As a business, you’ve probably heard that you need to replace your traditional marketing tactics, such as direct mail or radio/television advertisements, with online tactics, such as social media or digital ads.
There is no denying that the Internet is a great way to generate business and engage with your audience. People use social media on a daily basis, and having a social media presence is essential to reach out to your customers or clients on a personal level and engage with them one on one.
People also use the Internet everyday, so it’s important to have a website that is rich in SEO keywords and tactics. Plus, most online marketing tactics can be a bit cheaper than traditional mediums, though that’s not always the case.
Just because online advertising has its advantages doesn’t mean that it’s perfect, and it also doesn’t mean that traditional marketing tactics are only full of disadvantages either. In a world that idolizes the Internet, smart phones and tablets, many businesses think that there is no place for traditional marketing anymore, but they’re wrong. Traditional marketing is still effective today, your business just needs to learn how to use it properly.
Television and radio advertising.
Television has a very large audience appeal. People from every demographic watch some form of television, and its important to use the right type of network to reach your audience. For example, if you’re trying to market a product or service to mothers of children, it’s a smart idea to run commercials on networks that are made for women, such as Lifetime or Hallmark. It’s also a good idea to place television advertisements on stations that are dedicated to children, as stay at home moms may also be viewing these stations with their children.
Some companies have pulled their television advertisements due to the number of people who DVR/Tivo episodes or even watch them online. These companies feel as if they’re spending a fortune on television advertisements only to be fast-forwarded through on someone’s DVR. It’s true that many people watch TV online, but in order to pay for these services, most television networks are keeping the television commercials embedded into the online videos. So even if your target audience missed your live commercial, they’ll still see it online. Now, rather than only reaching a television audience, you’re reaching both a television and online audience.
Television commercials are still effective because live television is still effective. Yes, people may use their DVRs, but most people still watch live events, such as sports games (especially the Super Bowl or Kentucky Derby), or even big entertainment finales, such as American Idol. Radio advertising is the same way. Some people will listen to their iPods while in the car, but not everybody will.
People still have dedicated morning shows they listen to on their way to work and some people still love the variety of the radio when at home or in the car. In order to reach a wider audience through radio advertising, it’s important to place ads on popular radio stations in your area and place them during the most popular times of day, say during rush hour traffic. Print ads and direct mail.
Though people are doing much more online, they are still reading physical newspapers/magazines and are still receiving physical mail through the USPS. Direct mail pieces are still a great way to reach your audience because you can know for sure that your customers are receiving your messages.
Online advertisements are constantly being switched out on websites. If you visit a website and see an ad for shampoo, you won’t see the same advertisement if you close the website and revisit it. That’s because while the ads are generated towards the individual who is visiting the site, they’re not constant, which means that your ad may be placed on a website when your audience isn’t visiting.
With a direct mail piece, your promotion is getting placed in the mailbox of your customer, so you know that they will physically see it and be able to take some type of action.
How to make traditional marketing work.
The best way to make traditional marketing work for you is to use it cohesively with online advertising. For example, if you’re placing an advertisement in the newspaper, why not promote a texting campaign? Use the newspaper ad to gain interest in your business and propel your user to take some type of online action. Are you placing a television ad? Why not tell people to visit your website or social media network for more information?
When your traditional and online marketing tactics work together, it will create a better end result for your business. Traditional marketing still reaches a vast audience, and it’s important to use them so that your marketing can have the biggest chance at success.
About the author: Charlie Adams provides offline marketing guidance for the business owner network.
Photo Credit: Scott Clark