Marketing has taken off in many exciting new directions these days, especially given the many opportunities made available by digital technology. A savvy marketing manager will keep up with all the new cutting-edge trends and make it their priority to educate themselves on changes to the industry. But good marketing isn’t just about keeping pace with innovation and certainly isn’t about concentrating all efforts and resources in whatever area happens to be hot right now. Rather, successful marketing entails diversifying across multiple platforms and getting the message out in whatever ways are likely to be effective. Here are a few marketing techniques that have stood the test of time – and some ideas about how to put them to work in today’s market.
Physical marketing strategies that still work
Keep your company and your products visible to the public by using traditional marketing methods such as yard signs and billboards. These can be great ways to alert the public to what you have to offer and direct them to your website, where they can learn more. Similarly, fliers and pamphlets in public spaces can be extremely effective – especially if you post them in places where people might be waiting in line or on public transportation, without much else to look at other than the wall in front of them, or their devices. You can also create pamphlets in brochure form that can be handed out to interested clients or at business or trade events. Or even consider handing out coupons, since everyone still loves a deal.
Traditional paid advertising methods
With digital marketing often being easy and affordable, some marketing managers might shy away from spending money on an ad in a newspaper, or a radio spot. But this means missing out on reaching a significant chunk of the population, especially older demographics who tend not to be online as much. In certain communities that rely heavily on the local newspaper for information, taking out an ad can be an excellent opportunity to reach more customers while also supporting local news. Radio also remains another tried and true marketing method for reaching people. Ideally, get your radio ad out there during a time when commuters are likely to be listening to their favorite morning show or news segment.
Promotional merchandise can also increase visibility
Marketing managers and business owners who are headed out to trade shows, conferences, or other events should make sure they have plenty of promotional merchandise, as well as free samples and products to hand out. Travel mugs, t-shirts, pens, shopping bags, and sunglasses are some merchandise products you might want to put your logo on. If your company product is something that can be handed out as a small sample, consider doing this as a promotional gambit, also.
Pair the old methods with the new
Think about ways you can not only use older methods of marketing but also how your different marketing methods can uphold and augment one another. For instance, physical marketing products such as signage and brochures can direct customers to your company site, as well as your social media accounts. You can also use physical marketing to collect contact information for email marketing campaigns. Including attractive sales, offers, or discounts as part of your physical marketing can also motivate people to visit your site and seek your company’s services. Also, put some effort into creating good, memorable slogans that will work in both old-fashioned physical marketing content, or for digital marketing.
Get the most out of your content marketing
Whether you’re talking about old-fashioned marketing methods or the more widely discussed digital marketing trends, content remains king. That means it’s not just about reaching people, and not just about reaching the right people. It’s about reaching them with the right message and information. People have a literal world of information at their fingertips, so you need to give them a solid reason to spend a little time with the information you have to offer about your company and products. A good content writer will recognize this and be sensitive to human psychology. This means respecting the intelligence, the needs, and the expectations of your audience. People don’t want to be sold a line. They want to know that their search for information that matters has paid off. So, always emphasize quality over quantity, and be thoughtful about where and when you post marketing content. You can take your digital marketing to new heights with the help of the expert services offered by Set Fire Creative.
The basic steps for creating effective marketing content
- Find an intriguing topic.
- Come up with an eye-catching title.
- Come up with a unique angle.
- Write out an outline.
- Write with a compelling and consistent voice.
- Use arresting keywords.
- Avoid too much jargon or lengthy sentences.
- Also, avoid being overly slangy or familiar.
- Optimize for SEO.
Add a talented marketing professional to your team
Sometimes the best way to get mileage out of your marketing budget is to hire an expert to oversee your campaign. It is often a good idea to have a full-time team member who can remain laser-focused on your company’s diverse marketing campaigns, and who can analyze and tweak them when need be. If hiring a full-time marketing expert isn’t possible for your budget right now, at least evaluate whether you can afford to work with a digital marketing agency or freelancer. If digital marketing isn’t your wheelhouse, it may benefit you to work with an effective influencer who can oversee it for you. If you take this route, it’s a good idea to check out some good influencer marketing agencies, via a reliable online job board that displays rates and reviews.
If you want to set the bar high with your marketing strategies, you can’t afford to forget about some of the older, tried-and-true methods that have proven successful for businesses since long before digital marketing took off. Mix up your methods and think about using them together strategically.
Mariam is a marketing coordinator at Set Fire Creative who is focused on working hard to reach her clients’ goals. When she isn’t consulting with clients, she is watching beauty videos on YouTube, eating lots of Chipotle, and singing loudly in the car.
