However, there is one type of advertisement capable of reaching consumers when they are undistracted and receptive to receiving messages — indoor billboards.

Indoor billboards, have many advantages over traditional approaches:

On the bright side, as traditional (and usually expensive) marketing methods lose their foothold, the marketing playing field is somewhat leveled, which means even small business can get a lot of attention if they use savvy strategies.  

How to Boost Your Advertising Success

First off, don’t assume spending more money on advertising will result in greater sales, since in today’s market some of the least expensive tactics can bring about the best returns. Consider viral videos, for example. They reach millions of people, and some of the most popular videos were made by amateurs with simple point and shoot cameras — no production company or expensive time slots needed. As long as the entertainment value is there, consumers will spread the word for you.

Still, even switching to alternative promotional methods won’t guarantee success. To truly get the most out of your advertising dollars, you have to invest in strategies that connect with your target audience, and the only way to do that is by knowing your audience inside and out.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Who am I trying to reach with my message?

• Who already buys my product?

• Who would buy it if they knew more about it?

• What does my target audience like to read, watch, do, etc.?

• What kind of message would they respond to?

Without answering such questions you won’t know if your customers would react better to traditional advertising, alternative, or a combination of the two. No matter what you determine, understanding your customers means you can save money by operating a more efficient campaign designed especially for those with the greatest potential for conversion.

Alternative Advertising Ideas

As you’re thinking about what might make the best impression on your audience, consider some of these relatively inexpensive, alternative strategies, which may breathe new life into your promotional efforts:

• Vehicle Advertisements – Connecting with on-the-go customers is a challenge, so why not meet them where they spend a lot of their time — on the road. Vehicle ads (especially wrapped vehicles) can make a bold statement and are hard to miss.

• Sponsor a Restaurant - If you believe the statistics, most Americans eat out 2 to 5 times per week. That presents a great opportunity to advertise your brand on napkin holders, coasters, placemats, etc. Ask around to local restaurants and see how much they charge for sponsorship.

• Social Media Ads – At this point, social media isn’t exactly alternative advertising, but many businesses still haven’t taken advantage of social ads. With Facebook’s recent algorithm changes, you may find a paid ad is just what you need to attract more followers.

• Restroom Advertisements - Restroom advertisements have the unique ability to reach consumers in an undistracted environment, which means they are more likely to notice and remember your message. Determine what types of establishments your audience frequents and place ads in those locations.

• Giveaways – Everyone loves free stuff, and while freebies are a tried-and-true marketing tactic, there are many new ways to promote your giveaways. Hold a raffle on your website, launch a contest on your Facebook or Twitter page, or give an eBook to those who join your email list — the possibilities are endless.

• Sponsor Local Events/Organizations – Show consumers you care about the community by sponsoring a school athletic team, a public concert, or festival. Not only does it help others out but it generally offers quick exposure to large numbers of people.

These are only a few ideas which will hopefully spark your own creativity. The most important thing to remember is, with some imagination and planning, you don’t need a pricey 30-second TV or radio ad or a small blurb tucked in the corner of a magazine. Instead, focus on messages that grab consumers’ attention, make an impact, and are memorable. Also, keep in mind alternative advertising is inherently always changing, because what is new today will soon become stale when the masses catch on. So, always keep one eye looking forward and planning for another way to surprise your customers.

Of course, I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. Word of mouth marketing has remained a fundamental promotion tactic for businesses throughout time, and the age old business owner’s admonition to “tell a friend” will likely never disappear. Still, with new technologies constantly emerging and the advertising world regularly evolving, it’s important to reemphasize the value of word of mouth.

The Facts

To prove the point, recent reports from both Nielson and WSL/Strategic Retail found consumers trust the opinions of their friends and family for purchase information far more than any other source. In particular, the WSL study found that 69% of consumers trust the advice of their friends and family entirely, with lesser amounts of respondents trusting websites, traditional media, sales associates, emails, and social networks. Interestingly, only 26% of consumers say they rely on social networks as purchase information sources; however, considering people spend a fair amount of time using social networks to discuss products, it’s safe to assume some respondents may have underestimated the influence it has on their buying habits.

