In today’s business world, the role of digital marketing is a given, especially when it comes to social media. Not only does it help you reach your target audience more easily, it also drives more sales and increases brand awareness. Still, there is slim chance your business will succeed without implementing traditional marketing channels to give it a significant boost in sales growth.

Can Your Small Business Rely on Digital Marketing Alone, or Are Traditional Marketing Channels Still Relevant?

Here are six ways you can use traditional marketing channels that are still relevant to growing your small business.

1 - Spread the word and reward word-of-mouth marketing

Nothing quite beats good old word-of-mouth marketing. In fact, surveys have shown that people are most likely to buy something if someone they know recommended it.

The question is: How do you achieve that?

The main goal should be to establish honesty and trust with each and every customer. Just as importantly, you want to reward the customers that bring you new ones.

2 - Get to know your people

In order to increase brand awareness and empower your brand, socializing with your customers and with the leaders in your industry is a must.

People love to put a face to your brand.

On top of that, you can even record events and share them online, just to give others a teaser version of an event they might want to attend next time.

In order to plan your own business event, you have to set a clear goal about what you want to achieve and who you want to invite.

3 - Use promotional products

Traditional marketing relies massively on the use of promotional products.

Don’t be fooled by the digital era where everyone seems to be online because that’s simply not the case. There are people who can still be reached through traditional means of promotion and be as important to your business as your online community.

Once you target your audience, you can try using direct mail which is proven to be as effective as email.

Other options include flyers, brochures, or billboards which are also incredibly efficient at creating the buzz and boosting brand awareness.

Lastly, never neglect the marketing power of personalized products with your logo which you can give away at social events or other gatherings.

4 - Use guerrilla marketing

Although it’s not strictly related to offline promotion, guerilla marketing offers plenty of options to choose from both online and offline.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of guerilla marketing, it’s high time you started looking into it.
It works by creating promotional campaigns that will catch people off guard and will resonate in their memory.

Not only is it cost-effective, but it also allows you to be creative and original. Since consumers are bombarded with thousands of advertisements on a daily basis, originality and uniqueness are likely to make them remember your brand.

5 - Attend trade shows

It might surprise you but being surrounded by your competition is not necessarily a bad thing.
In fact, trade shows give you an opportunity to study their marketing material and see how they present their products.

On top of that, you are simultaneously advertising your own product and networking with industry leaders and professionals. The contacts you acquire at these events are valuable assets for your future attempts to reach as many people as possible.

Finally, trade exhibitions are also a great opportunity to apply a direct marketing strategy by exchanging business cards or other promotional material with the hope of pitching your brand to new customers.

6 - Upgrade your product packaging

Believe it or not, sometimes it’s simply unsuitable packaging or presentation that drives customers away.
The visual side of your brand might be in need of an overhaul.

So, if you own a shop, aim at redesigning the interior. If your product’s packaging fails to attract consumers, try and modernize it.

One way or another, looks do matter. Since humans are visual creatures, you should never neglect these components of visual marketing in your business.

Conclusion

Obviously, offline marketing still has the potential to maximize your promotional efforts and even surpass your expectations.

Just like with online promotion and digital marketing strategies, these strategies need thorough planning and execution in order to achieve the best possible results.

For this reason, you have to plan each aspect of your promotion according to your brand’s current marketing needs.

Guest Author Bio - Elaine Bennett is a marketing specialist and a blogger, currently writing for Bizzmark Blog.

Topics that she covers include marketing, branding, entrepreneurship, and SMBs.

She’s especially interested in social media and technology.