Some businesses like real estate depend heavily on word-of-mouth advertising. Current or previous clients tell their friends and family members about the business, and those friends and family members turn into new clients. Thanks to these referrals offered by satisfied customers, the business grows and expands with the assistance of the very people it serves. 

But what if your marketing strategy as a real estate agent is to capitalize on word of mouth referrals while also generating some leads of your own? Well, if that’s the case, then you might be looking to explore signage options to generate interest in your services. While word-of-mouth referrals may “talk you up” verbally, you want your signage to “talk you up” with visuals and text. 

So let’s explore how you can create great real estate signs to help connect you with the people who need your real estate services. 

1 – Time well

Time is a consideration when aiming to use your signs in the most effective way possible. For instance, try to leave your signs up for as long as appropriate. Additionally, install your signs in advance when necessary. For instance, in the case of an open house, you might want to get your signs out there before the actual open house date. 

Another thing to remember—use your “under contract,” “pending,” and “sold” riders strategically so the community can get an idea of how effectively you work. 

2 – Place your signs thoughtfully

Naturally, your signs look better in an aesthetically-pleasing environment. To the best of your ability, make sure that the yard your sign is placed in is well-maintained. For better or for worse, people will associate your sign with the yard they see it in. So make sure it gives a good impression.

3 – Leverage directional signs (several of them)

A directional sign pointing to the property you have for sale could be just as important as the for-sale sign itself. So be sure to have several directional signs leading to the property you’re selling. 

4 – Remember your image is only as good as the quality of your graphics

Now, here’s a tip that you’ve heard us offer on the blog before. And it bears repeating because it’s important. You need high-quality graphics and designs if you want to end up with a high-quality sign. Poor visual design could drag down your sign even if the quality of your sign’s materials is top-notch. 

Thus, if you’re not good at design yourself, consider hiring someone who is. Find someone who is good at mixing colors and fonts and at balancing the different sign elements. Your sign specialist may even be able to help with this. 

5 – Keep it relatable 

As a real estate agent, you’re in the personal service business. So try to foster a personal connection with people. A good photo may help with this. You’ll want to project an image of friendliness, professionalism, or whatever qualities your target client is looking for. 

6 – Give an action step

Make sure that you clearly outline the action you want your target client to take. Are they supposed to call you and ask for a free home valuation? Or should they mail you for a free consultation? Should they text you to chat about the local market? Whatever it is you want viewers to do, make it obvious. 

7 – Provide a way to get in touch

Just as you want to provide an action step, you also want to be sure that you’ve given your target market a way to take that action step. That’s basic, right? If they’re supposed to email you, provide an easy-to-remember email address. If they’re supposed to call, make that phone number easy to see.

8 – Use the channels your ideal client prefers

You also want your “way to get in touch” to be tailored to your ideal client. For instance, working with Millennials might call for being available via Facebook Messenger. Other people might prefer texting. And some people might like to reach you via email or phone messages. Try to discover what channels of communication your target market is likely to prefer. Then, make that communication method available on your signage. 

9 – Promote specialization

You can even use your signage to set yourself apart from the competition. Certainly, that could include your design and visual appeal. But it could also include what you say about yourself. For instance, do you specialize and have plenty of experience in selling high-dollar value properties? Or maybe you have quite the record of successfully buying and selling manufactured homes. Whatever it is, considering getting the message out via your real estate signage.

10 – Be memorable. Be brand-oriented.

Craft your real estate signage to be visually and verbally memorable. If you have a slogan, consider putting it on your sign. Use the same terminology across your branding so that the community learns to recognize you and what you stand for. 

If you’re using a photo of yourself or a logo or other graphic, use the same one (or a combination of the same ones) across your advertising and marketing channels. And this could even apply to your online channels as well as your physical marketing channels. 

Plan for success

Get your real estate signage off to a great start by planning in advance. Don’t cobble something together at the last minute. Instead, prepare yourself by learning about your signage options. And give yourself enough time to get the job done right. Get started with The Small Business Owner’s Guide To Creating Your Own Unique Signage. Then take a look at How Your Business Can Take Advantage Of The Different Sign Types.

