You know you want visibility. You’ve got the budget. Then someone asks, “What’s the ad going to say?” — and you freeze.
You’re not alone. This is the most common question we get, and there’s a simple framework for it.
Start with one job
A billboard can do exactly one job at a time. Pick yours:
Job 1: Make them remember your name. Best for: newer businesses, competitive markets, anyone playing the long game. The ad: your name, your logo, what you do in five words or less. That’s it. “Smith Plumbing. Calgary’s drain people.” Boring? No — memorable. There’s a difference.
Job 2: Push one offer. Best for: seasonal businesses, promotions, events. The ad: the offer, huge. “Furnace tune-up. $99. October only.” One offer — never three.
Job 3: Announce something. Best for: grand openings, new locations, rebrands. The ad: the news plus where to find you. “Now open in Inglewood.”
Job 4: Recruit. Underrated. Our Foothills board sits in an industrial corridor full of tradespeople — thousands of potential hires drive past daily. “We’re hiring journeyman electricians” on that road beats a job board post collecting dust.
What NOT to advertise
- Your entire service list (pick your most profitable one)
- Anything requiring a paragraph to explain
- A phone number nobody will memorize at 60 km/h (they’ll Google your name — make the name stick)
Still stuck? Answer these three questions
- What do you make the most money on?
- What do you wish more people knew about you?
- What does your best customer say when they refer you?
Wherever two of those answers overlap — that’s your billboard.
You don’t have to figure this out alone
This is literally the conversation we have with every new advertiser. Tell us your business and your goal, and we’ll help you land on the message before anything hits the screen. Your creative is swappable anytime too, so you can update as your goals change.
Bring us the “I don’t know what to say” problem. We love that one. Start at jambillboards.com.