Give us a sign and #market your business before it opens

I continue to be dumbfounded as to why new businesses going in around my town so seldom put up a sign very early to say what the establishment is going to be.  The ones that do put signs up create all sorts of buzz about coming to town, and many end up getting a big following and seem to do quite well. 

When businesses do put up a sign, it's usually a tiny little sign that you have to get really close to read, or it only has a business name.  It should be a big banner that is plain and easy to see with information on what your business will be.  Why not?  The cost is a drop in the bucket compared to the construction and your ongoing marketing costs.  Everyone's eyes are drawn toward construction sites.  Everyone's immediate question when they see construction is "Oh, I wonder what is going there".  It becomes a conversation piece that people tell their friends about.

Granted, you might be so busy with so many things going on to open your store that you don't think about getting a sign up, but that would be a mistake.  Get a big sign up early and get up a website - even if it is only a coming soon website.  You can start collecting names for marketing use later.  You can do something simple like give us your email and we'll send you a special grand opening invitation or offer.  I've seen construction take many months to get some places open - this is very inexpensive advertising that creates anticipation for you to open.

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