You don’t have to be a genius or a specialist to know that the field of communications is a rapidly changing one. We use forms of communication today that didn’t even exist in our grandparents’ era (or our own parents’ earlier lives, for that matter). 

Yes, the way that we communicate is often subject to trends—cultural elements that experience dramatic shifts in popularity over time. So, let’s take a look at changes that may affect digital signage and explore ways you can tap into these changes for your business, nonprofit, or organization. 

1 – “Smarter” signage

There’s a lot of talk these days about artificial intelligence (AI). But exactly what artificial intelligence is—that’s not always well understood. When it comes to digital signage, artificial intelligence may have a role to play. 

However, it’s important to realize that this does not mean you should anticipate human-like digital billboards that are equipped to take over the world. No, not all. If you’re thinking full-size cutout signs are going to evolve into humanoid robots and take over the world, then we can see why you might panic. But that’s not actually what we’re talking about. 

Instead, we’re talking about what Lamasa Tech meant when they wrote, “AI will decide whether certain content should be shown to a specific customer after analysing many databases and indicators. It will analyse a person’s goal when he or she is in front of the screen and determine the appropriate advertisement for that particular moment.”

And we also find the same idea in this statement from Digital Signage Today, “Luckily better analytics are now on the way thanks to new technologies like AI. Deployers can now use AI to analyze historical customer data to deliver more effective, personalized content.”

Pull those two ideas together and what you do you get? The idea of leveraging computing power to help spread the right message at the right time. In other words—let computers do what computers do best to help signs do what signs do best. Head over to Digital Signage Today to learn 4 ways AI is transforming digital signage.

Tap into it

If this is the wave of the future, then you surely want to be a part of it, right? However, you might be wondering how to go about taking AI-inspired action for your own digital signage. Here are a few ideas. 

• Educate yourself – Learn all you can about artificial intelligence and how it may relate to your business or organization. 

• Talk with others – Begin polling others in your industry for advice and ideas about using artificial intelligence. Are they tapping into it already for their business or organization? If so, how are they using it and what kind of results are they seeing?

• Consult the experts – Talking with experts in the field could get you started on an effective partnership—you know your business and experts know theirs. Find a way to combine these two deep wells of knowledge to take your business to the next level. 

In this vein, you can always think of hiring a consultant. But if money is tight, consider reaching out to a local university to learn if a partnership is a possibility. The school may have information technology students who would be happy to use your real-world business as part of their final project—a win for both of you.    

2 – Better-looking signage

Now, let’s pivot and look at a trend that isn’t necessarily backed up by external data. Instead, it’s a personal perspective on what we think should be a trend in digital signage. Will it grow in popularity? We certainly hope so!

Why do so many digital signs look B-grade? Sure, you’ve seen them as you pass by schools, churches, fire stations, and business. Signs that are simply lackluster or visually unappealing. We can call it the “scourge of ugly digital signs.” 

Possible culprits

So just what are we talking about here? Well, for one thing, digital signs with garish colors can sometimes look less-than. Otherworldly turquoise on a flaming yellow background—not the greatest idea. Radiant ruby and glowing evergreen—those colors may be a little more appropriate for a holiday display than for year-round digital messages. 

Of course, dead pixels are another culprit. So are fonts and sizes of text that are difficult to read. And, certainly, another bad strategy is digitizing any marketing image—text, photos, or a combination—that was poorly designed to begin with. Let’s face it, not all visuals are created equal. And there can be a vast chasm between “good enough” marketing visuals and stellar ones. 

Tap into the power of well-designed signage

Begin your journey toward a top-level brand image by using only the best visuals to represent your company, nonprofit, or organization. Here are several ways to get started. 

Think long-term

Ask yourself what you want people to think about your company, not just now but also five years from now. If you want to be viewed as professional, expert, and trustworthy, craft your signage with those values in mind. 

Invest 

Sure, some signs are cheaper than others. But remember that in most industries, you get what you pay for. 

