That’s A Lucky Phone Number!

Billboard marketing mandates an ability to grab a driver’s attention in an instant, for an instant.

A boring message guarantees you’ll be ignored or forgotten. Content that’s too busy risks causing an accident.

Then there’s the Call To Action. With customers driving by at 70 MPH, your URL and/or phone number must be easily remembered. After all, chances someone will contact you AT THAT MOMENT are probably pretty slim.

This all ran through my mind this past weekend while heading north on I-5. There, in the City of Commerce, was a billboard saying ACCIDENTS and a toll-free phone number that’s all sevens.

The message’s minimalism ensures even speeders (an obvious target market) will retain it.

And those with poor memories undoubtedly appreciate the phone number’s simplicity.

But the observant driver will also notice the casino 200 yards beyond the billboard.

Seven is supposedly a lucky number, so one must wonder if it’s coincidence that a phone number with all sevens appears so close to a casino. I’m guessing it is.

This law firm simply wants to have personal conversations with sales prospects. It offers no URL, so if you want their services, you MUST call.

Tellingly, there’s a different phone number on the firm’s website, suggesting the 777-7777 number is dedicated to traffic from the billboard. This enables them to analyze how effective this marketing avenue is in generating new sales prospects.

Planning or happenstance aside, that billboard has accomplished its objectives;

1)     It’s not too flashy, so it doesn’t distract

2)     Its message is targeted and brief

3)     The number is easy to remember

Regardless of what you sell, you can learn from this marketing effort. Because while they require both investment and commitment, billboards can be very effective tools for businesses and organizations that seek high traffic, low unit cost, and personal customer relationships.

Service organizations, housing communities, and car dealerships are likely to want this mix. Retailers and merchandise outlets, whose goods face stiff competition online, typically benefit more from other strategies.

To determine a billboard’s potential value for your business, consider your budget, average sale value, and whether there are other avenues (social media, print, etc.) that may make more sense for you.

It’s an important conversation to have now, as you’re planning your 2022 marketing strategies.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

-----------
No luck’s needed. www.marketbuilding.com.