Best way to convince Ad Buyers to use our Digital Mobile Billboard Bikes???

AdSharkPress

Our prototype mobile billboard platform is ready to take it to the streets of downtown Chicago. The problem is we haven't been able to attract advertisers yet. We will be playing our own "Advertise Here" ads on the displays until we gain traction.

Ryan O'Bleness

What methods have you tried thus far? Advertisers are going to be wary to commit until you can prove to them that you can help scale their business. That's obviously difficult to prove before you have any takers. 

Does your platform provide analytics? Impressions, click-through rates, etc. And can it target an advertiser's desired audience? If so, that needs to be your main pitch, but you have to also explain why it is different than traditional advertising means. 

In your case, the best thing to do may be asking advertisers for face-to-face or GoTo meetings where you can show them a demo of how it works and how it would benefit their business. 

Also, join social media groups with advertising niches and post in there to see the interest level. Use Quora and Reddit to position yourself as an authority in the advertising field. Link to your product when applicable, but be careful as those communities do not tolerate spam, either. 

AdSharkPress

So far we have gained around 300 Twitter Followers and 69 Facebook Followers. We are using Facebook Ads to target Media Buyers in the Chicago Market.

We are working on analytics. So far we are able to take a 360 degree photo at the moment an ad plays. This will allow the advertiser to view the photo. And we will be operating on Michigan Avenue downtown Chicago, one of the highest pedestrian traffic areas in the Loop.

Thanks for the advice on becoming an authority in the advertising field suggestion. I am definitely going to pursue that road.

Ryan O'Bleness

@adsharkpress, another way to become an authority in the field is to create a blog and write daily/weekly posts about the advertising field, trends, etc. Make sure you are answering general questions people have about advertising and not just pushing your own products, but link where applicable. Use top of the funnel keywords to attract more search traffic and make sure SEO is strong. People love listicals and advice columns. Give people an option to comment as well. 

Levi Leyba, MBA

@adsharkpress I can see this being promoted like mad on video.  Having a video documenting the bike rider getting ready to leave his house/office, putting on the helmet & grabbing his bike, then showing all the area covered on a bike that a standing billboard will not be able to do.  I see shots from a GoPro type on the biker himself, then shots of video showing the biker riding down the streets of downtown Chi-Town.  You can use this as a pitch for advertisers as well using charts-tables-pie graph-bar graph having a comparison of costs per impressions.  With a moving billboard, you'll hit more "impressions" (in the video I see people walking by, sitting in cars, staring at you with bubbles of numbers over their head showing "impressions").

AdSharkPress

@"Levi Leyba, MBA" , I like your idea. We are planning to record our first day on Michigan Avenue. We would like to make a few videos out of our footage. Your insight is appreciated. I like the bubbles over the heads with numbers. Great idea. Thanks. Can I use it?

Levi Leyba, MBA

@adsharkpress Of course!  Go crush it!!

AdSharkPress

Thanks much @"Levi Leyba, MBA"

Ryan O'Bleness

Keep us updated on your progress, @adsharkpress. 

Steffi Dsouza

When you start designing out of home ads, be sure to use high-contrast colors. My preference is to use a dark background with light-colored text. The dark background will absorb the surrounding light, allowing the light-colored text to pop off the billboard, wall scape or transit shelter. Your text will appear backlit,which will help to execute your idea in reality.

brucekenway

That's how copywriting does the best

AdSharkPress

Thanks much for the insight. We are still trying to get our first client. We have tested our Ad Platform in Madison, Wisconsin for a day in a busy area. So far we have had a dozen inquiries but no sales. I wish we could afford to hire a sales staff and get enough seed funding to do this full-time. However, we will not give up. Just a matter of time I guess.

Ryan O'Bleness

Madison is a busy area, but you also must remember it is a college town, with a lot of students who either A.) Can't afford it, or B.) Don't have a business or product to advertise. Have you thought about trying Milwaukee? Or, come September, go to a Packers tailgate on a Sunday morning.  

Dennis L.

@AdSharkPress

Business owners focus on what they will be able to get, and period. Think about the ROI. Are they really be able to make a profit from it?