Finding New Billboard Locations
Dave Roland of Roland Digital Media has erected hundreds of billboards in his lifetime. He’s been in the billboard industry for over 35 years. We sat down with Dave to get some industry insights on finding new billboard locations.
What’s the strategy for finding a location? Do you actively search or do you just keep an eye open for possibilities?
- Customer driven: An existing or potential customer asks for a location that we do not have.
- Landowner driven: Contacted by landowners interested in leasing land for billboards.
What is the biggest hurdle to overcome when adding a new billboard location?
- Traffic count & Proximity to businesses.
- Zoning
- Visibility
- Access to Utilities
What tips can you give us?
There are still locations out there but great ones are like a needle in a haystack – you must work hard to get them.
When and where was the last billboard erected?
This spring – 2 in Lafayette, TN.
Are landowners generally willing to offer a small piece of land for a structure or is it something you usually have to work hard to sell them on?
Some are willing and others are not. It depends on their mindset and how much money is involved. Digital has made this a lot easier by being able to pay the landowner much more for the first location. You could also make them a “Partner” giving a % each year for long-term leases that protect both parties.
