Article created for the digital issue of the NATSO Foundation’s 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.
“It is decluttered, more focused messaging. That applies to price signs and digital signs,” said Cameron Cordova, vice president of sales at PMW Electronic Price Signs.
“You don’t want to do too much. We’re a micro-consumption type of society. You don’t want to create something people have to stand there and read,” Cordova said.
Travel center signs should highlight two or three fuel grades rather than all the options.
Decluttering applies to price signs as well.
“When 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,” Cordova said.
Travel center signs should have striking visuals, including pictures of foods, products and free sample offers.
Striking visuals can do a lot of the messaging, especially when promoting food and beverages. “Let them know what you have inside is delicious,” said Jessica Williams, founder and CEO of Food Forward Thinking. “Tell them what you’re selling in there.”
Cordova said signs are powerful tools for showcasing products. “As consumers, we eat and buy with our eyes,” 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’m going to take,” she said.
Using samples can also help increase the effectiveness of signage. “I 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, ‘free samples,’” he said.
Dale Elks, regional sales manager at DAS, 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.
Polly Flinn, founder of Flinnstone Strategies, added that it is important not to block windows with signs. “Customers like to come into stores they can actually see into,” 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. “Also, 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,” he said. “If you wanted to get dynamic, you can change it based on local events or weather. Promote hot chocolate on a cold day.”
Opportunities to monetize signs. There could also be opportunities to monetize signs. “You can allow other local businesses to schedule ads on your screens inside or outside of the store and sell that ad space to them,” 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. “Doing 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,” he said.
Next, he would focus on signage in the foyer. “The foyer area gives you the chance to engage with everybody who comes in,” he said.
One of the key things is to make sure signs are well maintained. “If your sign is down or signage isn’t maintained, they will pass you by,” Cordova said. “Just 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.”
Watch a short clip of the panel during the NATSO Connect 2024 keynote below.
// This article was created for Stop Watch magazine, the magazine of the NATSO Foundation. Foundation is the research, education and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The NATSO Foundation provides programs and products to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the traveling public’s needs through improved operational performance and business planning. Visit www.natsofoundation.org for more information.
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