How to Use this Information

Knowing what influences you as a consumer can provide considerable insight when you put on your advertiser “hat.” Consider all your marketing tactics from the standpoint of a consumer (something we all are) and ask yourself if such a strategy would cause you to trust a company. If not, come up with something else. More specifically, pay attention to how consumers are choosing to interact with businesses, as it’s always in flux, and modify your methods to meet those preferences. For instance:

• Focus on the soft sale: Since you know shoppers trust friends and family for advice above anything else, don’t try to push your brand on them. While you might be able to win over some customers with the used-car-salesman approach, you’ll have much better luck quietly attracting consumers to you through word of mouth marketing and other inbound strategies.

• Use social networking: Although, people may say they don’t use social networking for product research, there’s no denying users are talking about what they bought, what restaurants they visited, where they’re going on vacation and more. These casual discussions are undoubtedly influencing individual communities of friends and serving as endorsements for particular brands. On top of that, users are checking into businesses, posting reviews, and interacting directly on business pages — all behaviors capable of persuading other consumers. Essentially, social media has the potential to take word of mouth marketing to unprecedented levels, and if you can get people talking about you in a positive light, your brand can reach more people than ever before (with the stamped approval of a trusted friend, no less).

• Offer quality service and products: This should go without saying, but the only way to accumulate positive word of mouth advertising is to offer stellar products and service. If you can do this, people will naturally want to talk about your brand. That said, in the digital age, “mom-and-pop” type service may not be enough to impress customers. You also need to have an online presence through a website or social page (or both) and respond quickly and often to visitor’s comments, as it shows consumers you care and are modern. Also, by including social buttons on your pages you make it even easier for people to share your brand with others.

• Combine word of mouth with other strategies: All of this discussion of word of mouth advertising isn’t to say paid advertising isn’t effective — it is! In fact, you’ll get the best results if you can execute a good melding of many strategies. Also, instead of thinking about each marketing medium as an independent thing, view your various tactics as one comprehensive plan where all elements enhance the other. Separating paid ventures from social is becoming increasingly difficult anyway, as paid elements can also include social aspects and vice versa.

Conclusion

Thankfully, word of mouth advertising isn’t a complicated concept to understand. If you deliver awesome products and services and interact with consumers on their “turf” you can expect news of your brand to spread. And with social networks helping to share information at lightening fast speeds, businesses today have a bit of an advantage in the word of mouth game, but you have to be an active participant to reap the rewards.

These rewards come in all shapes and sizes and can be physical items or merely virtual pats on the back. Social media and online meeting places are the ideal locations to implement reward programs, because they are where many online users hang out and where visitors can effortlessly share your brand or rewards with their friends.

 Launch a Competition

You can find competitions everywhere on the internet — with folks trying to do everything from have the highest number of fans on a comment forum to getting the most stickers, badges, etc. on “check-in” applications. Basically, just about anything can be turned into a game and, quite often, the competition itself is the reward (no actual prizes needed). People enjoy these types of games simply for bragging rights and fun.

You can create your own competitions, but usually (especially for small businesses) it’s easier to adopt a service that’s already established. For example, you could promote your physical store on Foursquare by making it a check-in spot where users can earn badges or points. Or, if you want to offer a “real” prize you can use the check-in feature as a digital loyalty card where customers earn some type of discount after so many visits.

In addition to Foursquare, you may want to consider incorporating similar programs, such as GetGlue and Gowalla.

Content Creation Contest

Another type of competition you can use is content creation. Basically, you ask your followers to create something for you (a blog post, logo, idea, video, title, etc.) and the best submission wins a prize. The prize should be in proportion to the level of work/difficulty you’re asking them to do, so if you have a small budget keep the task simple.

For example, although you may not have a mega-budget like Pringles, you could do something similar to their “Tournament of Flavors” video competition they held last spring. The whole competition was launched and managed on Pringle’s Facebook page where participants were asked to submit “homemade” short, flavor-themed videos. Fans voted on their favorites and the winner, whose video focused on hunting down the elusive “extreme pickle,” earned $12,000 for his efforts (Pringles paid out $45,000 in all).

 You could have a video competition of your own, but because your competition is obviously much easier to win than Pringles, you only need offer a small cash prize or free products to the winner.

On an even smaller scale, you could give a free copy of your upcoming eBook to the person who comes up with the best title for the book, or you could give a special coupon to the person who posts the best picture on your Facebook page.

The possibilities are endless, and even the smallest content competitions can create buzz for your brand.

