If the sound of a bulldozer or jackhammer sends shivers down your spine, you may be a business owner who knows first hand the trials of road construction near your business.
When those ‘Construction Ahead’ signs suddenly sprout in front of your door, there are several ways you can mitigate the damage. The most important step to take, even before the jackhammers hit that blacktop, is to have your sign shop create temporary signage. That will keep your walk-in and drive-by business from hitting a profit-whacking slump.
It’s not that people don’t want to visit your establishment. It’s that construction can make it awfully hard to do so if the local highway department just dug a small version of the Grand Canyon right in front of your store.
One of the best strategies you can use to reduce the financial impact to your business is to ensure you have a highly visible message that tells your customers you are definitely open.
Putting up a large vinyl banner on the exterior of your building is the first order of business. In fact, you’ll need several banners of various sizes to help direct people to your shop’s entrance. Reward the brave customer on a disrupted sidewalk or street by offering an enticing discount. Then, advertise that hot deal in bold letters on a large banner. Offering a well-publicized discount will encourage customers to brave the mess.
If you have a grassy area visible from the street, plastic corrugated signage can be used to construct a temporary way-finding system. You’ve probably seen such corrugated signage, in which each sign has a word or two in bold letters to direct a customer to your store’s entrance. You’ve seen it, because it’s an effective temporary technique.
Once construction is done, have a vinyl banner imprinted with a big ‘Thank You!’ to those loyal customers who kept your business going through the disruption. When the last highway construction vehicle pulls away, breathe a sigh of relief. You survived!