Archive for the ‘A-Boards’ Category

A Boards – tried and Tested

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

The modes and methodologies of sales and advertising are undergoing critical change. However, this does not necessarily come at the expense of traditional methods of promotion, and quite frankly there will always be a place for devices such as A boards.

A boards and pavement signs are still the most effective solution for outdoor point of sale, as essentially fragile modern forms of advertising and promotion have still yet to solve the particular challenges of outdoor display.

The most obvious of these challenges is durability, and in the UK we are especially familiar with the changeability of the weather. It is therefore not a good idea to leave a non-durable sign/digital display outdoors, as even if it appears to be sunny, Great British rain is always possible. With this in mind, durable A boards are perfect for the outdoors, as not only can they be quickly moved inside, but they also afford a level of durability. And this is vital when it comes to advertising to potential customers.

Of course, there’s more to effective pavement signs than inherent durability. And their relative simplicity also serves as a distinct advantage in an outdoor setting. As pavement displays have the unique challenge of advertising to complete strangers (rather than customers who are already in your store) they must be able to communicate highly effectively. In this sense A -boards, despite their simplicity, are hugely effective, and can carry simple messages/slogans that go right to the customer.

Where Can I Buy A Boards?

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

A boards can be a fantastic selling tool. They can advertise your menu, your opening times, your offers and anything else you could possibly need them to, and they can be incredibly beneficial for all kinds of businesses. But where can you buy them?

If you’re new to retail it could be difficult to know where to shop for A boards, particularly because they’re quite specialised pieces of equipment. It’s always best to head to specialist stores, perhaps by heading to your local business/retail park or to a cash and carry to see if they’ve got anything available.

But, finding such stores can often be tricky and you’ll usually have to hit the internet to find anywhere suitable. In that case, why not shop online instead?

By heading online for A boards you’ll have access to a much better selection than you’d be able to find in the high street, and there’s no hassle involved as you don’t have to worry about finding the store. You can just shop from your own home or business for complete convenience, and the prices are sure to be better as well.

You could always try to get lucky with search engines, but if you want to save yourself the effort why not come straight to us here at Tradewind Displays? We have a fantastic selection of all the retail display items you could ever need including A boards, brochure holders and just about everything else, so come to us and see what you can find.

Why You Might Need A Boards

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

A boards are an incredibly common sight across the country, and for a lot of businesses they really can come in handy. But, you may be wondering what they can do for your particular situation, in which case here are a few reasons that you might need them.

•    You could use them to advertise your menu. If you’re a restaurant or cafe then it’s a great idea to show passing customers the type of food that you have on offer, and if you use A boards or sandwich boards they’ll easily be able to see your wares.
•    They can show any vacancies. Recruitment agencies use these boards to great effect, and because they’re double-sided potential clients will be able to see the jobs on offer no matter what way they’re walking.
•    They could be used to remind customers of your store and what you offer. People don’t always have the time to look in shop windows so you could find that you’re getting fewer customers through the door than you hoped, so boards in the street could remind people that you’re there.
•    They can show the latest news headlines. A boards often come with a wire fronting so you can easily slip in the headlines of the day, so will be perfect for all newsagents and anywhere else that sells newspapers.

These are just a few reasons that you might need A boards, and there are sure to be many more besides. Just about any kind of business will be able to use them to their advantage, so come to us here at Tradewind and see how this valuable advertising tool can help.

Do the General Public find Pavement Signs tacky?

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Advertising on the street is a tricky business. On the one hand you’ve got the fruit and vegetable sellers shouting, and the general public don’t seem to find that off-putting.

Yet, not many people like to see a teenager march up and down the side of a busy road wearing a sandwich board advertising a local business. You might find that this practice could make people go out of their way to avoid a business that advertised in this manner.

Equally, the handing out of useless leaflets to advertise a newly opened business only means more wasted paper, more recycling and more carbon.

So what is left for businesses that want to advertise?

A-board and pavement signs are the perfect solution. They are only tacky if their content and style is tacky. Go for natural materials over plastic – but remember that your A-board will be outside in all weathers so go for something hardy.

Make it clear what your business is, and use a style that suits your business. A casual design and tone won’t suit a fancy restaurant, but if you are a relaxed cafe, don’t make yourself sound too informal – you need to adopt the right balance.

The best way to market yourself through pavement signs is to pay attention to the ones around you as you walk though your town centre. Which ones do you like and why? Which ones don’t you like?

Think about what message you need to put across, combine that with what you have learnt and you should have the perfect pavement sign.

Why you Need an A-Board if you Run a Catering Business

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Running a catering business looks like fun, but the reality is very different. The reality involves long hours, problems with staff and suppliers, an unpredictable market and the general public.

Reality television and its obsession with restaurants mean that every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks they know how to run a business. Cooking programmes don’t help much, either. Thanks to Jami and Nigella et al, it is likely that most of your customers secretly think they could cook your food better than you.

Despite – or maybe because of – the recent economic shake-up purging the streets of sub-standard businesses, competition in the hospitality industry is still fierce. This means that your establishment and your food have to be a cut above the best.

Marketing yourself doesn’t have to happen through the pages of your local paper (no one trusts those ‘reviews’ either). It can begin before people even enter your business, before they even reach the front door – it can begin on the street.

Using an A-board to advertise your business and your menu is a well-known and effective marketing tool. The perfect A-board would be a blackwashed sandwich board, written beautifully in chalk and displayed in the right spot.

Make sure the information on your sandwich board is correct, if you are advertising something other than food (and even then, get the menu and the prices right, or you risk not being taken seriously the loss of confidence in your business). Spell things properly!

