When it comes to your business, you might think you only have to worry about the standard things, right? Like having a clean interior and exterior, make sure that the parking lot is well maintained (assuming it’s only yours), keeping the service and the products good, and some marketing here and there for visibility. And sure, for some businesses, it’s this “simple” if you want to call it that, but for some businesses, you could basically say that’s just the tip of the iceberg here.
Well, when it comes to highway-related businesses, well, specifically ones at the exits, they live in a totally different reality than, say, a cute little shop tucked on a side street in downtown. People aren’t strolling by, taking their time, and casually deciding. No, instead, they’re flying down the road at 70 mph, half hungry, half tired, maybe already annoyed, and making decisions in about two seconds flat.
Basically, something has to catch the eye, look trustworthy, and feel easy, because if it doesn’t, drivers keep going, and they don’t usually circle back. You, as a customer, can’t remember most of the billboards you passed by on the highway, right? Maybe not too much piques your interest, right? Well, yeah, it’s unfair, because plenty of great places look a little rough at night. But of course, customers can’t know that from the highway. They can only judge what they can see.
Visibility is the Real Product on the Highway
So, it’s absolutely for the best to just go ahead and start right here; people like to pretend they choose based on food, prices, reviews, or “brand loyalty,” but on the highway, the first filter is visibility. Meaning it’s going to have to be a sign that’s bright, readable, and clearly open, which is basically doing sales before anyone even hits the exit ramp. But of course, here, the opposite is also true: a dim sign, a flickering letter, or a parking lot that looks dark and questionable can make someone decide “nope” instantly. And of course, you better believe that those billboards miles before an exit matter too, because they plant the idea early.
Do the Signs Look Neglected?
Well, this can basically piggyback on what was being mentioned above. Bad lighting is just eerie; people have seen enough scary movies to know what happens. So, it’s not just lighting, but it’s the signs too. Like, if the sign looks neglected, people assume the bathrooms are questionable, the kitchen is chaotic (or gross), the staff is checked out, or the place is just not being cared for.
Sure, that might be totally untrue, but highway customers don’t have time to “give it a chance.” They’re choosing what looks easiest and safest, then moving on. Which is why you need to start fixing things like, like looking into commercial sign and lighting repair ASAP, doing some cleanup (like pressure washing the building, for example), things like that can help.
It’s More About Doing a Simple Maintenance Rhythm
You probably know about the billboards marketing, so chances are, you’ve been doing that. You probably know about making sure you show up on Google Maps and other GPS maps, and you probably know to do some social media, too. Sure, you need to do some marketing when it comes to visibility because you’re competing with so many other businesses here. But the maintenance alone on the billboard, the signs, the parking lot, and the lighting (for the signs and the property) all need to be considered, too.
