When creating your printed marketing material, it is easy to get wrapped up in the importance of its design. Of course, the right colour scheme, high definition images, and the right balance of text is vital to a good banner, but the focus shouldn’t end once the banner is printed. If your banner is placed in a less-than-optimal location, then you aren’t using it to its maximum effectiveness. This in turn can impact your ROI.
A banner can be set up in a variety of places. We’ve enlisted the expert advice of Where The Trade Buys, suppliers of pull up banners UK and worldwide. Read on to find out where the best locations for your banners are.
Consider your location
The chances are, your prospective customers or clients are feeling too busy to spend much time on new ventures, which is an obstacle you need to overcome for them to visit your business. This is highlighted by the fact employees in the UK are working more overtime than ever before with 60% of those asked stating that they don’t have a good work-life balance, according to a study published in The Independent last year.
Take a moment to consider your location. Are you easy to find? Even if you’re slightly off the high street, tucked away around a sharp corner or sandwiched between two larger stores; you could run the risk of clients giving up on finding you. By placing your pull-up banner in a location that signposts your building, you can direct your customers, as well as advertise your brand to the general public. Use bold fonts and colours to highlight your address and tell people which other shops you’re next to or opposite so they can quickly work out where you are. If you’re thinking about placing these outdoors, make sure you opt for a quality PVC or vinyl banner to make sure your ad can endure the weather for maximum return on your spend.
The first steps
Your brand’s promotion doesn’t end inside the building. The sleek dimensions of a pull-up banner will allow it to stand conspicuously in the corner of your foyer or next to your reception desk, while not overpowering the room and making it look cluttered.
Studies show that in a tenth of a second, a person can formulate an impression of a subject, so you don’t have long to present your business in a positive way when customers visit. Designing an eye-catching pull-up banner that not only features complementary colours — perhaps matching your reception décor — pleasant fonts and nice imagery, but also highlights interesting information about your company might be another helpful marketing factor to convert sales from new customers and boost brand loyalty among current clients. Are you still a family-run company? Have you recently added another line of products to your range? Just reached five or ten years in business? Achievements like these matter to people who walk through your door, and the beauty of a pull-up banner is that you have the space to advertise snippets of success stories — unlike with a small leaflet, for example.
An article by the Economist refers to the section immediately inside a shop building as the ‘decompression’ zone. This is because customers need to momentarily ‘slow down’ to assess their new surroundings and assess which products are on offer. As a result, this is a great place for promotional material. Even if you don’t have a reception area, you can simply place your pull-up banner just inside the entrance for the same powerful marketing affect — another way to boost ROI.
Events and trade shows
Eventbrite notes that the UK events industry is worth £42.3 billion, with 1.3 million business events are held every year. Corporate hospitality accounts for around £1.2 billion, while exhibitions comprise £11 billion and conferences make up the lion’s share at £19.9 billion! But, how do you maximise your exposure when you’re surrounded by so many other brands? Clearly, this industry is big business and you don’t want your company to get left behind if you aren’t active in trade shows and corporate gatherings.
Printed marketing material stands out in a crowd of digital alternatives at events or exhibitions. If you want to stand out against your competitors at a major recruitment exhibition and create that bond to entice people to come over, why not design an attractive, descriptive pull-up banner and place it next to your stand? According to a study carried out in the US, participants that viewed print media showed a greater emotional response for it and were able to recall its details better than they could for digital ads. If it’s eye-catching enough, it will draw potential partners and employees to your table where you can begin discussing the key details of your business.
People are more likely to recall a brand from a banner than from a digital ad or no ad at all, so this ensures that your marketing strategy continues to work after the event has ended.
Window displays
With 80% of customers saying they are ‘promotion-sensitive’, you can’t ignore the opportunity your window space presents for your business. Highlighting a special discount on your pull-up banner placed in your store window will give your offer excellent visibility to help bring foot traffic in-store. Also, research shows that discounts can make it less probable that people will then compare your range with your competitors’! Remember to use contrasting colours and large text to highlight your offer on your banner.
Linda Cahan, who is a store design and display consultant, told the Entrepreneur: “Each window should tell a story”. If you have floor-length windows, simply angle your pull-up banner so it is clearly visible to people and cars coming from all directions. Or, use a platform to give your advert height so it can be easily seen. A strong and alluring window display can be the difference between a potential customer stepping inside your building and walking or driving by it. Are you making the most of this key piece of promotional space?
Ceremonies and awards
Does your company have an award or shortlist nomination? There are countless ceremonies for every industry taking place across the UK throughout the year. An essential to good marketing Is spotting how you can hallmark your brand when you’re surrounded by competitors at a special event.
Stand out from the crowd with a printed advert among the overcrowded digital world. A Canadian study sound that three quarters of people could remember a brand after viewing it via a print media ad. Conversely, only two-fifths were able to recall the company after seeing it on a digital platform. To boost ROI, create a well-structured pull-up banner or two that can act as backdrops to any interviews you hold or videos/photos you take when your staff are at the awards event. Colour, design, content, and imagery are important characteristics — only use complementary colours, clear layouts, insightful text, and high-quality resolutions. Hashtags, contact information and your brand logo are also essentials. Then, share your snaps or videos on social media to spread brand awareness!
It’s worth bearing in mind that promotional material has a time and a place in which it is effective; certain award ceremonies won’t be the place for it. However, some are very business-based and can last all day before the awards section takes place in the evening. In which case, use this time to promote your brand on social media and YouTube. A creative, attention-grabbing pull-up banner stamped with your brand logo and key information you want customers or prospective employees to know will work wonders to promote what you do.
There are many ways you can use your printed banners to promote your business to a high level. Bear these key tips in mind to maximise your ROI!
Sources:
https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library-files/2015/rarc-wp-15-012.pdf
https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/print-vs-digital.htm
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/how-many-seconds-to-a-first-impression #
https://www.economist.com/node/12792420
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223808 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-wong/what-science-says-about-discounts_b_8511224.html
https://www.getelastic.com/coupon-infographic
https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-use-discount-pricing-strategies–cms-28611
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/direct-mail-in-the-digital-age/
