If you’re really desperate to bag that first sale and the online methods aren’t working their magic, you can resort to offline methods like billboards instead. This will hit two targets with a single stone – you can convince the public that your brand is well established and popular, plus a huge number of potential customers will be able to see the advertisement on a daily basis.
Nonetheless, digital marketers are usually afraid to resort to outdoor advertising as it is difficult to keep tabs on its effectiveness in terms of web analytics. But if you have the money and the resources, it’s worth giving it a shot.
The Billboards A to Z
There are few key aspects that you’ve got to keep in mind before you get on-board with billboard advertising. This is mainly because almost no one will stop and take the time to scrutinise the message printed on the billboard in detail so:
- Keep the word count minimal – Refrain from writing big sentences and paragraphs are a big ‘NO’. Your message has to be rather quick and to the point.
- Make branding the centre of your attention – Billboards are essentially a branding strategy more than anything else. Your company logo and domain name should look good and stand out prominently. It should be readable as well.
- Put emphasis on your domain name – Make this as big as possible and drop the “http://www.” Everybody uses the internet these days (even your grandma!) so it becomes inconsequential.
- Don’t try to be Mr.Smartypants – There’s nothing wrong with having a billboard that is witty and downright smart. But, if passers-by don’t get what you’re trying to say, then you are losing out on potential sales.
All About The Location!
It would be a poor strategy to go on putting billboards randomly around the city. Preferably, you should opt for some geographical perspective before choosing a location.
For instance:
- An ecommerce store for kayaks – If this is the case then you should try outdoor advertising methods right next to kayaking launch sites and roadways that lead to bodies of water.
- An online sneakers store – With this, you would want to try advertising near city centres, parks, basketball arenas etc.
- A fashion online store – With this as you business, for maximum impact you should advertise right next to prominent shopping malls and college campuses.
All these tactics are strategically placed so that the right kind of target audience gets to know of the product/service that will enhance their overall experience. It is all about making the most of the impressions.
Mobile Billboard Advertising
Mobile billboards take outdoor advertising to the next level. The beauty of opting for this is that it resolves the problem of being unable to get to the location of your choice. You can hire mobile billboard service and choose bus, truck and trailer wraps printed with eye catching logo design that can be driven around the locations you wish to be spotted at or simply park the vehicles on strategic intersections.
In case there is some major event happening at a certain place, you can ensure that the billboard bearing vehicle cruises around the area and targets audience that may be perfect for your brand. Wrapping a vehicle in an advertising skin is perhaps one of the smartest outdoor advertising choices. It is important that the graphic design you chose is uncluttered, simple and attractive for maximum impact.
To Wrap It Up…
Graphic designs that look rather tacky can hurt your brand image. A design that looks clean and good instils trust and certain level of authority towards potential customers. So by rule of thumb, refrain from skimping on the design for outdoor advertising. You’ve got to keep in mind that you’re not just building a business but a brand as well, so concentrate on how you want to be perceived by the rest of the world.
If you’re seriously considering billboard advertising for your business, by now you should have hired a graphic designer who has an eye for a good design. This component right here is the key that most small business owners fail to recognise. A good design is what makes a world of difference between making that first sale and not making a sale at all, so choose wisely!