The Scoop on Billboards and Outdoor Advertising in Montana
Posted on Thu, Aug 25, 2011
It’s a fact that people spend more time in their car than they do watching television or reading a book. That would lead a smart business owner to realize that outdoor advertising, specifically billboard advertising, is the only type of media with constant exposure and possibly one of the best ways to increase his business.
It’s like having the best employee in the world working for you. This employee is available twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred-sixty-five days of the year and who generates exposure repeatedly to your potential customers.
It’s a plus for the consumer as well. They don’t have to buy magazines, save coupons, or buy a newspaper in order to see your advertisement. There are no insufferable smells or sounds or any other unenthusiastic attention grabbers. There’s just you and your bigger than life advertising with bright colors and creative graphics.
You might want to consider this: If you place an ad in the newspaper, it is only going to run for a day or a weekend. A television commercial can only last for about thirty-seconds and if the consumer looks away for thirty-seconds, it’s not going to be seen anyway. But a billboard on a major highway or interstate route is continuously working and can have more viewers than even the super bowl!
Seventy-five percent of Americans rely on these billboards just to find hotels or motels while they are traveling. They can be traveling from Montana to New York or from California to Montana and those billboards will be seen and give subliminal messages to unsuspecting tourists. Statistically, seventy-five percent of the billboards are seen by travelers and, of that, sixty-five percent are actually read.
Pointers before advertising on billboards:
- Limit the amount of information you put on your billboard. It’s not a print ad. Keep your message short and make sure it’s catchy. Think more visual.
- Billboards do have limitations. They are just one part of a successful marketing strategy. A good marketing approach does involve broadcast media and printing.
- Make sure you know your traffic patterns and customer base. KNOW YOUR MARKET!
What about pricing?
Each city and state varies in cost due to location, population, etc. So, if we take the state of Montana for example, which ranks 44th in the nation and has a population of 989,415, the cost of billboard advertising is still very cost effective, especially if you own the land you are going to put one on. It’s almost like the old saying of real estate. Location, location, location. Imagine putting a full page ad in a major newspaper. Now imagine that it costs about the same to advertise on a billboard for many, many more people to see. What's your choice?
Today’s technology has contributed greatly to the lower cost of billboard advertising. Where at one time billboards had to be hand painted, which was a costly procedure, today they are actually designed on a computer screen and printed to poster paper or vinyl, then attached to the structure of the billboard.
So next time you need to get the word out, hire that 24/7 employee…..Bill Board!
(photo credit:
amyashcraft)