We’re often told that in the so-called ‘digital age’, many of the oldest and most traditional marketing tools have been rendered obsolete. Smartphones have meant that everyday life – from grocery shopping to banking, buying clothes and booking restaurant tables – has all moved online and onto the small screen, because it’s so easy to access via the gadgets in our pockets. The rapid growth of online retailers and service providers over the past two decades has also meant that many companies with a High Street presence are struggling to compete.
In the property sector, the sudden, unprecedented rise of online agencies and property search sites have put the traditional model for buying and selling houses under threat, with the likes of Tepilo, HouseSimple and Emoov muscling in and attempting to undercut the High Street agencies we’re so used to. So where does that leave the bricks and mortar estate agents, and are the traditional marketing tools of estate agent signs and estate agent sign boards still relevant in the digital age? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’.
Online/offline
While most people’s first port of call when they first begin house hunting might be Rightmove or another online property search site, chances are that when they start looking more seriously, they will want to visit a ‘real’ estate agency. We can all surf the web and dream, but the reality of parting with that much cash means that the vast majority want to benefit from the expertise, advice and guidance of an estate agent that they can talk to, one to one.
Just as competition with the online estate agencies is fierce, it’s equally competitive between High Street companies. Chances are there are at least two or three estate agencies in the area where you live, and all of them are chasing a steady stream of new buyers and sellers. Making sure that potential customers choose your estate agents over the one down the road is, therefore, crucial to the success of your company.
Even the most tech-savvy and modern of buyers and sellers are cautious when it comes to property, with most people taking their serious searching ‘offline’ and following the more traditional route of walking the High Street and looking in windows. You can have the best properties on the market on your books, but if you can’t catch the attention of that passing trade and encourage them through the front door, you’ll be missing out. That’s where estate agents sign boards really come into their own.
By prominently displaying those properties which are likely to generate the most interest from casual house hunters, you stand a better chance of picking up the passing trade. A bold, beautiful and creative display in your shop front window cannot help but get you noticed all year round, whether people are drawn by the warming glow of LED signs on a chilly winter’s afternoon or the vivid colours of the high-quality sign printing.
Why good signage matters
Having a window display which really makes an impact is absolutely key if you want to attract potential customers and persuade them to choose your estate agents over those of your rivals. Installing new estate agent sign boards which are well-designed and perfectly tailored to match your brand identity can make an immediate and lasting impact to your marketing campaign, putting you head and shoulders above the local competition.
Signage can be a fantastic way to capture your brand image and project it to the world, ensuring your company is the one which remains fixed in people’s minds even after days, weeks or months of searching for the perfect pad.
People are naturally drawn to attractive displays, and eye-catching window boards which showcase your hottest properties are highly likely to capture the interest of passersby and encourage them through the door to enquire about your services. Whether they’re keen to buy or sell today, or they simply remember your signage and come back at a later date, using your estate agents signs to make a lasting impression on them could be a real boost for business.
Traditions for the digital age
There’s no doubt that while technology has changed much about the way we live now, people still cling to the traditional, good old-fashioned ways of doing things when it comes to buying and selling the places we call home. We still prefer the human connection and the one to one experience over the impersonal online one, which is why keeping your estate agency attractive, welcoming and up-to-date is still so important.
Good estate agency signs reflect well on your company, and well-crafted, well-maintained signage shows potential customers that you take pride in the work you do and that you can be trusted to reach the highest standards at all times. People are far more likely to want to engage with you and enlist your services if you have a strong and memorable brand identity and a shop front worth stopping at.
The Sussex Sign Company specialises in designing, manufacturing and fitting the highest quality, bespoke estate agent sign boards for companies across Sussex, London and the South East. With more than two decades’ of experience in this field, we are ideally placed to help you create a stand-out display which is sure to catch the attention of all who pass by, setting you apart from the competition. For more information on the services we can provide, simply get in touch with our friendly, expert team today.