When you focus all your attention on online marketing, you are neglecting a large portion of your potential clients. Hard to believe, but not all business is conducted online.
Utilizing more options of offline marketing expands your reach of potential customers. By using alternative marketing ideas, you can combine them with your online ideas to cover all bases.
There are plenty of areas you can advertise your company offline. It’s smart marketing when you use all available options. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Offline Marketing Made Easy
While it seems most of society is stuck staring at a screen, you can still get their attention in other ways. While online marketing is important, it’s not the only way to get the word out.
Business Cards
Handing out business is still a great way to connect with people. They are small, inexpensive and always with you. Leave them in offices, at restaurants and anywhere else you go.
You also have a great opportunity to get creative with business cards. You can use different colors, fonts, designs and even have cards cut into shapes. That’s a great way to get people to remember you.
Cards with pictures or other uses are far more likely to be kept. If your card looks like your product, people remember you much better. Pictures of yourself or product are also very effective.
Community Involvement
Taking part in community events, volunteering your time and donating products is a great way to market. People remember you and your good deeds without the feeling of being sold something.
Coach a baseball team, take part in a street fair or BBQ, or get involves with artistic endeavors. People remember good deeds and you can connect with your community is a great way.
Products
Products with your name, brand and/or logo are a great way to get your name out there. These can be items you sell, used as promotion and giveaways or gifts. Everything from clothing to calendars and notebooks.
Small items that are used by customers, like pens, keychains or clothing keep your brand moving. For some great ideas on branded products, check out this company for more details.
Flyers
Flyers or pamphlets are a great tool for promotion. Like a business card, you can take them with you and hand them out. They are large enough to get more information on and you can leave them everywhere you go.
Add a scannable code or tearaway coupon for discounts or freebies to entice people into your store. Open to creativity in so many ways. These are inexpensive and extremely useful.
Packaging
Your packaging is your brand. Use your logo on all packaging, even your pricetags. It’s an opportunity to get people to see it who haven’t actually been to your store. Someone carrying a bag with your name on it is a walking advertisement for you.
If you have packaging, like reusable bags, this reaches people in places that are not in your area. People use them for groceries, give them to family and friends and can use them for years.
Community Boards
Pin flyers, business cards, and other materials on community boards. These are still very useful and can be found in grocery stores, community centers and in neighborhoods with park and rec centers.
These are seen by a lot of people and cost nothing to place your material on. It’s perfect for letting your community know about sales, upcoming events or new items in the store.
TV and Radio
You don’t need to spend a lot on a fancy tv commercial. People watch television differently now, so even your logo or brand name flashed for a few seconds still reaches a lot of people.
Radio spots are also a great way to advertise. Local radio stations are a popular choice. Music stations, news, and all-talk radio can all promote your brand and are still relatively inexpensive.
Newspaper
A local newspaper in your city or even a smaller community paper still reaches a lot of people. You have a lot of options with newspaper ads, as well. You can pick sizes, placement and even add a coupon for people to cut out.
Even a small community newspaper reaches a lot of homes. It’s perfect for getting the word out for your business to the community close to your business. A community newsletter is also an option for placing a small ad.
Billboards
Is there a better way to advertise than a load of people stuck in traffic? A billboard reaches a lot of people every day. People see them looming large over them on their daily commute.
Even a smaller sandwich board outside your store can be seen for several blocks. Display discounts, daily specials or new products available. people often walk past the same store every day without actually seeing it.
Transportation
No one can miss the side of a bus. If that’s out of your price range, consider the bench at the bus stop or the bus stop, itself. These are public spaces used and seen by a lot of potential customers.
You can get magnetic ads for your own car or work vehicles. Or have them painted. If you use your vehicle for work or deliveries, these will be seen by thousands of people every day.
Go Old School
While online marketing is the mainstream, don’t forget about other options. Offline marketing is still a viable way to get your brand to the people. Clever marketing will be able to tie them all in together.
It’s just smart business to use all the marketing tools available to you. Competition is tough. You need to stay ahead and do whatever it takes. You risk missing a lot of customers when you ignore offline ads.
Offline marketing allows you to be creative and explore far more options. People like promotional items they can use. For more tips on selling your product, please read this.
