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.
John Lockwood
June 9, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Dude, you may have the blue brain, but closing for buyers and sellers with private pages — that’s totally genius! Thanks for pointing that out. I agree with you, that is the smartest use of a real estate blog that I’ve seen since Gary Woods learned me the art of making money this way back in ought-three.
Housechick and I have chatted a bit but I never really got past staring at her cute picture on MyBlogLog. (Sorry, there I go being transparent again). Now I have to really make an effort to be read her and be pals with her in the hope of ensmartening myself.
Sock Puppet
June 9, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Kelley is good.
-Athol
Kelley Koehler
June 9, 2007 at 5:50 pm
(blushing) Thanks for the fabulous review!
B. R.
June 9, 2007 at 10:38 pm
John > I hope you would never believe I would consider myself a Genius. Actually, REG is all about the Genius of Realtors, and Kelley gets the blue brain award.
>Kelley, awesome blog, way to use your noodle. I know your blog will grow rapidly.
John Lockwood
June 10, 2007 at 12:23 am
Another award? Dang. Not that I don’t think Kelley deserves it, I’d just hate to see it be standard because I don’t have TIME for another popularity contest.
What’s a grade junkie to do? First it’s Google I had to dominate, now I have to kick Active Rain’s point system butt, and I’ll probably never win a BlueBrain. I know I’m not going to catch the Tubesock A Train what with my soporific market updates and my “hoopla”.
My hands will fall off. That’s it — I’m packing it all in and going to smoke some crack.
B. R.
June 10, 2007 at 10:06 am
I wasn’t being literal with the blue brain award, we have no award to give. Just our acknowlegement when someone is using their blue noodle.
I sense some blue tint in your aura, John…
Barry Preusz
October 24, 2008 at 5:36 pm
She is very descriptive in her writing. That is what finds and keeps and audience.