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.
Sig
June 6, 2011 at 6:48 am
GOOD article. Where do we find a company or individual who creates a web site based on this strategy and actually knows real estate?
Lani Rosales
June 6, 2011 at 8:22 pm
There is a lot of great talent out there and several should be interviewed. I'm pretty sure all you have to do is tweet that you're looking and they'll come to you 🙂
Brad Jenkins
June 6, 2011 at 5:16 pm
I totally and completely disagree with most of what has been written, and I will tell you why. 15k hits on YouTube world wide in just under a month is not what I would consider a great success story, at least not by McDonalds' standards. On a local level yes, but worldwide, no way. What tracking method is in place to show the actual conversion of those 15k hits that go to face book and actually receive a burger coupon? A lot of work involved to get a free dollar hamburger.
Attempting to make the connection to real estate agents and brokers is not really hitting home. In essence what you are saying to agents and brokers is regardless of the fact we are in the deepest depression ever in the history of this country, you suggest that agents and brokers pass taking on clients that may not be buying or selling in their part of town or an agent that has sold a lot of condos should not take on a client that is selling a SFH? Right. Pretty easy to sit back on the sidelines and tell others how they should conduct their business when your family is not the one that has to eat.
Internet marketing for real estate is mainly pushed and trumpeted by those who are making a profit from it. But most people who secure the services of a real estate agent do it through personal contact or from a referral. Consumers wish to work with someone that there is an established relationship with, either directly or indirectly. It allows the consumer to in some way, hold someone accountable for the agent's performance.
Quite frankly, most of the agents out there are not nearly educated enough to begin to grasp this marketing concept. And more importantly, they probably don't really care either.
On a grammatical note, the use of first and third requires a second, not secondly.
Lani Rosales
June 6, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Brad, the article above notes that it is NOT a McDonald's ad, rather a student project for a campaign concept. Realtors can learn a lot from the idea of specializing and being in touch with consumer expectations.
Brad Jenkins
June 19, 2011 at 9:22 am
Just out of curiosity, were you ever a real estate agent? Have you ever had to market and successfully sell a home as a Realtor (R)? Have you ever gone on a listing appointment? How many closings have you attended? How many buyer profiles have you developed? I find it rather difficult to take marketing advice about real estate from someone that is not in the real estate business as a Realtor (R).
I have personally found that consumer expectations in real estate are not difficult to understand, they want an agent that is trustworthy, is honest and has integrity. They also want someone that has a solid foundation of real estate knowledge and life experience. Further, consumers look for superior skills in the areas of negotiating, marketing and communication.
You said, "Realtors can learn a lot from the idea of specializing and being in touch with consumer expectations."
What is your basis for this statement?
What scientific research studies have you completed or have you read that supports your assertion? Or is this just your opinion? If it is, what is your experience to be considered an expert in this area?
What consumer expectations as related to real estate have you uncovered that are not being met by today's Realtors (R)? And where/how have you obtained this data?
You said, "Brad, the article above notes that it is NOT a McDonald’s ad, rather a student project for a campaign concept"
I did comprehend that, but it still does not change my mind that it is a flawed attempt to cross it over to real estate by someone that has never sold a home as a Realtor (R).
Sorry, but in my opinion, your article and follow-up assertions lack validity. What I see in today's market, an agent that only does one type of listing will more then likely be going around hungry.
And on a side note, your true association with AG should be disclosed at the end of each article you author. My research shows you have a greater connection to AG then just as a contributing writer.
Thank you