By Cameron Wilson, SimpleSignCalls

You paid for the sign, the post, and the install. A buyer slows down, likes the house, and calls the number. It goes to voicemail because you're in a showing, and they drive off. That lead is gone. The small rider on your sign is where you win that buyer back, and most agents don't use it well. Here's what to put on it, what to skip, and how to turn a drive-by into a lead you can text back.

The short answer: put one action on your rider, and make it a text code. Something like "Text MAPLE to 385-290-4140 for price and photos." The buyer gets the details in seconds, and you get their phone number.

A rider is the small panel that hangs above or below your main yard sign.
The most common sizes are 6 x 24 inches and 6 x 18 inches.
Keep it to one action, one code, and one number. Six words or fewer on the main line reads best from a car.
Buyers are already on their phones: in the 2025 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 70% of buyers used a mobile phone or tablet in their home search.

Want to see what your buyer would see? Text DEMO to (385) 290-4140. You'll get a sample property reply in a few seconds, just like a buyer standing at your curb.

What is a real estate sign rider?

It's the add-on panel that clips to your sign frame. Agents use riders for things like "Pool," "Open House Sunday," or "Under Contract," but the most valuable rider is the one that tells a buyer exactly what to do next.

Your main sign does the branding: your brokerage, your name, your face. The rider does the converting. If you only think of it as decoration, you're leaving leads on the lawn.

What should your sign rider say?

One action, and one easy way to do it. A buyer driving by has maybe three seconds to read your sign, so anything that needs a second look won't get one.

Wording that works

"Text MAPLE to 385-290-4140 for price and photos"
"Text 1234 for info. 385-290-4140"
"Price and photos: text HOME to 385-290-4140"
"Open house Sat 1-3. Text OPEN to 385-290-4140"

Wording to skip

Two phone numbers. The buyer won't know which one to use, so they'll use neither.
A long web address. Nobody types a URL at a stop sign.
Hype with no action, like "Gorgeous!" or "Must see!" It fills space but doesn't give them anything to do.
Codes that are easy to mistype, like "H0ME" with a zero. Pick something a person can spell on the first try.

Should your sign rider use a text code or a QR code?

Here's the short version: make the text code the main action. Add a QR code only if you've got leftover space and you still want a "scan for photos" option for people who walk up.

Why? A buyer rolling past at 25 mph can read "Text MAPLE to 385-290-4140." They can't comfortably stop, open their camera, and nail a QR from the driver's seat. And even when a QR works, a plain QR usually opens a webpage. It doesn't hand you their phone number.

That last part is the whole game. Your yard sign already got their attention. The rider's job is to turn that attention into a lead you can text back.

Text code vs. QR code, side by side:

Can they use it from a car? Text code: yes, right from the street. QR code: usually not, since they need to be close enough to scan.
Do you get their phone number? Text code: yes, it arrives as a text. QR code: no, not unless they fill out a form after the scan.
Can you text them back in the same thread? Text code: yes. QR code: not without that form or another capture step.
Can you change the message after the rider is printed? Text code: yes, you update the auto-reply in your dashboard. QR code: yes, if it's a redirect you control.

So if you only have room for one thing on a 6 x 24 rider, put the text code. Want to feel the difference yourself? Text DEMO to (385) 290-4140 and see how fast the reply lands.

How do you get a text code for your sign rider?

You'll need a sign text service. It gives you a local number and lets you make a code for each listing. With SimpleSignCalls, setup takes a few minutes, and you write the auto-reply once. Here's the process:

Create an account with a sign text service, for example SimpleSignCalls.
Select a local phone number and area code.
Make a code for the listing, for example MAPLE or 1234.
Write the auto-reply. Include the address, beds, baths, square feet, and a link to the photos.
Order a rider with the code and the number from any sign printer.
Attach the rider to the yard sign.
Text the code yourself to test the reply.

From then on, every buyer who texts the code gets your property details right away, and you get a lead alert with their phone number. If you live in a CRM, you can send those leads there by email or through Zapier, so nobody slips through while you're busy.

Can you use one sign rider for many listings?

Yes, and this is where a text code really pays for itself. When the house sells, move the rider to your next listing and change the auto-reply in your dashboard. No reprinting.

Teams like this part too, because you can also change which agent gets the leads from a code. Clay W of Red Sign Team put it this way: "It is easy to transfer signs to a new listing, update the message, and then change which agent gets the leads that comes in."

Do you need a sign to get started?

Nope. You can test a text code before you ever order a rider. Put it on a window flyer, a showing handout, or in your listing description. When someone texts it, you get the same lead alert you'd get from the yard.

How much does a text code for your sign cost?

SimpleSignCalls starts at $15 a month for up to 3 signs on the Lite plan. Your first 14 days are free, and you can cancel any time. If you run more signs, the price adjusts with them; the pricing page shows every option.

One honest note: the rider itself is a separate cost. Order it from any sign printer you like. We don't print signs; we handle what happens after the buyer texts.

Sign rider checklist

Before your rider goes on the sign, run through this quick list:

Write one action only.
Use a code with 4 to 8 characters.
Use a local phone number.
Use large, dark letters on a light background.
Text the code yourself before the sign goes in the yard.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a real estate sign rider?

The most common sizes are 6 x 24 inches and 6 x 18 inches. Frames vary by brokerage, though, so check with your sign printer that the rider fits your frame before you order.

What's the best wording for a real estate sign rider?

Give one action, one code, and one number, like "Text MAPLE to 385-290-4140 for price and photos." Keep the main line to six words or fewer so a buyer can read it from the car in a couple of seconds.

Is a text code better than a QR code on a yard sign?

For capturing leads, yes. Buyers can read a text code from the street, and you get their phone number the moment they text. A plain QR code opens a webpage but doesn't tell you who looked. You can still put both on one rider if you have room.

Can I reuse a sign rider on my next listing?

Yes. If your code lives in a text service like SimpleSignCalls, just move the rider to your next sign and update the auto-reply in your dashboard. Buyers get the new property details, and you skip the reprint.

How much does a text code sign service cost?

SimpleSignCalls is $15 a month for up to 3 signs on the Lite plan, with a 14-day free trial. The price adjusts if you add more signs. The physical rider is a separate cost from your sign printer.

Ready to stop losing drive-by buyers?

Your sign is already doing the hard part: getting a buyer to slow down and look. Give them one easy thing to do, and make sure their number lands with you. Text DEMO to (385) 290-4140 to see it work, then start your 14-day free trial and put your first code on a rider this week.

Real Estate Marketing Blog | Simple Sign Calls

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