UK SMEs say exterior signs remain essential

Written by Colin Gillman on 26 September 2011.

Craig_Brown_Managing_Director_Signs_Express

A new independent study has revealed that businesses in the UK believe that a traditional exterior sign is one of the top essential marketing tools; second only to a website.

Signs Express has commissioned an independent research company to poll 1,000 SME businesses (with a demographic of 1-200 employees) across the UK to better understand the role that signage plays in their overall business marketing and branding strategies. The company says the results will help it to better anticipate and respond to its end user customers’ needs; identify their priorities and concerns; ultimately helping businesses across the country to be more effective in the way that they present themselves.

The results show that the top three choices for marketing a business from scratch are a website (81%), an exterior sign (56%) and printed brochures or leaflets (48%). The least popular choices include an advert in the Yellow Pages (8%) and a two-week billboard poster campaign (6%). Online advertising of products and services is favoured by a quarter (25%) of businesses surveyed.

Looking in more detail at corporate views on traditional signs, graphics and displays; over three quarters (76%) of UK businesses surveyed said that these elements play in important role in their marketing activity. Main exterior signs ranked as the most important (43%); while vehicle graphics (36%), exhibition displays (19%) and entrance gate signs (19%) also proved popular. Cited as of least importance to their marketing activities, were point of sale displays (10%) and notice boards (8%).

Craig Brown (pictured), managing director at Signs Express, says: “In today’s digital age, a company website will always be an essential part of the marketing mix. Our research proves that exterior signs, which have been around for hundreds of years, are however still holding their own; coming second in the top three choices for effectively marketing a business.”

www.signsexpress.co.uk

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