Cost-effective ways to advertise your small business

Advertising is essential for your business. There are many ways for you to put your business out there.

However, every conventional channel comes with its own pros and cons. Just sticking to the regulars such as television spots, print ads, online ads, cinema ads etc. is not enough. As your business grows, you too will have to look into multiple different marketing mechanisms.

One of the most popular advertising channels most business owners use is billboards. Billboards or hoardings are part of a traditional advertising structure. There’s nothing new or innovative about them. Did you know? Printed paper cup ads are a powerful marketing rival. Contrary to oversized billboards, paper cup ads are small yet powerful, and thus they are often referred to as mini billboards or moving billboards.

However, brands such as Volkswagen have used both billboard and coffee cup advertising.

In this blog, we will discuss billboard advertising versus printed coffee cups.

1. Cost: Getting a billboard to advertise your brand can be effective, but this method of advertising can be quite expensive. When you start promoting your business, try and allocate your advertising spend to different, unique mediums that drive great ROI. Allocating a big budget initially will only backfire. As against billboards, printed paper cups are relatively inexpensive. It is a great way of spreading the word about your brand without burning a hole in your pocket. Also, money spent on coffee cup ads will yield a positive return as your sales shoot up and your business grows.
2. Target Audience: Before choosing any advertising channel, your first consideration should be your target group. Who are you trying to attract to your business? Understand where they work, drive, and what is likely to tickle their funny bone. If you choose a billboard, it will be seen by a lot of people, but then again, as your audience is driving along the way, they will see multiple billboards before they reach yours. That’s not the case with paper cup advertising. Just as a bird disperses seeds in different areas of a city, people will carry your ads around in the form of paper cups. As passer-by’s and people along the way see your printed paper cups, your product will sell itself without you making a huge financial investment. And, not to forget, everybody loves a good cup of coffee.
   
3. Changing your strategy: The other advantage of using printed paper cups is that they can be easily customized and redesigned. From creating paper cups to match the current holiday season to designing something quirky, the possibilities with paper cup design are almost limitless. This will not only drive traffic to your site but will also build a positive perception of your brand in your target group’s mind. On the other hand, billboards are a great way to advertise, but lack flexibility. They cannot be changed easily without having to spend a large amount of money.

The Verdict: The benefits of printed paper cups outweigh those of a single billboard. Why choose a stationary billboard, when you can choose a moving one instead?