Guest Article by Pamela Jones
Nowadays everybody knows that if you have a business, you go online and promote the hell out it. You submit your website link to website directories, use Google Adsense, load up a video on YouTube, write an e-book that masterfully makes you appear like business expert, and tweet your heart away on Twitter. You even network with strangers on LinkedIn. In other words, you get an internet hustle going and you best to have it going full speed if you want to see an excellent ROI.
As we advance more into the amazing world of the internet, let’s step back for a second and remember a simpler way to promote; a moment in our past (for those of us over 35 anyway) to recall when business promotions meant pinning up flyers in the grocery store and on neighborhood phone polls. Do you remember a small card that had a phone number, address, business name, and a unique design on it called a business card? I certainly do.
Back in the day, promoting your business meant talking to each other face-to-face. Today’s technology rarely has us doing that. We do business through text and emails.
In all its convenience, the internet has taken us far away from the old school promotional ideas. Therefore, despite us being on the verge of a new year, let’s do ourselves a favor: let’s go old school with our business promotions.
Order some business cards from Kinko’s, Vista Prints, or any business of your choosing and keep them handy to pass out to potential clients. Some businesses even allow you to leave them on a table or in a jar. Depending on your business, go creative with a flyer. Again, Kinko’s can create some great flyers. Or you can give this job to a freelancer.
Consider promoting your business with an ad in your local newspaper – if your town still has one. With print being a dying form of media, some towns may no longer have access to a local newspaper. If you still do, take advantage of it and place an ad to let your town know there’s a new business in town.
Understand me clearly only this: don’t neglect your internet business promotions. It is, after all, highly effective. Just enhance your promotions by going offline.
I assure you there’s nothing wrong with these old school promotional ideas. They’ll work just as good now as they did in the 20th century. I’m sure you can create several more on your own. Please do so, for at the end of the day, you’ll gain new clients that you’ll actually meet face-to-face!
If you found this blog interesting and would like to me to ghostwrite your blog, please contact me at Pamela@seofreelancewriting.com. You can also visit my website: http://www.seofreelancewriting.com.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Good piece, but I prefer online methods. Much easier to track results than offline methods.
Offline methods are not completely uneffective, but I feel it is the way of the dinosaur.
givejonadollar´s last [type] ..Judge Napolitanos History of Liberty Video Series
Yes, old school marketing is becoming a thing of the past. However, like a classic car, some things are still worthy.
it may sound strange, but by marketing your product offline you can reach customers that you wouldn’t have reached otherwise.
Yes but with Old School Marketing you can get many people that you can’t get otherwize or with online method.
Thank you, best PC rpg, for understanding this method. It’s a handy method that should be revisited by everyone – no matter how wired you are in online marketing.
I appreciate your response
it may sound strange, but by marketing your product offline you can reach customers that you wouldn’t have reached otherwise.
Good read, but i prefer to do online marketing right now. I am much more comfortable marketing online.
Whatever makes you comfortable and works best for you, then do it. Some people are more comfortable communicating through the internet than in person.
I think remembering offline marketing is a must. Integrating the two could yield the best success. If you reach out to someone on LinkedIn, ask them to pick up the phone and have a real conversation. You will be surprised what can come of this.
Now this sounds like good advice for Linkedin.
I was surprised when I did the newspaper ad as had I thought of newspapers as a dying media. It provided great exposure and makes me realize that I always need to think of ways to reinvent marketing my website
scott@Kentucky Sports Online´s last [type] ..Weekly honors
That’s wonderful. I’m glad you were able to get some additional exposure through print. As the self employed, we can use all the exposure we can get – in a positive light that is.
Me too… Social media has been constantly thriving when it comes to usage, utilization and influence. yes there are some companies who still continue to advertise their business using the old system but later on they find that their involvement is not as strong as other businesses that are using social media as one of their marketing strategies.
One form of old school marketing that I believe is now completely useless is print yellowpages advertising! Is there anyone out there who still keeps yellowpages books and uses them? Because everything is now online, I’m pretty sure their readership is awesomely low these days!
Jenn@t1 service´s last [type] ..VoIP company Skype buys Qik
Yes, the yellow pages is becoming useless. As a matter of fact, a lot of businesses aren’t listed in it anymore. They still give it out in my area, and it gets thinner each year.
The old school marketing techniques can still be use now a days more effective and efficient. You just have to make some changes that will make it more suitable with the current time.
Very true. They now have online business cards – driving your point home.
Hi Pamela,
Old school marketing may work for some offline businesses, however I would still go for the online marketing because most people are really turning to online sources recently.
In fact, we hit the streets of Melbourne to ask where they go if they are looking for information and this is what we got:
Q1. How often do you use the print version of the Yellow Pages?
* 7.69% use it regularly
* 23.08% once a month
* 15.38% once a year
* 53.85% never use it
Q2. How do you search for products and services you’re looking for?
* 92.86% use Google.com
* 7.14% use Yellow Pages
Respondent Quote: “I reckon the yellow pages is obsolete, why would you spend money on the yellow pages when they’ll just as easily find you on Google.”
Q3. How often do you use Google?
* 100% use Google.com everyday
@Jenn from t1 service
That brings Google as the winner over Yellow Pages. Got a video of this on my blog if you want to take a look on how we did it.
Cheers
Dave
David Jenyns´s last [type] ..Business Publicity – Focus On Traffic And Conversion
Hi David,
Yes the yellow pages is obselete. As a matter of fact, they’re trying to keep up with times by coming online. However, having business cards can still be effective marketing.
For example, let’s say you’re having casual conversation with someone. Your conversation turns towards business when you mention your business – be it offline or online. Rather than write down your website’s URL and email address, you can give them a business card that already provides this information. This may even impress them that you’re organized like this.
Good Afternoon David,
I agree wholeheartedly with your viewpoint on old school marketing, especially now that its gotten progressively difficult over the last few years to achieve the online visibility required to maintain one’s freedom away from the Dilbert Cube.
Local newspaper advertising in particular can be cost effective and generate positive ROI’s if done correctly, and this is an avenue that I plan to revisit soon. Let’s face facts, once your ad is in a proven print media that works for you no search engine in the world can delist or dereank it.
As for flyers, those postings on bulletin boards did tend to generate interest if designed properly. Also, there are probably still companies out there that can mail them for you to their subcribers who specifically are looking forward to these types mailings. Another avenue I plan to revist. But then again considering all the recent news about postal woes, perhaps not…
Best Wishes,
Felix
Felix@Cheap Car Insurance´s last [type] ..Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers
Hi Felix,
Your point is very well spoken! I appreciate your comment and agree with you.