New to Out-of-Home Advertising? A Simple Guide for Small Businesses

Maybe you’ve seen the headlines or read the studies — Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is having a major moment. From driving real-world impact to boosting digital performance, research over the past few years has shown that Out-of-Home is one of the most effective and trusted channels in the media mix. If you’re wondering how to get started with OOH in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Massachusetts, you’re in the right place.

The good news? You don’t have to figure it out alone.

OOH can be a powerful way to boost visibility, support a product launch, or drive foot traffic, especially when it’s tailored to the way people move and live in Northern New England. Here’s a quick overview of how to begin and how we can help. When you work with us, you’re working directly with a local team that knows the region and manages every step of the process.

Step 1: Define What You Want to Accomplish

Start with your goal:

• Raise awareness in a specific area?
• Promote a seasonal product or event?
• Drive visits to a store, website, or location?

Knowing your objective will help guide everything else — from location to format to budget.

Step 2: Understand What OOH Looks Like in Your Area

OOH options in Northern New England vary by state, and knowing what’s available can help you make the most of your campaign.

New Hampshire & Massachusetts

• Static and digital billboards along highways and major roadways.
• Transit advertising in both urban and rural areas, including:
  • Exterior bus signs (both signs and wraps).
  • Interior cards.
  • A variety of vehicle types to match your goals — from large and medium city buses to shuttles, trolleys, and commuter buses that travel through multiple markets.
• Bus shelters in select towns and cities.
• Digital screens and kiosks in high-traffic public spaces.

Maine & Vermont

• Billboards are not permitted in either state.
• Strong focus on transit advertising (buses, shuttles, regional transportation).
• Bus shelters in select towns and cities.

Across the Region

• Consider using multiple markets and formats to maximize visibility and impact.
• Utilize transit, digital, and location-based placements to connect with people where they live, work, and commute.
• Review our asset book for more detailed information about each market. SEE OUR ASSETS

We help you identify the best mix of locations and formats tailored to your goals, audience, and budget.

Step 3: Set a Budget That Works

OOH can be flexible for businesses of all sizes. Typical campaigns in our region can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand per month, depending on:

• Location and format.
• Duration of the campaign.
• Creative production needs.

We’ll work with your budget to recommend smart, effective options.

Step 4: Review & Approve Your Plan

Once we’ve worked together to define your goals, explore available options, and set a budget, we’ll build a customized media plan for your review. This includes:

• Recommended locations and formats.
• Proposed start date and duration, along with artwork due dates.
• Estimated impressions based on Geopath data.

Once you approve the plan, we’ll ask for a few simple details:

• Billing address.
• Contact email for invoicing.

Once we have that, we can send over a contract for signature via Adobe Sign, to confirm your schedule and hold the space.

Signing the contract ensures your placements are confirmed and keeps production and installation timelines on track.

Step 5: Know What to Expect for Billing & Payment

We follow the standard national broadcast media calendar, with campaigns running in 4-week cycles that start on Mondays and end on Sundays. Here’s how our billing process typically works:

• Once your campaign starts, you’ll receive an invoice for the first 4-week rental period.
• At that time, we’ll also send a separate invoice for production costs (i.e., printing and installing your signs).
• Recurring invoices for the rental space are sent every 4 weeks for the length of your campaign.
• We accept ACH, checks, or credit cards (with a small processing fee).
• Our payment terms are due upon receipt. Invoices unpaid after 60 days will incur late fees.
• Prepayment is always welcome if that’s your preference. Prepayment may allow us to offer more aggressive pricing.

We’re happy to walk you through the details so you can plan ahead and budget for future payments with confidence.

Step 6: Keep the Creative Clear and Simple

Whether it’s a bus ad, shelter, or a digital screen, your message needs to land fast. That means:

• A short, impactful headline.
• Bold colors and easy-to-read fonts.
• Clear branding.
• Optional call to action or simple contact info.

Strong creative isn’t just about looks — it is key to making your campaign more effective and memorable.

No designer? No problem! You can hire our in-house creative team that has extensive experience designing bold, high-impact layouts specifically for Out-of-Home media. We’ll handle the creative process and keep you in the loop — you’ll receive a proof for approval before anything goes to print, and we’ll send a photo once your signs are installed so you can see your campaign in action. Learn more about EFFECTIVE DESIGN.

Step 7: Measure Your Impact

Even in smaller markets, OOH can be measured. You can track the results through:

• Custom URLs or QR codes
• Promo codes
• Location-based impression data
• Web traffic from exposed areas

We are members of Geopath, a national, independent organization that provides trusted audience measurement for Out-of-Home media. While Geopath doesn’t track individual campaigns, it supplies the impression data we use to plan your campaign and estimate audience reach. We include these metrics in your media plan to help you understand the potential impact. We will also help clients extend their campaigns by sharing standout bus ads and creative highlights on social media. Read more about the quality of OOH impressions. BEYOND THE NUMBERS

We Help You Succeed

As a media vendor specializing in Out-of-Home advertising since 1992, we make it easy to launch effective campaigns across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and parts of Massachusetts — using a smart mix of transit and billboard formats. We have established an integrated network of small and mid-sized transit systems to simplify the buying process and expand access to high-impact advertising opportunities. We also understand the value that transit advertising brings, not only for brands but for the public transit systems it supports. These partnerships help fuel local economies and keep our communities moving.

Our team lives and works in the communities we serve, giving us deep local insight and the ability to recommend what truly works. As a small but mighty group, we pride ourselves on responsive service, thoughtful planning, and attention to detail. Whether you’re brand new to OOH or looking to expand your reach, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Just tell us a bit about your business, budget, and goals, and we’ll build a custom plan that fits. From strategy and creative to printing, installation, and performance reporting — we handle the heavy lifting, so you can stay focused on your results.

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Ready to try Out-of-Home Advertising? We can help!
Let’s talk about what’s possible in your area — and how to make your message stand out.