In this digital era, your online presence and brand are essential in order for your customers to engage with you, for you to attract prospective ones, and position yourself as an authority in the industry. However, this in no way means that offline marketing strategies have lost their value. In fact, the best marketing strategy that you can come up with is one where online and offline efforts go hand in hand. A lot of offline marketing tactics are still very much alive, come with their own benefits, and are preferred by a lot of people, so you mustn’t overlook them. Here are some of those strategies.
Networking
There is still immense value in face-to-face interactions. It’s a valuable way to boost your online brand and drive traffic to your website, as you will inspire new connections to learn more about who you are and what you have to offer. It’s all about putting a face to the name, and in effect, creating a deeper perception of brand loyalty. A good old handshake still works like a charm. Join associations and organizations where you will most likely find your target audience. In time, you can boost your networking by attending national conferences for those associations and organizations.
Vehicle wraps
While billboards are great, they limit the coverage to a particular location. So why not have a mobile billboard in the form of a vehicle wrap? This way you can expand the area where your brand can reach prospective customers. As the vehicle drives around the area, it draws the attention of passers-by and sparks their interest. It’s a much cheaper way than investing in, let’s say, TV and radio ads. If you are advertising via radio, you have to pay for every time the ad is on air. When it comes to vehicle wraps, you only pay once, and your vehicle is branded for as long as the contract lasts.
Print publications
Trade publications are still a thing, even though news and entertainment magazines have mostly faded out. While advertising in an industry journal isn’t cheap, due to the fact that it is highly targeted, it is a brilliant way to boost your online presence. What is important is that you give some thought to what kind of audience you are going to choose to target. Let’s say that you are a company that works on web design. You can pick a legal magazine to advertise in, as every law firm requires an online presence today.
Brochures and flyers
Printed marketing materials like flyers and brochures still matter, because they are tangible, and people can take them anywhere and reread them if they are interested in what you have to offer. According to the advice from DisplayME, it’s a great idea to put some thought into your office design, and place brochure holders in the lobby area, so that people can browse them while they are waiting. You can place informative infographics into your brochures and flyers, and add discount coupons at the bottom as well.
Cold calls
A lot of people wonder whether cold calling is a tactic that is dead and gone. The fact is that, while it’s not as commonly implemented into marketing campaigns as it used to be, it still has that personal approach that can resonate with prospective customers. A phone call is more personal than an e-mail, and it requires an instant response. Now, this can be both a good thing and a bad thing. It is important that you state the reason why you are calling, and keep in mind the customer’s time. There are various techniques that you can apply in order to make your cold calls effective.
Trade shows
The perfect thing about trade shows is that you get to stand right next to your competitors. It’s the perfect opportunity to get an insight into their marketing strategy, and see what works well for them. Of course, trade shows are the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your product and get people interested in your company and brand. Furthermore, you have can find opportunities to network with other experts in the field and grow together.
In summation
Your online brand can benefit greatly from offline marketing strategies. There is still a lot of value in personal interactions via networking, trade shows, and cold calls. Vehicle wraps are a great form of mobile advertising. Print publications are still of immense value. The same goes for brochures and flyers as tangible forms of marketing.
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