Yesterday, while driving home from a long day of selling signs, I decided to count the number of banners I passed in the five mile trek between the Sign Solutions World Headquarters and my humble abode. I should note that while the trip passes two shopping complexes, one major artery intersection with an entrance to the highway, and an entrance to the local mall, the majority of the route is lined with residential development…where I thought I would observe less visual messaging. How wrong I was. What surprised me the most however, was not the raw number of banners (btw, there were 26), but the messages that they were sending!
Here are some of the more interesting examples:
· Welcome home! This made me wonder; ‘Welcome home….from where?’ In this neighborhood, its safe to assume that they are probably returning from something like a cruise in the Caribbean, but why not boast about where Aunt Freda and Uncle Arnold have been slumming? This is your chance to shine: Take it!
· 888.123.4567 While this is not the actual phone #, the banner was literally, just a phone #. In my younger days, I would have written on the top; ‘For a good time, Call’. A GOOD sign company would have counseled the customer to include a message as to what the caller might expect if they called this number.
· TACOS!! 99 Cents Here’s a surprise in southern California…Fast Food!– But it did remind me that banners are one of the most popular forms of advertising for fast food restaurants! If you’re a fast food operator, you may be surprised at how cost effective banner advertising can be.
· D***** Will you Marry Me? The name was actually filled in, but I did not think Denise would appreciate her name appearing in this blog. Some messages may be better said personally….and I still wonder if Denise is somewhere having a banner made that says: ‘Yes’ or ‘No’…. or ‘Hell NO’ …….or ‘ARE YOU INSANE??!!!’
· Hot Dog and Beverage · Open House: No address, directions or phone #....just a message that somewhere in this neighborhood, some very welcoming people are allowing strangers to tramp through their home. While too much information (like the Hot Dog and Beverage) is not a good thing, you need to include ALL of the pertinent info; e.g. “Please Remove Shoes Before Entering”. The lesson here was somewhat clear. If you’re considering a banner for a message that you want to send, let Sign Solutions help with both the graphic and message. We can combine both to make sure you are clearly and distinctly! The Sign of a Good Business is a Business With a Good Sign!
