Are you tired of blowing a large portion of your budget on expensive advertising campaigns which don’t seem to be getting you results? Well, perhaps the answers to a more cost-effective and impactful campaign are easier to find than you think.
When you truly understand how your target market thinks and behaves, you can create more carefully crafted adverts which cost less but still achieve excellent exposure for your brand.
Here are my top tips for the most cost-effective solutions to make your display sign messages stand out from the crowd.
Who’s watching?
Display sign advertising is effective across different target markets because it appeals to a variety of age demographics in different ways. For example; an estimated 56 per cent of millennials trust this medium as they consider it less intrusive than digital advertising, but it still leads to them taking action.
So, how can you ensure you create cost-effective messages for your desired audience?
According to Adlucent, 75 per cent of people prefer to see fewer ads and for brand messages to be aligned with their personal needs and interests. As a start, look at your current customers and work out why they benefit from your services.
For example, say you’ve launched a new mattress. Your research might reveal consumers may be drawn to the product, because of the quality of the materials and be happy to spend more on your product because of this.
When you know what makes your current customers happy, you can ensure you include this information on any content you produce to attract futures buyers too. By doing so, you’ll know your content is relevant and you won’t have to make further efforts or waste advertising spend, having to amend messaging later down the line.
Intrigue, don’t inform
As previously discussed, it has been found consumers prefer adverts that are specific to them. Now you know which elements of your product appeal most to your target audience, you need to ensure your messaging tells a story.
It’s all very well listing the benefits of a product, but you need to do this in a creative and engaging way, so messaging doesn’t come across as a thinly veiled sales pitch.
For example; the ‘Shot on iPhone 6’ campaign centred around what users can do with the phone rather than the capabilities of the product itself. Your story should revolve around the user’s experience, not around the company’s objectives.
This will result in financial savings, as not only will you engage with your focused groups in less time, you also won’t have to spend additional budget boosting a campaign that may have fallen flat due to its lack of creativity.
Location is key
One of the keys to success is prioritising location and getting as many eyes on your display signs as possible. Visibility, traffic count and proximity to your business are key for your signs to be successful.
Prime locations do tend to be more expensive, but it’s a mistake for organisations to opt for a higher number of signs and billboards in lots of cheaper locations instead. Generally, this will mean your signs being placed in less competitive areas, which are quieter and less commercial. Not only does this usually equate to less footfall, it’s also unlikely these areas will be as relevant for your audience.
Related: Guide to Van Wrapping – Advertising your business with vehicle display signage
Another fantastic opportunity to show off your signage is at relevant industry events and exhibition shows, as they can be used to catch the attention of consumers as they pass by. Again, they should be designed to build brand awareness and not solely to try to sell.
Sharing is caring
People who see an outdoor advertising campaign are 17 per cent more likely to engage with a brand on their smartphone. If you want them to spread the word, why not include your social media details as part of your display signs?
Including a social media tag at the bottom of a display sign or billboard, will encourage consumers to share information about your products across online channels too, without it costing you a penny.
Another method is to use social media to promote yourself attending an event. You could even have an incentive for customers to come to your stand on the day.
Again, this integration between online and offline strategies helps promote both your products and your presence at relevant industry events, for free.
Traditional advertising campaigns don’t have to be expensive, but they do need to be strategised smartly to provide big returns. This will enhance your messaging, particularly on display signs and help you get closer to customers. Marrying offline advertising with your online space is another beneficial tactic to in helping your business stay lean in spending while growing revenue.
Tim Fuller is managing director of Discount Displays.
Further reading on display sign advertising
