Top tips - Get the most out of your agency boards

As any agent will know, the task of ordering, erecting and maintaining boards can be time- consuming and cumbersome.

While ultimately working with a professional board operator will save you time and money, there are measures that can be taken to improve efficiency and ensure more pounds in your pocket.

Here at Agency Express, we erect, service and retrieve over 500,000 estate agency boards every month. Drawing on our 20 years of experience, we have compiled five simple tips on how to get the most out of your agency boards… 

1. Keep it simple

When choosing your board design, keep in mind that fewer colours can mean less production costs. Simple boards with bold colors are just as effective on the streets as boards with complex designs.

Haart is excellent example of an effective design using only two colours, while HouseSimple have recently taken a step further reducing their design to a single bold colour.

2. Print quality

Board quality is key and should not be undervalued. Low prices may seem attractive but bargain boards do not have the same longevity and could increase your production spend in the long run.

An expertly printed, well-maintained board will look good on the streets for longer and untimely reduce the cost per use. So always choose a reputable manufacture, even if it costs that little bit extra.

3. Time to check

Checking on your boards regularly can be time-consuming but a poorly erected, damaged or missing board may result in a loss of instruction. It is important to audit your active listings on a regular basis and document each visit.

To increase the life span of a board it is vital that it is well-maintained, especially in winter when it may be outside exposed to the elements for longer. 

4. Eliminate board loss

Retrievals are where the biggest cost saving can be made. The number of un-retrieved boards is extremely high when a professional operator is not used. The average use of a board when not serviced by a professional is 1.5 times, with a company such as Agency Express the average is 4.2, reducing the board production cost by more than half.

The key is again auditing. A regular audit of your active listings will indicate what boards are out and what needs to come in.

5. Storage

Storage is crucial to the lifespan of a board. If you have taken the time to retrieve the board, then keeping it stored correctly will again increase the usage and improve your return.

Boards should be stored in a clean, dry space and where possible racked to reduce the risk of damage to the print and structure.

These simple tips will help to improve the return on your agency boards, and while they may seem obvious they can be easily missed.

Needless to say, as daily demands increase sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to get every job done.

We believe that instructing a professional operator still remains the most efficient way to manage agency boards on a daily basis. However, if managed in-house, with a few simple adjustments to your board management process, savings can be made.

*Naomi Wood is Marketing Manager at Agency Express