You market your business. You create coupons, specials, you advertise on local radio stations and hire mascots to catch the eyes of drivers-by. But how often do you think about your car wash’s signage? When was the last time your logo was redesigned?

Car washes are largely an impulse buy, and consumer impulse is driven primarily by emotion, so eliciting an emotional response from potential customers is key. One of the most important parts of creating a positive, memorable emotional experience for your car wash customers is creating an eye-catching visual experience for your customers as they drive through. Light and color play a huge role in capturing your customers’ emotions, so having the right signage and lighting around and within your wash is important.

Studies have shown that bright entrance signs and colored lights at the entrance and exit to wash tunnels have created a deeper emotional impact on customers, creating more repeat business. Additionally, the presence of brightly colored signage and neon lights is often directly related to higher ticket averages. Something as simple as adding neon lights to your triple foam arch can raise your average wash $.50 or more!

Experience is half the thrill of going to the car wash, so reward your customers with a fun, visually stimulating experience. Clearly label each stage of the wash with a brightly light sign, and mark the entrance to your wash with colorful signs that attract attention. Make sure your main business logo is colorful, bright and fun. At Tommy, we’ve chosen red to be our signature color, since red is one of the most eye-catching and emotionally evocative colors.

So what exactly can you do to make your car wash a more emotionally stimulating experience? These are a few simple add-ons we’ve developed over the years which have been proven to increase repeat business and average ticket sales:

- Use  indoor and outdoor red accent balls as planters, trash cans and outdoor decoration to make your wash’s aesthetic more fun and appealing.

- Place bright, eye-catching “car wash” building signs directing cars to the wash line.

- Use sign panels with colored LED lights to mark each stage in the wash.

- Redesign your logo and signage to be brighter, simpler and more memorable.

At Tommy Car Wash, we’re experts at creating the kind of visual appeal that keeps customers coming back for the experience, not just the wash. If you need help taking your wash’s aesthetic up a notch, our customer service team would be happy to help. For a limited time, we’re also offering signage re-imaging for just $100; simply send us pictures of your signage and facility, and let our artists re-image your facility. Contact us for more details.

Originally published at tommycarwash.wordpress.com