Do you notice billboards? It would be hard not to, large as they are. Best Buy gets 17% of its customers simply because the store’s sign is so large and colorful it brings walk-ins to the store. So now that we know this technique works, here’s how you can apply it to your organization.
Look around any urban or metropolis street corner, and you’ll find signs for churches, commercial business signs, and maybe even a scrolling school marquee. Signage spread information we normally wouldn’t receive because we aren’t seeking it out. About 37% of people admit to looking at every sign they pass. They’re reading advertisements for food, businesses, new television shows, and the latest sports games at the local high school.
This signage is working. One poll on the effectiveness of advertisements found that 58% visited a restaurant after first learning of it from a billboard. About 32% of people who see LED signs advertising a particular store will usually then visit that location within a week. In fact, 35% of people admit that they only found a business because of a sign advertising it. This has significant implications for any organization that depends on generating traffic.
Interestingly, signage isn’t only beneficial to businesses. Consider the school marquee sign. A scrolling marquee sign in front of a school may pass along the times of the latest theater act, or the date of the school carnival, or of course, the date and time of the next sports game. What all of these events have in common, other than the location, is that the school is selling tickets to these events.
While a school is not a business, it does need to generate funds for school activities. A school marquee is not just letting the community know what the student might be putting on, it is a sort of call to action. Who are they invigorating? Members of the community to come and spend a few dollars in the name of a good cause.
Signs are a great way to advertise an organization. While a giant billboard may not be within your budget, that is not the only way to get the message out to the public. A scrolling school marquee board, or a giant banner near a church are also methods that work. The important part is making it as easy as possible to get into people’s heads. Once they know your organization is there, they’ll be more likely to stop by.