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.
Roland Estrada
July 5, 2011 at 1:28 am
It looks interesting. I'd like to see side by side comparison footage with a Steadicam Merlin. It's really hard to beat the Steadicam line of products for motion photography. If it's more than $850 I would still consider the Merlin.
Elliott
July 5, 2011 at 4:13 am
Hardly a comprehensive demonstration! Where is the footage that was taken on the mobile rig. It looked to me that the stabilisation weights did nothing for keeping the camera level and there is no shoulder/neck bracing to lock the frame into the body for stability. The moment someone designs a tripod which allows the camera to be tucked right into a corner of a room then it'll have my attention. It looks cheap in construction and gimmickly – an attempt at a one size fits all tripod. This isn't going to revolutionise the real estate photography industry.
Teresa Boardman
July 5, 2011 at 8:08 am
That video is a great example of why it isn't about the tri-pod
Roland Estrada
July 5, 2011 at 10:49 am
Here is what the demo video should have looked like. Pretty cool stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0WGUKzTFJM
Brad Rachielles
July 8, 2011 at 2:47 pm
AMEN! That's what I wanted to see. RESULTS.
Chris
July 5, 2011 at 11:44 am
I'm all for it if it will help agents take better listing photographs. I recently wrote a post on the <a href="https://realestatecommunities.com/selling-your-home/want-to-sell-your-home-fast-use-great-listing-photographs/">importance of using great listing photos to sell real estate</a>.
Looks sell especially in real estate.
Marie-
July 5, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Thanks Roland for the demo video-
Great photos are important. I really like to see reviews from actually users.
Brad Rachielles
July 8, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Can't believe that a company in the business of photography actually let out such an amateurish piece in my opinion, that didn't detail features – benefits – RESULTS. Sorry… no sale here.