Don’t Lose Touch – The Importance of Marketing Offline

The age of new media is here. The latest buzz in marketing focuses on social media, internet promotions, FourSquare coupons, and Augmented Reality web cam scanners. These are all incredible advances in technology and great ways to connect to your consumers via the internet. It is essential for any business to stay current and involved with new media trends and technology. However, classic marketing efforts like cold calls and direct mail could be what will set your business apart from the crowded online communities.

Stand Out in the Crowd

Email campaigns, social media pages and mobile apps are all great marketing tools. Results are easy to track and the cost is minimal. However, the popularity of online media combined with the low cost also means that your competitors are using these means of communication as well. Classic marketing strategies like cold calls, direct mail, and even in-person visits are becoming rare. So how can you stand out to new clients? Find your target audience in the real world and make some new connections. Go to events, network in person, visit their offices/homes, pick up the phone and give them a call. The possibilities to meet new clients and consumers are endless. You just have to get off the computer and find them.

Create an Experience

Great marketing is about creating experiences for your current and potential clients. There is a saying that people may not remember what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel. To stand out in today’s market, it is paramount that your marketing efforts focus on something other than parting your consumers from their money. Get creative and think of something special that will make your audience feel good, and in turn, feel good about your brand. The easiest way to achieve this goal (and track responses) is to connect with outside of the online community. Email can be very impersonal. A hand written note will be remembered much longer.

Be the Big Fish in a Small Pond

The internet is a massive marketplace. It is a hard place for any business to make an impact, let alone a small company. While the internet is vital for any company, it is also essential that small businesses make an effort to create a community outside of the internet. Get involved with other local businesses and organizations. Make your own social network. Generating a buzz within your own community will give you the support you need to be a success.

Editor’s Note: Laura Vatalaro is the owner of LV Graphics Studio in the Dallas, TX area. LV Graphics Studio delivers quality design for print and web by utilizing effective marketing strategies for clients. To learn more, please visit the company website at www.lvgraphicsstudio.com