Outdoor Advertising Options: How Does One Choose Between Them?
In the world of advertising and marketing, sometimes the choices can be overwhelming. Is print advertising the right choice, or should electronic media be considered? Is outdoor advertising better than television advertising? Is radio advertising better than outdoor advertising? How does one go about making the right purchase when it comes to advertising?
Unfortunately, there isn’t one simple pat answer to this question, since every advertiser has different and varied needs. But there are some factors to consider that might make the selection process easier.
What does the advertiser want to have happen as a result of the advertising or marketing campaign? Is the campaign designed to elicit immediate response, or is the advertiser trying to build top of mind awareness? A department store offering a sale on shoes has different advertising needs than a pest control company, or a funeral home. All three have advertising needs, but the buyer of each product has different buying habits. Advertising can take a “warm” or “cold” prospect and turn them into a “hot” prospect, but it can’t create a buyer today where no need exists with the buyer today.
What are the limitations, if any, with the advertising budget? How much should be set aside for an advertising budget? This question has no set answer, either. The advertising budget is usually represented as a total percentage of gross annual sales of the product or service. If a business is just starting up, and has no sales or history, how is the determination made to what kind of budget to set for advertising?
Even though no budget has been established yet, a budget for advertising can still be established. There are many publications and industry reports that account for advertising expenditures by category of business, usually represented in total dollars spent and/or the advertising expense as a percentage of gross sales. So, a pest control service just starting up can at least determine what other pest control services spend on advertising each year, and project a budget based on anticipated sales. There’s also a general rule of thumb in advertising which says that, in the absence of any other information, the minimum advertising budget should be 3% of annual gross sales. Start-up operations may spend as much as 20% of the annual gross sales for the first year, then less after the initial advertising effort that made the public aware the business even exists, and what their purpose is, what they sell, etc.
Where should the advertising budget be spent? The answer to this question depends on the answers to the first two questions. Results and budget are key to the marketing program selected. Is radio the right choice, or is print advertising better? Is outdoor advertising better than television advertising? Should the advertiser use a combination of mediums, and if so, which is the right combination?
It would be nice if there was one answer that worked for every business, but there isn’t. Outdoor advertising combined with print institutional ads may be the right choice for a funeral home, or a pest control company, but may not be right for a department store. If showing the products and price points are necessary for the buyer to decide to get off the sofa and make a purchase, outdoor advertising is probably not the right answer, but print and television may be the way to go. If the product is complicated for the buyer to understand, the answer may exist within print ads and internet advertising. Does this mean outdoor advertising couldn’t be used effectively? Of course it could – provided the messages used in outdoor ads fully supports the print ads, or drives traffic to the website. If you’re not sure, consult a qualified advertising professional and save yourself and your business money by getting someone involved who can help.
