Contributed post.
Outdoor marketing may have been put on the back burner in 2020 for businesses to focus their time and budget on digital marketing. Travel is down significantly, and people have generally been getting out less and avoiding large gatherings.
But while promoting your brand online is crucial, if you have a brick-and-mortar store or other physical local business, outdoor marketing is essential as well. There are many ways you can promote your business in the local community, and outdoor advertising isn’t as costly as you might think.
The key is to market across many channels and be consistent with your messaging. Here are seven ways to promote your local business outdoors.
Event Marketing
With both digital and in-person events, you still need to rely on social media, SEO tips, and your website to promote the event. While at events, it’s important to get your brand noticed.
Event marketing typically consumes a significant share of B2B marketing budgets, as it generates leads and builds connections. Once pandemic-related restrictions are eased and people begin to feel comfortable again gathering in groups, you can even organize your own events for customers such as product sampling. Outdoor events such as these draw a lot of attention.
Billboards
Billboard design has come a long way, and advances in digital billboards have opened up new creative possibilities. Outdoor billboards are actually more subtle and as effective as online billboards and banners.
After all, you can’t simply click a button to get rid of a real-world billboard, and they’re less obtrusive. People don’t generally view billboards as obnoxious interruptions when walking or driving past them, as they do, for example, full-screen takeover digital ads. Here are some useful digital billboard design tips to give you inspiration.
Storefront Advertising
If you’re launching a new store or branch, you could decorate the front of your establishment with printed bunting. This can be customized with your branding, and is also ideal for events. You can also use digital signage to attract attention.
If you’re stuck for ideas, visit your competitors and see how they draw people into their brick-and-mortar stores. Try to mirror your in-store advertising in your online content. It’s vital that your branding be consistent so that potential customers will remember you. It also helps to build trust and makes your business appear more professional.
Point of Sale Promotions
POS marketing is any kind of marketing material you use at your point of sale, or checkout. This is a great location to advertise offers and small promotions to customers who are already in the process of buying something.
You can set up free standing display units, or smaller ones on the counter. If you’re advertising a particular offer online, use the same creative in-store. If you implement POS marketing correctly it can create brand awareness, boost the customer experience, and naturally generate more sales without being too intrusive.
Retail Advertising
There are several types of retail advertising that can help promote your local business. The goal of these ads is to draw customers in the local area to your store. The difference between retail advertising and billboards is that it’s geared towards directing customers to your store.
For this reason it should be placed very close by. Billboards and posters are used to build brand awareness in general. Local retail advertising is essentially an arrow pointing customers to your door, along with the reason why they should pay you a visit. It’s effective if you’re set up in a marketplace or shopping mall, for instance.
Public Transit Displays
Another way to promote your business outdoors is with transit advertising. This is the advertising you see on public transport such as on the subway, on buses, at bus stops, and on trams and trains.
This type of advertising is cleverly placed because it’s not disruptive, and people will read it during their downtime when commuting. If you’re waiting for a bus, you’re more likely to stare at the rotating ads for a distraction or a form of entertainment.
Commercial Vehicles
Local businesses also use their own commercial vehicle to advertise. If you offer delivery services, or travel around the city a lot, consider decorating your commercial vehicle with company branding.
Whether you drive a van or bike, this will get your business noticed in the street as you whizz past. It will also help to build brand recognition if your clients are ordering from you online as they will remember the branding.
Outdoor marketing shouldn’t be neglected if you own a brick and mortar store. Used in combination with online advertising, you can really draw attention to your brand. It will help build recognition for your business in the local community.