4 ways to combine online and offline marketing for maximum impact

It might be a digital world out there, but that doesn’t mean offline marketing belongs in the history books. Quite the contrary, with the over saturation of advertisements and content in the online realm, audiences around the globe are rapidly turning to offline media again in an attempt to escape the noise, and discover the brands that truly matter, brands they can trust and welcome into their lives. In a sea of companies that only focus on digital marketing, you want to be the one that gives its traditional counterpart a chance.

Doing so might produce an ROI that will propel your brand forward as a whole. But you need to know what you’re doing. Most importantly, you need to seamlessly combine and complement online marketing with offline tactics in order to create a comprehensive strategy that will touch the hearts and minds of your audience. Here’s how to do just that.

Use online CTAs on offline promotional products

Calls to action are a staple of good practice in the digital world, so it only stands to reason that they should be a staple in your offline strategy as well. However, there is a good reason why you would want to use your online CTAs on your offline promotional materials instead of sticking with the traditional offline CTAs – you know that they will work. CTA performance in the online world is tangible and measurable, giving you the opportunity to skip the guesswork and implement something you know will make a positive impact.

What’s more, you can use these CTAs on your printed materials and other offline ads to drive traffic to any one of your online platforms, including social media, websites, and even email newsletters. The key is to provide value, incentive, and to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of inviting people to head over to your homepage, why not lead them to a dedicated landing page that’s optimized for converting offline audiences?

Use online metrics to boost your offline efforts

Speaking of performance, the online metrics you normally monitor to create actionable reports for your digital campaigns can serve as excellent resources for all of your offline efforts as well. This is because, again, you can effectively monitor the performance of every online tactic you employ, so you can easily gauge what works, and what should be replaced, adapted, or scrapped completely. Here’s how you can leverage online KPIs to boost your offline strategy:

• As a test run, use your most popular image on social media and make it the primary visual element of your next print campaign.
• Do the same for billboards and city lights, and add relevant copy that speaks to the offline audience.
• Be sure to use the same tone of voice people are familiar with so that they can easily associate the message with your brand.
• You can leverage any piece of content and every metric in the same way and use it to boost any type of offline strategy.

Create an omni-channel communication strategy

The methods of external communication you employ within your brand’s structure has the power to determine its future, because quite simply, we live in a time when customers want to communicate seamlessly with their favorite brands. This means that communicating via email or messaging on social media alone simply doesn’t cut it anymore – you need to cater to every type of customer.

Forward-looking companies have been quick to implement optimized phone systems for small business within their brand structures in recent years for this very reason, as there is a need to address the problems of customers and resolve common pain-points in a timely manner using a more personal communication method. People nowadays want to talk to their brands, and that means they have no problem picking up the phone in an attempt to resolve the issue as soon as possible. So, don’t lose loyal customers by making them wait for a response to their emails, but rather pick up the phone and talk to them.

Complement email marketing with direct mail

To a digital native leading a modern brand, direct mail might make an appearance in a bad dream or two, but not in their marketing strategy. It just seems like too grand of an investment only to reach a handful of people, especially when you take into account the efficiency and affordability of email. As you might have guessed, though, direct mail has its benefits, and it’s making a comeback.

Most importantly for growth-oriented brands, people actually open and read their letters! Imagine how wonderful it would be if your customers actually opened and read through every single one of your emails. Unfortunately, email doesn’t have that weight to it, and usually ends up in the trash folder without ever being opened. If you want to improve your retention rate and stand out from a crowd of brands that rely solely on email, be sure to send an occasional letter to your customers, it will make all the difference.

In closing

In a predominantly digital world, investing in offline marketing tactics might seem expensive and futile, but in reality, traditional marketing has the potential to skyrocket your business as a whole. With these tips in mind, go ahead and complement your digital efforts with offline tactics to create a comprehensive strategy that will improve your brand’s reach, trustworthiness, and image in the competitive industry.