Signage is a critical component of the marketing and communication strategies for gas stations and convenience stores (c-stores), helping to attract and inform customers while also reinforcing the brand's identity and ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
Today’s gas stations and C-stores forecourt contain a lot of elements including lighting, landscaping, fuel dispensing islands and canopy, charging stations, parking, drive-up area, and ingress and egress zones for pedestrians and vehicles, but no element may be more important than the signage.
“There is an old tried and true quote that states: “The outside appearance of a business must hold the promise of what lies within!”,” says Jim Callahan in CStore Decisions.
Driving customers inside is vital in the gas station and C-store sector with some estimates that fuel margins are 7 percent vs. inside margins of 20 to 30 percent.
“Outdoor signage can play a role in driving sales and traffic. Exterior signage and window displays add curbside appeal to your store. In fact, 76 percent of shoppers indicate they entered a store they never visited before simply based on its signage. Doing a good job here can help convert foot traffic into store traffic,” wrote Rob Roy in Convenience Store News.
C-stores and gas stations can only know if their signage is working for them if they regularly conduct an audit of their business signage.
Essential Role Signage Plays for Gas Stations and C-Stores
Signage plays an essential role for gas stations and convenience stores for several reasons:
- Attracting customers: Eye-catching and well-placed signage can draw the attention of potential customers, especially those who may be driving by or walking nearby. This is particularly important for gas stations and convenience stores located in high-traffic areas or along busy highways.
- Communicating important information: Signage can be used to convey essential information to customers, such as prices, promotions, hours of operation, and payment methods accepted. Clear and concise signage can help ensure that customers have all the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions.
- Enhancing brand recognition: Signage can also help to reinforce a brand's identity and create a sense of familiarity among customers. A consistent and recognizable brand image can help to build customer loyalty and encourage repeat business.
- Ensuring safety and compliance: Gas stations and convenience stores are subject to various safety regulations, and signage can be used to communicate important safety information, such as warnings about flammable materials, no-smoking policies, and emergency procedures.
The Importance of Conducting a Business Signage Audit
Conducting a routine or annual business signage audit is important for several reasons:
- ID Signs That are Not Working: A business sign audit can help to ensure that your signage is still effective and meeting your needs. Over time, signs can become faded, damaged, or outdated, and they may no longer be as visible or eye-catching as they once were. An audit can help you to identify any signs that need to be repaired or replaced.
- Improve Your Business Signage: A signage audit can help you to identify any areas where your signage could be improved. For example, you may find that your signs are not clear enough, or that they are not placed in the most effective locations. An audit can help you to make changes to your signage that will improve its effectiveness and help you to reach more customers.
- Keep up with Technology: A signage audit can help you to stay up to date on the latest trends in signage design and technology. There are always new and innovative ways to use signage to market your business, and an audit can help you to make sure that you are using the most effective methods possible.
- Save Money: A signage audit can help you to save money. By identifying and repairing or replacing outdated or damaged signs, you can avoid the cost of having to replace them entirely. Additionally, by making improvements to your signage, you can increase its effectiveness and attract more customers, which can lead to increased sales and profits.
Prepping for Your Business Sign Audit
Before starting your business sign audit for your gas station or C-store, you need a thorough understanding of your client or customer base.
Start by asking the following questions:
- What direction does the vehicle traffic flow to and from your location and from what nearby roads is your business signage visible?
- How much of your C-store or gas station traffic is by vehicle and what percentage are solo drivers and what percentage have passengers?
- How much of your C-store or gas station traffic is on foot or other non-motor transportation and from what direction do they travel?
Keep in mind that a business signage audit includes all your signage, inside and outside your location, not just your main brand and gas price signage.
The role of signage does not stop once a customer is attracted to the location, but on-site smaller signage is key to getting customers to come into the store. It’s no secret that with low margins at the pump, retailers that want to turn a healthy profit, need customers to make purchases inside their stores.
Best Practices for a Business Sign Audit
When you audit your business signage it helps to have a fresh perspective and try the following tactics:
- View your signage at different hours of the day, obviously signage at night will look much different than in the daylight.
- Approach your location on both foot and by vehicle, noting signage.
- Have more than one set of eyes view the signage, especially noting that seniors or older patrons may view signage differently than younger customers.
Here are some best practices for conducting a business sign audit:
- ID Signs to Inspect: Start by identifying all the signs that you have, both inside and outside of your business.
- Condition: Evaluate each sign to determine its condition and effectiveness.
- Current: Nothing is worse than a gas station or C-store with signage that is outdated or no longer applicable. One of the advantages of modern profit boards and LED message centers is the availability to refresh the signage at any time from anywhere with an internet connection. Make sure all your signs are current and relevant.
- Visibility: Advances in LED lighting can make older signs with legacy lighting less visible than the latest offerings such as PWM’s SMD LED price sign digits.
- Branding: Make sure your signs are consistent with your business's current branding.
- Compliance: Local, state, and federal laws and regulations change so make sure your signs are compliant with the current rules including ADA requirements.
- Missed Opportunities: Not only should you inspect the signage you have in place but your audit should include missed opportunities – where should you offer new signage from pump toppers to store windows to nano signboards?
- Action List: Make a list of any signs that need to be added, repaired, replaced, or improved.
- Planning: Develop a plan to implement the necessary repairs or improvements.
- Schedule: Schedule regular audits to ensure that your signage remains in good condition and meets your needs.
- Note It: Keep detailed notes of your business signage, comparing notes from previous audits.
By conducting regular business signage audits, you can ensure that your signage is always effective and meeting your needs. This can help you to reach more customers, increase sales, and boost your profits.