Online Coupons

Currently, couponing is as popular as ever, but 21st century shoppers aren’t satisfied with just ordinary coupons — they want easily accessible digital coupons, and they want them now. In other words, shoppers expect to look online for a business and discover some type of deal, and if you don’t have anything to offer, they’ll check out your competitor instead.

There are several ways to approach online coupons/discounts:

• Have a printable coupon directly on your site (for in-store purchases).
• Offer a discount in exchange for some type of action (e.g. a social “share” or becoming an email subscriber).
• When someone makes an online purchase, give them a coupon code for a future order.
• Promote your coupons on Groupon or other coupon services.

The above strategies are useful for rewarding loyal and potential customers; just make sure you market your deals appropriately so shoppers know they exist.

Ask for and Follow Suggestions

A simple yet highly effective way of rewarding customers is asking them what they want and then giving it to them. For instance, you could have a survey on your site where customers submit and vote on what changes they’d like to see from your company (e.g. a new flavor, new function on website, a different coupon, easier ordering system, etc.) You can even offer a special reward to those who submit the best suggestions. But ultimately, everybody wins with this plan, as customers are given a better product or experience and you have happier customers.

A great example of a business doing this correctly is Starbucks. Through its My Starbucks Ideas website, customers can submit a suggestion and other customers vote, share, and discuss the proposal. Then, Starbucks does its best to implement the most popular submissions, and even alerts users when the changes have gone in effect across Starbuck stores. This is a great way to boost loyalty as it’s apparent to customers their opinions matter.

Say Thank You!

Above all, the easiest way to reward your customers is by saying thanks. In a world where consumers increasingly feel like large corporations care nothing for the “little guy,” taking the time to show your appreciation can go a long way. Although saying thanks for no reason is nice, remember to always show your gratitude when:

• Someone makes a purchase
• Offers a suggestion (whether you use it or not)
• Makes a particularly beneficial comment
• Asks a question
• Follows your social page
• Joins your email list
• Refers a friend
• And more

To really win over your current customers, consider rewarding them with coupons or other prizes on their birthday or at out-of-the blue times — everyone loves a surprise.

Great Content, Every Day

Probably the best way to reward your loyal social and website followers is by giving them quality content on a regular basis.  Just by taking the time to visit your pages, they should be rewarded with something interesting, helpful, or entertaining. In the end, this is what’s going to keep them coming back for more — day in and day out. Contests, promotions, competitions, and the like are icing on the cake, which can make your brand more valuable to consumers but only after you have a solid foundation of relevant content.

What type of customer rewards do you think are most useful?

Still, there are a small handful of ads that actually make an impression on us. How do they do it? Not only do we notice these rare, few ads, but some reach such legendary status in our minds that we remember them for years. For instance, who can’t still sing the entire jingle or say the catch phrase of at least one commercial from their childhood (Shake n’ Bake or My Buddy, anyone?)

So, what makes one ad stand out while another gets overlooked? While it may seem like magic or dumb luck, there actually is a formula.

Less is more

Although this saying’s become somewhat cliché, in regards to advertising, it’s entirely true. Some of the worst ads are those that come in like a whirlwind with a torrent of text, images, and sound that leaves viewers on the brink of having a seizure but no closer to making a purchase or even remembering the brand.

Remember, with commercial or radio ads you only have around 30 seconds to get your point across and with print you have a mere 3 to 5 seconds — that’s simply not enough time to relay everything about your business or product, and if you try, viewers will become overloaded and recall nothing. Instead, pick the most important message — think of what will really get people’s attention and focus on that.

Alluring Headline

For print and online ads, an enticing headline is a must, as it is the thing which will convince viewers to continue reading your message. However, where many advertisers mess up is by making the headline about them instead of about the consumers. For example, headlines such as “Your City’s Top Realtor” or “Landscaping Experts” don’t tell readers anything about the benefits you provide. Instead, tell them what they’ll receive with a headline like “Get the Most House for Your Money” or “Create a Backyard Paradise.” In other words, if you want people to keep reading, you have to give them a reason why.

Highlight important elements

If you’ve followed the less is more principle then you’ve narrowed your message down to something short and basic. However, even within that small message you should select the most vital elements and make sure they stand out from the rest of the content by making them bigger, bolder, and set off with white space. These highlighted items are what will grab people’s attention, so choose them wisely.

Make your call to action clear

Do you want people to come to your sale? Visit your webpage? Scan your QR code? Whatever you want them to do, make it clear. Your call to action should be one of those few items within your ad that stands out. Again, don’t confuse viewers with too many details or vague wording.

