Billboard Ads I’ve been asked on a number of occasions what I think about billboard advertising. Many contractors want to know if it is a good use of their advertising budget. The answer depends on the situation. I love the idea of advertising on a
40′ billboard on a major freeway, but in general, it is not practical for most small service businesses. In today’s market, billboard advertising has become slightly more competitive and somewhat affordable. I know of one painter who did secure a
40 foot billboard for less than $
800 a month on a major Los Angeles interstate. I typically see prices for $
3,
500 to
5,
000+ a month. If the contractor really wants to brand his/her business and has the extra cash, billboards could be a good way to get the word out. However, I would not spend more than $
1,
000 a month!
Networking Is Better Another painter I know was strongly considering a $
5k a month billboard share program. He was promised supposedly
40 different billboards. This too sounds enticing! Yet, I consulted him to save the $
5,
000 on billboards and spend it on hiring a sales or marketing person. I asked him how much a professional salesperson could bring in the door if he was paid a minimum of $
5,
000 a month. A good networking person could definitely bring in more qualified sales leads for a service business. So that would be my advice: s
tick with networking and referrals. By the way, I am not suggesting everyone pulls out $
5,
000 a month to hire a networker. Many times you and your current staff can do this sort of thing. This particular client wants to get in the growth mode and does not have much extra time on his plate to network himself. In his case, hiring someone to network is a good option. Have you had success with billboards? Why or why not was it successful for your business?