The world of advertising is changing, and going digital. Unfortunately, a lot of business owners out there still avoid using Digital Signage because they simply don’t understand them, or have misconceived notions of them being either too expensive, or too difficult to use. So we’re here to ask the question, how can Digital Signage be effective? How much is too much information when it comes to digital advertising? How can you advertise your business effectively in a short amount of time? What is the best way to encourage customers to come into your business, using LED technology?
This post is meant to answer all of those questions for you, and get you on the road to more effective marketing with your new Digital Signage!
Digital Signage – Know your message
The first step to making a good impression with Digital Signage is knowing exactly what kind of message your sign is trying to send. You can’t put too much information in one place – so it is important to know exactly what you want your customers to see from your sign. For example, put out your wine prices and BOGO deals on special nights! Check out these additional tips for effective digital advertising for a better idea of how to narrow down the message you want to display with your digital signage for restaurants.
Digital Signage – Grabbing Attention
One of the most common reasons business owners will invest in digital signage is to quickly grab the attention of customers, and pique their interest. If the main purpose of your sign is to get attention, you don’t need to worry too much about the information it displays – it is more about using flashy colors and imagery to draw a customer in.
Signs that focus on grabbing attention should get straight to the point, focus on displaying the business’s name or logo in an appealing way, and make people curious to learn more. Use imagery that relates, directly or indirectly, to the service your business provides. (Pictures of happy people eating, for example, could lead people into your restaurant).
You might want to consider the psychology of colors in advertising when designing your display.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Digital Signage – Providing Information
While attention-grabbing signs can be great for restaurants or theme parks, other types of businesses may need to use signs to display important information, like dates, times or emergency information. In those cases, it is more important to focus on the information itself, instead of the way it is displayed.
If you care about sending a simple, informative message with your sign, try to use bold text and simple background. It is important to keep flashy animation to a minimum, so that readers can easily see the text and understand the message quickly.
Schools are a great example of a location that will want to focus on informative, instead of attention-grabbing, signs. Learn more about our Digital School Signs with an LED sign to help special school events go more smoothly.
Advertising on-site
Most businesses who invest in Digital Signage will want to use it on-site, at their business. This kind of advertising makes the most sense for restaurants, stores, bars and other businesses that are interested in drawing customers into their location. On-site signs can encourage passers-by to come into the business, call, or just visit your website to learn more.
You want on-site advertising to be eye-catching and intriguing, while still sending a clear message. One of the most important things to remember is that people who are walking or driving by your business and see your sign will not have much time to read it – you should keep your message short, sweet and to the point, so that readers can absorb and understand it in just a quick glance.
It is also important to include a call to action in your on-site display. That could be an encouragement to come inside, call or visit a website to learn more. The point is to catch a readers attention with the display, then lead them to a source of more information. LED signs at your business location can give you an upper hand over the competition.
Advertising Off-site
A less common, but still super effective, use of LED digital signs is to advertise somewhere outside of the location of your business. These types of signs are great for advertising a product or encouraging customers to come in to your location. Imagine a sign off the freeway encouraging customers to check out their Bingo night at a local casino, or a food and truck stop a few miles ahead. These off-site signs can be just as effective as on-site signs if your location is a little off the beaten path.
The most important factor of an off-site sign is the call to action. Because the sign is not placed at your business, you have to give the reader a way of getting more information about it. Just like with on-site advertising, it is crucial to send that message quickly – readers are generally on the move, and don’t have much time to spend looking up at a sign.
A quick, catchy slogan or logo with your business’s web address is enough for an effective off-site sign. Place it somewhere your targeted demographic is likely to see it. A flashy LED display will get customers’ attention much more than a traditional billboard.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Digital Signage – Using time efficiently
No matter what kind of message you are trying to send with your digital signage, you need to make sure that you can send it in an appropriate amount of time. Consider the location and purpose of your sign to know what kind of time limit to shoot for.
As a general reference, the only displays that should take longer than 2-3 seconds to read will be for trusted institutions like schools or churches – signs that are displaying important information to a set customer base. Other than that, you will want to keep your displays quick and straight to the point.
If your sign is going to be placed on the side of the road, it is especially crucial to use time efficiently. Drivers do not have much time to read a billboard. You will want to use a quick message that sticks in a reader’s brain, with a simple call to action. Make the most of your LED sign with bright colors and animations, but make sure that what sticks with the reader is the overall message.
Effective call to action
We have said it a few times in this post already, but one of the most important aspects of your digital sign is the call to action. A call to action is a message that encourages readers to take the next step and learn more about your business or product. It can be a link to your business’s website, a phone number, or just an invitation to step into the location.
One of the best ways to set up a call to action is to make the reader feel like they are missing out on some kind of important information.
Your advertisement should leave them with an unanswered question, which they will have to pursue the call to action to answer. Take a look at some effective calls to action to find the best way to do it for your business.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Digital Signs – Keeping it relevant
Last but not least, your LED sign should always be relevant to the message you are trying to send. To get an idea of what kind of colors, fonts or imagery to use, try putting yourself in your customers’ shoes, and consider the things that are important to them.
If you are advertising a country music concert, for example, you might want to use patriotic imagery like American flags. For a children’s amusement park, you will want to use happy, kid-friendly imagery and bright colors.
Conclusion
LED digital signs are the future of advertising. Don’t miss out on a chance to attract more customers or send your message effectively just because you don’t know how to use and LED sign.
Keep your message concise and to the point so that readers can absorb it in a short amount of time. Use attention-grabbing imagery. If your sign is more about conveying important information than getting attention, focus on simple backgrounds and bold fonts. And, most importantly, always include an effective call to attention in your display.
Want to learn more about LED digital signs and how they can benefit your business? Check out MEGA LED technology for more information and LED sign options. Or fill out a brief form for a free quote.
