A recent sign outside Jodi Duncan’s Norris City, Illinois shop reminds locals that flowers are a whole lot nicer than the real world.
Hurricanes, wildfires, tragedy in Charlottesville, and the constant threat of nuclear war with North Korea — it hasn’t exactly been the summer of bliss.
Jodi Duncan, AIFD, offered a little levity on the sorry state of the world with a recent sign outside her Norris City, Illinois shop. It featured an arrow pointing away from the store, with the message “Real Life,” accompanied by a sad face. Below that, it read “Pretty Stuff J” and directed passersby toward her entrance.
“I didn’t count the number of shoppers who stopped in,” she said. “But people definitely commented on the message and it got a lot of shares on social media.”
To entice foot traffic and stay top of mind in her community, Duncan changes her signage every week — “more often if I’m feeling especially clever,” she said.
She periodically searches “sidewalk signs” on Facebook and Pinterest and follows several visual marketing experts on Twitter and Instagram. “Sometimes their content will spur an idea,” she said.
Looking for some merchandising inspiration? Here are a few sources to get your creative juices percolating:
