It seems like a week doesn’t go by without a study being released or an article being written about how more and more businesses are focusing their promotional efforts on online marketing. Simply put, offline marketing is getting left in the dust, with many people viewing it as antiquated and ineffective.
And this is where I take issue.
Don’t get me wrong, I think online marketing is essential, as it’s a quick, cost-effective way to reach millions of consumers worldwide. However, I also think that we’ve become so obsessed with online marketing that we’re ignoring the fact that offline marketing can still be highly effective.
Here are 7 offline marketing ideas that still work wonders.
1. Contribute articles to trade journals and magazines – Submitting articles to print publications is a good idea for several reasons. First, it allows you to reach a new audience that you might not reach online. Dedicated readers of print publications tend to have a longer attention span than online readers who quickly scan through articles in just a few seconds.
Another benefit is the boost in authority that you’ll receive when you’re published. See, anyone can write a blog or submit an article to a directory, but getting published in a magazine or a trade journal truly speaks to your expertise. This is a great way to position yourself as a leading expert in your field.
2. Land interviews on radio, TV, and newspapers – Media interviews offer many benefits, including increasing awareness of your company and building your authority in your industry. Depending on the type of products and services you offer, you can either reach out to your local media or spread your PR efforts nationwide. Just make sure you follow these tips for interview success.
3. Use call tracking on your flyers and brochures – Posting flyers and leaving brochures in high-traffic areas is one of the oldest offline marketing tricks in the book. It can still be effective today, but I have one suggestion I’d like to add. Track the success of your flyers and brochures by using call tracking. This lets you set up different phone numbers to figure out which flyers and brochures at which locations are getting the highest response.
4. Turn to the proven power of direct mail – To me, there’s no better way to generate leads and sales than direct mail marketing. A well-written direct mail piece will get a good return on investment every time it’s sent out…if it’s sent to the right people. The quality of your list is always important. The more targeted the list and the sales letter, the more responses you’ll get.
5. Sponsor local events – Get your name out there by sponsoring a local marathon, fundraiser, or some other event. You could even sponsor a local kids’ sports team, getting your name on the back of their jerseys and on the field. This serves a two-fold purpose: it gets your company’s name out there, and it shows you’re involved in bettering the community.
6. Send personalized cards to clients and prospects – Joe Girard was named The Greatest Salesman in the World by Guinness Book. Girard says one of his most effective tactics was to send personalized holiday cards to his clients and prospects all throughout the year, for every holiday you could think of. This helped establish a personal relationship with the recipients, and whenever it came time to buy a car, they immediately thought of Joe Girard.
7. Advertise to customers on hold – If customers and prospects call into your business and get placed on hold, you can take advantage of that time by advertising to them. This is a great way to educate them about other products and services you offer that they might not know about.
When it comes to offline marketing, one thing I’ve learned is to always have your print marketing materials on you. You never know who you’re going to bump into or when you’re going to bump into them, so always keep your business cards, brochures, and product samples on or near you.
Which offline marketing ideas have you found to be most effective? Share your tips in the replies.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. To subscribe to PR Fuel, visit: https://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/subscribe/.