How do you Test a real physcial Sign ?

8 replies
A family member is spending big bucks to redo a sign on his restaurant. It struck me that he is going full tilt on the change without even so much as a once over by someone.

The people here are smart. There must be an online way to test an offline sign or billboard before spending big bucks. Heck this could be a whole industry if somone dug in.

Any ideas on how this might be done?
#physcial #real #sign
  • Profile picture of the author Justin Michie
    I guess it depends on what part of it you want to test, but I've used newspaper classified ads to test headlines.

    If it's just colors, sizes etc. then they could probably run a poll among their customers and give them $5 or $10 off their next meal for their opinion.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bryan Toder
      I have a brick-and-mortar business so I am speaking from experience:

      Get him to buy a nice BANNER at a quick-sign shop. Before he puts up a real sign, use the banner which may cost 100 bucks or so... compared to a sign which, with installation, could cost thousands.

      He can TEST the banner by putting different ones up! (Maybe, they can "switch out" the lettering or cover them up with alternative slogans, typeface, etc.)

      A real sign is advertising. Ads need to be TESTED.

      Even signs.
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
    Great ideas. I'm wondering how data would be collected.

    Classified Ads
    Banners
    Customer Survey - Discount

    You guys have my brain working. I'm going to put a survey up on his website with a pic of the old and new sign and let them vote. That's one idea.
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    Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Bryan took my idea, so I'll just add this to his...

      Here in my part of Florida, a lot of businesses run on a main highway in little clumps set back a bit from the road. One thing that seems to be very effective is to take a banner, wrap it across the side of a van, and park it where the traffic can't miss it.

      Change the banner and measure the results...
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      • Profile picture of the author kf
        Pay a designer to do three mock-ups of a new sign.

        Put them on a board that wait staff or owner can easily carry to the table, or stick on an easel.

        Ask current customers to vote for their preference. Don't make a big deal of it - ask them for their 'first blush' impression. Get them to choose immediately. They arent' judging headlines, or colors, etc. You will later - all you want from them is their immediate reaction. Most people will pick one right away, or pick one they *don't* like right away.

        Give them a coupon to thank them.

        Call it a 'vote' and run a mini-contest. Have a jar for #1 votes, #2 votes, etc. Draw a winner from each jar at the end. Have some fun with it.
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        Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything. ~ Alexander Hamilton
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      • Profile picture of the author Bryan Toder
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        Bryan took my idea, so I'll just add this to his...
        Maybe that's a sign...? :p
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by Bryan Toder View Post

          Maybe that's a sign...? :p
          Great minds run in similar tracks, I guess...
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  • Profile picture of the author cjdcool
    I think so.
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