Have you noticed how many of those people you see, lately, on street corners shaking and spinning advertising signs for nearby restaurants and shops? Have you wondered why there seem to be so many of them these days?

Whenever I pass one I usually feel a fleeting sympathy for the person whose job is standing out in the sun, holding a heavy sign and dancing around to fight the tedium. My next thought is to wonder if the sign spinner is doing any good for the business.

I read an article today that answered my question with an emphatic, “Yes”. It seems that traffic picks up markedly for the businesses using these human billboards.  The reason is simply that we all are people-watchers.  And when the people we are watching can somehow engage our emotions or our curiosity we will watch them more closely. We may even feel a sympathy that causes us to go into the business being advertised.

This is an interesting phenomenon that even those outside the business world can use to our advantage.

Anyone with an idea or a cause to promote needs to get people’s attention. If that attention is sympathetic, all the better.

I’m not suggesting that we should all stand on street corners waving signs. But we can draw positive attention to ourselves and our cause by being interesting and doing something just a little out of the ordinary where everyone can see.

In today’s society that can be as simple as going out of our way to be courteous, friendly, and helpful.

What is your cause today? What are you trying to promote?  What creative thing can you do to be noticed? In your life how can you begin to spin your sign and bring people in?

The sign spinners aren’t all the same. They come in all sizes, shapes and genders. Some wear silly costumes and some don’t. But what they all have in common is that they are out there spinning their signs alone.  One person waving one sign and having an impact.

It makes you think, doesn’t it?