In May 1971, the Five Man Electrical Band released the song "Signs" and it went gold. You may have heard the lyrics "Signs, Signs Everywhere are Signs". Yes it's just a song. Yes it's outdated and yes, signs are everywhere and for good reason. Signs get you noticed and generate business!
The importance of signage can't be overstated. It portrays your brand. It portrays your image. It conveys an expectation to your prospective customers and current customers. It generates business for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
According to a study by the Economic Center at the University of Cincinnati in August of 2012, Roughly 60% of businesses reported changing the design or enhancing the visibility of their signage had a positive impact on sales, number of transactions and profits with an average increase of about 10%.
38% of large companies with multiple locations identified branding/image as the most important purpose of effective signage while small firms and single establishments perceived signs to be most important for making their business stand out and for helping customers find their location.
Legibility was chosen by both consumers and businesses as the most important characteristic of a signs.
In a different study commissioned by FEDEX Office in conjunction with Ketchum Global Research & Analytics, nearly 76% of consumers (8 in 10) said they entered a business they had never visited before based simply on its sign.
75% indicated they had told others about a business simply based on its signage.
About 68% believe a business' signage reflects the quality of its products or services.
67% of the consumers said they had purchased a product or service because a a sign caught their eye.
Signs aren't only "outside" a business. As the last statistic shows, point of purchase displays, floor signs, directional signs etc... inside a business can be a powerful tool.
Yes signs are just about everywhere for good reason. Signs work.