Consider including a price

For some businesses, it doesn’t make sense to include costs on your ads (i.e. if you offer a service and fees are highly variable), but if your prices are straightforward and especially if they are competitive, you can instill trust and get noticed by putting them on your advertisements. Customers feel more confident shopping at a business when they have an idea of what they are in for.

Branding

This is advertising 101, but make sure all your advertisements are properly branded with a consistent logo (seen on all your products, signs, etc.) and with content that represents the personality of your business. Be conscientious about everything you put “out there,” no matter the medium, to ensure it reflects the message your trying to send and helps to give your brand a recognizable identity.

Be relatable

The best advertisements are instantly relatable to the intended audience. For instance, they may present something the target audience finds funny, needs a solution for, or has an emotional connection with. Show how your product fits the consumer, and entice them enough that, even if they don’t buy your items, they at least investigate them further.

Be accessible

Don’t go through all the hard work of attracting people’s interest and then not tell them how they can get in touch with you. And keep in mind, consumers prefer to connect with businesses in various ways, so provide as many avenues of contact as possible. Show your complete address, telephone number, web address, email, and social network pages. You can also make it easy for viewers to reach out to you by having a QR code on your ad that directs users to a mobile landing page where they can easily click to call or follow a link to a contact page.

Captivating image

Because space and time is limited, a captivating image is a great way to get your message across, as it can tell a whole story with just a glance. Also, a strong picture is far better at getting people’s attention than text alone, and if the image is provoking enough it can make a long-lasting impression.

Be memorable

If you keep your ads short and to the point, include a remarkable image, and stay relatable then you’re already well on your way to delivering a memorable advertisement. Still, you can make your brand even more unforgettable by always trying to be a little different than the competition. Be bold and not afraid to go out on a limb every now and then as consumers are more likely to remember the unordinary as opposed to just another humdrum ad.

This merging of mediums is what makes the grouping of advertising, QR Codes, and mobile responsive websites so effective, but before getting into exactly how they help your business, let’s first discuss how they work…

What are QR Codes?

QR Codes have become relatively mainstream, but if you’re still unsure of how they work, don’t worry, the process is simple. QR Codes are symbols (usually black and white and they resemble barcodes) that appear on things like packaging, signs, business, cards, and more. Business owners place the codes on these various objects in the hopes consumers will “scan” them with their smartphone to access other information about a product or service.

What kinds of information do users get? Well, it tends to vary somewhat, and frankly, many business owners/advertisers are missing the mark on QR Code execution. Traditionally, QR Codes direct a person to the business’ website or deliver a coupon, which is great as long as what’s presented offers customers real value (i.e. is worth their time), but all too often consumers are given non-mobile optimized websites and boring info that leaves them shaking their heads and wondering ‘why did I bother?’

Using QR Codes the Right Way

Despite their misuse, QR Codes have awesome potential if you implement them correctly, and some of the most basic ways to do this are:

• Link to a responsive mobile website – Most smartphone users are busy and on-the-move and aren’t going to waste time with a site that is cluttered, too small to read, or otherwise difficult to navigate. Linking to a responsive website is a useful way to keep potential customers engaged, since it always provides a great user-experience (more on responsive websites below).

• Tell folks why they should scan - Unfortunately, because consumers have had poor results with QR Codes (reward didn’t measure up to the effort), many are reluctant to keep using the technology. However, you can convince people it’s worth it by telling them what they’re going to get (e.g. ‘scan here for a coupon,’ ‘scan for details and reviews of our product,’ etc.) By being straightforward, folks don’t feel like their gambling with their time.

• Offer value - Whatever content you choose to put on your QR Code landing page, make sure it gives people something they really want. Typically, QR Code users are out-and-about and not particularly interested in perusing your entire website or Facebook profile, so give them something helpful at that particular moment (quick information, answer product questions, deals, etc.)

• Include instructions - There are still plenty of people who don’t understand how to use QR Codes or how to download a reader app onto their smartphones. You can dramatically increase the number of customers who scan your code by including simple instructions near the printed code.

Why a Responsive Website?

QR Codes work best when linked to a mobile webpage and, as mentioned, this is because the page layout and content of a mobile site is better suited to the smaller screens found on smartphones (the device typically used for scanning QR Codes). Naturally, consumers are more likely to stay involved with your page if it is easy to read and navigate.