And finally, think carefully about the image you want to give across, and use the sandwich board and the things you put on there to achieve this.

Choosing the best A-Boards for you

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

A-boards are well used within the retail sector and the world of advertising.  These distinctive displays have earned their name due to the A shape that the frame of the board makes.  The four legs of an A board frame join together to a point which looks like a triangular A shape.  For extra support some A boards have a bar that joins the legs.

Their popularity comes from their simplicity and versatility.  Due to the design they can be transported easily and folded away flat to be stored.  You can buy A-boards in a variety of materials most of which are lightweight and easy to carry.  Materials available are wood, metals, plastics – all have differing costs and levels of durability so you need to think carefully about how you will use your A boards before you choose one.

Wooden A-boards are not great for outdoor use due to the rainy climate however they are a popular choice with garden centres and cafés where wood complements the décor and theme of the outlet.  If you want to use a wooden A board outside they are simple to fold down and whisk inside when needed.

Metal A-boards are premium point of sale models and are well suited to the outdoors due to their durability.  You can use them to display a poster which can be covered by a Perspex sheet to protect it.  You can display all manner of information effectively and attractively with A-boards.

Here at Tradewind Displays we have a great selection of A-boards to choose from.

Don’t overlook A Boards

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Understanding how to market your business may come as second nature to you but many companies struggle to choose the right point of sale equipment.  One type of point of sale that can be overlooked is A boards.  They offer a great means to advertise and promote the store to passing trade and there is a wide selection of A boards available to meet every business need.

If you are new to A boards, these are effective pavement signs that can be seen on the local high street promoting stores and letting customers know what is available in the nearby shop.  You’ll find a wide range to choose from depending on your business requirements.  The basic model is an A board with wire mesh across the front which allows you to attach a poster detailing your promotions and in store buys.

Another classic pavement sign, or A board style is the traditional blackboard format.  These are great for updating daily with new offers and information about products.  You can customise them to your own style and image and highlight promotions that may otherwise go unnoticed by passersby.  You can use both sides of the A board to catch both directions of traffic.

To really catch the attention of potential customers A boards that revolve and spin can be very eye catching.  If pavement space is an issue there are A boards that can be mounted to the front of the store also.

At Tradewind Displays we have a wide range of point of sale and A boards to choose from.

Grab The Shoppers With A Boards

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

In the hustle and bustle of sales you want to capture as much passing trade as possible.  If you have a store or business on a local high street then using outdoor acrylic stands can create a striking and attractive display to pull customers inside the store.

A cost effective and simple way of promoting the store is to use A boards which can be used to display in store offers, or if you are a newsagents, to highlight the breaking news so that people come in store to buy their favourite papers.  A boards are available in the traditional wire mesh format and can be placed in a prominent position outside the store so that customers cannot miss your message.  In the hurly burly of the festive season stores can be missed so by pinpointing your position and communicating what you are offering in store you can maximise your sales from passing traffic.

If the traditional A boards are not appropriate you can also find wall mounted models to ensure they stay where you place them and are again prominent outside your store.  These pavement signs are robust and can stand the rigours of the elements making them a good investment for your store.  If you are looking for something different then there are A boards that spin also.

Here at Tradewind Displays we have a wide range of sandwich boards and outdoor acrylic stands that will suit most businesses.  With our years of experience we will be happy to help you make the best choice.

Versatile A Boards

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

In this climate you can benefit vastly from inexpensive ways of promoting your business.  Getting eye-catching marketing out there need not sponge up all your available time and there are some high quality products that can ensure you develop a strong brand message.   If you want to get a promotion out to your customers quickly and efficiently, use products like newspaper stands and A boards which can be placed at high visibility points in and outside the store.  They will create an attractive display, which also helps to create a warm and welcoming ambience in the store.

On a busy afternoon on the high street or in a popular shopping centre, outdoor magazine stands are useful to draw a customer’s eye to your store and to communicate the latest headlines.  Anything that will attract attention will increase the chances of attracting passersby in from the street.

A boards or pavement signs come in a number of guises, so if you dislike the billwire model you can choose from a range of A boards, including wall-mounted versions and swinging models.
These portable products are easily packed away at the end of a busy day and can be stored in a compact space overnight.  Depending on the type of A board you choose you can adapt messages and change headlines day by day.  For cheap but effective ways to promote your store with high quality versatile products, speak to us at Tradewind Displays.  Catch your customer’s eye and increase sales!

A Boards for low cost advertising

Friday, November 20th, 2009

When launching a new product into the market you’ll find most marketing and PR agencies will employ a variety of promotional mediums to raise the profile of the product.  However if you own a small start up business, it is unlikely you’ll have the type of marketing budget required to sign up an advertising agency or PR writer.

If budget is an issue, then never fear.  There are simple steps you can take to promote your business without spending huge amounts of cash.  You just need to become aware of the opportunities you have to promote the business and capitalise upon them.

The main one is to capture passers-by.  There will be hundreds of people passing your business each day either on foot or by car.  You can capture these potential shoppers by advertising using A boards on the pavement outside your premises.

Pavements signs and A boards are a cheap but hugely-effective means of promoting your business and advertising products.  You can design them in a way that appeals to customers and will attract them into your store.

They are flexible and convenient, allowing you to change the displayed messages and offers on a regular basis as the needs of your business change.  A Boards are lightweight and can be maneuvered easily from one place to another.  In addition, A boards are extremely cost effective and can be bought with weatherproof finishes ensuring they will survive the extremes.

At Tradewind Displays we offer a wide range of A boards and other point of sale equipment.