Self-marketing opportunity?

[MGB_LE]

I've posted something along these lines before, but I'll present it a different way.
Our building is situated right next to a light rail line, with excellent exposure. I've lobbied for 20+ years that we should use the side of the building (we have two building, actually) for self-promotion. I've prepped the map below showing gentrification in our immediate neighborhood, and our exposed areas that we could use for marketing messages.
I just haven't gotten much traction. Our building has even been seen in multiple episodes of "The First 48" in B-roll footage showing the Dallas Police HQ, which backs up to our building. We do have a mural on our dock door but it's not visible to the light rail traffic, so it hasn't netted us business that I'm aware of. It seems a shame to waste such a nice blank concrete canvas exposed to thousands of eyeballs daily.
What feedback do you have around how to use this real estate to our marketing advantage?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Is your target audience really the people who ride DART? I didn't know people even rode those trains. They spent all the money building the TRE and when I see it ride by there's no one in the cars.

 

[monroesigns]

In my area (Monroe, Michigan) most local municipalities only allow large murals on buildings if the are "artistic in nature", meaning no company logos, no business names, no services or products, no phone numbers or other "advertising elements". If an ordinance such as these exist in your area, this could explain the lack of traction.

 

[White Haus]

Is your target audience really the people who ride DART? I didn't know people even rode those trains. They spent all the money building the TRE and when I see it ride by there's no one in the cars.

Good point. Who is your target audience? What kind of work do you guys do?

In my area (Monroe, Michigan) most local municipalities only allow large murals on buildings if the are "artistic in nature", meaning no company logos, no business names, no services or products, no phone numbers or other "advertising elements". If an ordinance such as these exist in your area, this could explain the lack of traction.

Are there such restrictions in place or do you actually have free rein over that wall?

To the OP - is it with ownership that you're not getting much traction?

I've often thought about doing the same thing with our 40' shipping container on the side of our building. There is a fair bit of traffic from what I would consider our target market but the container mostly faces our neighbor's parking lot (food bank) so that part would fall on deaf ears.

 

[Stacey K]

It's a sign shop! Signs are cheap for you to make, so why not? It's a blank slate, maybe something really creative and fun that's out of the ordinary. What would this be? I have no idea but I like the idea!

 

[MGB_LE]

Is your target audience really the people who ride DART? I didn't know people even rode those trains. They spent all the money building the TRE and when I see it ride by there's no one in the cars.

My thinking on that is train riders may work for a place that needs printing. Our neighbors in the $750k townhomes nearby may own companies or work in marketing departments where our services would be needed. There's a street running parallel to the large facade and perpendicular to rail line, that is still exposure to what we do inside the building. I read on a sign truck once "A business with no sign, is a sign of no business." I also have told the owner, this is the salesperson who works 24/7.

 

[MGB_LE]

Good point. Who is your target audience? What kind of work do you guys do?

Are there such restrictions in place or do you actually have free rein over that wall?

To the OP - is it with ownership that you're not getting much traction?

I've often thought about doing the same thing with our 40' shipping container on the side of our building. There is a fair bit of traffic from what I would consider our target market but the container mostly faces our neighbor's parking lot (food bank) so that part would fall on deaf ears.

Our target audience is CMOs, Art Directors, Purchasing Managers, and others who need print or other communications work.
We do commercial printing, wide format printing, warehousing, screen printing, and non-print work like online portals, marketing support, professional photography, and we perform pretty well.
The ownership is primarily concerned about ROI and initial outlay. The city says we can use 25% of that wall, which would be plenty.
We also have fenced parking lots where we could attach mesh prints to advertise, located right across from the DART station, where buses exit the DART station parking lot.

 

[MGB_LE]

In my area (Monroe, Michigan) most local municipalities only allow large murals on buildings if the are "artistic in nature", meaning no company logos, no business names, no services or products, no phone numbers or other "advertising elements". If an ordinance such as these exist in your area, this could explain the lack of traction.

Thankfully we can use signage intended to help patrons "locate a business" so that would cover a sign including our name, address, website, phone number.

 

[Pauly]

In Australia, it's quite common do so something similar.
Buildings that have their backs to freeways, most will either have their own business name on them. Some ive seen "advertise here" messages. With some adverts.
What's popular here is most will rent the space to advertising compare, those that will put event posters up.

 

[MNT_Printhead]

There used to be a color offset and sign shop right next to the DART tracks as you head South into downtown and emerge from the tunnel, it was wrapped up real nice, so I took a job with them. I don't remember their name. I still use DART when I go back to visit, it is a little more sketchy than it used to be.

 

[Boudica]

I think Pauly is on to something there... you could put your own branding up there to advertise your business, and rent out space to other businesses. make $$ for the space, and make $$ on producing the advertising signs that go up there!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

My thinking on that is train riders may work for a place that needs printing. Our neighbors in the $750k townhomes nearby may own companies or work in marketing departments where our services would be needed. There's a street running parallel to the large facade and perpendicular to rail line, that is still exposure to what we do inside the building. I read on a sign truck once "A business with no sign, is a sign of no business." I also have told the owner, this is the salesperson who works 24/7.

Good point. Hopefully Dallas is getting better at permits.