But, why use a responsive website over a dedicated mobile site? Although dedicated mobile sites have their place, for most small business owners, responsive websites provide much more benefit. Essentially, they are a static and mobile site all rolled into one, which makes for easier maintenance, lower costs, and the assurance your site will always work optimally, no matter what device a person is using.

How do Responsive Websites Work?

Responsive websites use a fairly new coding technology that makes it possible for a site to ask “questions” about the viewing device to determine the ideal way to render. So, it figures out the size of the screen, orientation, resolution, and more before appearing. Through this method (it happens instantaneously) the webpage can constantly adjust itself to provide the optimal user-experience, and this change happens not only between devices but even as people resize their windows.

Advertisement + QR Code + Responsive Mobile Website = Growth

When used individually, all three strategies (QR Codes, advertisements, and responsive websites) have the potential to boost your business. However, when combined, you can create a marketing trifecta that reaches consumers on multiple levels and generates enormous opportunities for growth.

Here’s how the process works:

Step1: Sees ad

Traditional print ads have stood the test of time because they work. That said, in today’s ad-saturated environment, it can be harder and harder to get your message noticed, which is why we prefer indoor ads, because they are eye-catching and reach people when they face few other distractions. Even if the consumer only sees your indoor ad and doesn’t scan your QR Code, you’ve still made a quality impression, which is a feat for many businesses.

Step 2: Scans your QR Code

After seeing your ad, consumers can engage with your brand on another level by scanning your QR Code. Even if they don’t have time to interact with your page at that moment, the data is stored in their phone for later retrieval.

Step 3: Explores your mobile landing page

Ideally your QR Code should send users to a mobile landing page within your responsive website. From there, you have another chance to push users down the road to conversion by giving them something of value.

Step 4: Takes action

If your strategy is effective and your call-to-action clear, consumers should take some type of action. Ideally this would be making a purchase, but it could also include giving their contact info, signing up for your newsletter, or sharing your page on their social networks.

Once folks have reached this level of interaction there’s a good chance they’ll return to your page, and if they’ve shared your brand socially (liked, +1′d, retweeted), your business can connect with individuals who never laid eyes on your original print ad (that’s some good reach!) The good news is, if you use responsive design, no matter where your links spread and how people access your page (desktop or mobile), you know it will look and behave wonderfully.

Basically, the combination of ads, QR Codes, and responsive websites make it possible for you to meld two advertising worlds: online and physical. That way, no matter how a person prefers to interact with a business, you can accommodate. And by having increased options you are creating more opportunities for exposure, engagement, and sharing (all necessary for growth). Not to mention, this strategy will give you a solid mobile presence, which will keep you in touch with the ever expanding and powerful mobile audience.

Obviously, that particular commercial did not get its point across; the advertisers simply paid a very expensive price to give people a free joke. However, the question remains, does humor ever work in advertising? Well, many professional advertisers say, “no.” Some say it’s too risky, misinterpretation is too likely, and consumers only remember the joke and not the product.

That said, we know funny is successful on a certain level because those are the ads we all remember, and why else would so many marketers (around 20%) be attempting to make people laugh? Obviously, comedy is working for some advertisers.

What Other Companies are Doing?

What makes humorous advertisements great is they are likeable and they get people’s attention. Instead of mentally tuning out when they appear, folks make a point to focus on what’s happening (because no one wants to miss out on a good laugh).

However, as described in the opening scenario, being funny is not enough. To have an ad that’s both effective and amusing, you must strike a fine balance between getting your message across and being entertaining. To better understand what works and what doesn’t, let’s take a look at a few case studies:

Case Study 1: Aflac

Nearly everyone recognizes the Aflac duck . . . he has a screeching voice, he shows up in unusual situations, and he says one thing — Aflac. And there’s a reason he only says one thing, because Aflac wanted to boost its brand awareness. It seems the tactic worked as recent reports state Aflac has 90% brand recognition (rivaling Cokes 95%). Aflac experienced major growth thanks to the campaign, and largely because the name “Aflac” is on people’s minds when they’re considering insurance.

Yet, despite its success, Aflac realized the commercials were lacking in one area — they told people virtually nothing about the company.

At the height of the duck’s popularity, you could show just about anyone on the street a picture of the feathered mascot, and the person would immediately say something like, “Oh, that’s the Aflac duck.”

