Effective Outdoor Advertising on a Budget
If you’re hoping to bring new customers into your business, it’s hard to beat outdoor advertising as a medium. It costs 80% less than advertising on TV, 60% less than advertising in the newspaper, and 50% less than advertising on the radio. It’s not just for big businesses that can afford billboards, either; small businesses can take advantage of outdoor advertising opportunities with attractive yet affordable vinyl banners and signs. The trick is getting a banner design that will capture the public’s eye.
Getting an Eye-Popping Banner Design
When you display a banner outside, you only have a few seconds to make an impression on drivers or pedestrians passing by. How do you make sure that impression is made — and moreover, that it’s a good one?
- Keeping It Simple
Because people will only be seeing your banner for a moment, you don’t want to overwhelm them. Try to leave plenty of white space so people can focus in on the important elements of your message.
- Color Combinations
Think about the color wheel. Colors that are next to each other tend to create a soothing feeling, while colors that are across from each other are more assertive. Since you probably don’t want your banner to be a visual lullaby, it’s best to go high-contrast.
- Readable Text
If people can’t read your sign, then what’s the point? Each inch of height should make your text viewable from 10 feet farther away (such that 10-inch letters could be read from about 100 feet away, etc.).
- Double-Duty Elements
When it comes to custom printed items, one of the best ways to make a statement without getting a cluttered look is to have certain elements serve double duty. Think about creative typography, or images that can stand in for words.
- High Print Quality
This ought to go without saying, but the quality you get from your print company matters. There’s nothing wrong with trying to get a good deal from your print company, but the final product matters more.
Getting Help From Your Print Company
You should also know that choosing the right print company can help you with all of the above, not just the last point. When you’re looking at commercial printing services, you’ll find there are two very different classes available to you. You can find a so-called large format print company online, but it’s likely this kind of print company will simply have you upload a finished design — it’s really up to you how it turns out.
A full-service print company, however, should have more robust options in terms of design and customer support. Yes, you’ll pay a little more for this type of print company, but the end result will be worth it. You can either invest your money in a better print company up front or risk losing your money (and further business opportunities) by choosing a bargain-basement print company.
