How Can Offline Marketing Boost Your Online Business

Although we are living in the digital age, not everyone is hooked on smartphones and tablets. Some of your most important prospects might not even be so good with tech.

It takes about seven touchpoints to make the average customer take action. One thing is for sure – in order to make a sale, you must connect with your prospects first.

If you want your campaigns to have the best impact, online marketing just won’t cut it. But, reinforcing your online campaign with offline strategies can get you far. Old-fashioned methods have a big role to play, even in the internet era.

Networking

Having an exhibition stand in the right place allows prospects to get to know you first and see the face behind the company. It makes your business more approachable by removing the abstraction out of the equation.

Seek out organisations and associations that are close to your targets. Take your booth to trade shows and association conferences. Those are great places where you can reach industry leaders and prospective customers, as well as distribute print materials.

Tech-Savvy Print

You can use offline strategies to reach people who are well acquainted with the digital realm. QR codes and AR features can help bring your print to life, as well as earn you more traffic from desired targets.

Are you targeting young adults? All you need to do is brand a couple of wide pull-up banners with QR codes and strategically place them in a park near the local university. They will surely speak to the right crowd.

Your options don’t end there. You can use QR codes with vanity URLs and landing pages to learn where your traffic is coming from and take people to certain parts of your websites.

That allows you to learn which of your flyers, banners, posters, and boards perform best. That’s valuable insight that you can use to improve your online business and your future campaigns.

Direct Mail Campaigns

This old-fashioned strategy is still going strong. In a way, direct mail allows your business to enter the customer’s home. According to a study done by the Direct Marketing Association, only 45% of customers act on email newsletters. On the other hand, 79% of customers respond to direct mail.

Those numbers are big enough to silence even the biggest sceptics. Emails are easy to ignore. But, when the prospect places a flyer on their coffee table, you’ll have all the touchpoints you need.

If your letters are compelling enough, they will yield great results. You can personalize mail just like you’d personalize email. However, direct mail also allows you to promote a more personal bond with customers and clients.

Printing out the customer’s name in full-colour is much warmer than sending a cold email. It’s sure to increase your response rate. Variable printing allows you to create mail based on the customer’s previous interactions with your brand.

Direct mail allows you to employ personalized URLs (PURLs). You can create one for each customer. EasyPurl and Mindfire are just some of many cross-marketing platforms that allow you to create personalized landing pages and measure campaign performance.

The world of PURL opens many doors. They allow you to increase response rates, analyse performance, and learn about your customers’ interests by tracking their behaviour on your website. And you can get all that through an envelope in a letterbox.

Offline Partnerships

If your online company is dealing with offline products, you could use an offline partner. TripAdvisor has employed this strategy successfully. If TripAdvisor recommends a local business, they give the business a sticker or a sign that confirms that.

If a visitor is not familiar with TripAdvisor, the sticker will spark their curiosity and prompt them to visit their website. And for those passers-by familiar with the website, the sticker could be a guarantee of quality. It’s a win-win situation.

Is there someone you could partner up with? Cross-selling partnerships can also be a good option. A business that complements your products might be interested in partnering up.

For example, if you’re selling computer equipment online, you can partner with a computer repair shop. Such a business can promote your website to their customers if you advertise their shop to your visitors.

However, measuring the impact here isn’t that straightforward. Unless you partner up with a company that will help you do the tracking.

Coupons and Promos

Everyone loves freebies. You can accomplish a lot with some old-fashioned vouchers. When implemented correctly, they are very cost-effective.

For the best results, you need to find out where your target audience hangs out the most. While it’s true that a lot of people ignore handouts, the same is true for emails. But, handouts come with a personal touch as they require your physical presence.

People are much more likely to remember you after interacting with you personally. If you’ve opted for a cross-selling partnership, coupons allow you to measure your ROI.

Many people are still wary of doing business online. By holding promo events, you are giving them a chance to see that you are a legit company that offers quality products and services. Throw a party and invite people over to give your product a try.

Workshops

If there are no expos nearby, you can take matters into your own hands. Workshops allow you to attract more visitors and convert them into customers.

It takes more effort, but it’s a sure way of gaining lifelong clients. People will appreciate the knowledge and practical experience you have offered them. And if they want to learn more, they can visit your website!

Word of Mouth Incentives

The most powerful advertising tool. What’s better than a customer who advertises your services for you?

But, how can you be sure that people will spread the good word about your online business to family and friends? By having a referral program.

Offer benefits to both sides. Learn what will incentivise your customers. If your clients are well-off, a 15% discount won’t do the job.

Instead, you can offer them VIP services after they successfully refer a few new clients. Or, you can include invitations to special events.

Conclusion

Online strategies are powerful tools. But, by focusing solely on online marketing, you won’t be able to reach your full potential.

Old-fashioned techniques still have a lot to offer. When you blend the two worlds, you’ll open a door to a third one. And that’s a world with completely new possibilities.