Creating Signs That Sell

If you’re going to be in the pest control business, roofing business, plumbing business, lawn care business or any other home service business, you’re going to need a sign. Signs cost money. In many cases, they cost a lot of money. So please pay close attention to the following observation.

The other day I was watching a baseball game and I saw all of these commercial signs in the background. They were all attached to the outfield fence. I began thinking about those signs. When I’m riding up and down the roads and highways I see signs posted everywhere. I see signs on buildings, in front of buildings, on windows and on the sides of vehicles. I see billboards and banners. When I’m sitting in a restaurant, I look around and see signs.

Let’s face it folks, we live in a world of signs.

Did you know that the No. 1 most effective advertising media in the world is signage?

The fact is you can stick a sign up in front of someone’s face almost anywhere and at any time and force them to read it. In most cases, they can’t help it. It’s just the way our brains work.

And here’s another fact: If the sign doesn’t say something moving to the person viewing it, it is probably not going to move them!

Now, I want you to go back and read that last sentence five times and then stop and think about it. In order for a sign to be moving, it needs to be emotional. And in order for it to be emotional, it needs to touch something or some issue in someone’s life or business that they are dealing with.

A sign needs to say something. It needs to tell a story. It needs to trigger a reaction in the mind of the viewer in order to generate a buying response. It needs to move them to action and cause them to pick up the phone and call you and do business with you. Consider these examples:

Example #1

Vote for Fred Johnson

Example #2

“Vote for Fred Johnson and LOWER YOUR TAXES NOW!”

Example #1 simply tells you to vote for Fred Johnson. Example #2 tells you why you should vote for Fred Johnson. It is also in quotation marks and italicized, which means someone actually said it! Make sense? I hope so.

Do you use signage to promote your business? I’m sure you do.

Actually your business card is a sign. It is a small little sign you give to someone. They view it, and then choose to either keep it or throw it away. Why would they want to keep it? Why would they choose to throw it away? Which would you prefer they do? You want them to keep it of course.

Well, ask yourself the same question about your other signage. Do you want them (actually, their subconscious minds) to save it or delete it? Meaning, do you want them to remember your sign or forget about it? Of course you want them to remember it. But for what? That is the big question!

Advertising agents are fond of saying, “We will get you noticed!” My question to them is always, “Noticed for WHAT?”

You see, it’s very important WHY someone is noticing you. I’m confident I could put on a pink thong and run through the shopping mall and get noticed. But for what? A brightly colored vehicle will get noticed. But, once someone notices it, what does it say to them? What compelling message does it deliver? What irresistible offer do they find there?

After someone notices the vehicle, what else does the vehicle do to convert the viewer into a new paying customer? Getting noticed is only half of the equation that leads to more new business. The other half is the FOR WHAT?

If your signs don’t contain the FOR WHAT in a clear, concise, compelling, message, you are leaving a lot of easy money on the table. And that’s money you could be putting in the bank.

The author is a pest control marketing consultant and president of Coleman Services, Roswell, Ga. He can be reached at www.pestcontrol marketer.com or by calling 770/993-0004.