With plenty of marketing options to choose from, last year alone saw £3.7 billion spent on outdoor advertising. It’s big business, and it’s understandable that you’d want a piece if the action.

You need to stand out against competitors in your industry so in order to get yourself noticed, you want to make sure the banners for you marketing campaign are positioned in the best place. Specialists in outdoor banner printing, Where the Trade Buys use high quality technology to achieve the best quality outdoor banners for your campaign. Their HP Indigo printers offer a wider and more versatile format that allows them to print on larger press formats.

As experts in outdoor banners, Where The Trade Buys have offered up this advice to make sure that your banner is in the right place.

First things first, you need to consider where are your audience likely to be, and where will they be looking? It goes without saying that your banner needs to be in front of potential customers. Knowing exactly who your customer is, and where they’re likely to spend their time day-to-day is always a strong place to start.

There are many key considerations to evaluate when establishing where you banner should be placed. Keep the following in mind when you’re making the decision:

• Inside your establishment – If you own a shop or leisure venue that’s open to members of the public, having a large display banner in your premises will help you to quickly and effectively promote any offers or products that you’re trying to push. An added bonus? If it’s on your property, you can change the banners as often as you feel.
• Outside your establishment – Banners can be used to great effect outside your workplace. Again, you can use them to promote your latest products or services, or any offers that may be of interest – offers are great way to attract new customers who haven’t worked with you before. You can also use outdoor banners to replace the company logo and signage – as they can be a much more affordable option than more permanent solutions.
• In public spaces. Whether it’s building wraps or scaffolding, getting outdoor banners in high-traffic public spaces is a great way to get a lot of brand exposure very quickly.
• At public events. Public events such as marathons, festivals and more are usually highly populated with people, so you’ll be able to get your message to many very quickly. Make sure it makes sense for your business to be seen in affiliation with the event, and that the people who are attending it fit your customer demographic – otherwise they’re very unlikely to convert into customers.
• Exhibitions and trade shows. Outdoor banners can be utilised for the indoors very successfully at industry exhibitions and trade shows. Make sure when you’re setting up that your banner is in visitors’ line of sight so you can attract passers-by as they enjoy the exhibition.

Another factor worth considering, is keeping your banner close-by to your venue. New customers will not want to travel far to your establishment – keeping it nearby encourages customers to make the short trip. Putting the sign near your premises gives your banner the best chance of success.

Always be aware of what your competitors are up to. Where are your competitors advertising? This should inform your decisions for two reasons – it will give you a good idea of places that work in your market – but it also may be worth avoiding so you’re not advertising in the same place as your direct competitors.

Designing an Impactful Outdoor Banner

When approaching the design process for your outdoor banner, you must consider your audience – who are you designing it for, what their relation to your business is and where are you going to put the banner?

It is vital that your banner is attention-grabbing – especially if you’re trying to catch the eye of new customers. Make sure you consider the following five tips:

1. The bigger picture. How will the banner look when it’s full-size and in place? Having an eye on the bigger picture will help you to work out the details.
2. Keep things clear and simple. Try not to overcomplicate your banner with lots of different fonts or too many images. Instead, strip back as much as possible and keep the message simple.
3. Your colour choices. Your colour choices should be eye-catching whilst simultaneously reflecting your brand. Keep them to 1-2 colours that are easy to read.
4. A call to action. What do you want people to do after seeing your banner? Calls to action could include:
   • A visit to your premises
   • Contacting you
   • Visiting your website to find out more
5. The quality of the print and finish. You want precise printing and a high-quality finish to give your brand the best chance of a good first impression.