How One Pause Cost Traffic—and How They Got It Back

In the fast-paced world of homebuilding, every decision impacts the bottom line.

For one Artisan Direct client, a large regional homebuilder, weekend directional signs were a staple of their marketing strategy. These signs, strategically placed to guide potential buyers to model homes, had consistently delivered strong results. But when it came time to reassess their annual marketing budget, they decided to press pause on the program.

The decision seemed logical at first. By trimming what appeared to be a variable expense, they could allocate more funds to other advertising channels like online ads and print media. However, what happened next proved just how critical weekend directional signs were to their success.

The Unexpected Drop in Traffic

Within weeks of suspending the program, sales teams at the builder’s communities began noticing a significant drop in weekend foot traffic to their model homes. Visitors who typically walked in after seeing a sign were suddenly missing. Weekend after weekend, the numbers told the same story: fewer tours, fewer conversations, and ultimately, fewer opportunities to turn prospects into homeowners.

What became clear was that potential buyers were not finding their way as easily without the signs. Weekend directional signs had been doing more than just pointing people in the right direction—they were driving interest and creating urgency for people to visit.

Relaunching The Program

Recognizing the impact, the client quickly reinstated the program. Artisan Direct worked with them to re-deploy signs to the same high-visibility locations they’d used before. The process was seamless thanks to the Directed app, which provided installers with precise placement instructions and tracked installations in real-time.

Within days of restarting the program, weekend traffic rebounded. The client reported a noticeable increase in foot traffic to their communities, and their sales team was back to converting leads into contracts. The homebuilder’s marketing manager shared, “It was a wake-up call. We underestimated how much directional signs contribute to weekend traffic.”

A Lesson Learned

This client’s experience highlights the real-world value of directional signs as part of a marketing mix. While it’s tempting to trim costs in certain areas, the data showed that the ROI from directional signs was undeniable. By bringing the program back, they not only regained traffic but also set themselves up for continued sales success.