Here’s the thing. You can spend a lot of money on banners, building wraps, highway billboards, transit posters, and street furniture but unless you have a keen sense of what works in terms of outdoor advertising, you may as well throw your advertising funds down the drain. This is not to say, however, that newbies in out-of-home-advertising have no way of making it and are better off trying other advertising channels. There are tried and tested outdoor advertising tips that are commonly employed by big brands that work just as well for small players. Here is a list of those must-try pointers to ensure that your outdoor strategies are able to fit in your total media mix.

Say it quickly, creatively.

One saying that has found so many uses in the advertising industry is: “Brevity is the soul of wit.” This means conveying your message in just a few words and resisting the urge to elaborate. Remember that your target customers may not have a lot of time to stay put and analyze your outdoor billboard or poster. If they only have 10 seconds, for example, to view your ad, then within that time, your prospects should have understood what you are trying to say or promote. Bottom line: avoid text-heavy ads but don’t make the mistake of going overly simple that your copy turns out super bland.

Think exciting, not distracting.

The point of your outdoor ads is to garner attention for the product or service that you are promoting but never to the extent that viewers would find said ads a huge distraction. And by distraction, we mean accidents both minor and major in the context of highway billboards. On your part, you would be required to find the perfect balance among colors, images, text, and location. It’s not enough that you have a well-designed outdoor ad but fail on the messaging or have a clever tagline that gets lost within a maze of busy design elements. Balance is your friend, and you would do well to remember that in all of your advertising efforts.

Don’t forget your call to action.

Sounds obvious, right? You may think that a call to action is pretty standard for all ads, but you would be surprised to learn that not all brands are able to use it in a way that increases response rates. For an outdoor ad, a simple call to action would be the inclusion of a phone number or website. But you can up the ante by let’s say offering 10 percent off on the item featured in the ad, if the customer mentions where the poster or billboard is located. There may be a limit as to how creative you can get with a call to action but the important thing is to not forget it when planning your outdoor advertising strategy.

*Need help with planning and printing outdoor ads? Visit Aretedi.com for more information.