There’s no doubt that offline businesses can benefit from online marketing. However, did you know that online businesses can benefit from offline marketing too? The trick to maximizing both is to integrate them into one cohesive marketing strategy. Here’s how:
Step One
What are your goals for each? What do you want to accomplish? There are a number of goals you might consider. They include but are not limited to:
* Driving traffic
* Increasing awareness
* Strengthening brand
* Building your opt-in list
* Boosting credibility and authority
* Attracting partnerships and affiliates
* And of course selling products or services – increasing sales
Step Two
What tactic(s) will help you reach your goals? Offline you have a number of tactics at your disposal. They include but are not limited to:
* Flyers
* Radio advertisements
* Television ads
* Print ads
* Media spots – radio or television interviews
* Press releases
* Publicity – events
* Direct mail
* Yellow pages ads
And of course online you have a wealth of tactics to choose from as well, including:
* Email marketing
* Article marketing
* Social networking
* PPC advertisements
* Banner and text ads
Integrating your online and offline marketing is where the real challenge and opportunity begins. Before you implement any tactic, explore how you might integrate the two for maximum effect. Create a comprehensive strategy to accomplish it. For example, if your goal is to drive traffic to your website, you could offer a free report. You might market this report by:
* Radio or printed ad
* PPC (pay per click) ad
* Social media exposure
Step Three
Launch the campaign. Here’s where you’re really going to need to pay attention and where integration can be effective. There are three keys to successful marketing integration. They are to launch your campaigns:
* Simultaneously – Launch your radio and print ad at the same time you launch your PPC ads. This way you’re capitalizing on momentum. You’re also in control of how long the promotion lasts and you’re being consistent.
* Complimentary – Make sure the campaigns complement each other. Continuing with the same example, your radio and television advertisements are going to be driving traffic to your website for your free report, just like your PPC advertisement. You want to make sure your offline and online marketing tactics support the same goals and each other.
* Consistently – Consistency is important. Your marketing tactics are designed to promote your business, increase awareness and exposure and strengthen your brand. If they have a different voice, personality and approach, the inconsistencies will be noticed. Your prospect who hears your advertisement on the radio is expecting to find the same tone, personality and voice at your website and supporting marketing materials.
Step Four
How will you track success? Often, offline marketing tactics are more difficult to track and test. However, if you have the same goals, then testing may be easier. For example, if your call to action in your radio and television advertisements sends people to a website, then you can track your traffic to that particular URL and analyze increases in traffic. Tracking success is an essential element of any marketing tactic or strategy, regardless of whether it’s online or off.
When creating your marketing strategy, take a look at where your prospects are and create tactics that reflect that. Most often, you’ll find that a little offline marketing works quite well to build your business, particularly when it’s integrated with your online tactics.