Some business ads are installed on benches at bus stops, and others can behind inside the bus itself, usually above eye level, where they are likely to be seen by passengers seated or standing on the bus. In addition, some companies use television screens inside metro vehicles like trains and buses, and the programming on these sets can be color or monochrome.

Buses often have advertising panels placed in the rectangular area above the wheels and below the windows. They can also be painted or pasted onto placards called boards, which have slots that fit inside the fittings on the bus. Nowadays bus advertising has extended to all areas of buses.

Some of the original side and panel ads were painted onto the bus, but this resulted in a lot of downtime when the advertiser reached the end of their contract and opted not to renew the bus ads.

Now that many bus ads use self-adhesive vinyl, it makes the job of changing ad campaigns much easier. These can be easily put in place and removed, like decals. This reduces the downtime of each bus used, and the colors can be very vivid, and will stay bright longer than painted boards used to.

Screen printing has also given way to digital printing, which can more exactly duplicate digital photographs on the surface of the bus, taxi or train. These digital prints are much closer to duplicates of the original photographs used in the ad campaign.

1 Networking

Networking is essentially about building a client list, including people who might want to use your services and those who are in a position to recommend you to others.

Networking means making and using contacts from all areas of your life: colleagues and workmates, neighbours, family and friends, past clients, people in a similar business to yours, former or current employers, fellow members of business and professional groups and social acquaintances.

The whole things is about keeping yourself in the public eye – unobtrusively. Ways to do this include:

* Telephone just to say ‘hello’ whenever possible, but not too often – you might arouse suspicion

* Find out when their birthdays are. Send a card, or invite them out for a drink

2 Get Listed in Directories and Similar Publications

This includes being listed in professional directories as well as trade and business directories and yearbooks. It also means having your details included in telephone and other advertising publications, including ‘Yellow Pages’ and other popular advertising directories.

3 Attend Meetings

Attend as many meetings as possible where referral sources, and actual or potential clients are likely to be. Suitable gatherings might include association meetings, professional seminars, trade meetings, and so on.

Always make a point of being seen but and not by monopolising the proceedings. If you are an expert on some topic currently being discussed, make this known by contributing a few main points or by putting forward your own views on the subject.

4 Making Speeches and Presentations

Offering your services as a speaker or to present awards increases your visibility and establishes you as an authority. Appropriate contacts include trade and professional associations, civic groups, business clubs, large companies, and other high profile organisations.

5 Letters to the Editor

When your letters and most importantly, your name, are published in appropriate places, you increase your visibility and establish yourself as an authority on your chosen subject. Potential clients and referral sources will notice that your ideas and views are of sufficient value to be communicated by editors. The more often your name appears, the more credibility you’ll achieve.

Letters to the editor are the easiest place to start your writing ‘career’. The best letters – namely those most likely to be printed – are generally topical and relevant, and almost always controversial.

Letters should be short and to the point. If you intend to be a regular contributor, make a point of studying the style of published letters, including length, style, viewpoint, whether letters are captioned, and so on. Model your own on these.

Key Points:

* Send letters to editors of trade and professional publications as well as national and regional newspapers and magazines

* Always use your professional letterheading with your qualifications and specialty included

6 Donating Your Services

Consider donating some time to a non-profitmaking organisation as a gesture of goodwill. Make sure the commitment don’t impinge too heavily on your normal, income-earning hours.

Most importantly, make sure the organisation is worthwhile and promotes you in a good light.

7 Radio and Television Exposure

Here you might look for regular slots having something in common with your specialty. Alternatively, think about something on which you have expert knowledge, not necessarily related to your profession, which might be of interest to viewers or listeners.

Locate the appropriate contact person and explain what you have to offer. This might be particularly beneficial if your contribution is broadcast just before something special you are organising, in which case you should emphasise that the interviewer gives out information during or after the broadcast.

8 Referrals

Another excellent source of business is recommendation from past satisfied clients or anyone else in a position of power or authority. This type of recommendation is achieved through the image and professionalism you display. It means being reliable, enthusiastic, doing your best for the client, and seeing to it that everything the client wants, the client gets!

9 Announcement Columns

Announcement columns are sections in newspapers, magazines and other publications, usually set aside for information about members and readers. Make a point of sending details about any awards you receive or any seminars and workshops you organise. Keep the editor updated on your range of services and point out any additions or expansions.

Remember to give yourself enough lead time if your announcement relates to a specific time or period.

10 Press Releases

A press release, as the name implies, means ‘releasing’ information to the press in the hope that it will be published. It could be about a book you have written or a newsletter you have published. It might be about a new business or expansion to an existing business.

Press releases can be sent to all kinds of publication, including trade and business journals, national and regional newspapers, professional journals, the business and financial press, and so on.

