4 Guidelines When Making Sign Riders for Real Estate Properties

Sign riders are the smaller signs that are often attached to the top or bottom of a yard sign. They are used to include additional information — usually an agent’s contact information or a property’s highlights — that would have made the main sign too lengthy.

Sign riders are easy to overlook when you’re planning your marketing strategy since there are so many other ways to reach out to your potential clients. You probably put money and time into digital advertisements, for example. These ads can be useful, but more often than not they get buried among hundreds of other ads, so it’s easy for potential buyers to miss them.

On the other hand, it is hard for potential buyers to miss a sign rider because of its reliable and tangible presence.

You might also include paper flyers on your For Sale signs. A major benefit of paper flyers is that they go directly to people who are interested in the property. On the other hand, they’re easy to lose and you have no way of knowing who has taken one.

That’s where cleverly designed sign riders come in. Knowing how to make an effective sign rider can boost your lead generation and business growth in more ways than one. Creating sign riders requires careful planning, but it is well worth the effort.

If you want to make an effective sign rider that gets you more leads, below are four essential guidelines.

1. Enhance It with Technology

When figuring out how to best place your contact details on a sign rider, you might start with a web search. If you search “text for info real estate” on Google, though, you could end up sifting through hundreds of results on templates and software. Given the overwhelming amount of information, you may be tempted to skip the technological aspects altogether and stick with a traditional rider.

Don’t be scared off, though. Today’s real estate SMS (texting) software can provide benefits you can’t get from old-fashioned contact information. And with the best programs, you do not need to choose between technology and tradition when trying to boost your leads. Real estate SMS software like Pro Agent Solutions’ Digital Flyer manages to perfectly integrate both approaches in a seamless fashion.

SMS software designed for real estate typically provides each listing with a special numeric code, which you can place on your sign riders. All potential buyers have to do is text the code to receive full details on the listing, and their contact information is immediately sent to you. Combining technology with your sign rider means you do not have to sacrifice speed and convenience for the reliable impact of traditional advertising.

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2. Know Your Design Basics

There is no need to get a professional design license when making a sign rider — after all, you probably have enough responsibilities to manage — but it is helpful to know the basics that get the job done.

It is easy to think that people do not care about the small details, but good design can make or break your audience’s engagement with a sign rider.

Remember, potential buyers are probably jogging, biking or driving past a sign, and you do not want to make it a headache for them to see what it is trying to say. Choose minimal fonts that are clean, but bold and large enough to be eye-catching.

A clean and legible sign does not mean that you have to keep it plain and generic. You are still trying to captivate people, so a pleasing appearance is necessary. Avoid using eyesore colors by trying combinations with harmonious or complementary shades. You can easily find color-picking tools online that can auto-generate beautiful color palettes to suit your needs. A simple design element, like a minimal logo or some accent shapes, could help bring balance to your sign and give it some flair that is not too visually overpowering.

3. Wordsmith: Keep It Simple, Informative and Captivating

Even if you completed the steps to ensure that your sign looks good, it still needs the right content. Most sign riders are not as spacious as the main sign, so using your words wisely is a must. Since overcrowding the sign with text should be avoided, make sure to keep your information concise, yet informative.

Additionally, and if you have the space to do so, it helps to include a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that is charming enough to catch people’s attention. This type of statement can inform buyers about the neighborhood where a particular listing is located, as well as the demographics of people within that particular location. For example, if a listing is located in a quiet part of town occupied by working professionals, you could include a phrase that says “Perfect for the Busy Bee!” or “Pursue your Passion Projects in Peace!”

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4. Use Sturdy Materials

Placing your sign outside means that it will be exposed to the elements and, depending on the type of material your sign is made of, this could shorten its durability. It costs money to produce high-quality sign riders, but constantly having to spend for replacements can be worse for your budget. Using sturdier materials, though a little more costly, may be a better investment in the long run.

Materials like corrugated and rigid plastic are the more affordable options, with the latter being slightly more durable, though they are both susceptible to faster weather damage and fading. Aluminum lasts for years, making it one of the best materials to use for sign riders. If you want to reuse your signs, and if you are not handling too many listings, investing in aluminum as a material is well worth it.

An effective sign rider is captivating, convenient and clear. Physical forms of advertising, though seemingly outdated, are still integral in your business as a real estate agent. Generating more leads means embracing the reliability of old methods while enhancing their capabilities with innovative technology and design.