In 2022, modern marketers view brochures, catalogs, direct mail, trade shows, and in-person events as old-fashion or outdated. However, many B2B companies find that these traditional marketing tools are still necessary even in today’s digital age. The question is, how do you make sure you get the best ROI when going ‘old school’ and adding traditional tactics to your marketing strategy? In Part #4 of our series on How to Generate More Leads, we’ll review some best practices for off-line or traditional marketing and some time-tested tricks of the trade!
Ready to learn more about making the most of traditional marketing? Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways:
- Always start with a clear understanding of your ideal customer
- Avoid offline strategies where you cannot measure ROI
- Always focus on providing value to your target audience
Stay Customer Focused
No matter what, make sure your message is concise, clear, and adds value for your audience. Just because you have the space doesn’t mean you should fill it with meaningless jargon. Furthermore, all messaging should focus on the needs and challenges of your target customer, not self-promotional banter.
Brand Consistency
Whatever medium you’re using should be consistent with your brand. Brand standards are a set of rules and guidelines that protect the look and feel of your organization. It provides a standardized approach to creative work to uphold your brand’s integrity. A comprehensive brand style guide outlines everything from your typography and color palette to your tone of voice and mission statement. Consistency helps you build a brand identity that your audience can recognize across all platforms, online and offline.
Measurement and Tracking ROI
Before diving in, make sure you’ve identified a means to track your results and ROI. Whether you track phone calls, coupon codes, quotes, subscriptions, registrations or inquiries, you must be able to analyze the effectiveness of your offline campaign just as you would an online campaign.
Don’t make the mistake of pouring money into another black hole. To ensure the best return on your marketing spend, you’ll want a clear view of what works and what doesn’t. For example, Callrail is a highly rated call tracking platform that helps businesses monitor and report performance metrics for offline and online marketing campaigns.
Print Collateral and Advertising
Print means using physically printed materials to promote your products and services. Even in today’s digital world, some trade publications, catalogs, and magazines are still relevant for reaching prospective customers in a unique market segment. Other popular print options include brochures, flyers, direct mail, posters, and billboards.
Before diving into print collateral or advertising, make sure to do your homework to determine if your prospective audience is a significant part of the publication’s readership or circulation; otherwise, you’re likely spending your budget in an area with limited/no potential.
Direct Mail
Another form of print advertising is direct mail. When used correctly, direct mail has a place in your marketing strategy. It also helps you catch your prospect’s attention.
Direct mail campaigns should always have a clear message and a solid Call to Action (CTA) to produce the desired results. It’s also a good practice to offer recipients a few different ways to respond via email, telephone, and your company website,
Again, whatever your approach, make sure you have tools in place to track conversions and measure the effectiveness of each campaign.
Trade Shows
Although dramatically slowed by the pandemic, trade shows can be another effective channel for offline marketing. Once again, before committing to a new trade show, you should clearly understand the size and type of attendees that any given show attracts. Other questions you be asking are:
- What are your goals and objectives for a given show?
- Does the trade show audience closely fit your target audience?
- What is your preliminary budget to attend and staff the show?
- What level of new business is needed to cover your total show costs?
- In place of this show, could this money be better utilized elsewhere?
- Are your key customers and target accounts planning to attend the show?
- Can you schedule meetings with key customers and target accounts during the show?
- What competitors and related companies have participated in this show in past years?
Unfortunately, choosing the wrong trade show or poor planning can come at a huge cost. Booth space alone can cost tens of thousands, not to mention the cost of your exhibit, employee attire, promotional items, airfares, hotels, meals, transportation, and other show expenses. Without a doubt, one poorly executed trade show could crater your marketing budget with minimal results.
In-Person Events
From educational events (i.e., lunch and learn, training events, demonstrations, tailgate events, etc.) to social events (i.e., skeet shooting, golf, etc.), various in-person events can produce good returns. Once again, these in-person events should be carefully planned, including intimate knowledge of your target audience and how to ensure good attendance.
Quick Tips:
- Appeal to the Senses – Offline marketing means you can touch, feel, and smell what you’re reading and looking at, so make it count! Don’t cut corners and compromise quality.
- Include Digital Channels – Include your email address, website URL, online tools, and social media accounts on all materials to ensure continuity across all channels!
- Promotional Items – Plan carefully around promotional items to draw traffic and attention to your business. Whatever you decide, you want to attract the right people for your business, not just anyone looking for a freebie.
- Offers of Value – Offering something free in some way: free trial, demonstrations, buy one get one free (BOGO), etc., are a great way to get your name out there and have potential customers get a taste for what you do!
- Include Samples/Demos – Many high-end manufacturers include a small sample of what they sell so that potential buyers can see/feel the material and get a sense of your brand.
- Improve Direct Mail Response – Make responding easy by using pre-paid reply envelopes to boost response rates!
- Referrals – Offering a reward for each referral can be an excellent way to generate new business from existing customers. Just remember to balance the value of the bonus with the referral.
- Host Events – Business events like training sessions, networking events, social events, conferences, and seminars can offer excellent exposure to influencers and decision-makers.
- Speak at Events – Similar to hosting events, volunteering as a speaker can give you and your business credibility and allow you the opportunity to network with prospective customers.
Boost Lead Generation with Offline Marketing for Manufacturers
If you’re looking to engage with your audience and generate more leads, offline or traditional marketing offers a mix of strategies to help build awareness and convert contacts into long-term customers. While many manufacturers are stuck using only outdated marketing strategies, online and offline marketing allows you to cast a wider net, improve efficiencies, and help boost your ROI.
Ready to accelerate your marketing strategy? Get started with Shanahan Strategy Inc.
