Online business coaching tip: Despite all the time, attention and resources that are directed towards internet marketing, offline marketing is also important for your business.
It’s not an either/or- it’s both.
The ideal balance is to find the right mix of both online and offline advertising and promotion methods.
Here are five reasons why you should promote your business offline.
1. The Value Proposition of Print
It was true in the past, and still remains the same way today: consumers put a far greater value on printed materials they can touch over that of a web page.
Think about all the direct mail you probably have received over the course of your lifetime.
Granted, a lot of it is immediately discarded, but, you know, every once in a while, you will receive an offer that reminds you of a need for a particular product or service.
Studies show that 75% of people believe that direct mail offers are more trustworthy than online offers.
2. The Longevity of Printed Materials
The average person keeps direct mail in their homes for up to 45 days.
Every one of those pieces of mail offers an opportunity for you to make a sale, just from single look or glance.
Since people hang onto a direct mail piece for an extended period of time, these opportunities with printed marketing materials are something you don’t get with online marketing.
When you stop and think about it, flyers (for instance) are cheap to create and highly effective.
3. Offline is more likely to be shared
Sharing is not limited only to social media, but can be used to your benefit off-line as too. The value associated with your sharing offline is often produces more than online sharing.
For instance: if you are in a store while out shopping and you spot a flyer with a discount on a product that you personally don’t use or need, but you know a family member or a friend who does, and if you’re like most others, you will pick it up and share it with the one who needs it.
Online, if you see a discount for something you don’t need, you’re less likely to clip or save the link and share it. Unless the discount is substantial or the value proposition is extremely strong, most people will not share the online discount.
4. You Can Pick and Choose Who You Target
When you engage in offline marketing, you continue to have opportunities to target and hone your message. Any reputable offline advertising method will be able to give you information on audience numbers, demographics, and responsivity.
5. You Can Create New Opportunities Face to Face
Despite all the buzz, internet marketing is limited in its ability to create discussion with prospects and existing customers. Most internet users are distracted, and you will only capture their interest for a small segment of time.
Yes, you can engage with some of your followers, but it’s often difficult to sell a product or service when you are talking virtually over social media or on a web chat.
On the other hand, when you market offline, numerous opportunities present themselves where you can interact and build a strong relationship when interacting face to face with prospects and customers.
Most of the time you are in person with a client or customer, they are focused on you- and not using their phones or taking other calls.
For example, I make and sell jewelry. A few months ago, I held a jewelry ‘pop-up’ shop, where people could stop by, try on jewelry, and meet me. The event was exciting and interesting and had a lot of energy in a way that was unique from online selling.
From this pop-up shop, I received other invitations to show my jewelry, and I don’t believe these would have happened without the face to face contact.
A key approach is to not think of it as an online business OR an offline business. Think of it as a business- one that is marketed using the best methods, both online and offline.
