Free Valet Parking
Like a robust billboard campaign, good, clear, and plentiful signage is important for any yard sale
With the warmer weather arriving in the coming months, Spring cleaning will arrive, and thoughts of letting go of unwanted possessions might come to mind. I imagine everyone reading this has visited a yard sale in their lifetime…or held one.
These events may have different names, like garage sale or rummage sale. However, for me, the word yard has fewer letters than garage or rummage. This is where you OOH nuts will understand my philosophy. As someone who is a billboard veteran, the simpler the message the better, ‘Yard’ is one syllable, not two. It’s short, sweet, and to the point.
When I was dating my wife, she never complained about my numerous neon signs and my GI Joe collection. (FYI, they’re action figures, not dolls!) But those and many more items collected over the years needed a way to disappear because as we go from single life to married life, keeping a spouse happy and giving us some extra cash early on in our careers was not simply sacrificial but practical.
Like a robust billboard campaign, good, clear, and plentiful signage is important for any yard sale. We all have seen the signage with those adjectives like Mega, Huge, and Multi.
Thoughtful placement of signage, just like billboards, is critical. Think of Right-hand reads, good signage placement like 250 feet before a stoplight giving the driver time to get ready to pull over, perhaps a directional arrow at the light, and as you approach the sale, humor and curiosity help, “Knick-knacks” at next left or “Free Valet Parking” was always a fun one.
To my wife’s dismay, I always greet everyone arriving with two questions, did you see our television ad or hear our radio commercial? Some frown in disbelief and others smile agreeing; some include a wink.
Temporary signs along our streets touting yard sales, political candidates, or job opportunities are examples of how the consumer is using, embracing, and understanding how outdoor advertising on a small scale can be effective. The power of OOH lies in its simple message, showcasing consumer goods, a better lifestyle, and sometimes a promise.
Free Valet parking, next turn!
