How Small Businesses Can Compete with National Brands Using Outdoor Ad
When it comes to out-of-home advertising, national brands aren’t the only ones who can benefit and find profitable success.
Small businesses may often feel outmatched by the budgets and resources that national brands have. We see huge brands splashed across online platforms and on massive formats in highly populated city centers. Big names do have a point of dominance, but small businesses can find the same success in their own right with OOH ads.
Small businesses are able to dominate local communities with a familiar and trustworthy presence and capture profitable attention right where it matters most for them: their community. Here’s how small businesses can use OOH to compete with national brands.
Leverage Local Relevance
National brands may have deep pockets and seemingly limitless creative budgets, but they are not able to master the art of personalization! Small businesses can tailor their campaigns and billboard messaging to nestle their way into the heart of a community and leverage it to their advantage. This can be done through:
Calling out local pride
Tie the brand’s involvement directly to the community, like calling out how a company has been operating in town for 10+ years.
Integrating local references
Using local phrases and lingo builds stronger connections than generic and corporate messaging.
Targeting key intersections
Placing your message on roads and near traffic lights repeatedly exposes potential customers to your ad where they travel daily.
Keep Messaging Simple and Bold
National brands sometimes overcomplicate their messaging or use obscure humor that can miss the mark. Small businesses can win the dollar with concise clarity that directly resonates with their area.
A simple message that states that a company just opened or is offering a promotion cuts through the complex messaging big brands can create and lets viewers know exactly what is going on.
Furthermore, optimizing the imagery itself through large fonts and high-contrast colors will ensure your ad is visible and legible from far distances.
Pair OOH with Digital Offerings
OOH is one of those ad formats that does not need to work alone! Combining static OOH with digital displays and services can amplify your digital presence. Some ways are through:
- QR codes and quick-to-type URLs that take people from the physical world to an online destination curated by you
- Digital signage, which is extremely eye-catching and more memorable than some static formats
- Retargeting campaigns that serve ads to the mobile devices of people who have likely viewed your OOH ad
These integrations allow small businesses to extend their reach and maximize their return on investment.
Final Thoughts
OOH advertising gives small businesses the visibility and local relevance they need to stand tall against giant competitors. When that strategy is determined, the sky is the limit!
