Marketing Monday: Signs, Signs, Signs

The lights were blinking and bubbles were floating over my head. The twirling ice cream cone on the corner of another building caught my eye. The chalk drawn food specials listing alligator bites and lobster macaroni-n-cheese were at my feet. Signs, signs, signs where everywhere. I probably missed a thousand of them. No I was not in a middle of a deep dream with a hungry stomach; I was at the New York State Fair.

I am not writing this Marketing Monday post to activate your saliva glands but to highlight, without bubbles popping out of your computer screen, that signs are a cool way to let people know what you are selling, doing or offering. I’m not sure what type of marketing signs you use to promote your business at an event or in public, but think about the opportunity you are missing if you aren’t “advertising” your company in the place your customers might be.

During the 2017 Boston Marathon Weekend, I had the duty of carrying an exact replica of 261 Fearless Founder Kathrine Switzer , an icon in the running world, with me to a couple venues. Since Kathrine garners a lot of attention in real life, I can attest to Kathrine garnering attention as a cardboard image too. I was stopped many times to have Kathrine’s photo taken (not mine) for people who recognized her. I jokingly said, “People love flat Kathrine more than they like, fat Tracy carrying her!” It was the truth I had to walk away from the image so others could get their photo taken with her or I had to hand over flat Kathrine so I could take a photo of Kathrine with the admirer.

So imagine what a life size cardboard cutout of YOU to garner attention for your business while you are talking or selling to others? I know in Staples can produce large cut out signs for little money. Signs can be ordered online too quite inexpensively. Why not host a creative meeting with your team to dream up a perfect sign, if you don’t want a life size image of yourself, to get printed to bring to upcoming events?

All I’m saying is sometimes businesses, people, and opportunities need some help with promotion so why not spend money and get yourself a really cool sign Leave a signup sheet or have a place to collect business cards or names?