In this digital age where almost every advertising technique is web driven, it’s hard to attract and retain customers. Marketing is so much more than tweeting a discount code or trying to get an email list growing.
Here are 9 neglected marketing tricks that need to be known.
In-Person Networking.
While most of us are used to interacting with others via email, video chats, and text messages, nothing beats a personal connection.
In fact, networking events are becoming increasingly popular and are a great opportunity to meet potential clients and business partner. You can create as many if not more opportunities in person as you could online. There are even email service providers that offer mobile apps which facilitate building an email list through mobile opt-in forms.
Hand out Business Cards.
Having these little things can feel like a waste, but while you’re out and about trying to network you can hand them out with all your information like social media handles, web address, and contact info. You never know when or where you can find a hidden opportunity.
Make use of Flyers.
Who does printing in a digital age? These little gems have been the mainstay of traditional marketing for years. You can take flyers to a whole new level and turn a few of your most popular blog posts into a small zine and then drop them off at your local coffee shop. Make sure to include your website’s URL and invite people to visit your website to read more.
Speaking at Events.
Local Chambers of Commerce usually host a number of events throughout the year. Signing up for one of those events that is related to your niche and offering to participate as a speaker is a great way to build authority and promote your business. It’s an opportunity to get seen and heard by other people within your industry as well as people in industries that you want to serve.
Hosting an Event.
When you just can’t find an event to be a part of, take the initiative and create your own. It can be a simple thing like arranging a coffee meetup in your local coffee shop and offering to pay for the coffee for anyone who participates in your event.
Donating Prizes to an Event.
This is an exciting trick because of the random factor. You don’t know who will win. It could be something as simple as a customized set of coffee mugs that you will need their contact info to deliver, so don’t forget to grab those email addresses to notify the winner!
Signs.
If you run a local business, signs and especially billboards can do wonders for both your blog and a business. It’s kind of hard to miss when a new billboard sign is put up on the daily commute. Your ad on a billboard is sure to get noticed during those rush-hour traffic jams. You can also take it a step further and get a custom decal for your car.
Newspaper Ads.
You can do this locally to nationally to internationally depending on your budget and company. Whether you’re running a service or product driven website, you can have coupon codes put in all your favorite newspapers that lead back to you.
Mobile Marketing.
If you have gone as far as to create an app that helps your product or service, why not sprinkle in some advertising as well? This is especially true for the mobile gaming community where the economy is ripe with microtransactions based on in game ads and 3rd party ads.
Final Thoughts.
There are a lot of underused or neglected marketing tricks in today’s digital market. Nothing compares to being able to talk with your target audience in person, and using items like business cards, flyers, brochures, and prizes are a great way to keep you in your target audience’s mind and get your business and brand a very personal exposure.
It may seem like newspapers are out of date, but there are still so many people that you can reach with them that you normally couldn’t. If you put forth the effort to create an app that can handle details like availability or an item or an expected completion time for a service, why not add in some upsells and initiate a referral incentive in the app?
What did you think of this little list? What will you try next? What won’t you try? Let us know in the comment section below.
