I was thinking about how exciting it can be to go left when everyone else is going right. Here are three reasons why good, old-fashioned offline marketing shouldn’t be completely forgotten:
Reason One: No one is expecting it
You may be surprised at the warm reception you will get by marketing to customers the “old fashioned way.” (My kids refer to the past as: “back in the 19s” .. LOL.) What a pleasant and surprising option. Imagine sending a simple, printed newsletter. If you have great content in that newsletter, my bet is that people would eat it up. Note: Online or offline, if your content stinks… then your content stinks.
Reason Two: Better comprehension and retention
I take in a lot of media. I love learning. I love my industry. I love figuring out how to put all this stuff together. I constantly read online and listen to hours of podcasts weekly. Recently, I noticed a peculiar thing when I did something really unconventional. What did this wildlife adventurer do, you ask?
I bought a book.
It’s a really good book about consulting with a lot of gems between the covers. I decided by the time I read HALF of the book, I had received more benefit than hour-after-hour of podcast listening and online article reading. (I do, however, appreciate you reading this!) I really can’t emphasize how much more practical the knowledge I gained from the book was compared to passively listening to similar ideas and recommendations. My guess is that a potential customer might remember you more readily these days if you sometimes surprise them with an offline approach.
Reason Three: ROI
The larger the listening audience, the more the tire kickers show up, and the more time you will need for prospect qualification. I’m just using my very own HumanSenseTM approach, but I as effective as digital marketing is, a lead from an offline source can be faster to convert into a sale. Digital media fills your headspace, but it doesn’t replace the need for a relationship. In my experience as an entrepreneur and business owner, the best deals I have ever landed have come from a personal contact — not just a digital handshake. Analog marketing may just take you out of the stratosphere and have you land a great deal, right here on the ground (where a lot of powerful decision makers live).
“…and that’s my 2 cents at market value.” – Bo
