When it comes to outdoor advertising, running a campaign is no easy task, especially if it’s your first time and you are not familiar with the process. It’s not about running just any campaign, but an impressive and memorable campaign that will give your revenue the boost it needs. According to William Bernbach, “No one counts the number of ads you run; they only remember the impression you make.” And that’s where the pressure is.
This article will give you an overview and help you understand the important things you need to do to run an effective outdoor advertising campaign in Nigeria.
The process of running an outdoor advertising campaign can be divided into three phases:
Planning
This phase is the brainstorming phase of the campaign. In this phase, the objectives of the campaign are set. This is the guideline for every step that will lead to the success of the campaign.
This phase also determines the type of campaign you want to run, e.g:
- Lasting campaign – This campaign is always on, and runs continuously
- One-off campaign – This campaign runs and ends at a specific time. For example, you can choose to run a 3-month or 6-month campaign.
- Recurring campaign – This campaign runs and ends in a certain period of time, but is repeated on a regular schedule.
At this stage, your campaign goals will help you identify your target audience. This in turn will help you select suitable locations for your campaign. This stage also involves drafting a content direction for your campaign, setting a budget and contacting an outdoor advertising agency. Basically, this phase covers everything that needs to be put in place before the campaign can be implemented
Deployment
This is the phase where the actual implementation of the campaign takes place, from overseeing and developing the designs to printing and installing the billboard banners. This stage assumes that a contract has been signed with an advertising agency and that the billboard owners have been contacted and an agreement reached.
Monitoring
This involves checking up on the campaign to ensure that it is running within the duration and on the chosen billboard at the chosen location. This stage is not just about monitoring the campaign, you can also measure the effectiveness of the campaign. By keeping track of the data before the campaign is run, you can properly and accurately determine the progress of the campaign during and after.
Contact an outdoor advertising agency
Running an outdoor advertising campaign on your own or with your team can be tedious and exhausting without the help of an outdoor advertising agency. Also, you might make mistakes when choosing a billboard or location. You can avoid this with the help of an outdoor advertising agency. They can help you with proper research, suggest suitable locations for your campaign and also monitor the campaign. Most importantly, these agencies have over the years built relationships with billboard owners and can get you billboards anywhere in Nigeria, even Africa if necessary, at well-negotiated rates.
When choosing an outdoor advertising agency, you need to make an informed decision. Here are some things to look out for when choosing an outdoor advertising agency to do your advertising campaign for you:
- You need to find out if the agency is APCON approved so that you do not fall into the wrong hands.
- Check out their portfolio. If it is good, then you are good to go.
- You need to find out if they have the kind of billboards you want and in good locations.
- You also need to check if the price offered is within your campaign budget.
- You can also look at reviews from previous customers
Benefits of hiring an outdoor advertising agency
- You get good value for your money
- They have insights into customers buying behaviour
- They act as an intermediary between you and the billboard owners
- You can effectively monitor the progress of your campaign
- You have the chance to get billboards outside your reach or location
- It takes the stress of the running the campaign off you or your team
- It is economical
Set your campaign goals
Running an outdoor advertising campaign without having a goal is similar to a blind person taking a hike. If you do not define exactly what you want the campaign to achieve, you will not be able to effectively measure its progress. It also leaves you vulnerable and easily swayed by all the options presented to you. Your campaign goal can be to make sales, increase revenue, generate leads, increase brand awareness, engage your audience, nurture your brand, convert website visitors, etc. Whatever it is, a campaign goal gives you a clear vision and reduces the likelihood of being confused and easily influenced.
Have a budget range
It is unwise to launch an outdoor advertising campaign without first calculating the costs and setting a budget. It is not advisable to set a fixed budget but it is safer to have a budget range. It is advisable to set an amount that you are willing to spend on your outdoor campaign.
Identify your audience and choose a location
Identifying your campaign’s target audience is an important aspect of the planning phase that you cannot afford to ignore. Only when you know who your target audience is and what their demographic characteristics are, will you have an idea of what locations to choose for your campaign. When choosing a location for your outdoor advertising campaign, you need to consider the following:
- Visibility,with no visible obstruction
- Demographic characteristics of the target audience
- Proximity to commercial or residential areas
- Traffic count
- Rush hour traffic
- Objectives of the campaign
However, you do not have to go through the trouble of looking for all the above to choose suitable locations for your outdoor advertising campaign. This becomes easy and possible when you hire an outdoor advertising agency to carry out your campaign for you.
Graphic design for billboard banner
Graphic design for billboard banners
It is not enough to select suitable locations for your outdoor advertising campaign, you also need a good graphic design that is capable of generating and converting leads. For your outdoor advertising to make an impression on your target audience, you need to ensure that your designs are:
- Memorable – For your brand to stick in the minds of your target audience, your designs should give them something to talk about again and again.
- Eye catching – Your designs should be able to grab attention.
- Short and simple – Too many words spoil the soup. No one is going to park their car just to read your ad, so make it as short, simple and catchy as possible.