Most local governments have some sort of "adopt a highway" program. In this program, the government will assign you a stretch of highway. You are responsbile for keeping it free of litter. You are rewarded with a sign announcing the highway section has been adopted by your business.

These programs will typically cost much less than a billboard, but have the added feature of presenting your business as community conscious.

You probably don't have time to clean the highway as often as your agreement with the government requires. You can, in most cases, hire someone to do the work for you. (Be sure you have insurance and the person you hire has insurance.) While this is an added expense, it is still cheaper than billboards.

For more information, go to www.google.com and type the words "adopt-a-highway program" in the search window. Hit enter



Related bonus idea...

Here's an added thought. A few years ago, I noticed two unused billboards in our city. I called the owner and asked if they would donate the space to our church. Empty billboards put the company in bad light. So the owners were happy to donate the signs, with the understanding that we were responsible for facing the boards and, in the case that a client were to rent either of them, our faces would come down. We kept the boards for nearly two years.

This idea may work for your store, even if you are not non-profit. A billboard company may prefer to have your store cover their signs, than to leave them blank. Should you strike such a deal, keep your signs simple and to the point. You won't want to spend too much, considering you may lose your spot at any time. What if the bill board company turns down your request? Don't worry about it. The worst thing they can do is say, "no."

Another bonus idea.

About that same time, I worked a similar deal with one of those company's that produces city maps and distributes them free of charge. They make their money by selling ad space around the maps' edges.

Realizing that such publishers usually don't sell all of their ad space, I called the advertising company that publishes the maps and offered them a tax receipt from our church if they would donate unsold space. Again, empty space places them in a bad light. It appears as though nobody wants to advertise. They gave us the space.

Again, you may not be a non-profit company. But as a Christian bookstore, you are viewed as providing a service to your community. Publishers of maps, place-mats, coupon books, etc., that make money by selling space may prefer to give you their unsold slots. It never hurts to ask. If they say "no," so be it. You've lost nothing by asking.

And finally. When asking companies to donate advertising, you may come across a few (very few) who are offended. They may see you as trying to bum something for nothing. Be up front. Your testimony is more important that free advertsing. Be sure to explain to the seller that you're not really interested in buying, "but should you have an unsold spot..."



Idea number 01 - Keep in Touch!

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