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Sign of the Times
Planning a signage program is a critical, but often forgotten, part of store design. Here's a guide to creating eye-catching graphics
By Larry Ruderman

Successful retailers have awakened to the marketing value of signage and graphics. Presenting the key elements in signing your store can create a strong, unified image.

With a high-visibility location in Manhattan, Leonard Opticians communicates using visual tools. "Our graphics and signage are vital to customer service," says owner, Arthur Leonard. "The customer must feel at ease, and well coordinated graphics and signage go a long way in accomplishing this for us."

Just some of the many graphics and signage opportunities include:

■ Introducing new collections.

■ Increasing brand awareness.

■ Establishing store image and identity via unique signage.

■ Providing product descriptions and price points.

■ Reinforcing outside advertising campaigns through in-store signage.

■ Enhancing customer service and satisfaction through signs that inform, educate, and assist.

■ Cross-selling products by directing traffic between departments.

From the entrance to the back wall, Leonard Opticians in New York uses graphics and signage to set the mood and inspire patients to make purchases

CREATIVE CONSIDERATIONS

Creating graphics that communicate your message help generate compelling and emotional reactions. Starting at the entrance, go for the "wow" factor. Establish unique window displays and great looking entry graphics that express the products in a fun and unique way.

Leonard designed a large, see-through eyeglass graphic on the door. This immediately shows customers the store's products and services.

Graphic signing in your environment raises creative and technical questions that must be answered:

Is your graphic message being read and understood? An analysis of your store's customers will help in designing signage concepts targeted to your specific clientele.

Can your message be read and seen clearly? Walk the store as a customer and look at your present signage and graphics to ensure that your customers are getting the right message and information.

Are you using the correct combination of materials and designs? Designs that are too upscale or too downscale for your demographic can make your customer uncomfortable.

Is your graphic approach consistent? A consistent representation of your message creates customer awareness of the message.

MEETING OBJECTIVES

Designing a complete retail graphics program requires planning. Graphic objectives must be synchronized with marketing objectives. The owners at Leonard Opticians use a three-tier graphic approach with the store owner/management, internal personnel, and graphics professionals.

Once your marketing objectives have been established, examine the creative, emotional, and practical aspects of your graphics and signage needs. Your retail environment contains hundreds of SKUs, many of them the same size and shape. Here signage and P.O.P. are necessary elements that help customers understand and identify product categories and brands.

Using manufacturers' displays and P.O.P. can increase sales volume and customer awareness of the brands you are selling. Work with manufacturers or sales reps to establish what is best suited for your store.

In addition to P.O.P., special light boxes have been designed for Leonard to present themed messages throughout the optical retail environment. Seating areas and desks are positioned to show the customer exciting images that convey product categories. The desk areas display frames, P.O.P., and mirrors, inspiring customers to buy.

Those optical retail environments, like Leonard Opticians, that have the right mix of merchandise and services—and consider their graphics to be an integral part of their total marketing program—will achieve a synergy that increases customer satisfaction and the bottom line. And isn't that what retailing is all about?

Larry Ruderman, president of the New York City-based Graphic Communications Group, is a strategist and consultant for in-store graphics. He can be reached via E-mail at lrgcg@aol.com.