In recent years the online marketing world has grown and grown. And because of the success of marketing methods like social media, blogging, and SEO, it is easy to see why many businesses, both large and small, use the internet as an important marketing tool. But the thing is that there are still many offline marketing methods that do have a place even in today’s technological world. Having the face to face contact with customers and personal interaction has a value that is important not to ignore.
So as you are making your marketing plan, even if your business is based predominantly online, there are still plenty of things that you can do to market the business, using some traditional offline marketing methods. Here are some that are still worth giving a try.
Guerrilla Marketing
If you haven’t heard of the term guerrilla marketing before, then you need to know; it is all about the use of unconventional marketing methods. When you market online, you can really target and be specific with your audience. But using guerrilla marketing methods means you can get a little creative and flex the marketing ‘muscles,’ so to speak. It can be something small like leaving sticky notes in local coffee shops, leaving a branded pen at the bank, or even using chalk on a sidewalk to show a promotion you are running.
Get Involved in the Local Community
If you have a small business then it is really important to get involved with your local community. Whether the business is offline or online, being known as a go-to person in your area can mean some really loyal customers. You could look to create sponsor banners for local sports teams and become a sponsor to them, as well as getting involved with local events, or running your own events or conferences. Donate what you can and your business name can get out there; locals will recognize it and then want to back you.
Business Cards
Business cards are something that is important not to forget about. It can be termed as a guerrilla marketing method, but it can be more widely recognized with the public. If you run a small business then you need to make sure that you are giving them out to everyone. Here are some examples of what you could do:
- Leave a business card at a restaurant after you leave and with your tip
- If you see a local community board then pin your business card on it
- Local libraries are a great place to leave your card, especially in some relevant books to your business
- There are many local fairs or contests where you need to leave a business card; make the most of it and always enter. There will be people looking through and sorting those cards out, so it is definitely worth getting your name and details out there
There will be things that are better for some businesses than others. But it is important to not forget about offline marketing, in such an online world.
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