one of the biggest contributors to its overall economic landscape. As of January 2024, there were more than 324,995 retail businesses in the country, accounting for almost 6% of all businesses. Imagine the tight competition faced by an individual retail business owner!
Innovating and finding new ways to create striking impressions has become inevitable for survival. This is why strategic and thoughtfully built signage can be your most powerful tool. The right balance between indoor and outdoor signage can make a world of difference when it comes to offering delightful customer experiences.
Here we learn about the art of finding that delicate balance and how it can make a positive impact on your reputational trajectory.
The Importance of Using Thoughtful Signage
Signage is one of the most impactful ways for a brand to communicate with prospects and customers without talking to them directly. It allows store owners to not only provide information and educate people, but also persuade them to make a purchase with the right copy.
From the customers’ perspective, signage serves as navigation and direction aids, informing them of the things they can find at the store. Interesting signs with striking graphics or engaging elements like QR codes can further add aesthetic and entertainment value to an otherwise ordinary commute.
With the latest innovations in print signage, brands now have access to a myriad of options such as hanging signs, point of sale display, exterior building signs, bollard sleeves, flags, and more. The right combination of these indoor and outdoor signs can allow you to offer the best customer experience.
Leveraging Outdoor Signage for First Impressions
Outdoor signage is often one of the first chances for customers to perceive and interact with your brand. Whether you have an exterior building sign on your storefront or an advertisement on the street, it allows a potential customer to know about your brand, which is why it plays an important role in creating first impressions. Right off the bat, you need to make it attention-grabbing and easy to read. The sign must also reflect your brand’s personality.
Here is how it enhances customer experience.
- Attracts and improves visibility- Well-placed exterior signs with your store name or logo in striking colours and contrasting elements can catch the attention of passersby and pull them into the store. Using legible fonts in the right size can also attract attention from a distance, maximising its impact.
- Distinguished visual experience – Outdoor signs must accurately reflect your brand identity while also attracting attention. A distinct design and combination of graphic elements will help set your store apart allowing customers to differentiate your brand from others. The right elements will promise a premium experience in-store, once again pulling customers in.
- Informs – Exterior building signs can also be used for other purposes, such as parking indications, store entry, working hours indications, etc. These help customers navigate your store and help you set clear expectations for customers walking in.
Using the right types and optimal designs of outdoor signage can enrich a customer’s experience way before they enter your store. It also allows you to build your reputation with a great first impression, and a promise for more.
Utilising Indoor Signage for a Memorable In-Store Experience
While outdoor signage contributes towards pulling customers in, indoor signage enhances their experience inside the store by guiding, informing, and influencing buying behaviour.
Here’s how it adds value to an in-store experience.
- Guides and offers navigation assistance – One of the primary objectives of placing indoor signage is to offer shopping guidance. The right information placed at the right places will help customers find their way around the store. This includes signs indicating the checkout counter, new arrivals, etc.
- Promotes and persuades – Strategically placed signs with compelling copy, like an attractive point of sale display, or a countertop display can induce quick purchases at the checkout counter. It not only attracts attention but also persuades customers to buy the product. For the customer, it promises to solve a problem with a solution, ultimately enhancing their shopping experience.
- Enhances the in-store ambiance – In addition to guiding customers and promoting products, indoor signs can also contribute to improving the ambiance of a store. For example, interesting quotes and aisle displays with attractive graphics can make a bookstore feel cosier, warmer, and more welcoming.
Striking a Balance Between Indoor and Outdoor Signage
Indoor and outdoor signage clearly have big roles to play when it comes to providing a delightful customer experience. This is why it is important to put due thought and attention into creating them for your store.
It is also crucial to strike a harmonious balance between the two when designing the experience. As is the case with any customer-oriented marketing tool, too many of either sign can deceive the purpose, making your store look cluttered and unorderly.
- Ensure that your exterior building signs and indoor signs are branded and in alignment with your company’s identity. This implies the use of a specific colour palette and typography. It helps make the entire experience cohesive and clean.
- Use concise and clear copy throughout your signs to avoid overstimulating customers.
- Place your signage strategically and supplement them with great copy to maximise its impact. For example, ensure to put indoor signs at eye level and in places where customers will naturally look, think countertop, and point of sale displays.
- Lastly, use only premium quality, durable, and high-performing signage for the best visual appeal.
With these pointers in mind, ensure to partner with a high-quality signage printing company that understands the retail industry and how signs impact customer experience.
A great option is Sign Company in London – they offer a variety of exterior signs, wall graphics, indoor signs, and more for all industries. They also have a diverse track record, indicating reliability and professionalism.
Wrapping Up
When harmoniously designed, indoor and outdoor signage work collectively as a comprehensive tool to create a cohesive and delightful retail journey for customers. From forming an excellent first impression to enhancing the in-store experience with appropriate guidance and promotions, the two types of signage contribute towards providing a memorable experience that sets your brand apart in the industry.
For all types of high-quality indoor and outdoor signage, contact Sign Company.
Author Bio: Nimesh Kerai
Nimesh Kerai serves as the Printing Head at the Sign Company in London. Utilising his technical aptitude and the trait of keeping up with the latest technological advancements, he has been able to deliver top-notch quality prints and signage to customers consistently. This has cemented the Sign Company as one of the most sought-after signage companies in London. He consistently shares his insights with the masses by means of useful and intriguing blogs.
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