Why Traditional Advertising Still Works in a Digital World

Hey friends! Want to hear something funny? I used to HATE billboards, but then I met Staci Schofield from Lamar Advertising, and she totally changed my mind about those giant signs we see while driving.

In this super fun chat, Staci shares some really cool secrets about billboards that might surprise you. Like how they're basically giant pop-ups from before the internet was even invented, and they're actually way cheaper to use than most people think!

But the best part about Staci isn't just her billboard knowledge - she's also East Dallas's biggest fan. When she's not helping businesses get noticed with billboards, she's running around the neighborhood making friends and helping local shops grow. Just don't blame us if you start paying more attention to billboards after watching this - your neck might get a workout from all that looking up!

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Want to explore billboard advertising for your business? Reach out to Staci directly at sschofield@lamar.com

Transcript

00:00:00:02 - 00:00:33:00
Unknown
You're basically the original pop ups. Yes. I did not expect business to come from it. But in turn, I have met some of my best friends who I consider in my family at this point. Those things actually, in turn, they do pay you over time without really meaning to. So I can't have a successful billboard client unless they have a billboards work because you're not ready.

00:00:33:01 - 00:00:58:04
Unknown
I don't want to take your money. I need you to work with Teevee and get your. I'm Stacy scofield. I'm with Lamar advertising, the billboard company. Over 80% of my customers renew year after year after year. And that comes back to the honesty when we can be our most authentic selves. We can thrive. Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Teevee marketing Podcast.

00:00:58:06 - 00:01:20:18
Unknown
Today we're talking to Stacey Schofield about billboards and digital marketing and networking building relationships, as you can tell. We got started a little bit there and it just dawned on me that we I probably should say hi billboards, baby. Yeah, we're going to talk billboards and we're going to talk networking. We can talk business and life in a little bit.

00:01:20:20 - 00:01:40:12
Unknown
How are we going into this kind of space? Right. And I started to say this. I've been sharing more content. I've been writing more. I've been pushing more. So not only have I been showing up networking more. I also been I've also been writing a lot more and and recording videos of this idea. Like, you know what I need to I need to leverage this.

00:01:40:17 - 00:01:58:12
Unknown
This is the reboot of the podcast. And in this particular iteration, one of the things I want to do is feature business owners like yourself, people that are doing good stuff in the, in the, in the community, because that's one of the beautiful things I witnessed about you. You were raving about me. I will definitely say that I see you doing a lot of work.

00:01:58:12 - 00:02:20:03
Unknown
Thank you. Why people are seeing you. I told check this. Don't be offended if I say this, but I said, Chuck. She reminds me of a young female version of, you know, like, go, go, go. Everywhere I go, you're there, she's there. You know, we're both there. And, like, I don't know how y'all do it. I'm exhausted because I like I like to kick back, but y'all are committed to the community.

00:02:20:05 - 00:02:43:22
Unknown
I think that's the impression I get. Yes. And he's like, oh, okay, I think I see that. Wow. Well, I mean, as far as East Dallas goes, right? I have lived in East Dallas for about eight years. Over by white Rock Lake. And the original reason why I joined East Dallas Chamber of Commerce was just to meet my neighbors.

00:02:43:22 - 00:03:10:12
Unknown
Open. I did not expect business to come from it. But in turn, I have met some of my best friends who I consider in my family at this point, and I have gotten quite a bit of business from it. So just getting out there, meeting your neighbors and being there for them when they need something and and learning about what's going on in their life, what's going on in our street, in our neighborhood, what businesses are coming here.

00:03:10:14 - 00:03:31:17
Unknown
Those things actually, in turn, they do pay you over time without really meaning too. So it's beautiful because it's what it business one on one relationships. We talked about it all the time. Relationships. You know, if you build it, they will come. The people will do business with those they know, like and trust. And what? How do you do that?

00:03:31:17 - 00:03:56:09
Unknown
You invest into the community, you show up and you just show up and do things. And through virtue of that, I think the trust is becomes almost irresistible. They're going to trust you and want to then throw money at you. Like, what do you do? How can I help you? Oh, you do billboards? Yeah. Which I have to say, I was a hater.

00:03:56:11 - 00:04:19:21
Unknown
Not of you. You're fantastic. Fantastic. So, like, start phase, but, like. Oh, no, no. Not you. I was a hater of billboards. I'm sure that makes me just too sad. No, no. Well, you changed it, and that's my big point. I will say that that comes from I came into this from the digital point. Members angle POV.

