"I 'heart' my sign," a customer told me recently, using air quotes around the word heart. Sally had ordered the A-frame as a way to lead customers into her retail location. Her shop is in downtown Burlington, Vermont, but a little bit visually out of the way of driving traffic.

The A-frame stands on the sidewalk, informing passers-by of her products and services. Her neighbor, an even newer business, has no A-frame and people are not even aware that his business offers nifty, one-of-a-kind products. I know because I've visited him several times and found myself to be one of only two or three customers there at any given time during the business day.

Signs are marketing tools that communicate your message. Signs are attention-getters. Business owners who lose track of this fact risk losing business.

Signs are advertising.

And as such, they are a business necessity. According to the SBA, "People often judge a business by how it looks on the sign." If a business even has a sign.

I would like my customer's neighbor to have more business. He needs an A-frame. An A-frame that stands out and grabs the attention of his potential customers walking and driving by.

Tell me what you think about A-frames as you're driving through the city.