Everywhere you look, people want to talk about digital marketing. In fact, if you don’t have a digital marketing strategy in today’s business world, you’re not going to last long. But just because digital marketing is popular, don’t assume that offline marketing no longer yields value.
When used together, these strategies can produce significant returns.
“Some people will argue that traditional marketing is dead, but there are several benefits to including offline advertising in your overall marketing campaign,” sales expert Larry Myler admits. “Combining both offline and online campaigns can help boost your brand’s visibility, and help it stand out amongst competitors who may be busy flooding the digital space.”
How do you use offline marketing in a manner that’s both cost-effective and high in exposure? While your business will dictate how you should proceed, here are a few offline marketing methods that still return considerable value in today’s marketplace.
1. Yard signs
When most people think about yard signs, their minds immediately go to political signs that you see posted everywhere during campaign season. However, yard signs have a lot more utility and value beyond campaigning. They’re actually an extremely cost-effective form of offline advertising.
The great thing about yard signs is that you can print your own custom designs for just dollars and, when properly stored, they last for years. They’re also free to place, assuming you have access to property where it’s legal to advertise. This makes them a practical addition to a low-budget marketing campaign.
2. Billboards
The fact that you notice billboards when driving down an interstate or highway is a testament to the reality that other people are also being exposed to these valuable advertisements. If you’ve never considered implementing billboards into your marketing strategy, now’s a good time to think about it.
With billboard advertising, you have to be really careful with design, structure, and execution. “Considering we’re on the move when we read billboards, we don’t have a lot of time to take them in. Six seconds has been touted as the industry average for reading a billboard,” copywriter Paul Suggett explains. “So, around six words is all you should use to get the message across.”
3. Promotional giveaways
It’s the tangible nature of physical marketing that makes it so valuable. Yard signs and billboards are great, but make sure you’re also taking advantage of promotional giveaways as a way of getting something into the hands of your customers.
Promotional giveaways, no matter how simple, generally produce a healthy return on investment. They increase brand awareness and recall, while giving customers positive associations with your brand. (Who doesn’t love getting something for free?)
4. Local event sponsorships
One aspect of offline marketing businesses frequently forget about is local event sponsorships. These sponsorships are usually cost-effective and tend to offer great returns in terms of audience engagement.
Local event sponsorships can usually be found simply by checking the calendar of events in your city. Any time there’s a public event, farmer’s market, parade, sporting event, concert, or fundraiser, there’s an opportunity for you to get your name out there. Look for events where you feel like your target audience is most likely to attend.
Offline marketing is anything but dead.
If your goal is to stand out in a crowded marketplace where all your competitors are investing heavily in social media, SEO, PPC advertising, and blogging, then it’s certainly worth supplementing your existing digital strategy with traditional offline marketing methods that reach your audience at multiple touchpoints.
Kathy Strader
June 15, 2011 at 9:14 am
I've seen it over and over. Vacant, empty houses sitting on the market. The listing expires, the seller engages a new agent that recommends staging. The house is listed again after staging and there is an option pending within days. The sellers I've worked for believe the investment in staging is worth every dime.
sfvrealestate
June 15, 2011 at 9:15 am
I had my last listing professionally staged. It was a tiny, empty boxy home that I thought would go out at $435k (this is California). It went out at $464k in multiple offers in 7 days — the highest $/per square foot for the size/neighborhood. Staging? Oh yeah. See my website or blog for more pics.
Ronald Lease / Mesa Real Estate
June 15, 2011 at 9:15 am
Totally agree that "staged" real estate sell faster, such as those in Mesa real estate. Ninety percent of home buyers now do their home search online, and MLS easily provide clues (as stated in every property description or MLS attributes) if the house has been "staged."
Mouyyad Abdulhadi
June 16, 2011 at 5:59 pm
In my experience, home staging helps tremendously! It is important for the agent and seller to be on the same page and have a unified marketing strategy that includes the home stating process.
Priya
July 31, 2011 at 1:31 am
Staging is an important tool for real estate listings regardless of price point – no doubt about that !
Laura
September 2, 2011 at 6:33 am
Staging is so important to helping listings sell! We work with a stager on ALL our listings and average lower days on market than many of our competitors! It is the way to go!