Sweet Tooth: 8 Creative Signage Ideas for Growing Your Bakery

Every baker dreams of a bakery filled with happy, sugar-craved customers “oohing and ahhing” over the sweet baked goods displayed in the glass case. But, business growth doesn’t just happen. It’s usually the result of strategic decisions made by the business owner to vary and focus the business’ marketing tactics. When it comes to your marketing mix, make sure creative custom signage that drives foot traffic is included.

Here are 8 creative signage ideas for growing your bakery:

1. Hanging Treats – Hanging signs are customary in business. But, instead of the traditional square, rectangle or oval, how about custom cutting your hanging sign into the shape of your top-selling pastry? Hanging a large, tantalizing cupcake, cinnamon roll or bread loaf from a scroll bracket above your entryway is a sure way to stop passersby in their tracks.
2. A-frame specials – A-Frames and sandwich boards are pretty popular promotional tools for restaurants, cafes and shops. But, instead of the traditional menu, advertise the “special sweet of the day.” These boards can be dry erase, but the interchangeable pre-printed signs with full-color pictures of your treats are relatively inexpensive. So it wouldn’t be a huge investment to be able to change them out every day. If onlookers could see that icing-laced-almond-cream-stuffed bear claw, perhaps they’d happily come on in.
3. QR code display sign – Want to grow your online community in a fun and easy way? Put a QR code sign up near the front of your bakery and let your customers know that if they scan it, “today’s special” will immediately come directly to their email address. They will be excited to get the coupons and friendly updates from your bakery. And it’s the perfect way to keep them in the loop and keep them coming back for more.
4. Window graphics – Ever walked by a storefront and been fascinated by the giant, full-color presentation of the company’s logo, messaging, or graphics? It’s no surprise that well-done window graphics draw attention, so don’t leave your windows bare – they’re the perfect space to showcase your brand. Applying vinyl lettering and decals to your storefront windows allows for 24-hour marketing, 365 days per week. While you are busy baking sweet treats and your team is busy serving them, your windows are busy drawing more hungry customers inside. Vinyl letters that gently whisper, “Fresh baked bread here,” “buttercream frosting inside,” “warm chocolate chip cookies coming right up” will do the trick.
5. LED lighted sign – Most customers think that lighted signs are expensive. They definitely can be. But there are creative ways to light custom made signs yourself. Try having a custom-cut sign of your signature item made and mounted an inch off the wall. Then, run thin strips of LED lights bought from your local hardware store around the perimeter of it. It draws attention to your brand and becomes the focal point of the bakery. As soon as customers come in, guess what they’ll see?
6. Spinning wheel – How about a counter top sign with a spinner so customers can play “wheel of sugar” for free, discounted and BOGO sweets? Everyone wants more for less. This creative sign actually serves two purposes – it offers pricing advantages to customers and it enriches their experience with your bakery. When a bakery is fun to visit, chances are customers will come back.
7. Planter signs – What are planter signs, you might ask? They are signs strategically placed in large planters on the outside of the shop. They can be in your traditional circular or square shapes, or custom cut in the shapes of cookies, doughnuts, or cupcakes. They are then mounted to long wooden cylinders that are stuck down into the soil of the planter. What you end up with is a big planter with what looks like lollipops decorating it. They are a fun and creative way to attract the attention of passersby with graphics of the delights behind your doors.
8. A weekly tasting – Although this is off the beaten path of signage, it’s still great marketing. Promote weekly dessert tastings on your social media profiles, via email campaigns to those who join your community (in #3), in local print publications, and by word of mouth. Invite your customers to come and try your desserts on that special day. Tasting is always believing and if your desserts truly are delightful, customers will come back and they will bring their family & friends.

If you have sweet dreams of growing your bakery, try some of these creative sign projects. You will find that it’s not only fun to step out of the box, it’s also quite profitable to do so, too!

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