Over the past several years, marketing has undergone some pretty drastic changes. Where newspapers and the phone book were once king in the ad world, today more and more businesses are flocking to the web. However, in spite of this shift, certain traditional marketing strategies remain fundamental to all advertising campaigns (both online and off).
In the traditional sense of marketing, there are three things you can do to always stay ahead of the competition, regardless if you are doing print or online advertising.
1. Connect to the Community
No matter what your business is, connecting with the community remains an excellent strategy for building support for your brand. Though many businesses are joining the online community to do the legwork of their campaign, don’t underestimate the power of organic events.
Sponsoring local events (e.g. community fundraisers, races, or markets) can give your name positive exposure, and present your business as a community player. This kind of grassroots marketing may seem old-fashioned, but it can make a big difference in public perception of your business.
2. Identify (and Communicate) Your Strengths
Another traditional pillar of marketing is identifying and communicating your business’ strengths. This can (and should) be applied to any marketing campaign. In order for a marketing approach to work, it has to communicate effectively to your target audience. No matter where (or whom) that market is, you must be able to show them exactly who you are and why they should be interested in you or the product.
Your advertisements should convey what makes you different from the competition and why that matters to the consumer. This tactic is known as a unique selling proposition (USP). Without a compelling USP, no matter what the forum or vehicle you use to communicate it, your marketing campaign will suffer.
3. Reach your Target Market
Finally, reaching out to your target market is important for any business. This can be done online and offline. As I mentioned above, sponsoring local events is one way to reach out to members of the community organically. Additionally, advertising specialties and unique promotional products (e.g. pens, mugs, reusable bags, etc.), billboards, and even television ads are useful methods for targeting your market.
Depending on your business, some of these tactics will work better than others. For example, a car repair business can reach thousands of people within its market (drivers) with just one billboard on the highway. However, if your target audience is made up primarily of middle aged women, direct mailers may still be an effective way to communicate to the right people. Whatever approach you use, remember that your marketing campaign will be most effective when you reach out to the appropriate market.
If you distribute promotional products to your customers, include your email, blog address, or Facebook and Twitter information so they can easily find you online later. As you combine traditional and modern, you will find your innovation will pay off.
Bringing It All Together
Today’s marketplace continues to change and evolve. It is no longer feasible to rely solely on traditional methods of advertising to promote your business. That being said, many so-called traditional marketing strategies remain viable today. As you develop your own marketing campaign, keep these core values in mind. Connect to the community, reach out to your target audience, and communicate your strengths compellingly.
Because of the popularity and efficacy of the Internet, the most effective and efficient campaigns will likely be a hybrid combination of the two schools: organic and online. Research your target audience to discover which avenues will work best for you and your company. Then look for ways to marry the two sides in a cohesive plan. For example, if you sponsor a local community event, don’t forget to publicize and talk about it on your social media outlets.
