Some people find the holidays to be a stressful time. Those people are known as retailers. In fact, the only thing more stressful than dealing with crowds of shoppers is the fear of not dealing with crowds of shoppers. Online was already biting into mall and foot traffic, and now Cyber Monday is stretching to become Cyber November through December. It is more critical than ever to grab the attention of passersby and entice them into your store.

One of the best ways to achieve this goal is with thoughtful and festive holiday Signage. Effective signage is informative, attractive, and – especially around this time of year – fun. It can make people want to swing into your store. And at this highly competitive time, when retailers are looking to finish the year strong, that is precisely what you need.

If using outdoor signage, make sure it is up to the task.

During the winter, outdoor signs, even temporary ones, are exposed to a wide range of harsh conditions. Depending on your region, an outdoor sign may experience punishing sunlight (even in cold weather), cruel winds, and pelting snow, rain, and ice. It’s a lot to ask even an inanimate object to deal with.

Fortunately, you can make sure that you have the right signage, and it is up to the task. By taking the average winter temperature and typical weather conditions of your area into consideration, you can work with your vendor to utilize the right materials and ensure that your sign remains clear and vibrant.

Use your windows to tell a story.

The holidays are all about storytelling. Whether it’s the tale of the first Thanksgiving or Frosty the Snowman on TV, we all love a good holiday narrative.

With a little creativity (and enough display space), you can design your front windows be your storyteller. That’s not referring to storytelling in the traditional narrative sense. An effective storytelling window display provides the viewer with an experience.

It’s understood that you don’t have the budget or time to try and rival a Saks Fifth Avenue display. That’s ok – all you need is a theme. From there you can decide how the products you wish to display can be used to illustrate that theme. How can you use the available space to tell a fun story that will attract a crowd – and maybe make people want to share it on social media?

Do they know it’s the holidays, at all?

The holidays are an emotional time, and it can be fun to emphasize that emotional aspect in your signage. This is not to suggest being treacly (unless that fits with your brand) – joy is an emotion, happiness is an emotion. You can incorporate the typical iconography and sayings that bring to mind the holiday spirit in your signage.

Bear in mind, however, that unless your store caters to a very specific demographic, such as a Christian bookstore, you cannot be certain what “the holidays” mean to your customers. A wealth of holidays are celebrated around this time – Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus (seriously, it’s Dec. 23). It is not insulting to wish someone “Happy Holidays;” it’s thoughtful. To strive to be inclusive is a good thing – it is, after all, the holiday time.

Deck the halls, but decal the windows.

If you don’t have space for a full window display, consider sprucing up your windows with decals. Decals take up no additional space but can communicate (nearly) as much as a full display. With custom decals you can be as creative as you wish – you can even create a custom design around the theme for your holiday season. Consider creating a new decal to commemorate this time of year every year, similar to Starbucks and their holiday cups.

Another benefit to decals is that they are designed so their application and removal is a simple process. You can use window decals to promote sales and specials without worrying about any hassle when those promotions need to change.

Guide customers through your store.

During the holidays, you are likely to have newcomers who have never been in your store before. Plus, the chances are that you’ve ramped up your inventory for holiday sales. So, your store may feel a little more cramped than usual, which can add a slight layer of difficulty to navigating your aisles.

The last thing you want is a new visitor to feel lost, confused, or frustrated. Help them find their way – and the exact items they are looking for – with some prominent signage. Effective signage is like having an employee available at all times to direct traffic. It will make people feel comfortable and more likely to hang around your store and browse.

Have fun.

It’s a festive time of year, so try to make your signage equally festive. You may want to include a dimensional effect, a bunch of glittery colors, or a light box (with silicone edge graphics). Adding these elements or similar ones will not only grab attention it will also continue to convey a fun and festive mood.

Of course, fun can not only include what is on your signs but also where they are located. Consider hanging some of your festive signage from the ceiling. Banners and flags are a great way to recapture the attention of visitors whose minds may have wandered away from your products.

Or you may consider the exact opposite and go with some floor graphics. These offer another way for you to express your creativity because you can completely change the look of your aisles. Good floor graphics are scratch and scuff resistant so that heavy traffic doesn’t ruin them and are ideal for short-term holiday promotions.

Focus on highly trafficked areas.

Speaking of placement, while it is important to have signage throughout your store, you want to be sure that it is located in highly trafficked locations where you can notify the most people about your specials and promotions. Also, if you have any customer appreciation benefits – like gift wrapping – you want to make sure that your visitors are aware.

High-traffic areas include the store’s entrance, main aisles, and the path to the register.

Always include your branding.

Sure, we’re all in the holiday spirit and want to incorporate lights and festive colors on all signs, but don’t let your branding suffer. You want to keep your signage consistent with your brand – similar fonts, color scheme, etc. If you go entirely against your established branding, your attempts at holiday joy will come across as chaotic and messy. Not the feeling you are trying to evoke in visitors.

Also, be sure to include your logo – you can even have some fun with this. For example, you could turn your logo into an ornament or a candy cane. Also, if you have a social media presence, you should include hashtags and Twitter handles on your signage. Maybe add a QR Code and find a fun way to blend your online and physical presence.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Whether you use one style of signage or a joyful blend of banners, window decals, and silicone edge graphics you are going to spread holiday cheer and brand awareness. For more festive ideas for holiday signs or to unwrap ways we can lighten up your signage this season, give The Trade Group a call at 800-343-2005.

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