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real offline marketing?

by timwflowers
8 replies
This thread is titled "offline marketing" yet most of the discussions seem to be about online marketing. I think there's a positive role for offline marketing, considering how difficult it is to be seen online.

How many of you are using offline marketing methods, such as flyers, posters, door hangers, etc, to market your businesses? What works and what's a waste of time?
#marketing #offline #real
  • Profile picture of the author LastWarrior
    Actually, the forum is title "Offline Marketing Discussions", but who cares. The forum is to discuss how online marketers, ie, local or mobile marketers can market their services to "offline" brick 'n mortar businesses in hopes of getting to do business with them... via offering the BnM biz an opportunity to have an online presence that will bring more customers to their door.

    And as far as being seen online, it's easier to rank on a local level than a national or international one.

    In one of my service businesses, after we've worked in a neighbor hood or street, door knocking and giving a flyer had good returns on the time invested. Then disbursements of flyers generally, was good too and the quick response was good for getting quick business. Just make sure your flyers are in heavier lb. paper, possibly gloss on the face side and didn't lead with a cheesy line about saving money. I've had better luck with a professional looking flyer that led with fast and quality service. For estimates, don't forget the "FREE" and make your phone number LARGE. If you have a website you're confident in, make that visible as well.

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    • Profile picture of the author Your Brand Ebooks
      Originally Posted by LastWarrior View Post

      The forum is to discuss how online marketers, ie, local or mobile marketers can market their services to "offline" brick 'n mortar businesses in hopes of getting to do business with them...
      @LastWarrior, that is just one purpose of this sub forum. It is also for discussion of:
      o using offline techniques to promote an online biz; and
      o using offline techniques to promote (the online website of) an offline biz.


      Originally Posted by LastWarrior View Post

      via offering the BnM biz an opportunity to have an online presence
      In layman's terms, that means "getting a local business to pay you to make them a website" ...and that is not what this entire sub forum is about, but rather that is just one particular item, of many, that falls within the broad category of offline marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author colston
    Social Media Optimization.
    Social Bookmarking.
    Forum
    More.........
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  • Profile picture of the author danielkanuck
    Direct mail still works. If you find it too expensive to do, send out postcards and generate a lead. You should also run a Yellow Pages ad that offers your services, your contact info, and free offer if possible. Advertorials in your local newspaper can make you look like a star. Combine the advertorial method with an endorsement, and you should really see an increase in response.

    I don't suggest going door-to-door or placing flyers on people's cars. This method isn't targeted at all, and you have only so much time in a day to put flyers on people's cars. Work on your copywriting skills and write ads designed to make you the obvious person to do business with.

    And last (but not least), don't do cold calling. The average response rate is terrible, and there are other more effective things that you could be doing instead of trying to get past the gatekeeper (secretary).
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    • Profile picture of the author TriWin
      danielkanuck is right. A good targeted direct mail campaign can drive clients to a web site or landing page so that you can continue to market to them online.

      Post cards are great for this since you can spend less on printing and get your point across quickly.

      The single most important part of direct mail these days is your data list. If you do consider using this approach figure your most likely potential clients and sent mailers to them, not everyone in a zip code. Target your prospects specifically!
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      • Profile picture of the author ShayB
        I have a client that runs a restaurant in a rural area.

        In this particular area around 40% of the residents do not have Internet access. Part of this is because the service is simply isn't available in homes where they are, and some of it is because of the economic status of the region (or a combination of both).

        For his marketing campaigns, we are using a combination of online and offline marketing. Because of the size of his restaurant, he does not need to see a huge increase in his numbers in order to turn his business around (and, quite frankly, his restaurant isn't big enough to have a huge increase).

        I am using a combination of online techniques ( updating his website, creating a mailing list, social media, etc.) and also some offline techniques (getting in touch with some of the local businesses, churches, etc.). This approach is working quite well for his business.

        As far as offline techniques are concerned, I have used direct mail and also in-person visits.
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  • Profile picture of the author robyun
    I've tried promoting a forum of mine (it's about politics) via offline marketing. However my succes in doing this was limited, online marketing seems to be much more easier and reliable for me.
    I did fliers and banner ads.

    I think promotion in offline marketing didn't work that well because when you see an advertisement on your computer you can instantly click on the link and see what's that all about.
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    Originally Posted by timwflowers View Post

    This thread is titled "offline marketing" yet most of the discussions seem to be about online marketing. I think there's a positive role for offline marketing, considering how difficult it is to be seen online.

    How many of you are using offline marketing methods, such as flyers, posters, door hangers, etc, to market your businesses? What works and what's a waste of time?
    Actually in this forum, hardly anything is about internet marketing.... It for the most part is offline marketing. It isn't a place to come for getting tips on how to market your business offline. If you want old school techniques, then do what you said. Door hangers, flyers, direct mailing(that at least works).

    Basically it is us consultants that market OURSELVES to offline businesses, and bringing them online, managing and maintaining services we offer. Internet marketing would be just marketing ourselves online, with ads, SEO, and other forms of traffic generation.... or it could be something as simple as making income from adsense sites and CPA's.
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