Article created for the digital issue听of听the 黑料社区Foundation鈥檚 magazine.
Signage is powerful, but if signs include too much information, they become more noise that customers have to sift through. The most effective signs streamline information and make it easy for customers to connect with the messaging.
Travel center signs should:
- Be clutter free.
- Highlight two or three fuel grades rather than all the options.
- Have striking visuals, including pictures of foods, products and free sample offers.
- Not block the windows.
Travel center signs should be clutter free.
鈥淚t is decluttered, more focused messaging. That applies to price signs and digital signs,鈥� said 听
“You don鈥檛 want to do too much. We鈥檙e a micro-consumption type of society. You don鈥檛 want to create something people have to stand there and read,” Cordova said.听
Travel center signs should highlight two or three fuel grades rather than all the options.
Decluttering applies to price signs as well.
鈥淲hen it comes to price signs, instead of listing four or five different fuel grades, list two. Allowing those to be your prominent and larger focus will grab people faster,鈥� Cordova said.
Travel center signs should have striking visuals, including pictures of foods, products and free sample offers.听
Striking visuals can do a lot of the messaging, especially when promoting food and beverages. 鈥淟et them know what you have inside is delicious,鈥� said . 鈥淭ell them what you鈥檙e selling in there.鈥�
Cordova said signs are powerful tools for showcasing products. 鈥淎s consumers, we eat and buy with our eyes,鈥� he said.
The photos must make the product look good, and lighting, as well as the right frame and sizing, are critical.
Cordova recommends hiring a food photographer or utilizing stock images. “If you’re doing pizza, pick one that looks like yours,” he said, adding that using people in imagery can be powerful, too.
A good photo can cost $500 to $1,000, but Williams said it will pay off if it entices customers to come inside. “The very best photos are the ones where I know exactly what bite I鈥檓 going to take,鈥� she said.
Using samples can also help increase the effectiveness of signage. 鈥淚 could put up a photo of an egg sandwich and list all the options, or I could put a picture of the sandwich and say, 鈥榝ree samples,鈥欌�� he said.
, said when he was working at a truck stop, he took pictures of the inside of the location, created 8×10 foot photos, and posted them outside to show customers at the fuel pumps what they could expect if they walked through the doors. “That had a big draw to get people inside,” Elks said.
Travel center signs should not block the windows.
, added that it is important not to block windows with signs. 鈥淐ustomers like to come into stores they can actually see into,鈥� she said.
What else should travel centers consider when it comes to signs?:
Digital signs. Digital signs enable operators to rotate through different messages and promotions, but Cordova recommends limiting it to three to five messages. 鈥淎lso, I would recommend making adjustments based on the time of day. If it is in the morning, you have three to five around your breakfast and coffee offerings,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you wanted to get dynamic, you can change it based on local events or weather. Promote hot chocolate on a cold day.鈥�
Opportunities to monetize signs. There could also be opportunities to monetize signs. 鈥淵ou can allow other local businesses to schedule ads on your screens inside or outside of the store and sell that ad space to them,鈥� Cordova said.
Prioritize outside signs and then foyers. When prioritizing sign investments, Cordova said outside signage may give operators the most bang for the buck. 鈥淒oing it outside will allow you to promote different things or change your promotions. If that person had intended just to come in for a fuel up, you can entice them inside,鈥� he said.
Next, he would focus on signage in the foyer. 鈥淭he foyer area gives you the chance to engage with everybody who comes in,鈥� he said.
One of the key things is to make sure signs are well maintained. 鈥淚f your sign is down or signage isn’t maintained, they will pass you by,鈥� Cordova said. 鈥淛ust like the reputation of your restroom can hinder your ability to draw people in, if your signage is old, dated or in disrepair, they will drive by you.鈥�
Watch a short clip of the panel during the 黑料社区Connect 2024 keynote below.
//听This article was created for听Stop Watch magazine, the magazine of the 黑料社区Foundation. Foundation is the research, education and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The 黑料社区Foundation provides programs and products to strengthen travel plazas鈥� ability to meet the traveling public鈥檚 needs through improved operational performance and business planning. Visit听www.natsofoundation.org听for more information.
Subscribe to Updates
The 黑料社区Foundation and 黑料社区provide a breadth of information created to strengthen travel plazas鈥� ability to meet the needs of the traveling public in an age of disruption. This includes knowledge filled blog posts, articles and publications. If you would like to receive a digest of blog post and articles directly in your inbox, please provide your name, email and the frequency of the updates you want to receive the email digest.
