• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Subscribe
  • Submit Content
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Advertise
    • Display Advertising
    • Email Marketing Campaigns
    • Newsletter Advertising
    • Sponsored Content
    • Lead Generation Services
  • Top Product Sources

WholesaleCentral.com Blog

The Industry's Trusted Source for B2B Retail and Wholesale News

  • For Buyers
    • Retail News
    • Products & Suppliers
    • Ecommerce
    • Marketing & Management
    • Trade Show News
  • For Suppliers
    • Supplier News
    • Marketing & Management
    • Importing
    • Manufacturers
    • Warehousing
    • Finance
    • Show Exhibiting
  • Wholesale 101
  • Trade Show Calendar
  • Wholesale Products
Home » Negotiating Signage as a Retail Tenant

Negotiating Signage as a Retail Tenant

April 7, 2016 by The Lease Coach

by Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton

Retail SignageIt is much easier for customers to find your store if you have a prominent sign with your business name out front. The bigger the sign, the better – and the more attractive the sign, the better too. Don’t just assume, however, that your landlord shares your vision of a large sign identifying your business on or in front of his property.

Landlords impose signage criteria and restrictions mainly because whatever they allow one tenant to do signage-wise, the other tenants may also want to do. Most landlords prefer an uncluttered property without extra signage simply because it looks more attractive. If your landlord does allow you to place a sign on the property, creating and maintaining it is your responsibility. This extra work on your part, however, can be beneficial:

• Signage can make your business easier to find for customers who are specifically looking for you. If you’re located in an area with a sea of shopping plazas or office buildings, a sign with your name on it makes it much easier for customers to pick you out of the crowd.

• Signage can bring in customer traffic. Your sign may draw in customers looking to shop, but don’t know that you are there.

• Signage will become recognized by local residents who will see you as they commute to and from work daily. These residents are eventually more likely to visit your place of business because they are familiar with your name.

Retail SignageWith that being said, note that your landlord may allow certain types of signage and not others. Typically, the landlord requires either graphic drawings of your sign for written approval or provides you with a signage criteria package that you must follow as part of your lease agreement. Read this information carefully and understand that your landlord may consent to one type of signage but not another. To give you a better idea of what may or may not be allowed, here are the most common types of signage.

Building: This is the signage that almost every in a retail location will have and it will generally appear directly above your main entry door. However, do not overlook the possibilities of having signage on multiple sides or even the rear of the commercial property if that will provide you additional exposure to walk-by or drive-by traffic. 

Monument: A monument sign resembles a tombstone coming out of the ground and, typically, advertises just one or a few select tenants. Monument signs are not that common, but they can make your business look more substantial if you can get one.

Pylon: The tall sign by the roadway that tells passers-by what tenants are in the plaza is called the pylon sign.  A property may have several pylon signs, which all display the name of the plaza at the top of the sign. Don’t just assume that you will automatically get a panel of the pylon sign. There are often more tenants in a property than sign panels available, so make this a part of your offer to lease or lease renewal. Ideally, try to pick your actual panel (both front and back), because a panel higher up on the pylon sign is usually more visible and read first.

Sandwich board signage and banners: These may be extremely useful for tenants offering a limited time special but landlords may say no. If these are of interest to you, negotiate for them in advance. Landlords may be more comfortable in knowing these signs will be out for specific promotions and not all year.

Temporary pull-away: These are the signs on wheels covered with images or business messages. Most landlords dislike these signs and the problems that they create. Again, negotiate pull-away signage rights up front, because the landlord doesn’t have to let you put these up if they are not included in the lease agreement.

Jeff and DaleDale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield – The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work exclusively for tenants. Dale and Jeff are professional speakers and co-authors of Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES (Wiley, 2013). Got a leasing question? Need help with your new lease or renewal? Call 1-800-738-9202 or visit www.TheLeaseCoach.com.

Category: Retail News Tags: April 2016 Issue, brick and mortar

Primary Sidebar

Latest Posts

5 Ways Low-Code Technologies Can Help Boost Business

Marketing & Management

The Go-To Event for the Souvenir Industry

Trade Show News

How ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Can Strengthen Brand Equity

Retail News

How to Optimize Digital Customer Experiences

Ecommerce

Experience the Premier Beach Lifestyle Marketplace

Trade Show News

Preview Hot Products & Toy Trends at This Holiday Market

Trade Show News

Sign Up for Buyer Updates

WholesaleCentral.com

Join the Buyer's Network

Get news & updates only for retailers.

Editor’s Picks

How to Build the Perfect Marketing Campaign

Editors Picks, Wholesale 101 for Buyers

The Best & Worst Times to Post on Social Media

Editors Picks, Marketing & Management

Best Made in USA Products to Sell in the Summer

Editors Picks, Featured Products, Made in USA, Product News

More Editor's Picks

Follow Us:

© Sumner Communications, Inc.
6 Research Drive, Suite 420 | Shelton, CT 06484