Success Stories

Do anyone just starting out have any success stories that they could share with the rest of us. It would be good inspiration to hear of someone who has been able to secure a location and build a billboard.

I am currently in the process of finding my first location and would love to hear how you were able to secure a location and build your first billboard.

Sincerely,
John Daniels

Hello,

Just checking back in to see if there were any replies to this post. Does not look like any one has any stories to share. Maybe Lamar, Clear Channel and CBS are the only one with any success stories.

Don’t get discouraged it’s important to look for the right location for your first billboard. Once you get multiple boards up you can start picking up locations that might not make as much as your good boards, but are more a part of your portfolio. Your first board needs to make you money.
I have a good friend who owns a franchise of restaurants he’s at 40 locations now and he’s still going. He has some locations that I didn’t think he should even keep because of size and location. He told me not every location he has can be a gold mine as long as they make money they become part of his portfolio and he makes money off volume instead of looking at each store individually.
Each billboard location has to make money, but they all don’t have to make the same, because your going to sell advertising packages to customers. In a contract they will get so many prime locations, so many medium and so many sub-prime. Take your time and make sure the first location has the traffic count you need and it’s in an area with higher household income. Don’t forget in an economy like this you might be able to find some billboards that are owned by individuals that are looking to sell. This saves you the hassle of getting city and state permits and avoid possible variances. I find inner city billboards are nice to start with maybe rooftop or wall so there’s no foundation to deal with. I’ve been in the sign industry for 30 years and we’ve built the largest sign in our state and believe me foundations can be expensive depending upon your soil samples.
Just remember your 1 billboard away from a success story don’t let anyone discourage you and don’t rush into a bad location.

Great story Jeff, thank you for sharing! It is helpful to us guys just starting out to hear how you made it. I will update this thread when I finally land my first billboard.

This is not the ultimate success story, but I am pretty sure that I am not failing.

I did purchase Franks course on building a billboard business. I had a confidence issue in the beginning. The course helped give me the confidence to go out and try. My real education came by getting out and doing.

In 7 months, I nailed 10 permits, Constructed 3 signs, 3 are under construction and 4 just got permitted. All in a top 40 market that I was told that it can’t be done. Eight (8) of the signs are in premium locations. 1 average and 1 below average.

It can be done if you do these things.
Believe in the process of action = results
Learn your ordinances.
Get out of the chair and go talk to land owners.

When I went out to sign my first land lease agreement, I did not have a clue other than what I had read. I was so nervous that I had to pull over and go to the restroom twice in the 20 minute drive.

I am working my way through the process. I am now learning the Advertising part of the business. I am nervous again, but I must do what I did before.

Believe in the process of action = results.
Learn what information advertisers need from me.
Get up out of my chair and go talk to the Advertisers.

I want to leave all readers with one thought.
Please for your own good!! Act upon your goals, hopes and dreams.

Get up and do it!

More to come soon!!!

John

The absolute hardest thing to do is that first landowner meeting – because you’re terrified that they are going to figure out that you’ve never built a billboard before. I had this phobia that the property owner would ask me questions I did not know the answer to and then totally humiliate me. Once you’ve tied up that first lease, it’s like you are a veteran, and you never have that fear again. It took me almost a year to get my first lease – and about three days to get my second. Don’t forget, however, that everyone started with that first lease. If you talk to any old-timer who has had a bunch of signs, they can tell you in great deal about that first lease, because they were just as scared as anybody else.

Thanks for the encouragement guys!