Overview
Outdoor advertising is a more traditional form of advertising / marketing. Think about all the advertisements you see walking through your neighborhood (on bus shelters) or driving your car (on billboards or on the sides of trucks or buses) – is that where you’d like to be?
Details
Outdoor advertising works well for promoting your specific promtions, products or services in specific geographic areas. Before you design a sign or billboard, walk (or drive) around your neighborhood to see what catches your eye. What doesn’t catch your eye? Come up with a list of objectives, you want your outdoor advertising to achieve.
And remember, as with most marketing activities, outdoor advertising is really only worth your time (and money) if your customers (or potential customers) are going to see your advertisement and be enticed to visit your location based on what they see. If your customers aren’t driving on the highway, a billboard isn’t your best bet.
Billboard
Billboards are most effective when they are located close to your business. In larger cities, like New York, billboards live on the sides of buildings, or in other prominent locations where passersby will notice them. Outside of cities and on the highway, billboards often give short directions for you to visit the company advertising (“Exit now!”). Because of their high cost, and large scale, it makes sense for billboards to appeal to a broader customer base.
Check out this website to see if there are billboards available for rent in your area. They’ll even help you secure a vendor to do the artwork for you!
Commuter Advertising
If your neighborhood or city has a public transportation system, chances are there are several highly-visible advertising opportunities available for your business. Think of all the advertisements that a commuter sees on their ride into work: a poster at the bus shelter, billboards at the Metro or train station, and taxi toppers in the city. That’s guaranteed / constant exposure for you and your business, at least 5 days a week.
What are the busiest Metro stops? Where do you always see people waiting in line for the bus? Jot this places down and then contact your city’s mass transit department or local taxi company to find out who rents advertising space in these various spots. Chances are, these companies have designers on hand that can help you create an attention-grabbing ad.
