Why Outdoor Advertising is Key for Any Business

Between work, school, and errands, the average American spends a lot of time simply going from place to place—about 90 minutes every day when you combine the average commute (52.2 minutes per day) and time spent running errands (about 39 minutes).

There’s a lot going on during that time. Say you’re behind the wheel headed to the grocery store. On the way, you’re likely to see more than 150 ads in the form of billboards, building signage, bus shelter advertising and more. Once you arrive at the store, you’re exposed to more than 45,000 different products.

Do you (or your customers) note every single one of them and act? Hardly. But marketing and advertising are cumulative. The Rule of 7 is commonly quoted as a target for advertisers to shoot for — consumers have to be exposed to a message seven times before reacting. At its core, the idea that consumers have to see your name/message/offer multiple times before acting is valid. Not surprisingly, The Rule of 7 has been adopted by digital marketers, though they push for seven touches per day.

In any case, the specifics of the rule are less important than the three core truths behind it:

• Repetition builds familiarity

• Familiarity builds consideration

• Consideration builds trial

So when thinking about ways to deliver your name and message to a highly mobile consumer base, outdoor advertising must be a key element in your marketing toolkit. They won’t buy from you if they don’t know about you.

 

 

There’s More To Outdoor Than Digital Billboards and Transit Advertising.

Without a doubt, digital billboards are the darlings of outdoor advertising. And for good reason. They bring bright, colorful messaging to the visibility of a high-traffic location. They’re quickly changed when your marketing message changes. Instead of having to wait on the outdoor company to send a crew to pull down the old message and put up a new one, new images are simply uploaded to a server that pushes the artwork out to the boards.

But as an advertiser, you’re definitely paying a price for this visibility and flexibility. Now, in addition to art costs, you’ll pay per exposure. That is, your media cost is based on the number of times in an hour your board is visible. And you need a substantial number of exposures to make your message stick. Transit advertising (buses, trains, bus shelters) presents the same challenging budget scenario.

That’s why it can make sense to widen your definition of “outdoor advertising” to include more affordable and ultimately impactful options.

Outdoor Advertising at (Human) Scale

One consumer in three reports being drawn into a new or unfamiliar store because of signage. And almost 35 percent of consumers have “made quality assumptions about a business on the basis of clear and attractive signage.” At the same time, more than half of respondents (54 percent) reported driving past and failing to find it because of the signage that was either too small, difficult to read, or non-existent.

The lesson here? Customers can’t buy if they can’t find you. That’s why location-specific messaging is so vital. And it’s why banners, flags, inflatables, and portable signage from BestFlag need to be a key piece of your marketing toolkit.

• Location-specific signage gets your message down to consumer eye level on the street, in the store, and even in the aisle.

• Flags and banners display your company name and logo and draw attention with color, size, and movement.

• Moveable signage helps customers find their way and directs attention to promotional areas or limited-time specials.

• Inflatables like shelters and SkyDancers (aka the “wacky waving arm inflatable tube man) cut through all kinds of visual clutter by drawing the eye upward, and the consumer over to your location.

• Custom awnings and event tents help create a sense of place at events (outdoor AND indoor too) to sell or connect with consumers.

• Indoors, signage, table covers and popups elevate your presence at trade shows and expos. Outdoor and indoor advertising tools like these punch well above their weight in value.

Quality design and manufacturing mean you’re investing in messaging assets that will last for years. Because they’re meant to be easily erected on site, location-specific outdoor saves installation costs often associated with large-scale outdoor advertising vehicles. This can make a significant impact if you need to have a visual presence at multiple locations across the city or around the world. Once manufactured, signage can be shipped wherever needed in durable reusable cases with clear instructions. When they arrive, your salespeople or other on-site reps can have them up and working in as little as 15 minutes.