Outdoor Advertising

smellslike$tome

I've seen numerous posts about yard signs and the like, but is anyone using any type of roadside billboard advertising. If so how is it working for you or not working for you? How long have you run it? What are the quality of the leads that you receive from it (wishers or buyers)? Most everyone at this forum seems to be primarily construction new or remodel but I am especially interested in any service company that may be using this. I'm thinking that this may not be the thing for a service company because we typically will have smaller ticket averages and therefore require a lot more calls than say a gc or even specailty trade that may have much larger ticket averages.

If anyone has any experience with this, please share with the class.

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Putty Truck

I've never done it, but I know companies who do. Most of them have had the billboards for a while under long term/multiple contracts. They also have the budget for it. It's a branding thing as opposed to a immediate call-to-action ad.

Location, location, location. There's this hvac guy here that rents a space in the center of town next to the freeway and it has a big old sign. Unforunately, his logo sucks, so you can't really tell what he does. Anyway, I almost rented the space just for the signage.

I still may get the space soon because that hvac guy has a double truck ad in the plumbing section and he has got to be hurting right about now. Granted he is one of those hvac/plumbing guys, but his main thing is heating.

Mike Finley

This is the ultimate prize for me. Radio and billboards!!!!

THE BIG TIME!!

Cole

I think outdoor billboards work for some companies, if they use them right.

You need to grab the drivers attention and send them to find out more about the services you offer etc...

I don't think you can just get a design with your company name and services on a billboard and expect to sell jobs from it. You need to educate interested people more about what you offer, your service area etc... Doing this could be simply sending people to your website, where is showcases your work, etc...

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Ed the Roofer

Another long time local roofing contractor has, (or used to have?), the bus benches with his ad placement on the back rest. It used to be there for years, but I don't recall if I have seen it in the past few.

It's like one of those things that I just got so used to seeing all of the time, I still remember it, even if it is not still on display.

Ed

smellslike$tome

I think the biggest problem with billboards and I believe this is reflected in my experience with my sign is that it requires a very long commitment and probably is more useful as a branding tool than anything else. I say that but as I think about it my sign has produced consistently since it went up. In fact I remember vividly the fact that within 30 minutes of it going up I had received my first call from it. With some frequency I have people tell me that they drove past my sign everyday for years and then one day they needed me. I have even had people leave their homes at night to drive to the sign because they knew it was there but couldn't remember the number. The only thing is I may have about $500.00 in my sign and would probably spend that or much more on a billboard per month. I really have no idea what this type of advertising costs. I don't think anybody pays any attention to billboards until they need something. So it may be stuck in the back of their minds in some vague kind of way but they can't tell you the name of your company or your phone number. I may be completely wrong and I certainly have no data. I would love it if this would work on this scale. Is ANYBODY using it? I know I just contradicted myself at least twice but it's just because I really don't know, just thinking out loud.

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Mike Finley

I think you are right on the money stone. It's not going to get somebody pulling over to write down your number. LIke I said, some day radio and billboards... ummmm (insert homer simpson ummmm sound). It's all about branding at that point, keeping your name out there, hitting em all the time and like you said, ONE DAY when they need you... bada bing!

Putty Truck

smelly, if you maxed out your sign, would that help? Spend a few grand on designers and materials, lit up at night, strippers in the day...that kind of thing. A change of pace for the commuters, too.

I have bus ads on the backs and sides for branding. These don't even have the phone number on them. These are not expensive and the contract has a one month early penalty.

smellslike$tome

Actually yes I believe a sign upgrade is due. In fact it is in the works. I am scheduled to receive this Friday a new Isuzu NPR HD with a Hackney box/shelving and truck wrap by Schneider Graphics. We are very much considering having the new sign to be the same as the truck wrap. Whatever it ends up being it will be the 4th incarnation of the sign. I'm sort of thinking that all my marketing should look nearly exactly the same for branding purposes. I'm pretty sure I will be skipping the strippers though.

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