It is anybody’s guess what is the cost involved in an advertising campaign. A 360o advertising campaign demands a good amount of money. Though it varies from campaign to campaign, a fortune is spent for sure. So, being judicious with media-spends is always a wiser decision. That holds good for both – the Advertisers and the Advertising Agencies. For that, one should be in the know of the right means and ways to use the budget to the optimum.
Like any advertising medium, Outdoor Advertising to calls for some prudent steps to extract maximum from every single penny spent. The same amount can give you more mileage, more visibility, more reach, more penetration, etc. But the catch is to do every bit to draw the most from your allocated budget.
The first thing that can be done is to go for a mix of Fixed and Rotational Campaigns. It is the most common and preferred way to exhaust a budget in a pragmatic way. Under a rotational campaign, instead of booking an outdoor site for a longer period, the campaign is run at various sites for a shorter duration at each site. In other words, if a campaign is scheduled for a month at one particular site, the same can be displayed at 3-4 different locations under a rotational campaign, for a period of 7-10 days in each location. For sure this will enhance the visibility and reach of the campaign. More and more people can be targeted within the same amount and the yield can be far more than desired.
For cost-effective outdoor advertising, the other most suggested way can be to have a limited-period Burst Campaign. Not every campaign should be for a month, they can be done for 21 days, 14 days, 10 days if need be! By doing so, one can easily achieve the set goals from a limited advertising budget.
To save on the cost and get the most of one’s advertising budget, the quantity of media is often comparable to quality! Basic research suggests that most commuters have a fixed pattern of traveling which implies that 80% of traffic is the same on a daily basis. Limiting a campaign to 8-10 key sites is only limiting the eyeballs. The Key is to create a judicious mix of volume as well as quality to ensure maximum visibility.
For a cost-effective outdoor advertising campaign, clients should try meeting with the outdoor media owners even if they intend to work with their agencies for campaigns. To have a personal rapport with the media owners can lead to many pleasant surprises, like getting an altogether different perspective which can add value to the campaign. Their experience and expertise can always come handy in utilizing the advertising budget. A hard negotiation with them across the table can also lead to a reduction in the rates of the sites, which only they are capable of doing, not their team members or agencies.
Outdoor advertising is not just about exhausting the budget, rather investing it prudently, so that every penny spent yields optimum results. So, arm yourself with these guiding principles when you launch your next outdoor campaign.
