Electronic Message Centers (EMCs) or LED Reader Boards are becoming a valuable form of advertising for businesses in the United States. These LED displays are instantly changeable from a remote computer using user friendly software. They typically come in red, amber, or full color and can display messages that scroll, flash, with multiple pages of text or animated graphics that can simulate TV screen commercials. They are typically positioned in front of a business visible from streets or highways with significant traffic. Their long life (over 10 years) and reasonable costs make them an attractive choice for businesses looking to improve their visibility and consumer traffic to their business entity.
Perhaps the most compelling reason businesses are installing these LED based Electronic Message Centers is their relative effectiveness and cost of advertising compared to traditional advertising mediums such as TV, Radio, Magazines, Newspaper, and Direct Mail.
The Small Business Association (SBA) reports relative advertising costs as follows:
Newspaper Advertising $7.39 per 1000 exposures within a ten mile radius of the business
Television Advertising $6.36 per 1000 exposures
Radio Advertising $5.47 per 1000 exposures
LED electronic message center $0.42 per 1000 exposures
The cost of the LED electronic message center is calculated as follows. Assume a $30,000 dollar expenditure with a useful life of 10 years (these EMC’s typically have a rated LED life of over 100,000 hours). The amortized daily cost of the display would be $8.22/day. Energy costs per day will be about $0.26/day – LED displays are very energy efficient. With a cost of $8.48/day and a typical traffic count of 20,ooo cars traveling by the business/day yields a cost of $0.42 per 1000 exposures. This is for drivers only. With higher traffic counts and cars with passengers this cost is even reduced further.
Obviously these LED Electronic Message Centers are cost effective consider further that the drivers going by the business with EMC’s are the ones likely living and working in the business vicinity. Any small business owner knows these are the most coveted and targeted customers they wish to reach.
Also, the messages can be changed instantaneously to reflect local conditions. Imagine the day of a snowstorm and a message on the display of the local hardware store saying “Snowblowers in Stock”
Electronic Message Centers are becoming the most important form of advertising and revenue generating signage that a business can utilize. Their cost effectiveness, long life, energy efficiency, and programmability make them a clear choice for business looking to increase their revenues.
