Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.
Last Updated on February 20, 2020 by Work In My Pajamas
Is physical marketing dead? In this day and age, it’s a valid question to ask. There has been a continual rise in the prevalence of online marketing, and the trend doesn’t look to be stopping anytime soon.
Going back to the question, and despite the evidence piling up against physical marketing, the answer is a resounding “No”. It’s not dead. In fact, your business is missing out if it doesn’t employ certain traditional advertising methods.
Which techniques are still worthwhile as part of your marketing plan? The following guide will list the physical promotional methods your business still needs to use today.
In This Post:
Using printed materials
Printed materials remain a fantastic method for getting the word out about your business. The only question is: How do you generate these printed materials? Well if you type into Google “find a printing company near me“, this will likely throw up various options that will cover all of your print-related needs.
As for what materials to use, this depends on the purpose of your marketing campaign. Do you want to produce a brochure that is full of details about your business and the services it offers? Or perhaps you only desire a single-sided leaflet which is advertising your latest product complete with a discount coupon?
Furthermore, the materials need to catch the eye of prospective customers. If the design is drab with vague information, those leaflets or brochures will soon end up in bins all across the area. Even if you do not possess the necessary skills to produce a quality design, certain specialist printing companies can cover this for you.
Once the materials are printed and ready to go, you will need someone to distribute your printed materials. If you opt against using a specialist mailing company, there’s always the viable option of partnering up with another business.
How does this help when it comes to distribution? Well if you both have marketing materials to post through letterboxes, you can each take it in turns to send them out. This will half the resources needed for getting your materials to targeted customers, and all without needing to sacrifice anything.
Become an arena attraction
Well attraction is pushing it, but you could turn your business into a permanent fixture within a local arena or venue. Now don’t panic: there’s no need to relocate your company. Becoming a fixture simply means having your advert on a board within the arena.
This is a great way of building visibility for your brand, particularly if you’re aiming for a specific local sector. The people that attend the arena each week (or so) will constantly see your branding. If the arena is ever spotlighted on TV due to it hosting a live event, this could even open the door to a national or international audience for your business.
Sponsor an event
Brand visibility, audience insights, building relationships with both businesses and clients – there are many reasons to sponsor an event. The actual marketing of your company can also vary with sponsorship, from your brand appearing on clothing to brochures being included in goodie bags.
With the amount of events available across the country and worldwide, you’re spoilt for choice on which to sponsor. It can range from a local community event to a large convention. Just try and select one that will have the most concentrated amount of potential customers.
While most businesses will have transitioned to sending out newsletters via email, there’s nothing quite like receiving one through the post. A newsletter is also one of the most effective methods for retaining customers.
The reason for this is simple: a frequent newsletter will help to keep your business fresh in their mind. Plus if they already used your business in the past, they are going to be more inclined to purchase any new products or services you are advertising.
Oh, and if you want to know why retention is so important, research suggests it can cost five times as much to attract new customers compared to current ones.
In summary
Online marketing is king. There’s no getting away from it. However, it is far from the only game in town. Physical marketing remains a strong asset in any company’s advertising strategy. As the previous examples show, it is also not going away anytime soon.
To guarantee your business is maximizing its marketing efforts, you need to incorporate a combination of online and physical marketing techniques.