The greatest lesson you can learn about marketing is that it can take many different forms. Over time, you’ll figure out which ones work and which should work but don’t deserve any more of your attention.
Still, although you may find a few ideas that work remarkably well, this doesn’t mean that you should quit exploring new possibilities. You may find a few new delightful marketing techniques that will serve you well.
When it comes to what works today, digital marketing can easily be ranked as one of the greatest marketing inventions in the history of the world. In fact, no marketing plan can be considered complete unless it has a digital component.
What’s more, digital marketing works even if you’re selling tangible goods. For instance, there’s no reason why you can’t sell clothing from a website. Shirtspace.com, for example, which sells Gildan shirts wholesale, offers bargain-priced shirts to screen printers by leveraging the power of online shopping and dropshipping.
When developing a digital marketing plan, be sure to include organic search, statistics, content, social media, and mobile strategies.
Revisiting Old School Marketing
Despite the proven benefits of digital marketing, there are several old-school marketing ideas worth investigating as well. Some of them, after testing, you may want to add to your panoply of winning strategies.
For instance, it’s tempting to believe that direct mail doesn’t matter anymore because nobody bothers to read snail mail. Yes, landing pages, sales funnels, and graphics-rich digital sales copy are highly effective, but they are not the only way to reach customers.
Here’s the paradox: since online marketing conversion techniques have become so successful, consumers have become a little jaded, which makes direct mail something of a novelty again. For instance, customers know from experience that the low price they pay for an online offer will be followed by a series of one-time-offers once they’ve entered a sales funnel. As a result, most buyers defensively scroll to the bottom of the page without bothering to read the sales copy or watch the sales video. This way, they know they won’t be tempted to spend more money than they had planned.
Ironically, a direct mail piece with a simple coupon may convert better.
Here are a few other methods of offline marketing that you can use in conjunction with your web-based efforts.
- Add the personal touch:
A natural assumption that you may have arrived at is that direct, person-to-person contact is an old-fashioned way of doing business.
While it isn’t necessary to meet customers, investors, and service provider face to face to conduct a business transaction (because you can communicate just as easily via the phone, email, or a collaboration platform), it’s certainly a good idea to get out and meet people.
Talking to someone in person is a quick way to build rapport and establish enduring trust. While it’s probably less expensive and time-consuming to interact digitally, an in-person connection might allow you to benefit from the relationship in more ways than you could imagine.
- Renew your appreciation for the value of print advertising.
The interesting thing about print advertising is that it appeals to a higher-income demographic. Just as $2.99 e-books have not made $17 paperback books with the same information obsolete, so too, blogs have not made glossy magazines outmoded.
Luxury magazines have a nostalgic, old-world charm that still makes print advertising a highly effective medium. They are also known to be expensive. Seeing your advertisement will tell the viewer that you are successful enough to afford this type of advertising.
- Enhance your business reputation through speaking engagements.
No doubt, a well-written long blog post of 2,000 + words does build your niche authority, but public speaking is still alive and well and it continues to be a distinctive way of establishing thought leadership.
Sharing your knowledge in person remains an invaluable way to woo an audience. Speaking engagements can also lead to back-end product sales and wonderful networking opportunities.
- Leverage the benefits of networking.
Networking may be a business practice that dates back centuries–but it still works! While you can converse with people at length on Facebook while dressed in your pajamas, it’s not quite as effective as getting dressed and attending a conference.
The Power of Inclusive Thinking
Don’t think in terms of either digital marketing or traditional marketing; rather, think about the synergistic benefits of digital marketing AND traditional marketing.
This inclusive approach to marketing will have a positive impact on your business success.
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