Offline Marketing ideas that still work.

It’s easy to get caught up in the digital world of marketing, totally forgetting that before the internet and smartphones, we had to think outside the box. And sometimes we even had to design that box first. Because who knows who’s going to see it while in transit.

But has digital marketing totally destroyed offline marketing? Or has it just made our creative brains a little bit lazy.

Engage People

• Next time you decide to print out some letter drops, why not step away from the sales pitch and think about adding some really useful content that your prospective customers would like. I recently saw a Real Estate postcard with an awesome recipe on the reverse side. Or perhaps you’ve seen one of my promo fans, handy when it gets a bit hot, and full of marketing tips and cheats.
• Use existing clients to generate new clients, or additional work. Start by communicating to your existing clients, making sure they know about all the services your provide. Ask your happy clients for a review – Google will help with your SEO – and you can also use the best ones on your brochures.
• Get out there and meet people. People prefer to do business with people they know, so step away from the hard sales pitch and start mingling with other businesses in your area.

Community Exposure

• Get involved with a local sports team by providing sponsorship, and make sure you’re available to be there in person for some of their games – and most importantly – awards nights.
• Offer up a product or service for the local school or community organisation fundraiser. Not only can you share your good deed, but you’ll feel great about it aswell.
• Offer a specific discount to a particular group of people, such as nurses, or students. As well as encouraging these individuals to purchase through you, the generosity will attract word of mouth promotion.
• Put your card or a small poster up on the local community boards. You’ll find them in every shopping center, but also at libraries, gyms and community centers.

Networking

• Create your own network of businesses who you can refer clients to and from. Personally I have other designers, developers, printers and marketers in my network.
• Participate in Trade Shows and Expos. Having a stand is great, but if you can’t afford the cost or the time, then go along and mingle with everyone already there.
• Never miss an opportunity to chat to people about what you do, and always have a business card handy. I’ve handed out a business card while I was sweating away on the treadmill at the gym. You just never know.

Can you see me in this sea of Dark Blues and Blacks?

Expose your Brand

• Wear your brand loud and proud. You don’t need to have a shirt that’s as bright and crazy as mine, but you should be branded. Let people know who you are and what you do from the moment they see you.
• Your car is also free advertising space. Everytime you go to the shops, or get stuck in a traffic jam, you could be promoting yourself. I once saw a handyman vehicle in the shopping center carpark, with business card magnets all over it, and a simple phrase … please take one, you don’t know when you might need me next.
• One for the tradies … Have a small sign outside where you’re currently working with the simple message. Ask me to pop over and give you a quote while I’m already in the area.
• And again for the tradies … Print off some fliers just letting the neighbours know that you’re currently working in the area. When we got our bathroom renovated, the builder dropped off fliers in all the neighbours letterboxes … Your neighbour is about to have the best bathroom in the street, should we talk about upgrading yours?
  I can see this working for a wide variety of trades.

These are just a few examples of some offline marketing techniques that you can do to promote your business. You can contact me direct if you’d like to discuss some more ideas that are specific to your business and your budget.

 

 

This article contains my opinions, based on many years in the printing, marketing and advertising industry.

AndyK
Graphic Artist & Designer
AndyK Design