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With Labor Day weekend, another summer is in the books and back-to-school season is here whether we’re ready for it or not. It’s a bittersweet time of year, but for those in retail, it is also one of the busiest seasons (next to the holidays). So get ready retailers, because moms and dads (and kids) are heading your way to check those items off their seemingly never-ending back-to-school shopping lists!

Did you know that, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2014 Back-to-School Survey, the average family with children in grades K-12 will spend $669.28 on apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics this year? That’s up 5% from last year. And combined spending for back to school and college is expected to reach $74.9 billion²! Needless to say, with numbers like that, it’s important for retailers to be fully prepared to reach the masses. So here are 4 surefire tips for creating impactful retail signs this shopping season:

• Less is more. The less content you have on a sign, the easier and quicker it is to read. You want customers to make a purchase.
• Leverage social media. Nearly 1 out of 4 people who walk into your store this season use social media³ – so take advantage by creating signs that incorporate your social media handles and names to increase engagement.
• Color usage. Depending on the type and style of the store, retail signage should match the brand but should also attract attention. Color plays a major role in the success of any marketing campaign.
• Printing on-demand. This helps tremendously if sales or promotions happen quickly and retailers need new signage right away. Having a reliable color printer in your store is always a great way to be prepared for a busy retail season.

With this back-to-school season expected to be busier than last and with the holidays quickly on its heels, be sure your in-store retail signage is including concise content, leveraging social media and using color.  You also want to make sure to have a color printer on-site just in case last-minute sales or promotions come up.

So, are you prepared? Have you done anything differently this year from last in terms of in-store signage? Join the conversation – we’d love to hear from you about signage and its role in your retail marketing successes.

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1. National Retail Federation “Back-to-School 2014 Cheat Sheet”. Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics July 2014:https://nrf.com/sites/default/files/Documents/BackToSchool2014%20Final_0.pdf

2. National Retail Federation press release “Demand for clothing, supplies, electronics drives school/college spending” July 17, 2014:https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/demand-clothing-supplies-electronics-drives-schoolcollege-spending

3. Social Networking Reaches Nearly One in Four Around the World – June 2013: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Social-Networking-Reaches-Nearly-One-Four-Around-World/1009976#sthash.CkTDlTit.dpuf