Speak up! Speaking opportunities are great marketing tools
Civic organizations are always looking for speakers. It’s your chance to talk signs.
By Richard McKinley
Posted on Saturday, August 26th, 2017
What should you talk about?
There are many potential topics for presentations on signs that would be helpful to businesspeople in your community. The goal is not to sell signs but to educate them so that they can get the best value from signage for their business. Here are a few to get you started:
The value of a sign’s cost vs. exposure or viewings compared to other media
What makes an effective sign?
Sign wording: When is there too much copy on a sign?
Mike Stevens’s approach to sign layouts and why it works
Capturing your thoughts on a sign in a short message
Who, What, Where? Valuable words in the sign business
Hand painted or computer?
Signs don’t move—people do
So you want a sign…
The three-second rule
Does your sign match the character of you and your business?
Why more than one sign will draw more customers
Remember these numbers: 7, 38 and 55. Speaking to local civic groups—Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, downtown business groups, it doesn’t matter—is an opportunity no business owner should pass up. Sign companies are no exception. The late Bob Fitzgerald’s book, Practical Sign Shop Operation, tells of the opportunities speaking to your fellow businesspeople presents.
As a guest speaker you have the chance to meet local business people while at the same time introducing your sign business capabilities to solid prospects. I participated every time I was asked to do so. My best opportunity was Chamber of Commerce breakfast meetings. After one such meeting I landed an order for a new fascia sign for the Chamber.
Richard McKinley is semi-retired from the sign business and the promotional products industry. He lives in Howard, Ohio. He can be reached at richo@roadrunner.com.
