Why The Business With The Most Attractive Asphalt Wins

Businesses like to market and compete in all sorts of ways. But often, victories come back to the smallest edges and margins. 

One of those is the asphalt out the front (if you have a brick-and-mortar store). How this appears can have a tremendous impact on how audiences perceive your brand and what they think of it. 

But how, exactly? In this post, we look at why businesses with the best asphalt usually win. Here’s what you need to know: 

First Impressions Matter More Than You Think

Let’s begin with the obvious: first impressions really matter. And what most customers notice first isn’t the window displays or marketing banners, but the whole feeling of the environment, including the ground underfoot. If there’s something wrong with this, then they can assume there is something wrong with the business as a whole. 

For example, imagine a storefront with regular cracked concrete out the front. Not attractive, right? Now compare that to jet-black asphalt that looks like someone laid it yesterday. That inspires confidence and just makes the whole environment look and feel so much better. 

Curb Appeal Is Critical

Related to this last point, when you upgrade the asphalt outside the front of your premises, it makes people want to pay more. It sets the tone for the rest of the interaction. 

For example, imagine a gym with a standard parking lot out the front. This facility, with its cracked paving, could maybe charge $80 a month, depending on the area. Now compare that to a gym with a brand new asphalt parking lot. People will be much more willing to go far beyond that price point, perhaps paying as much as $250 for the right services. 

Google Streetview Becomes An Ad

Another reason to invest in your asphalt is that it turns Google Street View into an ad. People searching for your business online will see how attractive it is and immediately feel more inclined to use your services. 

Contrast that to what your audience would think if your concrete or asphalt looks like a war zone. It’s unlikely they’d be willing to make the effort to see you, even if your product is great. 

It Can Signal Better Operations

Many customers also unconsciously understand that a business that lays the perfect asphalt probably has operational excellence. It’s able to turn ideals into reality, as exemplified by the hardscaping outside. 

Of course, it’s not a replacement for genuinely improved operations. You still need to do the hard work. But getting this aspect of your business sorted can have a significant and positive impact. 

It’s Cheap Marketing

Related to all the previous points, sorting out your asphalt and adding attractive manhole covers is probably the cheapest marketing you will ever buy for your firm. Once people see it, they won’t forget it. 

If you’re skeptical about it being cheap marketing, think about it carefully. While the upfront cost might be over $10,000 to sort everything out, it will then last for many years, maybe a decade, and continue to provide incredible value over time. Plus, if you pressure wash it, you can keep it looking like new during all those years, adding more free advertising to your firm. 

It Gives Competitors Notice

Another distinct advantage is that it puts competitors on notice. Once they see that you’ve dialed up your asphalt game, they are much more likely to feel the pressure to improve theirs. They don’t want you to stand out and steal all the limelight from them. 

Think about it: when you transform your parking lots and hardscaping, it makes your business look fantastic and everyone else’s looks run down. They don’t want to be part of that club, but they might not have the money to resurface their parking lots and repaint them with bright white lines, like yours. 

It Looks Better On Social Media

Businesses also put money into asphalt outside their premises because it makes them look better on social media. It’s perfect for photographs and makes for impeccable user-generated content. It’s completely upscale, again delivering long-term rewards. 

Plus, if you’ve invested in outdoor lighting, the deep asphalt blacks will complement it. Customers will want to experience your business for themselves, simply because of how professional it looks. Reflective stripes are a great option at night and make the whole space look so much more cyberpunk. 

So, the bottom line is this: your asphalt and parking lot isn’t some “back of house” consideration. It should be front and center in your planning.