Outdoor marketing

Outdoor – posters, billboards and transportation

Outdoor advertising, which is also known as Out-Of-Home advertising (OOH), is all advertising that your customers are exposed to when outdoors!  It is surprising how much advertising you can be exposed to whilst you are on the go.  You will see advertising whilst walking, or using any form of private or public transport.  Once you think about it, you realise how prolific outdoor advertising actually is.  The main types of billboards are posters, street furniture and in-transit.

In the UK JCDecaux is the largest provider of outdoor advertising, and there are many smaller companies, and indeed local companies.  So, if you have a large budget you may decide to use one of the more established national companies, however it is more likely that you do not!  So, in this scenario look for a local company with some prime sites that your potential customers will pass. 

Outdoor on the cheap

Again, if this might prove a little too expensive for you, it is time to use your initiative.  The key to this, is that you need to find a site which is readily passed by your target groups.  So, for example you have a café near to the railway station, you might approach a homeowner that lives near to the station with property that backs on to the railway.  You could pay for a sign to be pinned to their rear fencing, and offer them a small monthly fee.  The homeowner will not be able to see the sign and would be pleased with the additional monthly income.  So, start looking for some decent sites for your outdoor advertising.  What works best for you and your customers?

Street furniture

Street furniture is an unusual term.  Put simply street furniture is any fixed object which the public might use. They can be something as straightforward as a public bench.  Street furniture includes many fixed objects such as street signage and recycling bins. 

As an entrepreneur or small business owner you need to begin to look for street furniture which is in the vicinity of your target groups.  An example might be that your customers drive past a road junction which has attractive gardens nearby, maintained by your local council.  So, you might ask the council if you can sponsor the gardens, by erecting a physical sign that says so.  The signs often promote you to your target customers, and also may make your business appear more community spirited.  Also think about more obvious approaches such as paying for benches and chairs, or fencing.