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The television advertising every local business can afford.
I used to buy affordable TV time for my clients on local cable television, but even when the cable company let me select the geographic areas closer to where my clients might be able to reach all the people they serve, it was never really local enough, and the businesses would wind up paying for more households than might reasonably respond to their ads. Some of my bigger clients who needed to reach larger audiences across the country, exponentially suffered the same basic complication. Then the genius of digital billboards came on the scene, and ever since, the television screen magically morphed into the perfect advertising tool for every business and service, no matter what their size or budget.
Everybody knows how Geico did it.
The reason I even mention Geico is because they do what every business wishes they could do, position themselves memorably on screen every time a TV is powered up. They realize that television has the unique power of persuasion that develops household influences overnight, and uses the medium to full advantage with their repetitive main message, "15 minutes could save you 15% on car insurance." Everybody remembers that one line whether they need it or not.
Imagine now that you're a small restaurant that could obviously use a life-saving boost when fully reopened from the pandemic, so you sit down and ponder the best available direction to take for reaching out to draw in new diners. When times were good, if you failed to entice your patrons into signing up for a “rewards” club that offered steady customers a free birthday or anniversary dinner in exchange for their email address, you'd be paying a stiff price right now by losing the option of reaching out to those old customers with email blasts. Even if you're a pretty savvy user of social media, you still might have exhausted all your social media writing skills with creative posts, while still trying to come up with new entries you can add that will entice anyone who takes the time to read them. If all that hasn't panned out, then you must be racking your brain trying to imagine what other avenues might still reach all those that have turned to the internet.
COVID enters, customers disappear, and everyone has to use their advertising budgets as operating capital.
Even if you had the money, people still get mail, so maybe you could bring customers in by initiating a creative direct mail or print ad campaign. If you look at how local printers and publications are faring currently, you might soon realize that most businesses are finding that option very expensive. The actual real glimpse of hope is that quarantine mandates will soon be lifted and things will begin to open up. With most shut-ins having created the new normal by doing their buying online, you must find a compelling way to turn them around when they step away from their current online comfort zones.
It's time to create a Geico mindset.
You have to send out your message on television. That is what people are used to today, having been exposed to TV more than at any other time in history. A short ad that runs many, many times over until it finally translates into accepted commom knowledge is not only the norm, it is what career admen have been relying on forever. People in or out of their homes will always be drawn to a TV. Now's the perfect time to begin your TV campaign as the nation starts opening up for business at every opportunity. Make like Geico owned your restaurant. If you could couple that TV experience with some irresistible copy ideas that are memorable, you would have a winner. Like I said in the beginning, I know you can afford it, because I've seen the rates. However, there are so many broadcast variables, that I think getting your quotes from the source would be the most accurate. Now anytime someone frequents local establishments near you, chosen for their abundance of foot traffic, they will host the digital billboards where your message will be seen. With patrons fixed on those TV screens while exercising, sitting, standing, or congregating in any form en masse, they'll be watching the message you created about your restaurant. Sounds exciting. When you do take the time to investigate the cost, ask for Brian or Mark, and tell them you read about it here and they'll make up your digital ad absolutely free. If that sounds reassuring, add this: They'll even make you a free copy you can run on all your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all the others that accept videos and movies, so you'll have the equivalent of a unified tie-in campaign for less money than you ever dreamed it would cost. Watch the videos and see if it makes sense for you.
This is what one television screen would look like in a fitness club.
This is a closeup of the advertising that will be broadcast
You'll have to discuss how your participation may affect the screen layout..
TV Facts for more general information:
• Indoor digital billboards (TVs) are placed inside local businesses they call Hosts.
• The average Host is open 12 hrs. a day with an avg. of 5000 customers per month with 60% repeat business.
• Ads play on a 10-15 min. loop every hour and every day each location is open.
• Right now they have 1046 Hosts in 292 cities.
• Coverage is in every continental state of the union including Canada.
Note: The reason that I presented the above facts is to illustrate this as a well thought out concept than can be as local as you need it or as vast a network as you desire through their multiple zone structures set up in the United States and Canada. I don't want you to waste your time if you have national aspirations, and I don't want you to be intimidated if you're a small mom and pop, both are possible. You can create your own "network" if you have enough of your neighbors who think this is a good idea. Get creative and good luck. Barry
CheapAdvertisingGuy