Offline Marketing Strategies that Make Online Marketing Better

by | Sep 8, 2017

Did you know that nearly 40 percent of online purchases occur only after a consumer has been influenced by an offline channel?

This statistic may just be the most telling piece of evidence to support the need for offline marketing strategies that make online marketing better. Offline marketing is still effective. In fact, offline marketing exerts a valuable influence on online purchasing decisions. However this does not mean that online marketing is not equally essential. In a bid to strike that perfect balance between online and offline marketing, here are some offline marketing tips to enable your online promotional endeavors to be much more effective.

Take Time to Market at Events and Key Places Where Your Customers Go

You can market your business face-to-face by attending concerts, local markets, charitable events and other local happenings. This will usually require that you rent a booth or selling space at a tie-up establishment, but the marketing potential provided makes it worth it. While at these events, take the opportunity to integrate social media by having people check in.

You can also hold competitions related to your social platform. Be creative. Maintain interest through offline activities that customers can share or look at online.

National Geographic regularly holds photo contests, encouraging submissions from photographers worldwide and promoting the gallery online for maximum exposure and offline magazine sales.

Facebook and other social media are powerful tools that can be used to integrate offline events and customer actions with online promotions.

You can also check out these social media contest ideas that encourage offline action to drive successful online promotions.

Overcoming this problem, though, can be simple. Ask whoever does your marketing about tracking URLs.

You can use these unique addresses in offline marketing to actually track which methods are bringing in the customers. It might take a bit of effort to set up but it will be worth it.

Remember, information is power. The more you know about where your business is coming from, the more in control you will be about your efforts to grow it.

Offline marketing has been around much longer than the internet, so it is doubtful that it will ever go away. Do not make the mistake of underestimating offline marketing’s potential. You will consistently see the benefits of offline marketing as long as you are using the right techniques.

You will also reap the benefits in terms of positive growth in your online marketing results. Balance your online efforts with offline strategies and watch your business grow.

Use Offline Marketing Calls to Action

Even novice local business owners with little marketing knowledge usually know that calls-to-action (CTA) are essential for their online content. As it turns out, effective CTAs are also important when doing offline marketing.

Whether you are putting out a direct mailer or advertising on TV, tell people exactly what you want them to do. An effective CTA can even direct consumers to your webpage or social media site for further information.

You will need to provide a great, inviting reason, however, for them to head over to your sites. Anything from hosting great recipes to offering discounts can accomplish this. Think out of the box.

Integrate Your Channels Creatively

Mix your online and offline efforts to keep things interesting for your customer. Some examples of integrated campaigns are coupons, mobile app messages, QR codes, and geo-specific promotions.

Basically, you can integrate anything that can be promoted in-store, or offline, with an action that can or should be taken online.

Remember, a good offline strategy could be the missing piece that links all your online efforts together.

Make Use of Tracking URLs

You could potentially get as much benefit from an offline strategy as you do from online marketing. When people discover your company offline, though, it can prove difficult to track via traditional analytics. Overcoming this problem, though, can be simple. Ask whoever does your marketing about tracking URLs.

You can use these unique addresses in offline marketing to actually track which methods are bringing in the customers. It might take a bit of effort to set up but it will be worth it.

Remember, information is power. The more you know about where your business is coming from, the more in control you will be about your efforts to grow it.

Offline marketing has been around much longer than the internet, so it is doubtful that it will ever go away. Do not make the mistake of underestimating offline marketing’s potential. You will consistently see the benefits of offline marketing as long as you are using the right techniques.

You will also reap the benefits in terms of positive growth in your online marketing results. Balance your online efforts with offline strategies and watch your business grow.