Billboard advertising is an effective way to reach a large audience. However, it can be costly. If an organization has
room in its budget, outdoor advertising may be a viable option.
Tips for Outdoor Success
DECIDE ON QUANTITY
- Before calling a local outdoor advertising company - decide how many billboards the
organization can purchase.
- The more boards desired and the longer the "rental" period, the lower the price per board will be.
- Outdoor companies usually sell boards in showings.
For example, a #25 showing is the number of boards it takes for at least 25% of a
city's population to see it. Outdoor companies sell in #25, #50, #75 and #100
showings. Sometimes an outdoor company will not sell a single board, but by the
showing. Through Lamar Outdoor Advertising, in Tallahassee the fewest number of
boards that can be purchased is 4 – a #25 showing.
DETERMINE TIMEFRAME AND AVAILABILITY
- Billboards are rented monthly, or by a yearlong contract. Outdoor advertising companies usually
don't have a certain length of time they require for rentals.
- Most outdoor advertising companies will supply non-profit organizations with pro bono (free)
billboards at locations that were not sold for a particular month. The organization:
- Will have to pay labor costs for posting the board (usually around $50)
- Will have to pay for the poster (around $80, depending on design) – which the
company can produce
- Must give 4-6 months advance notice
But remember…there is no guarantee of board location or posting date.
- Ask a sales representative to gather a list of "avails," or a list of all available boards and their
locations, on the specified date that the organization wants to begin a campaign. For each
board, this list will summarize:
- The street location
- Which direction it is facing
- If it is illuminated or not
Outdoor companies do not have a standard for listing avails. There are some differences in the ways outdoor
companies list their avails, but they can be deciphered pretty easily. Sales representatives are always available for
help.
Examples:
An avail with Lamar Outdoor in Panama City, Florida, reads like this:
Washington County, FL
HWY 77 S/O JCT 273 F/N – Chipley
Translation:
The board is located on Highway 77, South of Junction 273, facing N, in Chipley.
Eller Media in Jacksonville, Florida, lists avails like this:
I-10 500 FT W/O Lenox Avenue
Translation:
The board is on I-10, 500 feet West of Lenox Avenue.