When is offline marketing more effective?

Surely we are tired of hearing that digital marketing is everything and that traditional marketing is obsolete. Definitely, neither one nor the other. The purpose of marketing should not be confused with the media used. The digital marketing opens new ways, but the bottom line is the same: spread the word and expect the sales.

The fact that more and more people are on the Internet and we witness an explosion of Social Media does not mean that offline marketing does not work. More than a replacement, it is a change. The infinity of web tools now available facilitate what is the process of becoming known and potential customers love, but the essence remains the same: people.

What do we mean by traditional marketing and digital marketing?
Just for clarity, before entering the debate, let us define:

Traditional Marketing: traditional mechanisms to be known (massive publicity and specialized in non-digital media, physical, direct mail, trade shows); generating an experience (point of sale, merchandising) and build face to face (or networking public relations) relations.

Digital Marketing: Everything that happens on the Internet (search engines, web advertising, social networking, email marketing, e-commerce and all e-something and similar).
However, no matter how much more online marketing can grow, there are some aspects that it cannot cover or replace the offline marketing.

5 advantages of the offline marketing

1. Reach
Many mass media still have a huge reach and credibility to the audience (fashion magazines, specialized press, cooking channels on cable television). What is obsolete is the way we do business advertising (push rather than attract). Although the Internet has become a very important part of our lives, there are times when it is off. On the other side, offline marketing is always present in so many ways.

2. Face to face contact
Direct interaction, shaking hands and talking to a client face to face is still the best way to achieve the results we are longing for. People can ignore all those amazing offers online simply because they will not believe it, whereas a good talker can make the customer think they will blossom when purchasing their products.

3. It is not digital

This is an obvious fact, but try to convince your grandmother or the steward of the estate that they should be on Facebook and make them understand. Not everyone is or will be Internet users.

4. Seeing is believing
No matter how good videos or virtual catalogs you have on your page, there are those who always want to see it up close. To feel something and ensure it i the exact same way as presented is a crucial factor for many customers. They do not believe the online promotions because they do not guarantee the quality they say they have.

5. Test
Can you imagine someone tasting a cookie or cheese before buying it, online? Probably not. Offline marketing can offer the samples of the product they are selling so the customers can be sure that the product is exactly as they promised.
The Internet is a medium, not the end. The web is a vehicle that can achieve many things, but not all; you can and should complement both worlds.