Key Points:

* A press release should never be longer than two or three pages of double-spaced typing, preferably much shorter

* Start with a compelling headline and introduction and include a photograph where possible. Your headline and opening paragraph are the most important features of the press release and will almost certainly make or break your chances of having it published

* Always include a contact name, address and telephone number.

* Unless the publication indicates to the contrary, send your press release to the editor. Address the person by name where possible. The name can usually be found in writers’ books and directories available in most main reference libraries.

Alternatively, the editor’s name is usually included in the newspaper or magazine itself. If not, or if it’s hard to spot, telephone the publication’s switchboard for the information you require.

1. Welcomed advertising (easy on the eyes) People are bored entertain them and they will reward you. They want to read something; a study done by Rice University found 98% had a positive reaction to indoor billboards.

2. Reach Readers with higher disposable income With the economy slow and people cautious about what they spend, you need to be where they are still spending money. If they are going out then they are spending money they have money to spend. Indoor Billboard are where they are spending money. This is where your next customer will be.

4. Target-able Gender, income, area, sex, and more You can target demographics like no other media. By gender on go in one restroom. Hair color, okay maybe not hair color. Within the network of venues you can choose billboards in the area you want to target based on income, sex and geographical factors so you do not waste advertising that’s not targeted to your main customers.

5. Cost. CPM ROI With the average CPM (cost per thousand) metric indoor billboard is at 2.00 – 4.00 per 1000 and you have them for 2 minutes so the quality of the CPM is higher. The ROI (return on investment) is much higher reasearch found that for every dollar spent on indoor advertising you returned eight.

6. Its new and old at the same time Using new and innovative products, that is the way you separate yourself form the competition, a key differentiation. Seeing a trend and riding the wave. With indoor billboard advertising you can get creative and create a one of a kind message moment.

“People are looking for something new that’s targeted and attention-grabbing. This is the way to do It.? -The Wall Street Journal

7. Recall Rate * University studies have found the recall rate to be 60% or higher 78 percent, recalled one or more of the Indoor billboard ads, according to Audits &Surveys Worldwide * 92% were able to name specific advertisers without prompting. BARBOUR &MONROE SURVEY

8. Indoor Advertising Easy to use. Contracts are 3 months on average and they compliment a big campaign with multiple mediums in use. And Indoor billboards work great as a standalone advertising approach. Track the advertising with a simple metric. How did you hear about us? Offer a discount only on your indoor billboards and measure the results.

9. Effective, All the studies that have been done show the effectiveness of indoor advertising. The idea of having a captivated audience for 2 minutes that spend money, is a profitable idea. The cost is more than competitive its smart business. To test the effectiveness is a small price. Look at the facts this is a great way to have your product or service in front of those who will respond and can respond.

There are two types of market research surveys -quantitative and quantitative. Quantitative surveys are all about the numbers; how many people saw our ad; how many people would buy our product; and how many people recognize our product. Qualitative surveys are more open ended and try to determine what people are thinking or why people do what they do.

Quantitative survey data forecast are more or less accurate depending on sample size. A larger sample generally results in more accurate predictions. Larger samples are more expensive to survey so you have to trade off cost for accuracy. There are statistical rules that predict the accuracy of the predictions for a given sample size and a given market size.

With qualitative surveys sample size is less critical because you are more interested in discovering a general trend or sensing than a precise measurement. The keys to successful market research or product development surveys are keep it short, no more than two minutes, and easy to understand and answer.

Today the preferred delivery method for market research or product development surveys is online. There are a number of online survey tools available to help you develop an email or web based market research surveys, provide an email or web based survey and analyze the responses to the survey. Some online sites like surveymonkey.com offer free tools. These free tools generally do not include the more sophisticate statistical analysis help that you find in the online survey tools offered for sale. Just type in “online survey tools” into your favorite search engine and you will find lots of offers to consider.

The toughest part of designing market research surveys is ensure you ask the right questions. You can only get answers to the questions you ask and it is very disappointing to start to analyze your survey response data only to discover you have gaps in the information you collected. If you are piloting your first survey it would be a good idea to test it with a small group before you go live with your larger sample. A test will help you determine if the questions are clear and the responses are providing you with the data you anticipated.

Online survey is another important tool which many of the business houses and companies don’t feel the importance of. This is what let’s you to be in touch with past clients, know what current clients needs and what potential client expects from you. A well drafted questionnaire for research analyst will take a form of online survey which companies can utilize to ask the customers or clients to fill up with their thoughts and feedback. The feedbacks generated from online survey will help you understand what you good with, what you lack and what they expect more from you.

There are tons of research companies worldwide, but a capable research company is that which understand well what you need and what is important for you and your business. The size of a research company doesn’t matters but the capability, work experience and team they have to take up your projects. There are incidences when you contact a research company but the reports delivered to you don’t meet the requirements you expect from research reports. This is where many of the research companies lack. The role of a research company is to understand the client needs, for what purpose the research reports are required, what is reason behind the online survey the company is looking to have.

