‘Offline marketing?’ you ask, staring at your social media platforms and chuckling at a particularly funny cat video you shared with your Twitter followers this morning. ‘What on earth do you mean?’
Well guys, before the Internet, we would do crazy things such as order rollup banner printing from Helloprint for events and place adverts in the local newspaper! And guess what? You should probably still be doing these things!
If you’re unsure what you should be doing when it comes to offline marketing these days and have your on page and online campaigns in the bag, then take a look at this quick beginner’s guide:
When it comes to business the first thing most people still think of is business cards, the staple method in offline marketing. These should feature all the important details about you and the company, from your telephone number to your name, to your business logo so the person you are talking to can get in touch later, at their convenience. Here’s a great guide on how to create a successful business card, you would be surprised just how easily things can go wrong.
Now when it comes to business cards, there should also be some networking involved, with actual people – face to face. These days we might hide behind a screen in a Google hangout but really we should be attending events and shaking hands with potential clients and suppliers in the flesh.
While it might nice to hire some skilled parkour guys and have them jump around the town centre handing out leaflets, there are easier and cheaper ways of going about guerrilla marketing, if you prefer a subtle/creative approach. Dropping your business cards off in coffee shops, pinning them to fish and chip shop pin boards and accidentally leaving branded pens all over the place are great ways of getting your business in front of people offline.
Offline branding also becomes successful when you put yourself forward as a thought leader, taking a break from the guest post tactic and actually going to big events and talking to a crowd about your area of expertise. It’s an easy way of sharing your company, as well as reminding people why you are an expert in your field.
An offline marketing tactic that businesses should seriously adopt more is the concept of donating gift vouchers or products to local events and contests. Those taking part or attending will be instantly introduced to your business and those who win might become life long customers after essentially enjoying a free sample.
Now, we’re not saying shun online marketing at all, but it’s important to remember that offline tactics are great for local business and should still be adopted in busier months to really spread the word. After all, it worked for everyone before the Internet really took over so why can’t it be used to support your online campaigns?
