Let’s Talk About Billboards

Billboard advertising can be very effective if it’s the right fit for your business and if it has been designed to be viewed by users traveling at high speeds. Because the billboard spot itself can be pricey, small businesses often can’t afford to also have a professional marketer do the design. Luckily, best practices for billboard design are easy to find on the internet via a simple Google search. Alternatively, you can study billboards on your next road trip! My most recent road trip through South Dakota had me doing just that, so let’s talk about billboards.

Billboard Sharing

One town I drove through featured two billboards that seven to eight businesses went in on together. This a creative solution to the cost of billboard advertising, and having two signs for repetition was another smart move. Unfortunately, both billboards were located about 150 feet off of the highway and the business names were so small that it was almost impossible to read them all while doing the speed limit. This approach to collaborative outdoor advertising might be better for a billboard or sign located in a high walking-traffic area, so potential customers have time to stop and read each business name.

Wall Drug

You won’t drive across South Dakota without knowing about Wall Drug and their five cent coffee or six foot rabbit. It’s evident that this company has a larger budget than most of us, but they use it well by implementing catchy colors, minimal words, images, and a clear business name. Additionally, they keep these billboards looking new rather than leaving ones up that have faded over the years. Overall, Wall Drug is just a great example of leveraging this marketing piece to get the most bang for your buck!

Best Practices

If you’re interested in some best practices that I would recommend, here a couple links to good articles on the topic:

• Creating Memorable Billboard Designs
• Pro Billboard Design Tips

Outdoor advertising might not be a good fit for your business, or within your budget, but clearly you need to market your business in some fashion. That might be social media, traditional sources (newspaper, radio, television), signage on your business or vehicle, or face-to-face with your potential customers.

If you are an entrepreneur interested in working on your marketing strategy, contact your local Wyoming SBDC Network advisor today by clicking here.

About the Author: Bruce’s experience as a former banker and Economic Development Finance Professional helps him to assist clients with all things numbers: loan applications, financial analysis, business planning and projections, and crowdfunding ideas. When he’s not in the office, Bruce loves travel, good food, and an occasional round of golf!