00:04:19:23 - 00:04:42:23
Unknown
Digital first. Digital everything. You were my enemy, not you. Old media. Because I'm trying to. I came into this in 2009, 2010, 11. And when I first came in, I had to really twist people's arms to give me some money to do anything on digital. It was still like the remaining, belief around, not why I do Yellow Pages.

00:04:42:23 - 00:05:03:06
Unknown
I don't need to do anything else. Okay? Okay, okay. I, I'm in the, whatever. Like, whatever. I'm in the white pages two. What are you talking about? The yellow in the white page. What do you don't need anything else. So it was me against old media, in a sense. In 2009. Okay. Very interesting. It was.

00:05:03:07 - 00:05:21:16
Unknown
People were open to it, but they still many of the business owners around were anti digital. Oh, it's just a fad. It'll go away. Interesting. And then over the between probably 2010 or 15 it was clear that social media and at the time they were calling it web 2.0. I don't know if you knew that. That's that's how old I am.

00:05:21:16 - 00:05:40:10
Unknown
Before they got social media. So I had to twist people's arms and by then they realize, oh, it's not going anywhere. And since then it's taken off. Wow. Then I met you, and I still wasn't completely sold on billboards, but I saw I see the value because, you know, I've had this thought. You're basically the original pop ups.

00:05:40:12 - 00:06:03:10
Unknown
Yes. I absolutely love that. And so are you tired of burning through your marketing budget faster than you can say, ROI posting on social media? Crickets. Running ads. More crickets. Watching your marketing strategy. Flopping like a fish out of water while you quietly sob into your coffee. Fear not. This episode of the Teevee Show Podcast is brought to you by, well, me Teevee, the marketer founder of Rockstar Marketing.

00:06:03:12 - 00:06:22:13
Unknown
Here to stop the madness, we take your marketing dollars and actually make them do something like work one video content and as a stop your audience from scrolling faster than they stop for a baby panda video. Yeah, we do that. So if you done setting your marketing dollars on fire. There's a rockstar marketing and let's turn those crickets into cash.

00:06:22:18 - 00:06:47:05
Unknown
What's interesting about our timeline, right. So I got into the billboard industry in summer of 2014. And so it's just kind of an interesting time, right. So you're talking about Yellow Pages. I got some of my leads for my very first year with billboards from yellow. You went to the Yellow Pages like you, you need a book. I mean, my very, very, very first customers, though I literally started speaking of yellow.

00:06:47:07 - 00:07:15:15
Unknown
I drove a bright neon yellow Dodge Dart. And there she is. She's coming. As much as I loved it, sometimes, yes. Customers who I'd been going after for a long time, they'd see me coming and running to the back. No. Just kidding. Sort of like, I would watch and try to sell you something. Yeah, I would walk up and down my street of where my, Abilene Lamar office was, and I would hand sign contracts.

00:07:15:17 - 00:07:36:06
Unknown
So that very first year, I remember that, I was only one of very few salespeople at that time, and there was a few boards who hadn't been sold in a long time. And so I'm like, what do we need to do to get this board, this board, this board sold? And my GM at the time, Tommy Roberts, shout out, he hired me with Lamar in 2014.

00:07:36:08 - 00:07:53:14
Unknown
So I have a great relationship with him. He said, all right, I'll sell for 100 bucks a month on a year contract if you can get it signed this week. And I'm brand new. He literally had handed me a stack of his business cards and said, write your name and number on the back and go get these contracts signed.

00:07:53:14 - 00:08:13:15
Unknown
And I had very little training. And so I'm like, all right, here we go. And so I went to people and I'm like, here's this billboard off of I-20. It's 100 bucks a month. Here's how many people see it each week. Will you take it? And they would take it. And I went a do rookie of the year after that year.

00:08:13:17 - 00:08:34:20
Unknown
But if you can show people the value in it, I mean, things like that don't happen any more. But that's just, that's a that's a wild story. And most of those people are still on those boards to this day because they got the value from it. Yeah. At the end of the day, you can't get billboards work and they they work, they get attention and credibility.

00:08:34:22 - 00:08:54:08
Unknown
They're big. Not all of them, but I now get it. And this is where you change my mind, is that there are different price points because I'm like, oh, and we have a great relationship. I like you so much that I recommended one of my clients to her and she goes, went up one. Thank you so much.

00:08:54:08 - 00:09:14:21
Unknown
Appreciate it. Absolutely. I feel up to this day. Yeah, I know, I drove by the other truck, chuckle breaking my neck. China. Yeah, that's the oh, you said it was a year contract. But in our conversation, you made it clear because I do believe in an integrated plan. The problem is I'm trying to get them to give me all their money, like, invest with me.

