Coming-Soon Signs suck

Near where I live in central Missouri there's a minor mystery going on. It's sitting just off the highway. Each day, thousands of cars go by it and hardly anyone knows what it is. To be more specific, nobody knows what it's going to be.

This is a construction project. Too big for a restaurant. Wrong part of town for an office. It's been going up for months, first with dirt work and diggers, later with cranes and crews of carpenters.

There's a sign at the edge of the lot but it's too small to read from the highway. While speculation has come up among friends at least four times, nobody has stopped to read the sign. Eventually, I got so curious that I got off the highway to have a look.

It said, "Financing provided by …" and listed a local bank. My curiosity turned into anger. This business hasn't even opened its doors and the first impression it had on me was negative.

The Problem with Traditional 'Coming Soon' Signs

While virtually every other aspect of our lives has been transformed by easy access to information, the humble "Coming Soon" sign is unchanged. That would be understandable if they worked but these things are terrible at doing the one job they are intended for.

• They are unreadable from more than a few feet away, not to mention when the viewer is driving by at highway speed
• The message is static and can't be updated as the project matures
• They are limited in how much information they can communicate
• They're only accessible physically at the location which might not even have a parking lot yet
• They weather, fade, fall over, get vandalized, and blocked by obstructions
• You can't search for them on the web or study them when you have a minute to spare
• They don't cater to multiple audiences. The person reading the sign might be a future employee or supplier
• Unlike every other form of modern advertising, they provide no feedback about how effective they are or what the viewer thinks of the product

Who Cares?

Many advertisers and new businesses dismiss the importance of the sign. It's understandable. The doors aren't open yet and they're probably busy caring about other things.

They are making a mistake.

They are neglecting an opportunity to connect with their customers at the exact moment when the viewer is expressing curiosity. Think about that for a minute. This is the moment to educate them about who you are and what you do. It's the moment to start building a relationship. Your first impression doesn't happen when they walk through the door, it happens when they realize there IS or WILL BE a door to walk through. New businesses are overwhelmingly trusting their first impression to a cardboard sign that nobody can read.

What People Actually Want

For Curious Locals

• Immediate answers to "What's being built here?"
• A way to stay updated on progress or grand openings
• The ability to share interesting projects with friends

For Businesses

• Ability to control what information gets shared and when
• Ability to tailor the message for the reader
• Tools to engage with potential customers early
• A digital presence for each project to attract attention
• Insights into who is interested and how to communicate with them

How Willitbee Solves These Problems

Willitbee provides a simple solution to all these problems. A map-centric platform to share and explore the newest commercial projects in our communities. It satisfies the curiosity of the audience and provides tools for the businesses.

Someone curious about a construction project would go to the app to see what it is. The map would center on their current location. Seeing no marker, the user takes a picture of the site and posts a new marker to the map. They grab the sharelink and drop it into a facebook post, subreddit, or email friends to ask if anyone knows what it is.

It's only a matter of time before someone associated with the project gets the link shared with them. They visit the link and click the button to claim it. For a small fee, they become the owner of the marker. They can change the layout, add information, and see data related to people following the marker. They can add updates which become notifications to the followers.

When the business is ready, they change the description, add a title and a logo and other details. Everyone who was curious enough to click the marker will get notified and have their curiosity satisfied.

For Casual Users: A Seamless Discovery Experience

• Explore sites via an interactive map
• Easily add markers for new projects that are raising curiosity
• Follow projects and receive real-time updates
• Share direct links to markers to raise awareness and bring attention

For Businesses: A Direct Connection with Early Adopters

• If someone has created a marker for your business, claim it to control the messaging
• Create a marker yourself to get visibility early
• Customize the information you share exactly when you want to share it
• Notify followers about progress, special offers, or opening events
• Get insight into engagement and interest

Why It Matters

Research highlights the significant impact of word-of-mouth (WOM) advertising on consumer behavior, emphasizing its credibility, reach, and psychological underpinnings:

Credibility and Influence: WOM is considered highly trustworthy because it often comes from family, friends, or peers, making it more reliable than traditional advertisements. Studies show that this credibility strongly influences purchasing decisions, especially in high-risk scenarios like tourism services or expensive products.

Behavioral Insights: WOM isn't just about altruism or sharing opinions. Psychological drivers, such as a sense of control, can motivate people to share product advice. This adds another layer to understanding consumer behavior and how it can be influenced by social dynamics.

Pre-release Impact: In some industries pre-release WOM has been shown to significantly affect outcomes when it reaches a critical mass, especially through influential social networks. Once buzz spreads within key groups, it can have a compounding effect on consumer engagement and sales.

Willitbee believes a better solution in the critical pre-opening phase is not only possible but would be welcomed by consumers. It's the kind of advertising they actually want.

Discover the Potential of Willitbee Today

• Browse our online map
• Create a marker for a site you're curious about or for your own coming business
• Share the link with your own social network
• Watch and see how people in your network respond to this information
• Download our mobile app to explore projects while you're out and about
• Invite businesses to claim their markers and start engaging with their audience

Even if we haven't convinced you, pay attention to your own thoughts in the coming weeks. I bet you find yourself wondering about construction projects and wishing you could get the answer to your own local mystery.