Does your franchise corporation require that you include awnings on your store’s exterior? Even if they don’t, a franchise awning can do a lot to dress up your place of business and promote it, too. because awnings are so versatile, they can benefit your business in many ways, both tangible and intangible. You can use your franchise awning to achieve any of the following results.
Instant brand recognition, from any distance.
Naturally you want to flaunt your franchise affiliation, and every smart business owner knows to put their name and street number on their awning – your logo, too, if local regulations allow for additional graphics. People won’t do business with you if they can’t find you.
Appearance upgrade.
Why have a boring exterior when you can use franchise awnings to Virtually every business, regardless of type, size or location, looks better with an awning. Or a series of awnings. Your options are nearly limitless, because there are so many choices in terms of materials, styles, shapes, etc. You can create a unique look that takes your façade from plain to panache, beautifully reflecting you’re your type of business and your location’s individual personality.
Weather protection.
Let’s face it – awnings were invented to provide shade from the hot sun and cover when it’s raining or snowing. Entertainers and merchants have always understood that making potential patrons more comfortable is simply smart business. That’s as true for your franchise awning as it is for the mom-and-pop shop down the street.
Your corporate headquarters and your store both look good when you go out of your way to improve the total “customer experience.” Incorporating a franchise awning improves life for non-customers, too. You can be sure they notice and appreciate your efforts to shade and shelter them, even if they aren’t likely to patronize your business for one reason or another. Haven’t you ever crossed the street to walk where it’s cooler or drier?
Marketing and promotion, all the time.
It’s not just about brand recognition. A franchise awning gives you a tremendously valuable additional tool to advertise what you do or sell. That advertising is essentially free, since you’re installing awnings anyway, for other reasons. Think of it as an outstanding opportunity to significantly increase the return on your investment, by:
- Extending your overall marketing – traditional, online, point-of-sale – to ensure consistency and reinforce visual recognition.
- Keeping your name in front of people 24/7. Don’t forget to consider what kind of lighting you’ll want for your franchise awning – front lit or backlit, both have positive traits you can capitalize on depending on your specific location and other factors. You can add strings of temporary decorative lights to your franchise awning to celebrate the seasons or special events.
- Expanding value of your franchise awning with matching accoutrements such as an A-frame sign that shows today’s sale special, a funny saying to give passers-by a smile, even your outdoor dining menu.
And speaking of outdoor dining…
A franchise awning can allow you to expand your sales area, effectively giving you more floor space to display merchandise or serve food and beverages or offer performance events from a single guitarist to an entire orchestra. Auxiliary awnings can be retractable, or stationary, and done right, these extra awnings needn’t even be seasonal. You can add portable walls, space heaters, etc. to put outdoor areas to use multi-season or even year round.
Your franchise awning might be the finishing touch, but it’s no afterthought.
At least it shouldn’t be. It’s an important investment, not so much for financial reasons but because your franchise awning creates your first impression. It can attract or repel potential customers, giving it both power and potential.
With the right design and materials choices, you can turn your franchise awning into a valuable tool that never stops working to promote your business and entice more customers.
