How Combining Traditional And Digital Techniques Delivers The Best Marketing Results

There is no doubt we live in the digital age. The way most brands choose to communicate with their customers is online – through video, social media and their own website.

Many companies were thrust into digital marketing as technology evolved, especially in the past few years with smartphones. Now people spend so much time on their phones, and businesses use digital marketing to reach them.

However, it doesn’t make sense to abandon traditional marketing techniques in their entirety. People still drive their cars pass billboards every day, watch television and read the newspaper.

In fact, combining both traditional and digital techniques is the way forward to capture your audience wholly. One form doesn’t exclude the other, in fact you can use them together effectively.

Brands such as Pepsi have discovered that moving totally digital can really affect sales. If you already have an audience for traditional marketing, don’t abandon it.

Ways To Combine Traditional And Digital Marketing

The trick is not to think one or the other but consider what your client’s audience needs.

Here are some ways you can combine the two:

• Print out the banner ad that you’ve used online

All the work that has gone into the digital image can be reproduced using high quality printer cartridges. Now you can use it in traditional leafleting or at events.

• Use billboards with geotargeting

Geotargeting helps you create more specific ads for customers. Using billboards near the location can reinforce the brand and messaging in that area, thus driving more engagement.

• Digital and print magazines

Advertising in print magazines is not as popular as it used to be, but it still works. Many publishers can offer a deal for advertising in both their print and digital formats.

• Newspapers

As with magazines, many big tabloids and broadsheets now have a digital edition. You might have different markets online and offline, but it’s worth considering both, so you don’t lose either.

• Television and video ads

Television ads used to be way out of budget for smaller firms, with a primetime slot costing between £50,000 – £100,000. That’s why they relied on video content, on YouTube and other platforms to drive engagement.

However, now channels have offered subsidy grants to smaller businesses, so they can gain more visibility. Customers still look at companies that advertise on television in a different way; it brings more prestige.

• Digital and physical newsletters

Not everyone opens digital newsletters, whereas if a physical newsletter is delivered, they may decide to read it. As email newsletters are cheaper, you could send the digital newsletter weekly and send a quarterly round-up by post.

Research has shown that the response rate is better for physical newsletters at about 3 – 5%.

Know Your Audience

The important thing is to know what your customers want and listen to them. When Argos tried to make their catalogue fully digital, there was a backlash. The brand listened to consumers and have retained their catalogues.

Think about the return on investment, although digital can attract more followers, traditional marketing can sometimes bring a quicker ROI.

These traditional marketing techniques still have power:

• Press releases
• Event marketing
• Networking
• Cold calling

You need to understand where your consumers are in order to market to them effectively.

Consider Budget

Your company’s budget is obviously a key factor in deciding marketing strategies. Look for innovative ways to connect with your customer if your budget is low.

Traditional ways such as money off vouchers get people through the door to experience your product. Enforce the message while they are on the premises with print marketing.

In Summary

While it is important for brands to incorporate digital marketing strategy, it’s also good to remember what has always worked. A combination of the two has shown brilliant results for brands such as Coca-Cola.

Marketing in more than one medium will provide better results. If you’re relying on traditional marketing, it’s a good idea to introduce digital elements slowly. If you’ve gone totally digital, look at how you can add traditional elements to get the best coverage.