The only way to get someone to listen is to tell them about something they are interested in or thinking about. How many ads do you ignore in a day? Thousands. When you use yard signs, keep to the point, don’t waste your money with long descriptions or laundry lists. You have 432 square inches of real estate to get ONE point across. Don’t hide it amongst a plethora of other information.Thanks to Seth Godin’s Blog for the info.

It’s a pretty constant debate over which is more effective, a one sided yard sign or a two sided yard sign. While there are obvious advantages to a two sided yard sign, there are a couple disadvantages too.

The obvious advantages of a two sided yard sign:

1. A double sided yard sign, especially a larger one, can target two directions of traffic at once in some cases, effectively (or maybe ineffectively) doubling the sign for the money.
2. Double sided yard signs can be read by a passenger while driving away if they didn’t catch the info on the first try.
3. Double sided yard signs look more professional.
4. You have to spend less time thinking about what angle to place your sign.

Some of the disadvantages of a two sided yard sign are:

1. They are more costly, sometimes costing 30-40% more per sign depending on your printer.
2. Even with the more costly opaque plastics, you may be able to see the other side’s text if the sun is right. This can make your sign impossible to read.
3. Most of the time, the second side goes to waste. Nailing a sign to a pole, putting it up against a wall or fence, or placing near one way or divided roads will not make very good use of your expensive second side.

Generally, I say its a good idea to buy single sided signs and use extra cash to get a few extra signs. When you do run into the situation where a second side is helpful, place two signs there, or just glue a couple together. One thing to keep in mind if you insist on a two sided yard sign, get the wire H frames that hold the sign without blocking it!

If you have a great product, your price is perceived fair, and people know about it, you will sell that product to whoever needs it. Of course the world of marketing and small business are much more complicated than my nutshell here, but you get the picture.

In my experience , I have found three main reasons as to why yard signs work.

1. They are seen
   Yard signs placed on street corners are the most cost effective way to get steady flow of eyeballs looking at your message. If you look up traffic studies in your city, you might be surprised at how many people actually drive through an intersection on a given day. A $2 yard sign can easily be seen by tens of thousands before it is taken down.
2. They encourage a response
   Yard signs blow away. They are picked up by the city or helpful citizens, and they are run over by mowers and plow trucks. Although this seems like a problem, it’s also one of the corner campaigner’s greatest weapons. Not only do they not last, but people know they don’t last. A yard sign with an enticing message that will fill a customer’s need is something that needs to be acted on now, or it may not be there in the future. People are inclined to store the number for later, or in some cases even take the sign.
3. Perceived Value
   Yard signs generate the perception of a phenomenal value to most people who see them. Generally, call the number on a yard sign and hear about the deal of the century. The person who places a yard sign is a small business owner; one that will provide you with a good price because of her small overhead and personal service because the customer means something to the small business owner.

These of course are not the only reasons why yard signs work, but they are a start. Stay tuned and we’ll go over a few hundred more over the course of this blog.