8 Easy Tips for Better Point-of-Purchase (POP) Sign Results

May 7, 2018

Did you know that point-of-purchase (POP) displays and other forms of “at-retail” advertising lead to additional sales about 70% of the time?

It’s true, but you can only access these benefits if your POP display is designed and installed right.

With that in mind, today’s post shares 8 easy tips for better point-of-purchase sign results, courtesy of the Signworld business alliance.

Embrace the race against the clock. Understand that your POP display is always racing against the clock, and design your sign accordingly. Most people give POP displays 3-5 seconds of attention before moving on with their day, so make sure your message is simple and straight forward. For this reason, bright signs with high-impact images and sparse wording usually perform best.
Use the senses to sell. Hearing a product described is one thing, but appealing to the senses can really bring its value to life. In fact, one study found POP displays that allowed customers to touch and taste the product being offered increased sales by 45%!
Steer clear of clutter. Cluttering up your point of purchase display has a negative impact on the customer. Faced with a wall of text and a stack of products, they’re unsure of where to direct their attention. Usually, they’ll opt to move along and continue shopping rather than stop to decipher your message. Remember: the fewer the design elements that they have to consider, the more time they’ll allot to each one. Avoid clutter in your POP displays to keep the customer focused on exactly what it is you want them to buy.
Leverage the “power of the palette.” Marketers have used evocative colors to bolster their marketing campaigns for what feels like centuries. Colors trigger emotional responses in the viewer, which can be leveraged to help make a sale. Think red for passion; blue for calm, trust, and productivity; yellow for warnings; and green for environmentally-friendly or organic items. If you need some ideas for which colors pair best with your product, ask any member of the Signworld alliance for help.
Build a display that fits your goals. Choose wisely when it comes to display components, since they each say something different about the product you’re trying to sell. For example, large “dump bins” are associated with bargain items, whereas plinths and pedestals suggest that a premium item is being displayed.
Reward the viewer with something valuable. Time is valuable, so give the viewer something to make their attention worthwhile. Including a tear-off coupon, QR code, or discount link for future purchases is a great way to increase audience engagement, and it “trains” your audience to pay more attention to future POP displays, too!
Show your product being used. Including images of happy customers using the product as intended is a great way to demonstrate the value and convenience that it can add to the viewer’s life. It also plays off of “FOMO” – the Fear Of MIssing Out – which will increase the odds of making a sale. Interestingly, images of products in use tend to perform better than live demos in some cases. This is thought to be related to some customers’ aversion to being “roped in” to long conversations and commission-style sales pressure. Surprising, yes, but it’s great news for business owners, since signage is much cheaper than hiring staff for demonstrations!
Be unique! We encounter countless ads and promotional displays in a given day, and have learned to tune out uncreative “SALE” signs. Get in touch with a member of the Signworld alliance to explore your custom design options and learn how to stand out from the competition.