Getting your business featured on an interstate exit sign is a great way to attract new customers. The signs are seen by hundreds of thousands of drivers who otherwise might not have noticed your business, which could be a good thing for your bottom line.

The blue highway signs that you see along interstate exits are a staple of every long-distance drive in the U.S. They point to gas stations, restaurants, lodging and attractions, and they help make traveling less stressful.

Each state has a set of criteria that businesses have to meet in order to be featured on these signs, including distance from the exit, amenities, parking and operating hours. Most states prioritize chain restaurants, such as McDonald's and Chipotle, that are open around the clock and have extensive menus.

Some states have also enacted a system that allows one business per exit to be the “sponsored business” at the entrance of the exit. That means that a business that's farther away but serves more drivers on the highway can be passed over for a nearby restaurant that's closer and opens earlier, according to JR Jarvis, general manager of Kentucky Logos, which handles the program in the state.

The company receives a small percentage of the profits from each business it sponsors. In Tennessee, that's about $8 million a year, and in Virginia, $6 million. In some cases, it can take years for a business to get a spot on the sign.