Razzle-Dazzle (or how to source with billboards.)

Sometimes when sourcing talent you have to use unconventional methods to get the attention of your target audience. A certain dog lover told me of a time when they posted jobs on a billboard across the street from a major competitor. The result? Competition complained (to no effect) and quite a few hires were made by said dog lover. Nice!

In case this bit of Razzle-Dazzle has captured your imagination, let me direct you to two very good resources: Windows Local Live and Billboards-Ads.

Billboard-Ads is (according to them) "The ONLY source you will ever needfor Outdoor Advertising." On their website, is information on billboard advertising rates (on average), a search form to help you target local markets by demographics, budget and campaign length (among others). Once you have narrowed your Billboard advertising to several options, you would want to engage Windows Local Live. How? Simply type in the address of where the billboards are located in Windows Local Live and research the area to see which location gives you the most bang for your buck.

Imagine if you will that you are looking to buy a Billboard at a particular intersection in a major market, say - Hotlanta. From the convenience of your desktop, you can get a bird's eye view of the area and mark on your map (using virtual pushpins) such relevant factors as nearby competitors, restaurants where the employees of my competitor might dash out for a quick snack and nearby companies that my competitor is rumored to be acquiring. Below is a snapshot of this example fleshed out on Windows Local Live. (Click the picture to see it, umm... live.)

Oh! While you are at this, you may want to check out MSN's Traffic Reports. Its a great way of monitoring how many traffic jams occur at the location you are considering.

Digability rating: Any excuse to use a Microsoft tool is a good one. (But of course, I am bias - wink.) Add this to your bag of tricks.

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