offline marketing ideas that work

Offline marketing seems like something that has no place in today’s world. With all the technology and advanced marketing strategies available through the internet, you might think offline marketing is a thing of the past. That’s simply not true.

If you’re creative and persistent enough, and you track the results of your campaigns, offline marketing can prove to be more effective and worthwhile than any other online campaign. A little creativity pays off in the long run. After all, offline marketing campaigns are the basis of marketing. 

5 Offline Marketing Channels and Tactics That Still Work

Take a minute and suspend whatever beliefs you have about the “offline marketing versus online marketing” debate. Let’s look at these five offline ideas to get started.

1. Turn to the radio

Offline marketing doesn’t have to always imply tangibility. The radio is still a highly effective method of advertising. People listen to music all the time and turn to their favorite radio stations for news and information, as well. What’s more, radios are interesting for their talk-shows and new music premieres. The trouble might be reaching younger generations through the radio.

We all know young folks prefer listening to music on their phones and use the internet as their main source of entertainment and information. That being said, you should be aware of the fact that young people still listen to the radio online or offline. Whether it’s at home, the office, or their cars, youngsters don’t shy away from this traditional and ever-present media channel.

The numbers aren’t discouraging of radio advertising either. An astounding 93% of radio advertisements reach millennials weekly. The percentage is a little lower for generation Z but still impressive at 88%.

2. Place your ads in the same ad space

Most people think that changing where they advertise will help them generate new leads. The thing is, with so many ads out there today, yours might go unnoticed if you keep switching ad space. With so much information coming at them, people will quickly forget all about your ads and won’t notice them in new places. 

That’s why you should consider placing your ads in the same place. After a while, they’ll be noticed, even if it's only on a subconscious level. Just because people aren't paying active attention to your ad doesn't mean they're not receiving your message over time.

Studies have also shown that running the same ad over the years has a much greater impact. Opposite to what you might think, placing the same ad through the same media channel to the same audience still results in favorable sales each month.

In fact, one company states that running the same ad for years provided them with more than a thousand trade magazine bingo cards (reply cards) returned to them from the ad.

3. Don’t forget about the newspapers

Newspaper marketing is something that still survives despite the era of technology. It’s true that more and more people are getting their information online, but the majority of the population still depends on newspapers. What’s more, most magazines today still sell print versions. Let’s face it, newspaper advertising isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. People are used to the papers and most older generations aren’t likely to warm up to computer screens instead of their papers.

How effective newspaper advertising can be for you and your business depends on what area of business you’re in. By far, newspaper advertising is the most effective method for finances. In fact, the increase is 5.7 times. Travel is in second place with 3 times, followed by retail (2.8) and automotive (1.7) businesses.

To truly get these numbers when advertising in newspapers, you might offer some kind of discount or compelling incentive with your ad. Nothing catches the eye of the consumer as much as a discounted price or free offer. Also watch for the segment of the news where you’re placing your ad. If your business is related to the segment, the ad will be more effective.

4. Strategic outdoor placement

Using big, available outdoor surfaces is still a great offline marketing idea. You may think that the town is full of ads and that people don’t notice them anymore, but that’s simply not true. Strategic placement is the key to making this idea truly worthwhile and effective. In fact, according to statistics, 7 out of 10 consumers make shopping decisions while commuting.

What are they influenced by? Traditionally, the answer to this question has been billboards, but more recently, people have started getting more creative. In some countries, like Australia, it’s possible to strike up a deal with some land owners and developers who are putting up new buildings.

Most buildings are going to be built on locations where a lot of people commute. That’s where you come in. Call up the owner and ask if you can advertise on their building site. One example is this colorful and innovative printed fence wrap in Sydney, Australia. Offer something in return, make a deal, and watch strategic placement work for you.

5. Make your own brochures

Brochures and fliers are considered pretty old-school now, yet they’re still present and highly effective. Don’t fix something that’s not broken, right? Brochures can be especially effective if you’re holding a company event. You need to quickly distribute information about your company to everyone present, and what better way to do that than with little booklets already filled with everything people need to know.

According to a case study from 2004, one customized print marketing campaign had a 9% conversion rate. The study was based on a company which is still around today, as successful and growing as ever. In truth, they’re thinking of re-launching the same campaign, this time with an even more customized process involving email, because they’ve realized personal brochures have yet to fail.

Incorporating personalized emails along with the brochures should increase the conversion rates and improve deliverability. Incorporating what the modern age has to offer with a traditional and trustworthy campaign is a creative idea that’ll surely succeed.

Conclusion

As you can see, it’s not hard to come up with creative and effective offline marketing ideas. Radio, newspapers, outdoor ads, and print are tested, proven media. Remember that no marketing campaign can work overnight and that you’ll need patience and consistency to get optimal results. And of course, track your results so you know what’s working and what’s not. In the long run, it’ll surely be worth it.

Liam-Smith-200Our guest author Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home improvement, design and style. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader. You can find him on Twitter. 

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