Although a relatively new approach, digital marketing become the go-to strategy for most businesses. That’s understandable if you consider relevant statistics. For example, digital marketing costs cheaper by as much as 62 percent compared with outbound or traditional marketing.
Yes, you can pay for PPC campaign management services and see a fast return on investment. High customer conversion rates aptly explain the popularity of marketing online. Still, that does not mean traditional marketing has become passe.
In, fact, traditional marketing, the exact opposite of digital, is here to stay. These outbound efforts, including print, broadcast, phone, direct mail, and billboard advertising, still do their job. And that is to reach as many customer segments as possible at the same time.
No, you can’t expect traditional marketing to take a bow and leave the stage anytime soon. Find out why.
Broadcast
Once you purchase a spot on national TV or radio, expect unparalleled brand exposure. Consumers from all corners of the country, regardless of personal background, will know about your product. And if you produced an enticing enough ad, your customers would seek you out next time they find themselves at the groceries or on the Google search page.
Sure, only big multinational companies can actually afford to invest in a TV or radio spot for national airing. That does not mean you’re left without choices. If you run a local business that does not require national exposure, you can always visit your county’s local TV or radio network and ask for an advertising quote.
If you keep at it, your business might grow exponentially that soon enough your brand’s sufficiently big to afford a spot during the Super Bowl. Take your cue from these unforgettable Super Bowl commercials.
Print is dead, they say. If people still read nowadays, they read using their gadgets, they say. But that’s not entirely true. Avid readers know that there’s something satisfying about holding a book made of paper. It’s tangible. It’s tactile. No less than special.
You can use that same line of thinking for print marketing. A person who actually enjoys checking out ads will feel a different kind of sensation when they see it in print, either newspapers, magazines, or pamphlets. Someone who reads The Washington Post doesn’t mind having those print ads sandwiched between news. In fact, those ads are a kind of essential breather.
Moreover, print materials have a long shelf life. The next time you visit your dentist’s office, check out the magazines on the shelves. They’re probably from a few years back. If you have an ad in one of those magazines, you’re basically getting overdue but welcome exposure.
Direct Mail
Direct mail marketing is easy to grasp. They’re quite memorable too. And there are market segments that appreciate receiving them. Think baby boomers. This demographic has the money to burn for the right products and services. But they are not that tech-savvy to easily navigate the online consumer jungle.
Telephone
Same as direct mails, cold-calling via telephone and mobile devices has its audience. Never mind those who like putting their names in don-call-me lists. Shoot for those who will appreciate a random chat. Again, we’re looking at you boomers.
The key to acing out competition via marketing is to know the best mix of methods to follow. There’s no point limiting yourself to just one approach. That is especially true if you have a sufficient budget to exhaust as many possibilities as possible.
So the next time you go back to the drawing board to come up with a marketing plan, consider incorporating both digital and traditional approaches to your marketing strategy. You might need to invest more in your efforts but every penny you put into it will surely yield the ROI you require to grow your business.