But, if you asked that same person if they knew anything about the Aflac company, you’d probably find him at a loss for words.

Undoubtedly, most would know Aflac is a type of insurance, but few would know what makes them unique or what sets them apart from the competition. Although the ads were doing a great job of brand awareness, they weren’t telling people enough about the products.

Recently, Aflac started a new campaign called “Get the Aflacts,” which is designed to inform consumers about their offerings.

So, although humor succeeded in getting the company’s name “out there,” it wasn’t a comprehensive campaign.

Case Study 2: Geico

At first glance it might seem as though Geico and Aflac are using the same advertising approach (after all, they both feature amusing animals in their commercials). Nevertheless, there is one major difference — Geico delivers a consistent, albeit short, message in every one of its ads. No matter what comical situation the Gecko (or possibly a caveman) is in, the ad always mentions the fact 15 minutes could save people 15% or more on their car insurance.

Geico has stuck with its mascot and saying for over a decade and, unlike Aflac, they’ve not only earned name recognition but also given consumers specific details about their products.

Case Study 3: Allstate

Incidentally, another insurance company relying on humor to win customers is Allstate. In the ads, the chaos of life, which causes people to need insurance, is personified by a character named “Mayhem.” What makes Allstate ads different is they are simultaneously amusing and relevant. Instead of creating a random funny situation (as typical with Geico ads) and trying to make their message fit, Allstate has found a way to present their industry in a witty fashion (which is hard to do with insurance).

For instance, nearly everyone can relate to the type of scenarios Mayhem represents (a faulty GPS, a screaming baby in the back seat, roof collapse from heavy snow, etc.), which is why people can definitively answer to themselves whether or not they want to deal with a “cut-rate” insurance plan in such situations (as Mayhem suggests).

As proof that being relatable and funny works, the Mayhem campaign was only around for about a year when Advertising Age reported Mayhem was the third most recognized advertising character. Additionally, Allstate continues to be the second-largest personal insurer.

When Funny Works

Just based on those three examples we can tell a lot about how to use “funny” successfully.

Have a clear message

Remember, getting your message across is the most important thing; don’t let it be secondary to humor.

Be consistent

Geico’s use of humor isn’t perfect (arguably, Allstate does a much better job), but it has been consistent with its message for over 10 years. By this point, nearly everyone knows what the company is offering — cheap car insurance

Be relevant

If your ad is relevant to your viewers and your industry, you increase your chances of making a lasting impression. By being relatable, consumers are able to connect an issue in their lives with your services as the solution; the fact the ad is comical just means more people will pay attention and remember.

Don’t make light of sensitive situations

If your business deals with something particularly serious, you probably want to steer clear of comical advertising. Although insurance (as in the examples) borders on being too sensitive, none of the companies joke about anything grave enough to cause offense. Other things that don’t work well with humor are highly expensive items, sophisticated goods and services, and risky products.

Consider your audience

Creating something that’s funny to everyone is a difficult, if not impossible, task. Thus, it’s important to tailor an ad’s humor to a specific demographic who tend to have similar senses of humor. For instance, Allstate wanted to broaden its customer base, so advertisers created the Mayhen campaign to appeal to a younger audience. Still, if you have a very diverse audience, comedy can be dangerous as you risk alienating consumers who don’t “get it.”

Works best with understood, commonly purchased products

If your product or service is new or not widely known, you should spend your brief ad time explaining your product — not trying to make people laugh. Nearly everyone understands how insurance works, which is why the examples above are effective.

Don’t make a joke at the expense of others

Always be careful that your ads don’t insult any one group of consumers. Even if they aren’t your target audience, their friends and loved ones might be, which means they could be offended by association. Notice in Geico’s commercials, the only “people” who are offended are non-existent cavemen.

The tips above hold true whether you’re advertising on TV, in print, or on the internet, and in this age where people are becomingly increasingly “blind” to ads, comedy may be your best tool in getting consumer attention and having your brand fresh on folks’ minds when they’re ready to make a purchase. However, humor is a risky business, so choose your approach carefully, and consider hiring a professional advertiser for help.

A Consumption Economy

To understand how advertising is going to help you or the economy, you have to know how the economy works. Your old school textbooks have a lot to say on the subject, and while all that information is important, for this discussion the only thing you need to know is what drives the economy. And that driving force is consumption.

