Don't Forget About These Old-School Marketing Methods That Still Work
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
Technological advancements have made marketing strategies for companies increasingly sophisticated. In the age of digital marketing, many tend to overlook traditional marketing methods that were successful for so long. However, many of these tactics still hold value and relevance, particularly when used in conjunction with your online marketing strategy. In today’s BOOFOLA LLC’s blog, we’ll take a closer look at a few marketing ideas that have stood the test of time.
“Many companies have forgotten they sell to actual people. Humans care about the entire experience, not just the marketing or sales or service. To really win in the modern age, you must solve for humans.”
“The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing.”
Back to Basics...
Starting a business takes a lot of work. You have to decide what you will offer and what type of business is best. Then, you must complete your business plan, which will include all of the details you need in order to get the business established, market, and grow what you develop. It’s also important to watch your credit score in case you need to take out a small business loan or rent a storefront or office space. These aren’t the glamorous parts, but they are all necessary before you’re able to dive into the details of marketing your business.
Technological advancements, such as AI and automation, have impacted market research on a large scale, allowing data collection to be more efficient and valuable than ever. Sometimes, though, the complexity doesn’t always make it viable for all businesses. To find out more about your target customer and how they discover your product, consider asking them straight out through surveys or during face-to-face interactions.
“Business has only two functions — marketing and innovation.”
“Build something 100 people love, not something 1 million people kind of like.”
Printed Promotions...
The internet is so saturated with ads that 82% of users completely ignore them. If you’re a local business, you may be better off distributing flyers or brochures as a cost-effective solution with a high ROI (Return On Investment). Distributing flyers also gives you the opportunity to build relationships through face-to-face interactions. Similarly, business cards offer a tangible way for your consumers to remember you and leave a lasting, professional impression.
Of course, you can always use big companies like VistaPrint, UPrinting, SmartPress, or GotPrint. Instead, try thinking more local. You are a small business, why not try forming a relationship with a fellow small business in order to support each other?
Similar to online ads, direct mail began to lose popularity as a marketing method as mailboxes got saturated with advertisements. This has gradually been replaced with spam in everyone’s email boxes, leaving physical mailboxes much emptier. Therefore, distributing marketing material through direct mail has made a comeback. Modern-day tools can help you narrow down where your target audience lives rather than having to fill every mailbox.
Tried-and-true marketing strategies like flyers, brochures, and business cards can also be distributed in locations with high foot traffic, at trade shows, on public notice boards, and in magazines. Consider offering discounts and coupons on your printed material to increase the chances of your target consumer holding onto them.
When it comes to designing your promotional material, tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Canva make it relatively easy to produce quality pieces. You can easily find templates for flyers, business cards, and mailers online, which are ready to be personalized with your logo, images, brand colors, and fonts. Alternatively, consider outsourcing these tasks to a graphic designer or marketing agency. When emailing over your brand images to an outsourced professional, use a JPG-to-PDF converter to send them via a single PDF file that retains the image quality, rather than transmitting many compressed JPG files.
“The best marketing strategy ever: CARE.”
“To continue winning the internet marketing game, your content has to be more than just brilliant — it has to give the people consuming that content the ability to become a better version of themselves.”
Mixing of the Old with the New...
Other old-school marketing strategies that may work for your business include billboard advertising and signage, both of which can reach a broad local audience. You can also create catchy slogans using rhyme or phrases that evoke emotion.
Remember to integrate these methods with your digital strategy to get the most benefit from them. For example, you can generate valuable leads by inviting potential customers to fill out an online form to receive branded merchandise. Promote your print ads and billboards on social media to increase customer engagement, and integrate your slogan into the photos (be it photos of your products or headshots of you and your team) and videos you’ve incorporated into your site.
“Marketing is really just about sharing your passion."
“Amazing things will happen when you listen to the consumer.”
What Works for You...
Ultimately, the marketing methods you use all depend on your business offering, target audience, and brand personality, so focus on what works best for you. And if you find that you need to outsource some of your administrative roles, the team at Boofola LLC can help. Contact us today with our designers, customer support specialists, billing team, and programmers!
“Give them quality. That is the best kind of advertising.”
“You can never go wrong by investing in communities and the human beings within them.”
This article was written/contributed by the talented Vanessa Holwell of HiringSquad.net.
Vanessa, Thank You for your support! We look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
Vanessa Holwell and her husband, Rick, created HiringSquad.net after losing their jobs during the financial crisis in 2008. The site is designed to be a forum for people to share advice on how to get hired, provide job search resources, and give you the tools you need to get the job you want. Ready. Aim. Hire!
