3 Features of Effective Retail Sign Systems

Today’s post reviews Sign Research Foundation reports highlighting 3 features of effective retail sign systems. Read on to upgrade your in-store advertising and get a free retail sign quote in Southfield, MI.

1.  Cross-medium Retail Sign Consistency

A new study by the Sign Research Foundation highlights the effectiveness of reinforcing consistency between retail sign designs used offline (i.e. in stores) and online (i.e. business websites, social media platforms, pay-per-click ads).

“Reinforcing a consistent brand nomenclature and terminology across mediums is a core strategy for retailers looking to improve their overall image with customers,” writes the Sign Research Foundation.

Five years ago, Walmart underwent a complete image overhaul in order to align their retail sign design across all mediums. The project included a complete logo and retail sign redesign, and involved careful work to ensure that all these elements worked together to create an immersive shopping experience that stayed consistent online and offline.

Walmart’s improved logo and commitment to cross-medium retail sign consistency resulted in a 7% increase in store traffic among higher income customers, which is about as good a result as you can get for a huge brand already boasting a dominant market share.

So what’s the takeaway? Keep your retail sign design consistent across all mediums. That doesn’t mean every sign needs to look and read exactly the same, but try to stick to a consistent brand palette and font, and look for opportunities to reinforce online/offline sign elements in both environments whenever possible. At SignScapes, it’s easy to keep retail sign designs consistent across mediums—simply send our team the vector artwork or project specs used for your online assets, and we’ll bring your virtual sign design to life in-store.

2.  Dimensional Retail Signs

The Sign Research Foundation reports an increased use of exterior architectural signs as part of in-store retail sign and wayfinding systems. This includes the use of channel letters, projecting signs, and even awnings to create a “store in a store” effect, so that store interiors and product displays look like urban streets or street fairs. Dimensional retail signs used in this way truly stand out, generating more impressions than standard 2D displays, and they do a lot for your brand image, creating a sense of whimsy and out-of-the-box thinking that complements many modern company cultures.

3.  Legibility

Research on consumer behavior shows that the average in-store shopper spends as little as 3 to 5 seconds looking at any signs they encounter. With such a small window to make an impression, legibility should be your utmost priority.

“Effective stores focus on more legible type, scale, and contrast when developing signs,” concludes the Sign Research Foundation report.

Accordingly, make sure your message, value proposition, and call-to-action are all consumable at-a-glance, and steer clear of fancy fonts or low contrast colors. Store layout can also improve sign legibility via the position of aisles and displays to create “Viewing corridors.”

Learn more retail sign tips and get a free quote in Southfield, MI

Visit https://misignscapes.com/ or call 1 (248) 354-8346 to book a free consultation with our retail sign experts and get a 100% free quote on your custom design today.