00:09:14:21 - 00:09:34:23
Unknown
But if they have the budget or if they're willing to go in that direction. Billboards work if you also leverage it with digital, in my opinion. That's why I always try to. That's why we are such a great partnership, is because I can't have a successful billboard client unless they have a great social media and website presence. Yes.

00:09:35:00 - 00:09:55:06
Unknown
Billboards work because in seven words or less, about seven seconds, maybe six seconds. We're going to drive by that billboard. We need to see who you are, what you do. We're going to Google you. We're going to go to your website. And if you don't have a great website, if you don't pop up on Google, when we Google you for your own name, then your Belford is not going to work.

00:09:55:06 - 00:10:18:02
Unknown
I, I sometimes in the past have refused business. Are you kidding? Because since you're not ready, I don't want to take your money. I need you to work with Teevee and get your website up and running. And SEO and your social media is looking great. First. And then come to me once those things are good because we're a great pair to see that success.

00:10:18:03 - 00:10:41:22
Unknown
And that's that's the key. If if not, then they will. It's going to go in the trash. Yeah I in over 80% of my customers renew year after year after year. And that comes back to the honesty, making sure that, yes, this is a great location because of the visibility and where it is in proximity of your office or where you want new business from, how many people see each week and the cost.

00:10:42:00 - 00:11:04:13
Unknown
But it's nothing if you don't have a great online presence. Yeah, it's absolutely true. So tell me, how long do you see yourself in the business like that? I'm working on year 11 right now. I have always pictured myself with Lamar until I'm ready to retire. I can't associate well now. Whenever I see Lamar, I see you. Thank you.

00:11:04:14 - 00:11:26:02
Unknown
I was in South Texas visiting, my fiance. So thank you for saying that. Well, fiancé is, family, and I saw Lamar down there. Oh, damn. They're everywhere. I work nationwide. That's the thing you might be seeing is, you know, done down there. Yes. Okay, okay. But what I saw down there that I didn't, I've never seen here is they got, like, lights on things on the billboards.

00:11:26:02 - 00:11:50:22
Unknown
They got like, different features. Is that something that's. Yeah. So all markets throughout the United States have different regulations too. So for DFW, for Lamar, that is our contract states that we're going to give you illumination. So a couple of lights on the board. It does depend on the size of the board. Each board is different, but the average board has two lights on it.

00:11:51:04 - 00:12:17:13
Unknown
14 by 48 is the, largest standard size billboard in DFW. So there's going to be two lights on those, and the standard illumination is from dusk to 11 p.m. Lamar Dallas actually runs that until midnight. And then it also runs it again at no additional charge. Morning burn. So, 99% of our boards are illuminated. Each board is different.

00:12:17:13 - 00:12:45:17
Unknown
Are you meaning just the lights or that? Plus the actual words like the number is like the number one has the lights that illuminate the one, illuminate the two. So that's a special type deal that some areas will allow. That's what I was thinking. I mean, some boards will allow it has to deal with the area, the board, and then if both of those things will be okay with doing that, then now we've got to look at what that cost because it's backlit.

00:12:45:19 - 00:13:03:22
Unknown
Is that what you're kind of seeing. So say this, this is the lettering here. It's actually lit up. It's illuminated even more, maybe 3D or maybe even in 3D. Yes. It just depends on the market and the board if they'll accept that. Yes. What I was thinking I meant to Tex feel like. But I was driving and I forgot about it.

00:13:03:22 - 00:13:27:12
Unknown
So right now I'm like, dang. Yeah, they do stand out. They do, something big in DFW that we can do on most of our boards are extensions that really stand out. So if you see, I'm just going to throw out there a lawyer. Yeah. You see a lawyer with is a hair. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like I'm above the billboard.

00:13:27:12 - 00:13:51:07
Unknown
That's in it. It's above it. So that's called an extension. And those are very cost effective. They really stand out. And most boards in DFW can accept that they stand out because they're so different there. There's not too many of those is interesting. Next question. And out of curiosity, are y'all do y'all do digital? Absolutely. Because obviously I see more and more of those as I'm coming up more.

00:13:51:11 - 00:14:20:09
Unknown
Absolutely. Wrapping up, I, I get this question almost every day. Do you. Okay. And it's so funny because a lot of people will be like, they are all going all digital. And now we are absolutely not going all digital. Lamar, we have been in business since 1902. We have one of the original billboard companies where the largest billboard company in the United States, we have 400,000 billboards in the United States, but in DFW we have around 30 digitals.

