3 Big Spats in Advertising History
Characteristics of a Killer Logo
3 Big Spats in Advertising History
Characteristics of a Killer Logo
Have you ever thought about how much curb appeal contributes to customer satisfaction? When you have a well-manicured, easy-to-find, and easy-to-navigate business location, your customers are more likely to find your store and enjoy their visit.
Your business’s street view can also determine if potential customers choose to enter your store or visit a similar business down the street. Read below to learn more about boosting your business’s curb appeal and attracting more customers.
1. Make Parking Easier
If you live in the concrete jungle, you might not have total control over parking. However, you should do whatever you can to make parking an easy, hassle-free experience for your customers. Maintain your parking lot by fixing potholes, removing snow, and repainting lines when they start to fade.
If your business has a lot but you don’t have quite enough parking spaces, ask nearby businesses with more parking about leasing spaces. They might offer you a monthly rate for a certain number of parking spots. Your neighbor will likely want you to put up signs designating your business’s parking spots and hours of availability.
If you live in a city with limited business parking lots, make city parking spots easy for customers to find. Put up signs that tell customers where to park. Let them know if there are nearby parking meters or where they can find the cheapest, most convenient parking garage or city lot. Your customers will feel a lot less frustrated about their parking situation when they finally enter your store.
You should also list parking instructions on your website. If you know parking poses a problem in your area, don’t skirt the issue on your website-customers will end up frustrated with you as well as with the city’s parking. Instead, give customers directions to both your store and the best nearby parking.
Finally, offer to validate parking for customers who make store purchases. And if you own a business where customers tend to stay for a few hours, like a restaurant, salon, or day spa, offer valet parking. Always hire valets with experience though-a scratched car will deter customers a lot quicker than city parking.
2. Add Clear, Easy-to-Read Signage
Exterior signs help potential customers identify your business hours as soon as they walk past. Your primary sign should stay visible 24/7, whether you’re open or closed, so use your sign to advertise your business’s services, logo, and brand even when you leave the shop.
Your primary sign should state your business’s name, which often indicates its purpose as well. However, if your primary sign doesn’t clearly indicate what your business sells, consider adding other signs that tell potential customers what they can expect. You can also add an image to your primary sign that clarifies what you sell.
Choose a brightly colored sign that contrasts with your business’s exterior-the contrast makes it much easier to read quickly. Potential customers should have the ability to see your sign from both the street and sidewalk. Invest in quality signage materials that will last awhile and complement your business’s shopping district.
3. Have Easily Accessible Bathrooms
Many stores display “no public bathrooms” signs in their windows. While this might seem to keep out the ruffians, it also gives your store an unfriendly, unwelcoming persona.
Even if it initially feels counterintuitive, try opening your bathrooms to the public. Clear the route to the bathroom; make it easy to spot and access. You can avoid constant questions about where to find the bathrooms by posting clear signs and directions.
Line the route to the bathroom with your most eye-catching merchandise and on-sale products. This encourages impulse buys from people who thought they only stopped by for the bathrooms. Since Americans spend more than $4 billion per year on impulse buys, this is one market you can’t afford to pass up.
4. Maintain Your Façade and Landscape
Step outside and see how your business looks from the street. Can you find cracks in the paint? Do the shrubs or bushes look a little overgrown? Do the windows gleam, or do they look a little bit grimy?
Fix any problems you see with your business’s exterior, no matter how small. Trim back sprawling shrubs, ivy, or bushes. Scrub the windows and consider a new paint job if the current paint looks old, bland, or cracked. Fix any sidewalk cracks and shovel snow as soon as it piles up.
Remember that preventative maintenance is a lot easier-and more affordable-than major changes and repairs. As long as you stay on top of your business’s maintenance, you’ll have much less to worry about in the future.
5. Add Greenery
If you have the space, try adding some greenery around your business. Something as simple as a rosebush can make your exterior look more engaging, alive, and welcoming. Remember to regularly trim your greenery so your business continues to look sleek instead of sloppy.
Implement these five tips to improve your business’s appearance and increase foot traffic to your store. You’ll be more satisfied with your business-and, most importantly, so will your customers.
