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Growing Online Businesses 30% With Offline

by mgillogly
3 replies
I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. For years, I've been a behind the scenes kind of guy. (I'm not an ops guy, but a marketing and sales guy who grows online businesses.)

In my 10 years, I've noticed a business can easily grow 30% in one year at a minimum by adding a few things to the mix. Here are some observations in no particular order.

1. For large lists, inserting 'road shows' or mini live events. Most owners of online businesses don't like to go travel. They prefer to stay at home and do their thing. By inserting someone who can go on the road and sell one to one or from the platform has massive impacts.

Note: this works for non information oriented businesses as well.

2. Gathering phone number on the opt in page is not suppressing response. In fact, it's getting a better customer. This allows one more channel in the sales process.

3. Offline mailing can dramatically impact sales. Most online marketers I know have no form of consistent mailing to get push customers over the edge.

These are just a few of my observations. What are some other non online ways you are growing your businesses?

Matt Gillogly
#30% #businesses #growing #offline #online
  • Profile picture of the author BrashImpact
    Matt,
    great share...

    One way that i believe will catapult business's over the
    next 2 years will be SMS text messaging. The result's
    are almost instantaneous.

    Those companies who learn to embrace the next wave of Marketing
    will advance at a far faster pace than those who do not. They are
    either growing or dying IMHO. Recession brings out the Survivors and
    helps many create a personal Legacy.

    Regards,
    Robert
    Mobile Fusion Texting
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    • Profile picture of the author BradleyC
      Offline marketing is still very effective, including to help build an online business. For the past few years all we've heard from Internet Marketers is how SEO and online products services are the only way an offline business is going to grow, that offline strategies are dead and gone. Bull Honky!!

      I love talking to business owners who talked to one of these IM idiots who don't have a clue about the offline world of marketing. Because I've been doing offline marketing for 25 years I understand the offline world and the different marketing opportunities available, I quickly show my expertise and ability to help them with their business.

      Almost all of my services are a mix of online and offline. That's powerful! It not only gives them the best of both worlds, it puts them as ease since I'm not trying to tell them to stop what they've always done and has always worked. Instead, I'm building on that and helping them to take what they've done and enhance it, improve upon it.

      For example, I totally agree that a phone number on the optin form doesn't hurt the response rate. Remember people, this is "offline" businesses we're talking about here, not online businesses. The rules are different!

      Now I will say, asking for their mailing address will affect the response rate a bit, but not us much as you'd think.

      Many of my clients ask for phone and address. But then again, you have to realize that I don't put up those "online specific" email capture forms either. I do "offline business specific" capture forms which in themselves is far more effective.

      Then, when we do the follow up marketing we will do a mix of emails, letters, flyers and even postcards. Depending on the business, we'll also include follow up phone calls.

      So often I find the right mix of strategies and approaches are niche specific and business specific ... no one perfect solution for everyone. That's because of their market place, the city, what they're selling, their sales approach/philosophy and other variables.

      What I never do is shoot down what they're doing or offline marketing strategies. That's like telling a husband that his wife of 30 years is no good for him, yet she's been there for him for 30 years loving him, taking care of him, supporting him, being a mother to his kids and all of the other things she's done for him.

      That won't get you very far! Instead, it'll cost you creditability.

      Instead, align with them. Show them how they complement what they're doing. Over time they'll see how much advantageous the online world is and will gradually start "begging" you for more of that online stuff (stuff because they don't get it or understand it).

      The point is, the offline world of marketing has been around for many, many years, and it still works. Online is still in its infancy for offline businesses.

      In fact, many online businesses are finding tremendous success using offline marketing strategies like radio, TV, magazines, display ads and other things to help them build their business. Many onliners are shocked at just how effective it is.

      That's why knowing both sides -- online and offline -- really is key in this market place.

      Good luck.

      Bradley
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  • Profile picture of the author Warrior Ben
    Originally Posted by mgillogly View Post

    2. Gathering phone number on the opt in page is not suppressing response. In fact, it's getting a better customer. This allows one more channel in the sales process.
    This is really good advice. For a lot of my clients, I will put a phone number field into their opt-in in addition to e-mail. This allows my clients to follow up with a phone call, which obviously leads to a much higher close rate than just sending a follow-up e-mail.

    I've been preaching it a lot lately, but I'll say it again... Cold calling still works. I see that a lot of offline marketers started out doing online stuff and they want to continue just trying to make money by sitting behind their computer. It takes getting out there and meeting with people face to face to get business. Granted, there are still plenty of ways to do remote meetings, but I've found that this is more towards getting larger SEO clients. For local businesses, they want to meet the person face to face.

    -Ben
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