00:14:20:15 - 00:14:44:05
Unknown
And in DFW of 1600 boards. We will never go all digital. We always believe in the static billboards. You're the only advertiser going ask about that. The philosophy of digital. Right now, I'm working with a group of libraries who receive some funding, and this has to start pretty much immediately because they're going to be having a giving day coming.

00:14:44:05 - 00:15:08:09
Unknown
Okay. This day, this is actually specifically for libraries. It's their giving day coming up. And so received a small amount of funding. And the giving day is very, very soon, less time four weeks away. And so once we're able to work out which locations they want, it doesn't matter if it's a one day run with digital, that's the beauty of it.

00:15:08:09 - 00:15:30:18
Unknown
As long as the billboards available to do so, you can run for as little as a day. My husband proposed to me. Oh, no, he didn't want. Yes, my most favorite billboard in all of DFW. Did he hire you? Did he would he go through? No. At that time, he called my boss. And her name is Amber Broyles.

00:15:30:18 - 00:15:53:00
Unknown
Okay. I called her at the time, and he's like, I love Stacy, and I. I want to propose to her. And so the digital billboard and devil one 830 yeah, yeah, I know I'm 30 in Peak Street. I know exactly. I was I was very hangry one evening and my husband, I had gotten home and I'm just like, ready to go to my favorite Mexican restaurant, Pepsi Immediate.

00:15:53:00 - 00:16:16:09
Unknown
Shout out to Deep Ellum. And, he's driving and I'm like, why are you taking so long to get there? And it was kind of like a rainy night, too. So I'm just like, ready for some action. And so finally he calls over and I'm like, oh, yes, like, give me some damage. Us? Yes. And so I look up and it says, Will you marry me, Stacy Jane?

00:16:16:09 - 00:16:37:22
Unknown
So best night of my life. And then I got my enchiladas. So some billboards are in your blood at this place. I mean, they're part of your story. Yeah. Okay. Standards have been raised. I don't know if I can meet that one. When I had to hope. Help. Yeah, in the future. But you're right. You're engaged.

00:16:38:02 - 00:17:01:08
Unknown
Then you're gonna be like, I can. I can come up with something creative here. I know. Yes, I'm sure it makes a. Yeah. Hey, remember earlier when I told you about rockstar marketing, how we could stop your marketing strategy from flopping around like a fish in the desert? Yeah, that's not true. But maybe you didn't catch that. Maybe you're thinking, oh, I'll just keep throwing money at random ads, I'm sure.

00:17:01:08 - 00:17:20:15
Unknown
Something to say eventually, right? Wrong. Spoiler alert it won't. Look, you don't want to be that business owner that keeps trying to solve their marketing woes or duct tape and wishful thinking. You need results, need Rockstar, not marketing. So if you're finally ready to start a slow motion train wreck, that is your current marketing plan. There's a new Rockstar marketing.

00:17:20:15 - 00:17:47:09
Unknown
Let's make your business the rockstar it deserves to be. Otherwise, enjoy those crickets. And now back to our show. Next question that I had for you is this why are you so driven to be invested and involved in the community? Okay, in our community. So born and raised in Abilene, Texas, without going too far back, I always wanted to live in Dallas.

00:17:47:09 - 00:18:08:12
Unknown
My mom was a diehard Texas Ranger fan. My dad wanted to live and work in Dallas. And so for me to get to live and work in Dallas County, it's truly a dream come true. Experiencing all the different parts of DFW since, of course, I rented for a couple years before I bought a home in East Dallas.

00:18:08:13 - 00:18:36:13
Unknown
East Dallas specifically. Yes is fun. Everyone wants to support each other in our businesses. We truly care about each other. This is not an uppity environment. I hope that's okay to say it's we truly can be our most authentic selves, which we, you and I have spoke about in the past, which is it's just really important if you can't be yourself, you can't thrive.

00:18:36:14 - 00:19:00:08
Unknown
Yeah. There are some communities where I feel like there's it's a little much to maintain a certain level of let us look at the status. And that's a good point. I never considered it. It's pretty low key, easygoing I like to, yeah. When we can be our most authentic selves, we can thrive. And in East Dallas, I feel like we can be ourselves and we can thrive.

00:19:00:10 - 00:19:24:13
Unknown
But at the same time, lots of business is being done. And in East Dallas, especially in the East Dallas Chamber and I'm also on the board of Whiterock Center of Hope. We support each other and we want to support our East Dallas community. And you're also I don't know what your role is, but a big part of the young professionals.

