Chalkboard monitor may not be the loftiest business title, but at The Painted Lady in London, it’s an important one — and it belongs to receptionist Beulah Bell. The retro-inspired salon keeps a chalkboard sign out in front to capture the attention of passersby, and it’s Bell’s job to figure out what to write on it. The messages — which are changed weekly — range from humorous to inspirational. Says Bell, “Belinda Hay, the owner, and Tina Michael, who runs the nail bar, decided it was a good idea to have a chalkboard with offers and fun quotes. It’s great for boosting foot traffic into our salon and with so much competition in our local area, we feel it’s a great way to show the public a bit of our personality.”

It seems to be effective. “We get feedback online when I post pictures, and I have noticed an increase in the number of people coming into the salon when we have a particularly funny or inspirational board outside,” says Bell.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.