don't squint on the highway

I squint a lot on the highway. I'm usually trying to figure out why a marketer would plaster a billboard with engaging content and then place their organization's name, logo, or URL in the bottom right corner ... in a squint-inducing size. I often don't have time to figure out who paid for the billboard. And the funny part is, I actually wanted to know.

Source: nfpsynergy.net

But (fortunately for many reasons) not everyone is a marketing geek like me. In fact, most people would rather ignore billboards, commercials, and every other infiltrating piece of marketing that bombards their everyday lives. So, if a marketer on a mission to read a billboard can't read it, how will a driver who is intentionally avoiding it get the message?

They won't.

But, it's not just billboards. It's newspaper ads under a half page in size. Coupons on the back of receipts. The corporate sponsors at the very bottom of an event's webpage.

It's not that limited reach is worthless. But limited reach (offered by the mini ads, receipt backs, and poor logo placement) merits only limited investment, so be sure to monitor prices carefully in order to have your organization come out ahead. And when you invest in a medium that offers expansive reach, like a giant billboard, make yourself known. If you're a nonprofit, you'll answer to donors for your stewardship of their gifts, so make sure your advertising is worth the cost.

Wherever you advertise, be sure give your name, your logo, and/or a call to action.

Just don't make your audience squint on the highway. It's better for everyone involved.