A new proposal is being considered by Raleigh that will place restrictions on signs in store windows. Some business owners, mainly smaller businesses trying to compete with larger chains, believe this will make it harder for them to get their products and services out there. The new proposal was started by complaints of an electronic billboard in the window of a real estate office on Glenwood Avenue that was distracting to drivers.
The new sign regulations, if approved, will be based on the size of the business. So the bigger your business is, the more opportunities you have to hang signs in your windows. But how does this affect smaller businesses?
These new sign regulations will harm the smaller businesses that are doing everything they can to get people into their store. Everything makes a difference, says one small business owner. Sometimes sales and promotions signs in smaller business windows will cause people who are driving down Glenwood Avenue to stop and check out their store. But if these regulations get approved, what will their next move be to stop from going out of business in this slow economy?
Most small businesses cannot compete with larger businesses advertisements budgets and cannot compete via television, newspaper, mail coupons and the internet. There are other ways to advertise, but how will they afford without getting passerby’s to stop into their store?
Check out the VIDEO HERE on WRAL for more information and to hear from a small business owner himself.
