Follow the sign

Throughout our travels, we've seen quite a few great examples of signage. We've compiled some of our favorites and share them over the next few pages. Incorporate these tips into your store's signage for a new and improved look.

Be visible
You can have the most creative, flashy signs, but if they’re placed in the wrong spot, customers won’t see them. These signs at The Growing Place, with two locations in Illinois, are clear, easily read from a distance, and placed high enough that they’re visible even from most spots in the outdoor plant area.

Small & effective
Don’t forget the littlest of signs: Tags. We’ve seen some creative plant tags lately, and this one stuck out from the rest with its tropical colors and design. Take advantage of pre-made creative tags and POP materials offered.
 

Get social
Think outside of the plants. In addition to giving customers more information about plants and directing them to the right section, take advantage of the opportunity to share information about other aspects of your business. Black Diamond Nursery in Perrysburg, Ohio, reminds customers to follow its social media pages on a sign that's incorporated into a display.

The essentials
Customer comfort should never be overlooked, as feeling comfortable and unhurried will encourage customers to linger longer in your store. Make sure your bathrooms are clearly marked, as well as other areas such as the entrance and exit.
 

Make them laugh
Customers are more likely to linger in an area with a sign that makes them chuckle, as we saw at Oak Park Landscape and Water Garden Center in Swanton, Ohio, (left) and County Line Nursery in Franconia, Penn.

Make it easy
Posting the answer to common questions such as how much soil to buy for a particular container size or how to plant and care for an herb on a sign will save employees time and simplify the shopping trip for customers. Each herb plant at Hoen's Garden Center & Landscaping in Holland, Ohio, has an informative sign above it, complete with a photo of the plant, to provide customers with growing details on easy-to-read signs.