Advertising is important to companies to make their product or service known. Good advertising costs less than the money it brings in. One relatively low cost form of advertising is the use of billboards. Billboards come in three styles. We are all familiar with static billboards along the highway that are designed to inform or promote a product, service, or idea.

Second, some have hired airplanes to hoist a billboard into the air and fly it over a large gathering of people. This is called an aerial billboard in the aerial advertising industry. It can be pulled by a standard one or two engine plane, or by a helicopter. Some even add a banner off the end of the billboard to include additional needed information.

A third type of billboard is really the best of the other two. This is called a mobile billboard and is displayed on either the side of a truck or on a trailer. First, it is on the ground, not in the air so it is in the visual field of the people. Second, it is mobile, not stationary so it can be taken to where the people are instead of waiting for them to come. Third, the length of time to read the message is often considerably longer than either of the other two.

If you are interested in renting the side of a truck to display a message, first contact a firm to see if this service is available in your area. After all, most trucks display the owner’s message. But some companies are buying trucks to rent out for the purpose of mobile billboard advertising. That’s cheaper than your buying the truck and driving it around yourself.

You will want to find out the price, the places it go, and the length of time your message will be displayed. Do they also design and print the message or just display it? Typical rental is on a month-by-month basis. Ask them how much information to include in your billboard. A good point is that, unlike the aerial message, this one can contain more information in smaller print since it will be seen closer by the audience.

What will this cost? The cost depends on several factors, including how far the truck has to drive to get where you want it. But generally it seems that mobile billboards are cheaper than stationary billboards. One firm said a stationary billboard in their area of the country would cost six to seven thousand dollars for a month’s display. They would post it on their truck for only four thousand for a month.

When planning your message, be sure to include the answers that apply to these question words: who, what, when, why, how, and where. Though you can put more information on a stationary truck, don’t clutter it so that people won’t read it at all. An attractive design, catchy phrases, a clear message, and sufficient information to act are all important parts of a good ad.

Billboards have proven to be a successful way to advertise since highways were made. The unique thing about mobile billboards is that the message can be brought to the people. They can also include messages that don’t apply to highway motorists. Consider how you can take advantage of this creative means of promotion.