It is a given that billboard advertising "outdoor" is not a "quick fix". If sales are down, you can't quickly put up a few boards to boost the numbers. You must plan ahead.

Lead time is not short when using outdoor. The best use of boards is for image building and brand awareness.

Billboards are not cost effective for one time only sales or non-repeating special events. Most billboards are sold for a minimum of one month.

Using billboards is akin to TV, it can mean you have "arrived" as a formidable business.Billboards are image builders.

Painted billboards (Paints) are the oldest form of outdoor advertising. Poster Boards (Paper) may be the best known. We have all seen the billboard guy hanging off the ladder with the swirling wallpaper-like panels being pushed into place with the big glue broom.

All the rage now is the use of vinyl on boards. This allows for better color, longer life and very fine graphics. Vinyls are printed with a special printer, not unlike your computer printer (but bigger).

Bulletins are the giant boards you often see along Interstates. They can be as big as 20 x 60 feet.

Here are BIG Mike's 9 Tips for Better Billboard Advertising.

1 Buy at least a 50 showing (meaning 50% of the population will see it at least once a day) and do it every other month. Many times if the board is not sold after your time runs out, it will remain up for free until replaced.

2 Be sure some if not most of the boards you buy are lighted locations.

3 Choose stand alone rather than stacked boards (if you have a choice).

4 Don't let the billboard salesperson select the locations for you.

5 Buy vinyls instead of paper or paint and bleed the graphic off the edge (so it wraps around the back of the board). Makes your ad look even bigger.

6 Keep the concept short and clever. Offer a solution to their problem, entice them with something new. Avoid same ol' same ol'.

7 Use the rule of never more than 8 words and one picture. Remember, most readers will be zooming by in a car or truck.

8 Don't put your picture on the board. Remember the cardinal rule of sales. It's not all about YOU, it's all about THEM.

9 Make outdoor a budget item and plan in advance. Spend most of your time working on the concept and design, 'cause once it's up there, it can't be changed and will been seen by everybody.

For more about advertising get my article "Do Your Radio Ads Work?" Send a blank eMail MailTo:RadioAds@BigIdeasGroup.com

?2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights Reserved Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com BIG Mike is a Professional Speaker and Small Business Consultant with over 30 years experience, http://BIGIdeasGroup.com

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