It’s no secret Americans are the largest group of consumers in the world, and while some may find fault with that fact, the other side of the coin is the United States is also the richest country in the world. Such wealth equals a better standard of living, more money to go around, and more jobs (to keep up with the demand for products).

However, when a recession hits, consumer confidence lowers, which only serves to exacerbate the problem. In other words, when folks quit buying, demand decreases and workers subsequently lose their jobs. Thus, the best way for people to boost a consumption based economy is to… consume.

But, who’s going to convince them to consume when their confidence is so low? Advertisers, of course. Yes, advertising encourages mass consumption, which in turn results in mass production, which inevitably leads to more jobs and a bolstered economy.

Is Advertising Necessary for My Business’ Survival?

If you’re not feeling especially altruistic and are more concerned with saving your own skin than worrying about the entire economy (actually, they go hand-in-hand, but we’ll overlook that fact for now), you might be wondering if spending money on advertising is the best move for your business. In short, the answer is yes.

Initially is may seem advertising is expendable (after all, it doesn’t directly relate to manufacturing or getting your products to market). However, without advertising, your business’ production is doomed to significant slowdown (far more than what’s triggered by the recession) and it may come to a slow halt. Even if you manage to survive the sluggish economy, your brand will undoubtedly become relegated to a lower position in the market as compared to your competitors who remain in the public’s consciousness.

Where’s the Proof?

For proof that advertising is a business’ lifeline during an economic recession, we need only look back on history. For example, in the 1920s Fords were outselling Chevrolets by a 10 to 1 margin. However, when the Great Depression hit, Chevrolet chose to expand its advertising budget while Ford’s marketing remained stagnant. The result: by 1931 Chevrolet surpassed Ford in sales.

A similar experience happened with Kellogg’s. In the 1920s, they were competing closely with Post for the top position in the breakfast cereal industry. In response to the depression, Kellogg’s increased its advertising budget by one-million dollars while Post chose to reduce ad costs. The result: Kellogg’s continually improved sales throughout the recession, surpassed Post as the dominant brand, and still holds their superior position today.

For a more modern example, look at the different ways Nike and Reebok handled the 1990-91 recession. Reebok chose to cut back on advertising while Nike took the opposite approach and tripled its advertising costs. As you probably guessed, Nike emerged as the leading brand with profits nine times higher than Reebok. And Reebok has never caught up.

The examples go on and on, but the end result is best summed up by a quote from the Harvard Business Review which says, “The company courageous enough to stay in the fight when everybody is playing it safe can bring about a dramatic change in market position.”

But, What if Everybody Else is Doing it?

When you see your competitors lowering their advertising budgets, it’s tempting to do the same. It may seem that if everyone else is doing it then it should be okay — but, of course, you know that’s not true (just think back to the old bridge scenario). In fact, by following your competitors you are missing out on a huge opportunity to stand out as leader in the market.

Just think of it, as other brands reduce advertising and consequently diminish their brand awareness, you can step up your marketing efforts, become more well-known, and further minimize your competitor’s significance. Essentially, while others are lowering their presence, you have a chance to take charge of the industry. This strategy is exactly what helped companies like Chevrolet, Kellogg’s, and Nike flourish despite economic depressions/recessions.

You can especially take advantage of the opportunity by appealing to consumer needs. For instance, you know that in times of economic slow-down most people are looking for bargains, so you should advertise your products as such. Offer coupons, discounts, and send the message that buying from you is a smart, economical decision. Proving you understand the needs of the people will encourage brand loyalty among your existing customers and also bring in new consumers who are quickly forgetting about your non-advertising rivals.

In Conclusion

The truth is people are going to consume products whether it’s an economic recession or not. Although the demand for goods and services may be less, it still exists. So, the ultimate question is: are they going to buy from you or your competitors? By continuing to devote resources to advertising (if not increasing them) you are putting the odds more in your favor, and if handled correctly, your profits may be higher than they were before the recession.

And besides growing your own business, you’ll also help improve the economic climate, which will provide you with even more eager customers — a win-win.

Inside Stall

An ad inside a stall can be as simple as a well-positioned, framed sign. Although the advertisement is minimal, stall users are literally held captive with your message for one to three minutes. These are a great choice in less busy venues where people spend more time inside the stall than they do waiting in line.

