ATTRACTING NEW CUSTOMERS WITH BANNERS

Banners are another effective way to attract new customers. They grab the attention of walk-by and drive-by traffic and, when used properly, they also motivate potential customers to come in and buy what you are offering.

Today banners come in many different shapes and materials. Probably, the most fashionable, high-tech and eye catching banners nowadays are digital banners created by computer software and displayed on large plasma monitors. With the cost of large high definition plasma monitors constantly going down, these become an attractive and affordable way for any business to communicate with potential customers. In the long run, advertising on large plasma monitors is very cost effective, flexible and fun, since you can display as many advertising messages as you want, whenever you want, in whichever order you want, on the same display medium (the plasma monitor). You can also add sound or music to your visual message for that extra attention grabbing effect.

You can design your own digital banners using any text editor, desktop publishing software or graphic design software on your computer, then connect your computer to your plasma monitor and display your self-created digital banners on it.  Even with very basic knowledge of any of these software packages, you can design very effective and attractive digital banners. With self-created digital banners you don’t need expensive graphic designers and sign makers, and you can design and implement your promotion campaigns much faster and cost effectively.

If this still seems too daunting, you can always hire someone to make and display your digital banners. You can also always go for a low-tech version like fabric or cardboard banners made by professional sign makers. Whichever option you choose, remember that banners only work if they are large and colourful. Blue and red are colours the eye notices first, which explains why most advertising signs you see have those two colours. You should have the lettering on your banners in either of these colours. The background must be contrasting colours so that the text stands out.

Banners are about creating an impulse in your customers to buy your stuff. They are not about informing your customers about what exactly you are offering, so you can’t really use attention-grabbing headlines like with coupons. Instead, you must convey your message in a quick and concise way like “$5 steaks!”

Make sure you don’t use any qualifiers, like time limits of your promotional offer, on your banners. This is especially important if you use hard copied (fabric, paper, glass, timber, neon, cardboard, etc.) banners, because you would like to recycle them for later use. With digital banners you can have as many qualifiers as you like, because with a touch on your computer keyboard, you can add, delete or change your qualifiers at any time.

You may want to create a series of banners to run – one week at a time – to use throughout the year. They should promote items that do well in a particular season (hot drinks in winter and icy cold drinks in summer, for example).

Your banner promotions can also focus on building traffic flow. You can run a “Free coffee from 6 to 8 a.m.” promotion campaign to build your early morning traffic, or a $10 pasta and beer special from 6 pm, to build evening traffic.

Banners work only when you offer with them things that your customers want, and they should be used aggressively once you know what actually works with your customers.

Banners work best if they are tied with a complete in-store promotion. This means you have to bring together merchandising displays, suggestive selling by you and your staff, daily special boards, bottom-of-receipt promotions (including the receipts printed by your ATM), coupons, customer education efforts, and in-store decorations and signage.

Like any other marketing strategy, variety and right timing is crucial. Many businesses leave the same banner for months on end. This will certainly fail to have any impact on your potential customers, and it also creates a tired and old image of your business.