Good signs draw many customers

We bet several sign makers were vindicated to hear that an outside consultant was called in to say what they've been telling customers for years.

Roger Brooks from Destination Development of Olympia, Wash., visited Carson Valley and provided feedback to small business owners.

While he had several suggestions, including providing rest rooms and clustering shops within walking distance of each other, it was in the signs that Mr. Brooks' largest impact will be felt.

It may be true that you can't tell a book by its cover, but you'd better be able to distinguish a business or town by its sign.

Brooks offered small business owners a crash course in what makes a good sign. The most obvious tip is that signs must be easy to read in a hurry and from a distance.

The average motorist has about 4 seconds to read a sign, (though anyone who's been stopped at the light at Highway 395 and Gilman Avenue knows that sometimes it's an eternity).

Using contrasting colors, limiting the amount of text and using just one graphic in a billboard are all designed to send a clear message quickly.

We understand that someone who is paying for a sign might feel it is important to get as much information as possible into it, however sign makers know that signs aren't there to please business operators, they are there to attract customers.