As a small business locked away in a tiny room, there isn’t always the space or right location to advertise the business through a traditional shop sign or display. A new scheme in South Shields is trialling the use of smart windows to promote local businesses. An empty store in the town has been turned into a smart window. Details of a range of local businesses are displayed in the store window, including their unique QR codes. These stores have no high street outlet, so have traditionally found it hard to attract new customers. People who pass the store can now easily scan in the codes and go directly to the company’s website or save the details to use later. The aim of the scheme is to help small, local businesses attract more customers and expand their companies. In the future, it is hoped that some of these stores will be able to fund a move to the high street. There is a huge potential for this type of display; it could be used anywhere, from windows to banners. Here at The Sussex Sign Company we work closely with all our customers, whether large or small, to develop the right signage solution for them.