The world of digital marketing has impacted everything from budgets and growth to how businesses approach traditional marketing methods. Most businesses devote the majority of their funds to online strategies to reach new customers and drive growth.
While some think traditional marketing is dead, nothing could be further from the truth. There are still plenty of opportunities to get your brand out there. While the effectiveness of print advertising will depend on the type of business you run, things like billboards, newspapers and flyers are very effective for reaching local audiences.
The print ad landscape looks different than the digital one. You can spend a lot of money and get little traction if you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing. Fortunately, there are tried and true methods that can help you find success and grow your brand. Here are some of the main things to consider as you decide which ones to try for your business.
1. Allocate marketing funds wisely
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/693449/digital-vs-traditional-marketing-budget-change-according-to-cmos-usa
A recent Statista survey of marketing executives found that digital spend increased by 8.2%, while traditional spend decreased by the same amount. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages.
In-person advertising can be more expensive than online options. Take the time to figure out what types of outreach have worked best for you in the past. Allocate the right amount of funds to the things that work best while also leaving some time to try out new ideas.
How much you use for traditional marketing and how much for digital can only be decided with the facts of your past ROI and a little detective work.
2. Build communities
One of the biggest benefits of traditional marketing is the ability to build connections in your local community. When you pay for an ad on your local radio station, for example, you might develop a business relationship with a local talk show host.
An ad in the local newspaper supports that business and gives you connections to the sales department. Whenever you shop and advertise locally, keep funds in your city and build connections.
Ideally, when someone says they need what you’re selling, those connections will bring up your name.
3. Team up with other companies
Taking the time to understand how other businesses work can drive your success. You’ll make connections, share the buzz about each other, and perhaps find a mentor or mentee.
If you’ve ever attended an event like Small Business Saturday, you probably have an idea of ​​how it works. A group of brands come together with a theme and participate in promotions and events.
Plan your sales in advance, spread the word, and offer deals when someone buys from two or more participating businesses.
4. Build brand name recognition
Traditional marketing helps build brand awareness and makes you more familiar with local shoppers. For example, if you set up a booth at a local craft fair, you’ll meet people who live in your area. They’ll see your name even if they don’t stop by your booth, and maybe they’ll remember you when they need what you offer.
Source: https://www.marketingcharts.com/industries/business-to-business-115874/page/6?et_blog
If you want to be seen as the go-to expert in your city, you need to let people know about your unique knowledge and skills. About 80.6% of the most prominent experts in their field build their image through referrals. Reach out to current customers and ask them to share your brand with others.
Some other ways to build your authority include public speaking, attending local events, and joining trade associations.
5. Engage customers
If you want word of mouth marketing to take off, you need to make your current customers your biggest fans. Find ways to improve your customer relationships by hosting an event, sending out a mailer, or even picking up the phone and calling them.
Do your best to keep them excited about your product or service. Run a contest for current customers only. Invite them to a one-on-one dinner to show them your appreciation for their continued support.
It’s not often that customer relationship management comes up when people are looking for ways to advertise. However, investing in the right tools and spending the time building enthusiastic ambassadors can help your brand grow faster than anything else you try.
People listen to their peers more than they listen to announcements. When someone takes to social media and says you invited them to an event or went out of your way to send them a letter, others take notice.
6. Target the right audience
Source: https://www.marketingcharts.com/advertising-trends/spending-and-spenders-228074
The Interactive Advertising Bureau projects spending in nearly all digital arenas to grow throughout 2023, while traditional markets lag behind. Television has an expected decline of 6.3% and radio and other methods a decline of 4.1%.
What does this mean for small businesses? While you might take a look at the graph and think that everyone is running away from traditional advertising because it’s not working, that’s not always the case.
Some companies are better suited to digital marketing measures. However, others may benefit from a mix or all prints. Each medium has its own unique demographics. Radio listeners may be slightly different from television viewers. While there’s always some crossover, you’ll reach new people that you otherwise wouldn’t reach.
7. Put something in their hands
The fleeting nature of digital media means it’s harder than ever to keep your brand at the forefront of users’ minds. The advice from the past was that people had to see or hear about your company seven times before they remembered it. With all of today’s media noise, that number could be much higher.
Enter traditional marketing, where you can put a business card in a lead’s hand and they can feel it, touch it, and start connecting emotionally with your company. There is some nostalgia for things like newspapers and radio, which can help you reach a certain audience.
With others reducing their traditional spending in various areas, ramping up your growth just a bit might even level the playing field. You will be able to compete with fewer companies for limited attention. For example, the fewer companies that advertise on a radio station, the more likely you are to gain traction among listeners.
Traditional marketing approaches have their place
Knowing when and where to use traditional marketing requires paying attention to the details and trying different methods until you find one that works. Every business is different, and ads that work for one may not work for another.
Pay close attention to the results, try new things and reach your local audience until you become a household name. Through such measures, your brand will grow and your business will be successful.
