Signs of the Times - February 2012 - (Page 72)

The Value of Signs Small-town end users assess EMCs By Hendrikus E. J. M. L. van Bulck Van Bulck is an assistant professor of business administration at the University of South Carolina-Sumter. At the 2011 National Signage Research & Education Conference (NSREC), held October 2011 near the University of Cincinnati campus, he presented the results of a study he conducted with small-town, small-business owners, all of whom advertised with programmable, outdoor EMCs. Sumter, which is located in the middle of South Carolina, is home to approximately 60,000 people. Whereas study of EMCs often occurs in large metropolitan areas with major end-users, van Bulck wanted to determine what smallbusiness owners think about their EMCs. Here are excerpts from his report. from 12 to 300 sq. ft., with an average of approximately 54 sq. ft. The EMCs had 1-4 lines of copy. Most common were two lines (42%) and three lines (28%). We found that signs with two or four lines were more effective than signs with one or three lines. Not surprisingly, we found that double-sided signs were more effective than single-sided signs. To determine the end users’ perceptions, the study asked questions with regard to: • Traffic and sales (3 questions) • Customers’ attitudes (3 questions) • Cost effectiveness (1 question) • Ease of use (1 question) • Would recommend to others (1 question) We hypothesized that a relationship existed between the size of the signs and the two factors of “cost effective and easy” and “helps customers.” However, we didn’t find a significant association between the size of signs and either of these variables. Here are some of the statistics: • More than 86% of the respondents said the EMCs “helped bring in more customers,” and 25% “strongly agreed”. • 83% said the signs “measurably increased sales.” The other 17% only “somewhat disagreed”. None “strongly disagreed.” • 89% agreed with the statement: “The LED sign makes people more aware of the location of the store.” • Only 8% said “customers found such signs unattractive.” • 92% said the signs “were easy to update.” • 89% “would recommend the signs to other businesses.” Overall, the study provides a conceptual framework for future studies and clarifies the multi-factor structure of managers’ attitudes toward EMC signs. Although there is reason to believe the sample size was sufficient to produce reliable results, especially considering the size of the population, limitations on the sample size should obviously be kept in mind. The study didn’t explore whether these results could be generalized to other communities. Study results suggest these signs were generally perceived to be cost effective, easy to use and helped customers find the location of businesses, regardless of the size of the signs, the type of business, the type of sign or the signs’ elevations. ■ The objective of of the effectiveness ofto provide this pilot study was empirical evidence EMCs. With the possible exception of certain short-term sales promotions, correlations between dollars spent on certain advertising media and sales are usually blurred. For example, it may take weeks or months before advertising dollars affect sales. In many cases, outdoor signage may increase customer awareness, while sales depend on many other factors. Data for this study was obtained by surveying 36 managers and owners of small businesses and not-forprofit organizations in Sumter. The instrument includes six classification variables and nine 6-pt. Likert (perception) scales. Managers’ perceptions were cross-classified with classification variables to determine if there were significant differences in perceptions between various classes of businesses and signs. The six classification variables were: • Type of business • Size of the sign • Single- or double-sided signs • Mono- or multi-color signs • Number of lines of copy in the sign • Elevation: Eye level and below, or above eye level Among the 36 entities studied were 20 retail stores, five gas stations, six service-related businesses and five “others” (a shopping mall, a church and some not-forprofits). The retailers include five fast-food restaurants, five pharmacies and three banks. Nearly 90% of the EMCs were double-faced, and slightly more than half were monochrome. Nearly 70% were elevated (above eye level). The EMC sizes ranged 72 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / FEBRUARY 2012 / www.signweb.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - February 2012

Signs of the Times - February 2012
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Software Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Technology Review
Sign Museum News
New Products
Palisades Center Mall’s Retrofit
Sign Structure Safety
Picture Them Rolling
Sign the Vote
Taxing Times
The Value of Signs
See Ya Real Soon!
Industry News
Advertising Index
Editorially Speaking

Signs of the Times - February 2012