Offline marketing channels, such as direct mail, TV, and print, complement your digital marketing by reaching a broader audience and building brand awareness.
Marketing in the digital age tends to focus only on the online. As consumers spend more time on their devices and we develop new ways to explore the digital sphere, traditional marketing is often overlooked by business owners – but that mistake can cost you.
Offline advertising is here to stay. And with the right tools and understanding, incorporating out-of-home channels into your strategy can be the approach that gives your brand a leg up.
What Is Offline Marketing?
Back in the day, all small business owners could do was hand out their cards and dream of the ad that would change the world, Mad Men style. But as digital content marketing has paved its way into our everyday, traditional media has also changed shape. Many of the same tactics still stand, but the ways we combine them with online media to form an advertising ecosystem are new. Take a look at some of the offline marketing methods you likely know and love:
- TV ads: Though many have moved to streaming, cable ads are hugely viable – and historically profitable for a range of demographics.
- Billboards: Flying down the highway gets dull, and billboard ads capture the attention of drivers to share your message with an audience required to look.
- Urban panels & public digital signage: Metropolitan versions of highway billboards, digital advertisements placed in subways, stadiums, and other public spaces collect attention from thousands of passers-by daily.
- Radio commercials: Still considered an effective marketing strategy, radio commercials can engage a specific target audience better than some options.
- Print ads: Print ads include advertisements posted in publications like newspapers, magazines, brochures, and journals.
- Business cards: Business owners know the power of a carefully crafted business card. Kept in your wallet, they’re an old-fashioned but intriguing way to connect.
- Direct mail: Promotions, newsletters, catalogs, and more – any content you send to customers via a mailer, postcard, or letter counts as direct mail.
- Trade shows: A trade show gathers industry representatives and businesses together to foster connections between brands and professionals.
- Cold calling: The bane of every salesperson’s existence, cold calling is a notoriously difficult but potentially profitable example of an offline marketing tactic.
Why Offline Marketing Strategies Are a Must
TV, radio, billboards, snail mail – none of those have disappeared in the past decade. Though it may seem like everyone has moved exclusively to the web, plenty of your potential customers still use cable, listen to the radio, and have a permanent address.
Even when consumers don’t have independent access to those media channels, we’re seeing display ads cover more ground than ever – showing up in public transport, malls, eateries, and more. And the data shows that when users see these advertisements, they may even be more impacted than when they view ads online.
Offline media is integral to success because it meets audience members in places your online marketing strategies can’t get to while giving an authentic vision of your brand to form a well-rounded customer experience.
Boost brand awareness with offline marketing campaigns meeting users where they eat out or get gas. Nurture leads with direct mail promotions. Encourage new product purchases with targeted radio ads. Your opportunities in offline marketing can be as endless and fruitful as those on online marketing platforms – especially when you combine the two.
Perfecting the Blend of Online and Offline Marketing
Off- and online advertising are not mutually exclusive. In fact, integrating both marketing techniques can produce a more successful marketing strategy in each arena. For example, in-app advertising, social media, SEO, email marketing, affiliate programs, and others encompass your online channels. Adding offline advertising can create a comprehensive funnel that reaches customers everywhere.
Don’t forget about your hashtags and social media marketing metrics – unify your on- and offline marketing ideas. The same strategies you’re familiar with apply – consider your customer journey, budget appropriately, and assess the effectiveness of each campaign. But make sure you incorporate all the channels that will successfully reach your customers.
This is where working with First Media brings your brand forward.
First Media Is Your Partner Online and Out-of-Home
As online and out-of-home marketing specialists, we understand how to create a cohesive message across media channels. We help you position your marketing efforts in the right direction, wasting no time on channels that don’t uplift your brand. Instead, your resources are used for channels that will give you the highest return on investment.
Our specialization in cohesive online and out-of-home marketing gives us unique insight into the most effective strategies in both domains. With 64 billion monthly video impressions on our out-of-home channels in malls, restaurants, gas stations, subways, and more, your content reaches audiences wherever they are outdoors. Partner with First Media to access a template for creating a unified off- and online system and the support of a team devoted to building your brand.
