[image title=”offline” size=”full” id=”650″ align=”left” linkto=”https://greatatlanticoutfitters.com” ]
If you’ve heard that offline marketing is dead, don’t worry. People are always predicting that SEO is dead as well, but we’re far from that. It’s true that offline marketing has decreased in recent years thanks to a growing avenue of online marketing, but that doesn’t mean that offline marketing no longer has a place in our world. In fact, there are certain ways to reach customers that only traditional offline marketing can do.
Consider this example. “Joe” is looking for a landscape company to take care of his yard. He will be traveling with his new job, so he needs a company that he can count on to maintain his yard properly, show up on time and treat his home with respect. Joe starts looking online for local landscape companies, and while many look promising, it’s hard to spot which one is the best. The following day, Joe ends up going to the grocery store, and when he comes out, there is a flyer on his car for a landscape company.
The flyer is eye-catching and speaks to Joe, since it’s exactly what he’s looking for: a dependable, locally owned company that treats their customers’ home with the same respect as they would treat their own. And, by mentioning the flyer, Joe can get one month of free service. He calls the company directly, receives his quote, gets his discount and sets up service for a year. In this case, it was offline marketing that sealed the deal.
Both online and offline marketing are effective and essential for today’s businesses. But there’s one thing that offline marketing does best: it provides people with a face-to-face interaction. There is so much noise and clutter on the Internet, it can be hard for customers to actually make a decision or tell one business apart from the next. With offline marketing dwindling, there are actually more opportunities for businesses to be more creative and cut through the noise.
Here are a few ideas for offline marketing:
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Local sponsorships
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Public speaking and lectures
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In-person consultations or evaluations
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Free or low-cost workshops
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Trade shows or conventions
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Delivery of marketing materials
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Handouts in public places
Offline marketing still matters!