As the owner of a retail store, your livelihood hinges on your ability to capture the attention of prospects who regularly drive by your store. Hanging a large banner outside your store is one of the best ways to attract the attention of these prospects and convert them into loyal customers. Below are the key reasons why you should use large outdoor banners, along with five banner design tips that will help you lure more traffic than ever to your store.
Why should you use large banners to attract shoppers to your store?
Large banners offer superb utility to owners of retail businesses seeking a cost-effective means of brand promotion. Their versatility and ability to be reused enables users to enjoy a high ROI and an increase in foot traffic. Below are the top five reasons why you should use large banners to attract shoppers to your store.
1) Large banners can be used for a variety of occasions
Large banners are an excellent means of promoting your brand on an everyday basis or for special occasions and holidays. Here are just a few of the many events that you can promote with a large banner:
- Grand openings
- Store anniversaries
- Seasonal sales
- Open houses
- Special promotions
2) They are affordable
Every penny counts when allocating marketing dollars for a small to medium-sized business. Large banners are a good addition to your marketing strategy because they are cost-effective, especially when compared with media advertising or sophisticated marketing campaigns. Top agencies are sometimes willing to offer a discount to companies that purchase one or more banners along with business cards, catalogs, or sales flyers.
3) You can reuse them
Large banners offer an excellent return on your investment because you can use them time and time again. Additionally, some banners offer the ability to print on both sides. This allows you to maximize utility and conserve resources by printing a different message on each side. Your banner can last for years if you store it properly and hang it in a location where it is out of harm’s way.
4) They are versatile
Your storefront is just one of many locations where you can hang a large banner. For example, you can use them at trade shows, professional meetings, flea markets, and local fairs. Just make sure there is plenty of space to hang your banner, and seek permission from event organizers in advance.
5) You can customize them
An experienced commercial printing agency will have the tools and experience required to create a customized banner that effectively conveys your brand. You can request the font of your choice, your favorite color scheme, and even the material of your choice. And you are not limited to a rectangular shape, as a talented graphic design specialist can produce banners of various shapes.
What are some tips to help you design a stellar banner?
Designing an attractive banner for your store sounds like a fairly simple task. But the opposite is actually the case. There are many factors to consider in banner design, and you are responsible for ensuring that you maximize the return on your investment. Here are five tips to help you design a large banner that is impossible to ignore.
1) Keep your message short
The average attention span for human beings has been steadily declining over the years. Today’s consumer has an average attention span of 8 seconds, which is not even as long as the attention span of a goldfish. Accordingly, your banner should be concise, direct, and clear. Avoid lengthy sentences and complicated words, as they can cause drivers to lose interest in your message quickly.
2) Create a banner that is consistent with your branding
Ideally, your banner design should incorporate the personality and feel of your brand. For instance, if your brand is known for its free-spirited, colorful style, then you would not want a black and white banner with a formal message written in calligraphy. Mitch Duckler, Managing Partner of FullSurge, notes that “A consistent positioning helps marketers stay ‘on point’ with regard to messaging and overall experience.”
3) Select a visible hanging location
While this tip may seem rudimentary, many retailers hang banners without noticing that a large tree or other obstruction is limiting their banner’s visibility. Ideally, the location you choose to hang your banner should not have any trees or other obstructions in front of it. And your banner should be positioned high enough to be easily seen over vehicles in the parking lot.
4) Clearly feature your company logo
Consumers may recognize your company logo faster than they recognize your store location. For this reason, it is critical to make sure that your banner design includes your logo. Safa Khudeira, Creative Project Manager for Intechnic, explains the important role of a logo as follows: “The purpose of a logo is to get instant consumer recognition for a company. Essentially, logos are the ‘face’ of a business.”
5) Consider a bi-lingual banner design
Latinos now account for over half the population growth in the United States. And in Houston, there are several districts in which over half of the residents speak Spanish at home. If your store is located in these areas, you may wish to customize your banner to include English and Spanish versions of your message.
What is the best strategy to attract passing drivers to your store?
As outlined above, there are many steps you can take to captivate passing drivers with an eye-catching banner. However, the single best step you can take to grab drivers’ attention is to seek the expertise of an expert in the print fulfillment industry. An industry expert will work with you to create a dazzling banner that is sure to drive traffic directly to your store.
For over a decade, Catdi has been a leader in the printing and graphic design industry. We have a proven track record of success creating large banners for retailers throughout Houston and the surrounding areas. Our attention to detail and ability to complete large projects swiftly has earned the accolades of clients across the greater Houston area. We invite you to contact us to find out why we are the nation’s most trusted full-service printing company. We look forward to helping you increase traffic to your store!
