In the past few years, online marketing has quickly taken the driver’s seat when it comes to marketing and advertising strategies for businesses all over the world. With the internet being the one place where you can easily reach almost your target audience with just a few clicks, it makes sense for business owners and marketers to mainly focus online, with social media marketing, online influencers, video advertising, and more options available online to spread the word about a company, brand, product or service – often within a matter of minutes.
However, this isn’t to say that physical marketing tactics aren’t just as effective today as they once were. Of course, online marketing is here to stay, but incorporating some offline strategies into your overall marketing plan can have a positive effect on your sales.
Here are some of the best physical marketing tactics to try after focussing on the online marketing world for so long.
#1. Display Stands.
When it comes to marketing to your customers online, don’t underestimate the power of a friendly face and kind words. Although it’s important to get the balance right – nobody enjoys being stopped by a pushy salesperson when they’re trying to get on with their grocery shopping – a physical presence, combined with interesting pop up display stands like these, can help potential customers to put a name to your company and see your ‘human’ side.
Along with that, bear in mind that many customers today enjoy the convenience of shopping online, but they still prefer to speak to a fellow human being when it comes to deciding which companies to go with. When done correctly, stalls, marketing stands, and even trade show exhibition stands can have a lasting effect.
#2. Posters.
If you want to grab the attention of as many potential customers as possible without the need to go online, then posters and banners are the perfect way to do it. Well-designed, strategically placed posters and banners will catch the eye of numerous people, but it’s important to carefully consider where you are going to put them if you want to enjoy the optimum effect. For example, places such as public transportation stations, food courts, and large banners on the side of the road are all places where people are going to naturally be looking and more likely to take notice of your advertisements. The best way to get results from this is to keep your poster or banner design eye-catching, short, and to the point.
#3. Sponsorship.
Sponsoring events, sports teams, networking sessions, and other worthy causes are a great way of getting your business out there and connecting with people in a physical, offline space. Bear in mind that the power of face-to-face conversation is still hugely effective; we still remember the conversations we had offline much more than we do those we have online.
Therefore, sponsoring events such as trade shows or charity fundraisers can go a good way when it comes to starting meaningful conversations about your company. Even better – you can take the opportunity to improve your presence online by including something worth tweeting about or Instagramming!
#4. Physical Branding.
Lastly, physical branding can be one of the most powerful offline methods of getting the word out about your company, regardless of your budget. There are various simple ways of doing this. For example, if you run a company that sells products online, simply upgrading your packaging options can go a long way when it comes to your physical brand. Take advantage of any physical branding opportunities that you can find. They are everywhere, from branded t-shirts to fridge magnets or bags of sweets! Or, you could even use your car to advertise your brand.
Which physical marketing tactics have worked for you? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