00:19:24:15 - 00:19:48:01
Unknown
Okay. Yes. Like you're part of a handful of different groups in the East Dallas community that this has been truly a mind blowing opportunity. This, leading of the young Professionals for East Dallas through the East Dallas Chamber. I didn't know what to expect. I figured with a lot of young people were planning our families were brand new.

00:19:48:01 - 00:20:16:00
Unknown
Getting married were brand new, getting into a new career. EY, I was very mistaken. Most of these young people were business owners. We want to drive business. We want to support each other. And there are referrals that have gone on within this young professionals group out of this world. This has been an unbelievable opportunity for me and all of the other types who have gotten involved with this to get in there.

00:20:16:01 - 00:20:42:16
Unknown
Oh yes. I can never talk about it heavily. Okay. We truly appreciate so much. Sorry. So my kid is behind the scenes filming and taking a few snapshots here or there of, the wonderful guest, a array. Do you have any questions for me? So, I mean, I love what you said in the beginning about how it kind of hurt me in the beginning, but.

00:20:42:16 - 00:21:04:13
Unknown
Oh, Scott, you said, you know, you you were against billboards. Yes. Which I do run into a lot. I think my biggest thing that I run into a lot is people think that billboards are too expensive. Billboards are the second most cost effective form of advertising to to right now out there. The only other form of advertising that is more cost effective is the annoying little ads.

00:21:04:13 - 00:21:23:00
Unknown
When you're trying to scroll that pop up on your phone. Oh, I'm in charge of those. Oh no, no, that's me. But but but what you're also in charge of is making sure that their social media, their SEO, their websites is. And that's what we need to be great before we put up a billboard. So we play nice.

00:21:23:04 - 00:21:47:03
Unknown
No, we play great together. I can't do what I do without people like you. Absolutely digital. This fantastic and I love it has become evident that print news media, TV in fact, oh, by the way, I'm getting into have added it as a service streaming Teevee. Okay, so digital, but on your actual TV, Hulu, Netflix, not Netflix.

00:21:47:05 - 00:22:10:03
Unknown
I might actually come on board eventually. But they all have, since they have the free versions. Those individuals, in essence, accept ads. That's how they're paying for the thing. And I got approved by a couple of the major platforms, including Disney. Yeah, I know, I, so I can do Hulu, straight up, Disney Plus, all of them recently, I love Hulu.

00:22:10:04 - 00:22:30:23
Unknown
That's where I watch almost everything from. I don't even have cable. I have the Hulu package where you can get the live TV and all that. That's my favorite platform. It's it's, I've, I guess I've grown and I'm no longer a hater. I had to mature and stop being a little prick. No, I was never that bad.

00:22:30:23 - 00:22:57:15
Unknown
But just supporting the business owners, and helping them get in front of the people they need to get in front of, whether it be TV or radio. So those that have bigger budgets, man. Like, let's get you on everything. Yeah. And I now include you in the conversation whenever possible, because I feel that if we can get you up there by some more credibility, by getting more eyeballs, and ultimately, that's what it's all about, and knowing that you will take care of them, it's something that I'm even more.

00:22:57:15 - 00:23:17:07
Unknown
I think that was the other thing. I didn't know someone, so I couldn't recommend anyone. And I didn't know anyone to educate me on it. Yeah. So I feel like, if anything, that you are incredibly good at educating them and teaching them and ultimately letting them know that it is affordable is actually one of the most. And, you know, like the second most affordable way to advertise for your business.

00:23:17:09 - 00:23:33:23
Unknown
I love that, and I will always be honest with them. Hey, this location's better than others. Here's what is great for your budget. A great benefit. And one of the last things I'll say is with digital, he can run unlimited ads, change them up as much as you like, all throughout the time that we have to go.

00:23:33:23 - 00:23:54:23
Unknown
Oh, really? So okay. That is that is the beauty of digital billboards. If you just want one message, let's do a static keep, just you and you alone up the whole time. But fantastic. Well, with that, I believe we're done. Unless you have some final thoughts. Where can people find you? Where can they contact you? Yeah, I feel like it's an easy one, but.

00:23:54:23 - 00:24:21:11
Unknown
Yeah, I'm Stacey Schofield, I'm with Lamar Advertising, the billboard company. You can reach me at S Schofield at llamada comm s s Schofield field. Field@lamar.com. Thank you so much. We'll make sure to put that in the video and in the show notes and in the description everywhere to make sure that if anybody runs across this, especially in East Dallas guys I will be promoting this everywhere.

00:24:21:13 - 00:24:29:10
Unknown
Thank you so much. You know who to reach out to? And hopefully you get some business out of this as well. Thank you. Thank you for coming. I also appreciate you.