Get expert assistance 

Experts can weigh in on more than sign construction and installation. Some even offer design services. Ask to see any expert’s portfolio so you know if partnership will be a good fit. 

Study up 

The internet offers a vast array of resources for learning about how you can best reach your customers. Try out free classes about marketing, advertising, and graphic design. Plus, read all you can. And watch videos too. Take a look at our Tips & Tricks To Designing Eye Catching Business Signs and browse 10 Professional Sign Fonts + The Meanings Behind Them.

Without a doubt, we need signs year-round — signs to point us to our destinations, to direct us away from danger, or even just to show us which parking space we can use. If you’re realizing you or your company don’t have the right signage, then you might be casting about for the best specialist and signs to help you fix that. But you’re wondering if the upcoming winter months could pose any special challenges to your signage experience. 

Great question and we applaud you for thinking ahead. We thought we’d dig into it a little today by addressing some things to keep in mind as you acquire signs during the winter.  

1 – The ground may be frozen

Here’s something to think about whether you’re digging postholes for a post and panel sign or stabbing a yard sign into the turf. The ground in winter can be much harder (even rock-solid) depending on where you live. Granted, if you’re a Floridian, this probably isn’t going to pose much of a problem for you. But if you live in the Upper Midwest or New England, you better know it’s going to be a struggle or an impossibility to make much headway in the cold, hard ground. 

For us Michiganders, of course, the ground will likely be cold and frozen. No sunny Florida winters (or temps) for us. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t put up signs in the winter. You don’t have to give up simply because we experience this season in all its cold, snowy glory. 

2- You might be able to get a deal from your sign company

We agree with this suggestion from Home Advisor. Ordering a sign in the winter months might just be a good move. For your wallet, that is — and your schedule. When discussing the cost of buying signage, they had this to say: “A great tip is to order designs in the offseason during the winter because sign companies are typically busiest in the summer. Ordering during the winter may result in promotions and discounts on order as well as a shorter turnaround time.”

3 – The area could be slippery

This is something to keep in mind whether you’re installing a sign yourself or having your sign company do the installation. For yourself, you need to realize that there are some inherent hazards to outdoor work during the winter season. Snow and ice can make passageways slippery, and you may not always be able to see that the slick surface is dangerous. Be smart by using deicers where needed and wearing adequate outdoors gear (boots with good tread, for instance) when working on your sign. 

Obviously, any weather-related hazards can also pose problems for the sign company working on your property. Again, you want to keep the area clear and safe for them with appropriate deicer at work. But you also want to be sure that your sign company is licensed and insured. Check with them to verify that they carry appropriate coverage for any slips, trips, or falls that occur in the course of their work.  

4 – Your message may need to reflect the time of year

Likely this should go without saying, but you do want your signage to be seasonally appropriate. Of course, this is relatively easy with something like a changeable message sign or LCD display. Simply adjust the message as the seasons pass. 

But if you have a less adaptable option, you’ll want to think ahead about what messages will and won’t be right for the season. For instance, maybe the dead of winter isn’t the best time for banner signs whose colors, fonts, and sentiments look beach-inspired. 

5 – Your sign needs to account for winter weather

This is just something to think about before you dive in. If you’re working in a locality with plenty of snowfall each winter, try to account for that in your planning. Similarly, high winds or plenty of rain should also be factored in. 

See what your specialist recommends as far as signage that won’t be constantly obscured by snowdrifts. Additionally, check how far away from roads and driveways you need to position your signage, You want them to be safe from snowplows and the snowbanks they create. Another factor could be choosing signage that won’t be damaged by exposure to deicers like rock salt or pickle brine. 

Shoot for signs that are strong enough to stand in the face of whatever wind can reasonably be expected. And select materials that are prepared to hold up against rain or sleet. 

Consult with the pros

For those with little experience selecting or installing signage, turning to a specialist is a great option. Some specialists can even help you in the design phase of your project. Be sure to find a specialist with good reviews and a company attitude that you’re comfortable with. Check out our What To Look For From A Sign Making Company + Questions To Ask