How Is Your Interior Advertising? Sign Audit
Posted on Tue, Jan 31, 2012
Anyone who has read any of my books or has heard me speak will know how passionate I am about the topic of Interior Advertising, aka Signage. I believe it is the most misunderstood and under-utilized tool in retailing today.
Signage can enhance the customer’s experience as well as making significant sales increases. That is why I am finally finishing my book, Signs Sell. I have published it for specific industries and am now finishing the all-encompassing book for all retailers.
The following is an excerpt from the book which is a Sign Audit that will help you to assess your interior advertising. The score is important, but it's more important for you to read all of the questions and think about the possibilities. Signage works. Signs Sell.
There are 50 questions. Each question is worth 2 points. At the end there is an answer key and AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT YOUR SCORES MEAN.
Interior Sign Audit
1. What is the total number of signs that you have in the store?
a. 10 or More b. 9 or less
2. Do you have a calendar of upcoming events sign in the Threshold Area of the store?
a. Yes b. No
3. Do you have Welcoming Signs in the Threshold Area of the store?
a. Yes b. No
4. Do you have Signs featuring a special service or product in the Threshold Area of the store?
a. Yes b. No
5. Within the store, do you have Single Price Only Signs?
a. Yes b. No
6. Within the store, do you have Signs with sell words?
a. Yes b. No
7. Within the store, do you have Product Benefit Signs?
a. Yes b. No
8. Within the store, do you have Educational Signs?
a. Yes b. No
9. Within the store, do you have Brand Building Signs?
a. Yes b. No
10. Within the store, do you have Sale Signs?
a. Yes b. No
11. Within the store, do you have Event Theme Signs?
a. Yes b. No
12. Within the store, do you have your Policy Signs clearly displayed?
a. Yes b. No
13. Within the store, do you have Mission Statement Signs?
a. Yes b. No
14. Within the store, do you have Clearance Area Signs?
a. Yes b. No
15. Within the store, do you have Entertaining Signs throughout the store?
a. Yes b. No
16. Within the store, do you have Informational Signs?
a. Yes b. No
17. Within the store, do you have a Sign with pictures of actual customers or pictures of the type of customer that would shop at the store?
a. Yes b. No
18. Within the store, do you have Testimonial Signs with customer quotes?
a. Yes b. No
19. Within the store, do you have Testimonial Signs with customer pictures & quotes?
a. Yes b. No
20. Within the store, do you have Directional Signs?
a. Yes b. No
21. Within the store, do you have Time Saving Signs?
a. Yes b. No
22. Within the store, do you have Stress Saving Signs?
a. Yes b. No
23. Within the store, do you have any Signs with Environmental Issues?
a. Yes b. No
24. Do you have Signs in the bathroom area?
a. Yes b. No
25. Do you have signs that thank the customer as they are leaving the store?
a. Yes b. No
26. Do your signs have a theme?
a. Yes b. No
27. Are your signs color-coordinated and uniform?
a. Yes b. No
28. Do you frame your signs?
a. Yes b. No
29. Do you use handwritten signage?
a. Yes b. No
30. Do you allow vendor signs?
a. Yes b. No
31. Do you plan and change your signage regularly?
a. Yes b. No
32. Do you identify departments with signage?
a. Yes b. No
33. Do you offer a sign that has a store map?
a. Yes b. No
34. Do you have signs that tell compelling stories?
a. Yes b. No
35. Do your signs enhance your products?
a. Yes b. No
36. Do your signs enhance your Employees’ Performance?
a. Yes b. No
37. Do your signs enhance the customers’ Shopping Experience?
a. Yes b. No
38. Do you have a sign maker or sign software that you use?
a. Yes b. No
39. Do you use an outside sign shop?
a. Yes b. No
40. Is the sign shop a national franchise or company?
a. Yes b. No
41. Is the sign shop a locally owned independent company?
a. Yes b. No
42. Would your business fall off more than 15% if you eliminated all of your signage?
a. Yes b. No
43. Would your business fall off more than 25% if you eliminated all of your signage?
a. Yes b. No
44. Do your signs answer the most common questions that your customers want to have answered?
a. Yes b. No
45. Do your signs address the needs of the first-time customer in the store?
a. Yes b. No
46. Are your handwritten signs consistent and professional looking?
a. Yes b. No
47. Do you use any Floor Signs (the kind that adhere to the floor)?
a. Yes b. No
48. Do customers talk about your signage for ease of shopping or entertainment value?
a. Ease of shopping b. Entertainment
49. Do you have one person in the store responsible for all of your signage?
a. Yes b. No
50. Do you have a fair balance between Informative Signage- Sale Signs Educational Signs and Entertaining signs.
a. No b. Yes
ANSWER KEY
All YES answers are worth two points.
90 to 100 – You are a sign master
80 to 90 – You are aware of great signage but need a little work
70 to 80 – You are still pretty good but it’s time to study
60 to 70 – Acceptable but you are missing opportunities
Less than 60 – Time to go back to Sign School
|
1 A
|
11 A
|
21 A
|
31 A
|
41 A
|
|
2 A
|
12 A
|
22 A
|
32 A
|
42 A
|
|
3 A
|
13 A
|
23 A
|
33 A
|
43 B
|
|
4 A
|
14 A
|
24 A
|
34 A
|
44 A
|
|
5 B
|
15 A
|
25 A
|
35 A
|
45 A
|
|
6 A
|
16 A
|
26 A
|
36 A
|
46 A
|
|
7 A
|
17 A
|
27 A
|
37 A
|
47 A
|
|
8 A
|
18 B
|
28 A
|
38 A
|
48 A
|
|
9 A
|
19 A
|
29 B
|
29 B
|
49 A
|
|
10 A
|
20 A
|
30 AM
|
30 B
|
50 B
|