5 WAYS AUTO DEALERS CAN USE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SIGNAGE

JANUARY 12, 2021| SpeedPro Silver Spring

When customers are in the market for a new car, they have a lot of options. They can buy from a big dealership specializing in a particular make or from a small dealer that sells several different brands. They can buy directly from another consumer in a private-party sale. If a shopper decides to buy from a big dealership, they often have a choice of several, all located right next to each other along the same strip.

All the choices available to car-buyers mean that dealers face great competition. As a car dealership, you want to make sure you’re grabbing attention, getting people through your doors and into a test drive and, ultimately, behind the wheel of their new car. Car dealership outdoor signs help you make an excellent first impression on shoppers. Once customers are through the door, car dealership business signs can help you keep shoppers engaged with the sale process. Signage that anticipates customers’ needs also helps you seal the deal and sell more vehicles.

There are many ways to make distinctive interior and exterior signs specifically for YOUR dealership. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. INVITE BUYERS IN WITH DIGITAL CAR DEALERSHIP SIGNAGE

Digital signage is illuminated and colorful, making it easy to spot from the road. Using digital signs outside of your dealership can let potential shoppers who might otherwise drive by know about any sales or promotions your company is offering. The signs can act as an invitation to stop and browse or test-drive a vehicle.

Since the signs are digital, they are easy to change or update as your messaging changes. At the holidays, you can add “Seasons Greetings!” or a similar message to the signs, for example. As the final date of a promotion ends, you can update the signage to read “Just one day left!” or “Ends tomorrow!”

You can use digital signage inside your dealership, too. Display screens set up near the customer service desk can let potential buyers know about financing offers or specials you might be running in the service part of the dealership. You can also create digital signs that display helpful car maintenance tips and tricks, such as reminders to change the oil or set up an annual inspection.

2. USE WAYFINDING TO POINT CUSTOMERS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

The process of buying a car can be complex and time-consuming. Shoppers will find themselves at your dealership for the better part of a morning or afternoon. During their time at the dealership, they may want a snack or need to use the restroom. They’re also likely to need to visit different departments, such as the financing department if they are getting a loan.

Wayfinding and directional signage will help your customers get where they need to go or find the room or area they’re seeking. One way you can use it at your dealership is to set up floor decals that create a path for someone to follow as they move through the car-buying process. First, they stop at customer service, where they might get matched up with a salesperson. Next, they work their way around the floor, looking at various vehicle models. If they want to go forward with a test drive, they can follow the path out to the lot, where the salesperson will accompany them to the vehicle. After a successful test drive, a buyer can follow a path to the sales desk, where they can complete their purchase.

Directional signage can help shoppers find the bathroom, vending machine or other areas of the dealership. It can be arrows to point people in the right direction or signs on doors that identify each room also help people find their way and feel more at ease when they are at the dealership.

3. EMPHASIZE SEASONAL SALES WITH DEALERSHIP SIGNS AND BANNERS

There might be times of the year, such as Memorial Day weekend or the end of the model year, when your dealership runs special promotions to clear the lot and boost sales. You can use flags and banners outside of the dealership to promote those sales and promotions.

Ideally, the flags and banners will be high-contrast and vibrantly colored, making them easy to read even from a distance. It’s a good idea to keep the message more general so you can use them year after year. For example, instead of printing the year on the banners, print the season or the name of the sale, such as “Year-End Sell-a-Thon” or “Memorial Day Blow Out.”

4. BOOST YOUR BRAND WITH APPROPRIATE GRAPHICS

People associate different car makes with different types of lifestyles. High-end car brands, such as German luxury brands, are associated with sophistication and elegance. It makes sense for those brands to use sleek and sophisticated graphics as part of their signage. A bright, primary-colored sale sign will look out of place at a luxury car dealership.

Choose your graphics, colors and imaging carefully in the design process. If you need help, the experts at SpeedPro are happy to act as consultants. We can review your current branding and logo and help you pick graphics that complement your image best.

5. CREATE AN ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT WITH WALL MURALS AND WINDOW GRAPHICS

People can spend hours at a dealership when buying a car. It can be nice to have something pretty or engaging to look at during that time. A wall mural, installed in a conference room or near the sales desk area, can keep customers engaged. It can also be a conversation starter or a way to break the ice when beginning the sale process. A wall mural can also make your employees more excited about coming to work each day.

The same is true of window graphics. Window graphics can face into the dealership, announcing specials or adding visual interest to the interior. Or, they can face out so people approaching the dealership can learn about current promotions or look at something interesting, such as a larger-than-life image of your brand’s latest vehicle.

WORK WITH SPEEDPRO TO CREATE CAR DEALERSHIP SIGNS

Whether they are window graphics, digital signs, banners or a combination, interior and exterior signs will help your dealership stand out in a crowded field. Signs that anticipate your buyers’ needs can help improve brand loyalty and lead to repeat sales. No matter what type of signage you want to create for your dealership, SpeedPro is here for you. We’re experts in large format printing and can help you through the design process. To learn more, contact us today!