On Walls

Wall posters work best in crowded restrooms such as those found in airports, theaters, and sporting arenas. Consumers could spend several minutes or more waiting in line with nothing else to do but read your message. By positioning your poster near the entrance or exit, your brand can connect with every person that comes into the restroom. In a busy location, you could reach hundreds or thousands of people a day.

Above Urinals

Generally, those using urinals have nowhere to look but straight ahead. This creates the perfect opportunity to place an ad in an area of direct eyesight — it’s hard to miss a message when it is only inches from your face. Like stall ads, these are best suited to locations without congestion, where most of the person’s time is spent in front of the facilities.

On Mirrors

Whether a restroom is busy or not, almost everyone will spend some time in front of the mirror washing their hands. Something like a colorful, vinyl cling can attract the attention of sink users and give them an impression of your brand. While these ads work well in both men and women’s restrooms, they are especially effective when targeted at women since they tend to spend more time in front of the mirror.

The great thing about restroom advertising is that it’s relatively inexpensive, so you have the freedom to experiment with your marketing strategy. You may choose to use a stall sign for a few months and then change up your tactic by switching to a wall billboard. To make the biggest impact, you can use all the types of restroom ads at once to create a domination effect in a small area.

No matter which type of restroom ad you choose, this non-traditional form of advertising is sure to bring greater attention to your brand and an increase in your business’ profits.

Still, there is one type of advertisement capable of reaching consumers when they are undistracted and receptive to receiving messages — indoor billboards.

Indoor billboards, or restroom advertisements, have many advantages over traditional approaches:

They’re Hard to Miss

Indoor billboards are strategically placed inside stalls, above mirrors, along walls where folks wait in line, and in other hard to miss locations. In a restroom setting where there is nothing else to look at people’s eyes naturally gravitate to these signs.

Captive Audience

Restroom ads have the unique ability to access consumers when they face no other distractions or interruptions. People usually to spend one to four minutes in the restroom, and much of that time can be spent viewing your ad. This is a huge advantage over other advertisements where someone may devote a few seconds to glance at them before they’re busy doing something else.

Better Retention

Since consumers give indoor billboards their undivided attention for such a relatively long time, they remember more of the message and for much longer as compared to traditional ads. According to a Barbour & Monroe survey, 92% of people recall businesses seen on restroom ads and 88% remember four specific selling points.  

Target Specific Demographics Easily

What’s especially great about this type of advertising is it’s super easy to target specific demographics — simply place your ad in establishments where your target audience tends to hang out. For instance, if you’re marketing to the 18 to 35 demographic, you can place your ads in restaurants, bars, clubs, and other entertainment venues. Or, if you’re trying to connect with those with higher incomes, you can position your ads in the more affluent sections of town. Also, if you want to advertise to one gender only or offer different messages to each, you can place separate ads in the male and female restrooms.

Connect with a Hard to Reach Demographic

Besides making it easy to target specific demographics, restroom ads also allow you to connect with people who have disposable incomes. This is often a difficult group to contact since they are often on the go and leading more active lifestyles (not paying attention to TV or print messages). However, by placing ads in places they visit, you can finally have your brand seen by people with money to spend.

Inexpensive

For a fraction of the cost of other forms of advertising, your message can appear to thousands of highly targeted, demographic specific consumers in a short period of time. And considering many people visit the same establishments often and use the restroom repeatedly, there’s a good chance one individual will get multiple impressions of your brand. This means you get more views for your money.

Less Competition

Although your ad may share space with a few other businesses, it is nothing compared to the bombardment of advertisements and commercials folks receive in other locations. This makes it much easier for your brand to stand out.

People Like Them

Admittedly, restrooms are a somewhat personal space to place an ad, but consumers don’t mind. According to the same Barbour & Monroe survey, 98% of people react positively or neutrally to seeing ads in restrooms as many appreciate having something to keep their mind occupied while in an otherwise boring situation.

Not Just an Indoor Billboard

By including a QR code on your indoor billboard, you can tie it into your whole marketing campaign. Those who scan the code are directed to an optimized mobile landing site where they can learn more about your business, and even if they don’t take action right then, they have your brand stored on their smartphone for later retrieval.

Increase Brand Awareness

All of these benefits add up to more people recognizing your brand, and ultimately, increased conversions. And by integrating indoor billboards with an online marketing strategy, your brand has the potential to be shared and spread to individuals far beyond the reaches of your restroom advertsiement.