Any business owner knows that to build brand awareness, you must use effective marketing strategies. A company looking to make a name for themselves must know how to reach and engage their target audience. The problem, however, is that most businesses fail to utilize marketing tools and resources that can help them to present their brand both online and offline. Essentially, the brands that are most successful are those who have learned how to combine both methods for the best return.
Finding a Healthy Balance in Marketing
Though the world is heavily reliant on technology and digital platforms, what is often overlooked is that there is still a “real world” out there. Whether you run an eCommerce business or have a brick and mortar location, you must engage your audiences both online and offline. Finding a healthy balance between traditional marketing and digital marketing can expand your reach and strengthen your credibility and rapport with your target audience. Below are a few tips on how you can represent your brand on and offline.
Traditional Methods for Marketing Offline
Traditional marketing, by definition, is any form of advertising and campaigning that has been used by businesses for years with proven results. Traditional marketing like commercials, radio advertisements, print materials, and the like, are great tools to use when trying to engage audiences in person. Below are a few examples:
- Tents – A lot of “in person” marketing takes place at business events. Trades shows are great platforms for showcasing new products and services offered by businesses. Standing out at these events is paramount and using marketing tools like custom tents can help you do just that. Designing a tent that includes your company name, colors, and logo will aide in attracting interested parties to your demonstration.
- Promotional Products – Freebies have been a long-time popular method of advertising to prospective customers and clients. Acting as “tangible billboards”, promotional products customized to reflect your brand can have an ongoing impact in the minds of your target audience. Pens, calendars, flash drives, and magnets are all examples of promotional products that are not only useful but are a constant reminder of your brand.
- Flyers, Postcards, Brochures – When attending any corporate or public event in which you’re trying to spread the word about your brand, print materials like flyers, postcards, and brochures are great marketing tools to invest in. Easy to hand out, they provide brief, yet vital information on your company and what it can offer.
Digital Methods for Marketing Online
There’s no getting around the fact that the digital age is in full effect. To neglect online marketing concepts would put your brand lightyears behind the competition. With billions of consumers utilizing the internet every day, there is a lot of potential for turning visitors into customers. Below are digital marketing tools that can coincide with your traditional marketing strategies.
- Social Media – One of the most affordable and common used tools for marketing online is social media. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest are utilized by millions of people worldwide. These free platforms provide an avenue for businesses to really connect with their target audience on a more social level. A well-managed business social media account could help you to communicate with millions of consumers instantaneously driving more interest in your brand.
- Blogs – Content is king in the digital world. The more quality content your brand can produce, the more credibility it creates for the company. This credibility essentially gets businesses to the top page of results on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Company blogs provide consumers with more information not only on the products and services offered, but on the industry in general.
- Websites – Serving as a digital business card and sometimes the storefront for businesses, a website is one of the first tools that should be used to engage your target audience. Providing a wealth of information including company contact information, products and services offered, and methods for how to obtain them, websites are one of the first things a consumer will check before doing business you. A highly engaging, easy to use, and well-designed business website can make a significant difference in building brand awareness.
There’s a lot that goes into marketing, and finding a balance for your brand and target audience will require some market research, analysis, and evaluation. However, once you’ve found a healthy balance between traditional and digital marketing, you will notice a significant difference in the success of your brand. Use these tools to create a brand that is remembered both online and off.