Research reports and report from online survey must solve the purpose, rather than illustrating useless stats which are of no use to you. As a client you can ask the research company questions pertaining to their expertise. Not only what services they provide but also what sort of team capabilities they have, clients they have served and the most important they are involved in research services. A research company always employs research analysts which have a educational background of business management. The work experience matters but what matters the most is their knowledge in particular segment.

According to our experience serving clients worldwide, online survey and online research are very vital for any sort of research reports. Equally a capable team of research analyst must be there to handle those projects and assignments. I will be discussing more related to the benefits of hiring research companies, importance of online survey which play a vital role in running a successful company.

1.Purchase Leads/mailing lists There are many different places that you can purchase mailing lists and leads. This would be a great way to jump start your direct marketing business without taking a huge financial risk. The best way to contact the leads that you purchase would be by phone. Remember that if you are purchasing for an e-mail list you have to contend with spam blockers and junk mail.

2. Generate Your Own Leads. Even better than purchasing leads, would be to generate your own leads. Start by educating yourself on how to develop your own lead generation machine. Then you can decide how you contact your leads, what you say to them and what you would like them to do next.

3. Know how how to reach your target market audience. If you are selling cleaning products you will want to market to women, or moms. If you are selling office furniture you will want to market to business owners. You need to know how to reach your target audience. When using direct marketing on the internet knowing how to use key words is crucial to reaching your target audience.

4. Key Words. A big part of reaching your target audience on the internet is understanding how to do key word research and how to use key words in your direct marketing. Key words are the words and phrases that people are using to search for information on the search engines. So, unless you know what those key words are and how to use them to your advantage, you will not be getting the optimal number of people looking at your product.

5. Have a positive attitude. When you are a using directing marketing especially when calling or e-mailing consumers you have to keep a positive attitude. They will trust you and want to hear what to have to say if you stay upbeat. Also, having a positive attitude and not getting discouraged will help you as you continue as a direct marketer.

On top of guaranteed views of an advertising campaign, there is a high level of repetitive exposure to the same advertisements. The typical commuter drives the same route five days a week so that means that any given outdoor advertisement will be viewed by that driver repeatedly during the week. Repetition in advertising is difficult to obtain in most mediums but while advertising outdoors, it is one of the most cited reasons for choosing this medium for advertising.

With any marketing campaign, timing is everything. A bold advertisement is lost if there is a large amount of time, from the advertising impression, to the decision to make a purchase. Outdoor advertising minimises that time, sometimes dramatically. Advertising a product utilising an outdoor ad in front of the store where that product is sold is the most striking example of this. However, even having a product featured on the expressway will still leave an favourable advertising impression when a person stops at their local market before heading home after a long day at work.

The initial cost for an outdoor advertising campaign is fairly low as well, depending on the location and size of the advertisement. As with other marketing outlets, size and the variety of colours affects cost. However, compared to most other marketing mediums, the initial cost is most often lower and the monthly cost after the first month is more of a rental agreement and maintenance fee agreement, rather than a reoccurring fixed cost.

Blind canvassing or taking the shotgun approach only works in certain industries where the potential customer base is undefined. Industries such as fast food or many family oriented restaurants and those that cater to wide range of consumers can often benefit from shotgun advertising.

However, niche companies and those that are after a specific demographic rarely achieve success unless they conduct specific research on product marketing.

It is considered the best use of the marketing budget by being aimed at the best customer. The return on the investment is the best measure of the marketing effort as well as how many new sales or repeat sales are generated by the fewest dollars. In many areas of advertising it is a numbers game and the more people who see the ad, the better chance there is of making a sale.

However, smart business owners look at the return on their advertising investment to determine the meaning of a successful campaign. For
example, by sending out 10,000 ads to a generalized area, there may be only 100 responses. Of that 100, one turns into a customer. Although the 10,000 ads only cost you about $100, that translates into $100 per new customer.

Targeted ads, historically return four times as many respondents with a fourth of the effort. This translates into 2,500 ads going out with 100 respondents with four turning into customers. With A $50 charge, this translates into $12.50 for the new customer, a significantly higher return on the investment. While the numbers will vary based on the type of product or service being offered and the quality of the ad going out, it is representative of the difference in the approaches taken in advertising.

If you have every stopped at a roadside travel center along an interstate highway, you have probably seen volumes of advertising about travel spots. Tourist attractions and vacation information fills racks at these centers because they are geared towards the traveler. There is a reason these same brochures are not handed out in elementary schools.

Being able to target the marketing effort will take research to determine the location of the most people that can use the information you have to offer. However, once you find the potential customers and send them the right message about your company, you can be prepared for a much bigger return on your investment.