Are you a car dealer that wants to increase your sales? Out-of-home advertising is one of the most effective and efficient marketing campaigns for car dealers. Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising includes billboards, bus shelters, posters, and more. It can be used to promote new cars or services such as financing. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything about OOH advertising including its history, how it works best for different types of businesses, and tips on where to get started.
For car dealerships, the trick to increasing sales is distributing your message to residents of the surrounding areas. There are many ways to go about advertising your business, from radio advertising to social media blasts. Broadcasting is always a great way to reach people, but when people are driving around town, out-of-home, or OOH, advertising is one of the most effective ways to bring people to your lot.
Out-of-home advertising encompasses every advertising opportunity customers see when they leave the house. OOH options include billboards, bus stops, kiosks, and other digital signage available for advertisement. Billboards are one of the most recognizable forms of OOH marketing and border the most heavily trafficked roads in America. When traveling, you pass advertisements everywhere you go, so the real question is — are OOH advertisement strategies effective?
How Effective is OOH Advertising?
Out-of-Home advertising has been proven to be an effective campaign when it comes to raising brand awareness and building customer loyalty. The cost of Out-of-Home advertising is relatively low when compared with other forms of advertising and this makes it a very viable option for small and medium-sized companies. One study found that OOH advertising doubled sales in a month! Out-of-Home advertising also offers the opportunity to create local buzz by reaching audiences in their own communities.
Top auto manufacturers like Chevrolet, Toyota, and Hyundai invest heavily into out-of-home advertising strategies. Since some of the largest automakers in the world invest in this advertising style, it’s safe to say that this marketing technique is effective. When you look at the statistics, investing in OOH just makes sense:
- Out-of-home advertising is the number one driver of online engagements
- OOH has the highest ROI behind TV at $5.97
- 96% of adults in America notice OOH advertisements weekly
- 85% of adults in the United States find OOH to be useful
People average 70 percent of their time away from home, and many spend close to an hour in the car each day. OOH advertising meets customers where they are by exposing potential customers to your message in larger-than-life billboards and other visual media strategies. With the constant exposure to outdoor media, it’s no wonder that four out of five potential car buyers say they notice outdoor ads when looking to make a purchase.
What Does OOH Advertising Look Like?
Billboards are the most prominent OOH option, but they are not the only option available. Many dealerships and automakers like to use various outdoor advertising strategies to draw in potential customers. The key to effectively advertising your brand to customers when they leave the house is to meet them where they are. Here are some less conventional methods to consider when promoting your dealership:
- Street furniture ads: benches, newsstands, and bus stops
- Place-based advertising: shopping mall displays, sports stadium ads, and cinema posters
- Transit: city buses, taxis, and truck-side ads
When you think outside the billboard and select more creative media, it raises customer intrigue. A great example of this is when a dealership parks a car in a kiosk at a shopping mall. Potential buyers gain access to the vehicle without the pressure of stepping on a lot and can see vehicles in-person, inspect the features, and analyze the price sheet, all while enjoying a typical shopping day.
How Much Does OOH Cost?
Out-of-home advertising generally requires investment up-front but is one of the more affordable advertising methods available. According to PJ Solomon, average OOH advertisers spend between two to five dollars per thousand impressions — a fraction of the cost of television, radio, and many online advertising options. When coupled with a recall rate of over 50 percent, outdoor ads bring in an excellent ROI.
At MBI, we want to help you navigate your OOH advertising experience. We specialize in high-definition displays and billboards and oversee billboard management for your company. Our seasoned out-of-home advertising team has years of experience in the industry and can help determine the most impactful advertising strategy for you. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help make your outdoor advertising campaign successful.