“Christmas — Easier to spell than Hanukkah.”

A Florida pastor recently used his church’s marquee to put out a message: “Christmas — Easier to spell than Hanukkah.”

Mike Butzberger of Lighthouse Baptist Church in North Palm Beach says he meant no offense. But he begrudgingly took it down after a woman complained and a local television station inquired.

Such is the challenge for pastors who are trying to update the age-old practice of luring worshippers with messages on marquees outside their churches. Long the place for Gospel quotes and Christmas Eve sermon hours, now the signs are often clever, catchy or funny.

But pastors are finding that joking about religion is serious business, and it’s easy to cross a line.

Some say the messages help attract new members, others say they at least get people talking.

Source – http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/24/signs-times-churches-trading-tradition-for-catchy-clever-messages-to-draw/

A good read on how to write a proper sign… http://www.ossweb.com/CopywritingTips.pdf

The season is upon us and more holiday spending means more opportunities to bring business to your local store! In the competitive realm of retail, it’s important to master the art of visual appeal. And what better way to attract customers than to display the goods you have to offer with custom holiday signage, featuring the unique specials of THIS season! With these retail display tips for your store, you’ll have them coming back all year.

One of the greatest ways to turn passer-bys into long-term customers is to first, provide a striking visual attraction. While there is a lot of eye-catching competition during the Christmas and holiday season, it’s important to make your store pop with holiday signs that will deliver your most important message to the client. Here are some tips to visually promote your store.

Decorative Decals

Consider implementing a unique holiday window decal with a custom design and logo. Communicate the specific message that you want to deliver to customers with a fun and friendly decal. Window decals are made to be applied and removed with ease and are perfect for displaying that limited-time promotion or seasonal special to turn window shoppers into purchasing shoppers.

Promos Promos Promos!

During this season, you’re well aware that yours isn’t the only business aiming to capitalize on busy holiday shopping. Every store is featuring offers to beat the competition and maximize profit. Your sign will need to stand out above all the hustle and bustle. Bring in foot traffic with custom display signs that feature your special promotion. Some rewarding promos to offer are:

Early Bird Specials

After the initial holiday spending surge is over, set a date for an early special for those who might have missed out or are still wanting more. Your sign should emphasize the limited hours of the special, creating a sense of urgency and helping offset less busy morning hours that most retailers experience.

Last Minute Deals

Specials like these will help you reach out to your less pro-active customers looking to wrap up their final holiday shopping. Your sign could feature a clock image to stress the urgency. While stressful for some, last minute shopping is normal for many and they will be grat

eful for your promotion.

Two for One

Anyone appreciates getting the biggest bang for their buck, especially when buying gifts for multiple people. Feature an item that is trendy and suitable to a wide audience and put it on a sign! Items like these will, at the least, make great stocking stuffers and your customers will be happy to check a few things off of their holiday shopping list.

Keep reading the original article at: http://www.signs.com/blog/essential-holiday-signage-for-your-retail-store/#ixzz2nspeRLj4