Most retail businesses rely on the holidays for an annual bump in revenue. The name “Black Friday” was derived from the fact that the end-of-year season was the point at which most businesses became profitable, or moved “into the black.” To take advantage of the peak sales period, many businesses use graphics media during the holidays to increase their exposure and drive sales.
Why Banner Media Is So Important During the Holidays
While online advertising is undoubtedly crucial in this day and age, it’s also important for retail organizations to advertise locally with banner media. Adding a banner to your marketing mix is one of the the most efficient and least expensive form of advertising available - there’s a reason it’s remained popular for so long. In fact, about half of retail customers have stated that they learn about a shop through its on-premises signs. There are several reasons banner media is such a strong sales-driver for businesses during the holidays:
- Increases the amount of foot traffic entering your business.
- Suitable for a variety of uses, including craft markets, fairs, and other events.
- Gives your business an identifiable “brand” to stand out as a leader in your industry.
- Draws more attention to popular holiday sales or special promotions.
Identifying The Location and Target Audience of Your Banner
It’s important to understand the range of possibilities when it comes to size and design of banner media and how they can relate to your business’s advertising strategy. Take into account factors such as whether the banner will be indoors or outdoors, or if the banner will be targeted towards drivers or pedestrians.
Because drivers only have a few seconds to absorb the sign’s message, those directed towards roadways should be larger and feature simple messaging and a bold graphic design. On the other hand, pedestrians have a longer amount of time to peruse your sign so the content of the message can be more informative and nuanced.
The Components of a Successful Banner Advertisement
The biggest challenge that faces businesses looking to add banner media to their advertising mix is cutting through busy visual landscape. Many of your competitors are likely also using signs to advertise, so you need to make sure your efforts stand out. Consumers have been shown to remember only a few companies in each market and a memorable banner ad helps to take a big step in improving brand visibility.
The most important aspects of a successful sign include the message, the graphic design and illustrations, and the layout of the copy and graphics. It will probably take some brainstorming and research from your marketing team to identify the best way to attract your target audience to determine exactly what will do the trick. However, there are a few steps that every advertising team can take to make your business’s holiday banner successful. Some tips for well designed, eye-catching graphics media include:
- Ensure the message makes it clear what products or services your organization offers.
- Use images to complement the written copy on your sign.
- Use colors that create a strong contrast between the font and background.
Pressure Sensitive Vinyl
A popular new trend in banner sign printing is pressure sensitive vinyl. In place of painting the lettering onto the banner, thin polyvinyl chloride with adhesive on the back is pressed onto the surface. Because it’s made from the same PVC material as the banner itself, the letters will expand and contract at the same rate. Pressure-sensitive vinyl lettering is a good choice for businesses that plan to reuse the same banners year-after-year because it’s durable and it’s easy to remove and add lettering to account for any changes to your message over time.
Use Premium Materials to Ensure a High-Quality Appearance
To consumers, banners say a lot about a business; two out of three people feel sign quality reflects a business’s quality. Purchasing premium sign materials like Herculite Bantex, keeping the sign clean, giving it a taut mounting, and using proper storage techniques are all important aspects of maintaining appealing banner media year after year. Premium banner media fabric offers several advantages over less-expensive, screen-grade options:
- Designed specifically for use with digital inkjet roll-to-roll printers.
- A higher level of stiffness eliminates common digital printing errors like head strikes, tracking issues, and wrinkling.
- Microtexture surface prevents dot gain and increases the resolution by up to 10% over smooth-surface banner fabric.
- Able to print with all types of ink, including all solvent, eco-solvent, UV Curable, and latex inkjet printers.
No matter how high-quality the banner materials you use might be, without proper care, cleaning, and maintenance, the sign will reflect poorly on your organization. Use a small amount of warm water and mild dish detergent to ensure the sign looks as good as new through prolonged use.
Make sure your banners and signs leave a great first impression. Download our free guide, Best Practices for Maintaining Seasonal Banners and Signs.
