When you open up a new restaurant, you are probably entering a crowded field. When people are looking for something to eat, they already have a slew of varied choices, and yours isn’t likely to make a splash unless you can get people’s attention. That’s where a good sign comes into play. In fact, you really do need more than one if you expect to get any business whatsoever.
Cabinet Signs
Cabinet signs are named for the fact that they are hollow and backlit. The front panel is usually made of a colored semi-transparent material so that the light can show through. For a new restaurant business, we would definitely advise putting one of these on the front of your establishment.
At night, people look for these large and well-lit cabinet signs. Most people do it unconsciously, and you have probably done so yourself. At night, those are just the easiest things to spot. When you are competing for attention, maximum visibility is the key, and a backlit cabinet sign gives you just that.
A-Frames
A-frames are traditionally placed on the sidewalk outside of a restaurant. It might surprise you to know that something this simple can be very effective. Of course, no one is going to see this sign from a mile away (like a billboard), but it can be a great way to attract pedestrian traffic into the store.
These signs are meant to target a very specific range of customers: The kind that happens to be walking along the sidewalk and just so happens to be kind of hungry. An A-frame sign will usually contain a list of the restaurant’s specials for the day, and they will often catch the eye of a passing pedestrian. In essence, this is like standing out on the street with a plate of food and offering it to people, except that it’s a lot less creepy and invasive.
Highway Signs
When a person is on the highway for a long road trip, they will almost certainly stop for food. Most people don’t bring their own, so this can translate into more business for you. In many cases, exit signs will be accompanied by signs that show the eating establishments in the general vicinity of that exit. If possible, you want to make sure that your business is included on that sign.
Electronic Message Centers
As we said before, it’s all about getting the customer’s attention and then offering them something they want. While a well-lit sign does a lot for you in this department, an electronic message center might be even better. Moving lights will be more likely to capture attention than stationary lights, so you can get a good combination of both by putting an EMC underneath your main cabinet sign.
As for the information to be displayed, it might include merchandise information, prices, specials, sales, holiday messages, or anything else that you want your customers to see. If nothing else, it might have a promotional message or a catchphrase.
Pylon Signs
These are the huge signs that you can only see from far away. Depending on where you are located, you may or may not need one of these. If you are located in the middle of a busy urban center, you don’t really need a large pylon sign. At most, you might opt for a smaller one like a monument sign beside the driveway that leads to your business.
However, restaurants that are located along the highway will most certainly need a large pole sign. The taller, the better! We already mentioned the highway signs that are often placed near exits. These are a factor, but it should be noted that the average person will only see that sign for a few seconds, and the driver might not see it at all. However, a tall and well-lit pole sign will be much more easily noticed. At night, a sign like this will stand out like a beacon, and that is what you want.
Naturally, these signs are more expensive. They represent a lot more time, trouble, and risk to build. As such, you might as well be prepared for a financial hit. Still, choosing the right company can make a little bit of a difference. Just make sure that any metals used in the sign are thickly coated. If this big, tall sign pole rusts and falls over, you will be held liable for the damages. We probably don’t have to tell you that such a situation can result in injury, loss of life, and a lot of fines for you.
Interior Promo Signs
So far, we have mainly talked about exterior signs. Obviously, exterior signs are the most important ones. The outside signs are the ones that bring customers through the door, but it is also helpful to have some signs inside of your establishment.
The best location for these types of signs would be the point of purchase. When the customer is deciding what they want, the promo material should be right there to present a suggestion for them. For a restaurant, this might take the form of a small sign by the register or a small folding display on the table.
Conclusion
We hope that this list of common business sign types has been helpful to you, the enterprising restauranteur. We hope that you will have all the success you deserve, and we would leave you with this little word of wisdom: When you are marketing for a restaurant, you are not trying to reason with the customer. You are trying to appeal to an animalistic need, and that should be remembered.
When a person is hungry, they are usually going to seek out the first thing that looks good. If you aren’t the first thing that catches their fancy, you probably won’t get their business no matter how good your food might be. If you have found our advice to be helpful, you can get a little more of it by filling out the contact form.