In the age of the Internet, many say that everything has moved online. And although this is true, the old traditional ways of living value have been underestimated a lot. And marketing and advertising are no exception. Even though we live in a digitalized world, offline advertising still works, if done right. And fortunately for you, we have a guide that every rookie can follow through with.
Start by thoroughly understanding what offline marketing is
Well, every marketing method that is not carried online is offline advertising. It can be achieved by leveraging traditional ways of advertising products and services, from flyers to brochures and so on. These campaigns have the same goals as online campaigns: to boost sales, increase brand awareness and customer engagement. Offline advertising channels are the ones you grew up with, if you’re an old millennial: billboards, television, radio, telemarketing, print media, including pamphlets. All these marketing methods still serve their purpose perfectly and can and should be used together with others to achieve your company’s goals in this regard.
In fact, for some companies, offline advertising methods are still a better choice than online means. But as effective as they can be theoretically, you should plan, develop and organize a similar campaign with extra care.
But does offline advertising still work?
For many businesses, it is a better option than online means. But all businesses can really enjoy the perks of a spotless traditional marketing campaign. For some brands, this should be their one and only way of advertising.
For instance, only in 2016 over 30% of the world population has purchased product catalogs.
The industries that seem to be the most advantaged of these advertising methods are finance, retail, automotive and travel.
Those good-‘ol billboards you see on the side of the road influence the buying decisions of 70% of drivers. Apparently, people still make buying decisions based on what they see on their way.
And we get to the most likely group category to react to this advertising method: elders. They are spending almost 50 hours weekly watching TV. So, they are very likely to get product ideas and have their buying decisions influenced by traditional advertising.
Fool-proof ways to use offline advertising for your business
Just like marketers can use a ton of methods when advertising online, the same principle can be applied to traditional advertising. Here are some.
Newspaper ads – this is an advertising method as old as time. The fee per ad will depend on how popular the newspaper is in your area. This will also depend on its placement. If you want it on the front page, you’ll have to take more money out of pocket. But research a little the matter beforehand. He most important tip we can offer is to choose the newspaper wisely. Depending on what group you want to reach with your ad, go for the most popular publication among representatives of that group. Make sure your ad design is optimal and that it looks good. You want to pay extra attention to details such as fonts used and colors.
Display boards – this is another popular advertising method used by a ton of companies today. It works best in retail. Especially when your shop has sales and deals, you want to let potential buyers know it. And because a small A4 paper placed in your window shop won’t do the trick, you want to go an extra mile. Just order your display board and have it printed with your hottest offers and deals. These also work like a charm when you attend networking events and conferences. So, make the best use of this strong offline marketing tool.
Radio ads – this still is one of the most powerful advertising methods out there. Whether you like it or not, people still listen to the radio daily. In their cars, in shops, even at home, they still do it. Because of this reason, radio ads offer you the necessary tool to influence a ton of people simultaneously. This advertising method works best for local businesses that want to reach a more generous audience. The best way to use it is by finding some local radio stations and create spots anywhere between 30 and 60 seconds each. Depending on your budget, the radio will air your spots multiple times a day. You can also pay for them to air in high audience intervals, for higher rates of success.
Business cards – no, business cards are not ancient dinosaurs of advertisement. They are still well and alive, but you have to be creative about it. Because business owners are very likely to be around others like them a lot, but time is short and you can’t always properly introduce yourself, you have to have a business card at hand. Have a couple of business cards in your wallet. Make sure the design and style of the business card suit your business. Keep in mind that other business owners will judge you based on your business card, so make sure everything is error-free and looks spotless. Brand colors, fonts, these matter as well. But before you design your business card, make sure to decide on what impression you want to leave and design your cards accordingly.
Attend or create events – networking events or other similar occasions are perfect to boost your business’ success locally and not only. Today, the more people and business owners know about your establishment, the more success you will have. Connect with others, make sure to exchange business cards and reach out. You will be surprised by the feedback you receive after such events.
Follow the tips above to make sure your offline advertising campaigns have the expected success. If this works for you, mix it offline with online advertising methods or have a marketing specialist hired at your company. But don’t waste these amazing opportunities to make your business known locally and beyond.