It’s no secret that signage is an essential part of any shopping experience, capturing shoppers’ initial interest and then providing them with the necessary information to guide a purchase. In this article, we speak with Widd Signs‘ MD Gary Williams about the role of retail signage and the ways that retailers can use it to elevate instore experience.
1. How important is retail signage in the customer journey?
Signage plays a key part in a successful customer journey. Well positioned, clear signage has a very important role to play in helping to alleviate any customer stress or frustration by signposting where things are and telling them where to look for relocated items. It sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how many retailers forget to do it, alienating and potentially losing customers as a result.
2. What would be your top tips for retailers wanting to make an impression with their signage?
Bringing your brand to life through clever signage is key to making a lasting impression. Using strong images and colour will help create something eye-catching.
Consider illuminated signage to ensure your brand pops and the text you want customers to read stands out in all times of day and weather.
3. What are the main benefits of effective retail signage and how can retailers achieve this?
As well as creating brand awareness, effective signage communicates your brand message and what your business stands for. We’re seeing more companies invest in signage to portray business beliefs and values to staff and customers.
Signage also offers clear communication for retailers to help customers to navigate through their stores with ease.
4. In your opinion, what are the most important types of retail signage and what do they do?
Whilst external signage is important to increase brand awareness, internal directional and destination wayfinding signage to help customers understand where to go is incredibly important.
Click here to view some of the best uses of retail signage.
5. What’s the best/most creative signage you’ve ever seen in a shop?
Dominoes recently rebranded one of their stores to ‘Lucy’s’ in recognition of the England Lioness and their former employee Lucy Bronze. This innovative move attracted vast media and customer attention as the country celebrated the England women’s football team’s victory. Furthermore, what began as a temporary signage re-brand led to innovative experiential marketing with anyone proving their name was also Lucy receiving free pizza and the branch delivery drivers wearing gold helmets as a nod to the European Championship winner.
6. What would be your top tips for retailers wanting great signage on a budget?
It is important to not always accept the cheapest price to get best value. Consideration needs to be given to how long you want the signage to feature, which sign company gives you the most confidence that they can deliver on both service and quality and can guide you on the best materials to use within your budget.
A reputable signage company should advise you on all options including cost-effective replicas, for example, if you want a wooden sign, you can create the look and feel of wood as a digital print when it is produced using cost-effective vinyl.
It is also important to consider the running costs of illuminated signage, for example, LED lighting is a more affordable option in the long run.
7. At Widd Signs, how do you work to create the perfect retail signage for retailers?
We consider that consistent communication and building a long-term relationship with our clients is key in delivering the perfect signage solution. This process begins with discussing and agreeing a concise brief and then advising on the best and most cost-effective materials to use. Samples of materials are then sent to the client so they can understand the materials and finishes to be used. Once samples and costs are approved, we appoint a dedicated project manager to liaise regularly with the client and then begin the process of creating the signage in either our Leeds or North West manufacturing facilities. Both manufacturing sites combine the very latest sign technology with the time served skills of signage craftsmen and women to deliver a perfect and cost effective sign solution for our clients.
Learn more about retail signage
To learn more about how we’re helping retailers to stand out with striking signage, visit Widdsigns.co.uk.
Holly brings a wealth of experience in both print and digital publishing. As Modern Retail’s Content Editor, Holly is passionate about helping independent retailers to thrive in today’s ever-changing market.
